COSTUME and MAKE-UP

Re-Wilding

COSTUME & MAKE-UP

 

 

 

There will be a communal pool of SOME costume and make-up items –

However it will be best for each performer to create costume pieces as part of your preparation and development process.

The shapes, textures and colors of the costume pieces, hair and make-up will influence your performance and should be part of your process. Explore what works for you.

 

Each performer is free to create their own costumes, hair and make-up within the following parameters:

 

 

DO NOT BE A HUMAN WEARING A NATURE COSTUME

BECOME NATURE ITSELF!

 

 

+ Influences can be from a combination of nature environments+

(desert, forest, tropics, ocean, tundra, meadow, mountain, swamp etc.)

 

 

 

MATERIALS

 

 

+ Earth / Plant:

Fabrics - Raw looking and textured like earth or bark.

Smooth and leathery or leaf-like glossiness.

Cottons and linens, raw silks, burlap, soft suedes and leathers (real or faux)

Colours – greens and browns.

+ Floral – small splashes of floral colour – Flowers (real or faux) and fabrics.

 

 

 

+ Water:

Fabrics – diaphanous, floating, moving.

Colours – whites, grays, blues, greens.

Accents of silvery metallic strands (subtle)

(Note: Keep water costume performance to the Waterfall section area of the installation.)

 

 

 

+ Creature:

Influences of animal, bird, fish, insect

feathers, fur, skin, scales, shells (real or faux)

Fabrics with natural looking print – scales, stripes

 

 

 

+ Objects and Accessories:

Very RAW looking

feathers, shells, rough stones, wooden pieces, flowers

 

 

 

NO PRINTS OF ACTUAL FLORA OR FAUNA

Prints of the patterns and textures are good

– but not of an actual plant or creature

 a tiger wears stripes, not a t-shirt with a tiger on it!

 

 

 

ASSEMBLING A COSTUME

 

 

+ Some Costuming Suggestions:

 

- Base

Wear some kind of “base” or “second-skin” on top of which you can layer up and remove items easily.

(I usually use a neutral skin tone leotard or cut up some cheap tights or hose – but find what is comfortable for you)

 

- Mix & Match

Cut up a variety of the fabrics into different sizes and shapes (in-keeping with the nature material they represent) – then mix and match them to create layers – experiment with safety-pinning them onto your base layer, twisting and tying them etc.

(Note: make sure to keep some pieces large enough to cover you!)

 

- Thrift Store Mutilations

Find an item of clothing that’s your size in a thrift store and has the right texture and color.

Cut off the tailored “human clothing” looking hems and details, then shape the edges into nature shapes – such as leaves or grasses etc.

(You can also add layers and objects onto it.)

 

 

 

MAKE-UP

 

+ BODY

- Basic finger-painted textures on skin – Play with ideas.

- Earth tones – browns and greens.

- Any kind of paint that your skin is tolerant of – Make sure to test them out if you are unsure.

Most water-based paints are fine. Or theatrical greasepaints.

 

 

+ FACE

- Personally I swear by old school theatrical greasepaints!

A little goes a long way and they last for years. They don’t sweat off – or even rub off that easily.

- This is what I usually do:

* Start with a greasepaint base

* Choose just one or two main greasepaint colours - (in this case, a brown will work)

* Then layer any kind of regular make-up on top - (the greasepaints will help powders to stick and stay)

* Draw details with make-up pencils

- Have fun experimenting with nature motifs, colours and patterns.

 

 

 

HAIR

 

Again … the main point is to NOT look HUMAN!

 

+ Use the hair to hold nature objects and materials

(this should work for any length of hair besides super-short)

 

+ Here are a couple of suggestions for how to form a supportive base with the hair:

 

- Thoroughly tease the hair into a “nest”.

Natural Soap products are actually more effective than gel or mousse for this. Any 80s punk or goth will tell you … Just work a super-thick layer of soapsuds through the hair and tease the hell out of it! – Using a fairly thin-toothed comb to backcomb one section at a time.

 

- Create lots of small knots of hair.

Either soap or gel works for this – coat all hair thoroughly.

Divide hair up into several sections.

Twist each section up into a mini-bun as tight as you can make it.

Secure with rubber band or hairpins.

 

- Create lots of small ponytails / bunches all over the head.

Braids can also work – However they look more like a “human” hairstyle, so make sure to disguise them with strips of fabrics etc.

 

 

+ Now you have a strong base to attach objects to.

 

+ Some Hair Accessory Suggestions:

 

- Poke long objects such as sticks and feathers through the hair.

 

- Thread a string of small shells, rough gems or rocks through hair and tie it.

 

- Tie strips of fabrics or raw strings like twine or raffia throughout hair.

 

 

+ For short-short hair  - Treat the hair as an extension of the skin by continuing your make-up and body-paint designs up onto the scalp.

 

 

 

Enjoy exploring costume, make-up and hair as part of your creative process as you develop your

Human-being-to-Nature-being

METAMORPHOSIS!