In Costume Design: When is Less Truly More?

Hey everyone

Some insights about "Widows" my last piece.

Concept

The idea behind this piece was influenced by the two birds in the references, they looked like two old ladies in my opinion, one fancy/elegant and the other extrovert with an extravagant hairstyle, jewelry, and animal print pants. Some references speak louder than others, telling you stories without even thinking, these familiar references I found very useful especially those days I'm not at my best. 

The twist I wanted to give to these old ladies was to make them two dangerous young widows, but still keeping the direction in principle I described, the one on the right presumably poisoned her husband and is very "sad" about it, the reason? maybe a fortune to claim. The other, out of anger, just shot him, the reasons can be multiple, cheating? perhaps her husband hit her? who knows, truth is, that both are now widows.

Execution

I often don't recommend listening to something while executing the first part of the process, just to avoid distractions since this part is essential, but this time I was listening to a new album from an artist I was curious about. While listening, you will notice in the process video, the shapes were more intuitive, I was trying to replicate both birds' shapes not caring too much if they looked human. At this point, I knew they both would be widows, I just did not know how to show this in the composition.

I thought it would be nice to make them dangerous in their own original way, the elegant one with glasses of wine, not a green substance a bit toxic, and the other way more brutal. In principle, I thought about a chainsaw and blood everywhere, but this idea did not stick since I cannot see these particular women cutting bodies (which is possible) but I consider this a bit off-topic and a bit too gore.

Since I've been working so hard on compositions with three or more characters, two-character compositions worried me lately, I kind of feel they do not have enough info, so even before jumping into line art I spend quite a few minutes searching for enough costume design information in my references to be sure the composition was not boring or null. I distributed the information in three points of attention for each. These points often go around face expression, gesture or hands, and costume details, aside from that everything extra brings some kind of release of anxiety for me as I believe it makes the composition richer, I must remind myself that more does not equal better, but less neither, so this balance is a subjective struggle that although annoying I consider necessary.

This raises an interesting question: in costume, what should we focus on? It's not just about the sheer number of elements but the depth and significance behind each. Personally, I like to have interesting shapes, patterns made by values and colors. But beyond the aesthetics, every piece of the costume should have a reason to be there, whether it's a brooch that signifies a character's lineage or a pattern hinting at their past. The narrative purpose behind costume elements can often create a more profound connection than just their visual appeal. 

Now the question is, 'what does interesting mean?' I guess in that matter, the reference you choose plays an essential role. A costume should be more than just clothing; it should provide glimpses into a character's past, personality, or aspirations. By understanding the character's backstory and the environment in which they exist, you can tailor the costume to reflect these aspects subtly. And from the reference is where you can extract these significant costume ideas. I believe 'interesting' in a way is how you are making this shift from the reference to the costume, perhaps not precisely reference related to costume, like I do with animals into cloth.

In the case of today, for the elegant widow, I chose a very fancy coat with a pattern similar to the pigeon plumage, jewelry, and very distinctive red heels, elements that not only look good but also hint at her backstory and status. For the extrovert, I remember saving a long time ago a woman with pink heels and pantyhose stockings (you will see the reference pinned in my reference board). Beyond just visual appeal, I wanted the costume to fit the character's environment and narrative. Thus, I searched for references of the wives of Italian gangsters, with animal print fur coats, a lot of makeup, rings with colors, colorful glasses, and jewelry. These pieces don't just add flair; they speak of her bold personality, her environment, and perhaps even her aspirations or past. This approach helped me solve the information in costume I needed to cover that little extra I felt insecure about.

Conclusion

Less is more when each element carries depth, significance, and narrative purpose. It's not merely about minimizing components but ensuring that each piece you choose to include holds a meaningful connection to the character's backstory, personality, or aspirations. The true art lies in selecting these elements carefully, focusing not on their quantity but on their ability to convey a character's essence. The key is to deeply understand your character and their world, then reflect this knowledge in every costume choice. In this way, 'less' becomes a powerful tool to paint a vivid picture, providing a glimpse into a character's soul rather than just a visual appeal.

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