I normally take the weekends off of the blog, but my final design meeting for Wonka is at 4:00 this afternoon. It took us awhile to come to our final solution for Violet as a blueberry, so I just got it sketched and colored this morning. Since I did a sketch, I figured it's perfect fodder for a blog entry.
My portion of Violet's transformation is the third and final step. The first is a lighting and sound shift, the second is a scenic transformation, with fabric panels creating a windmill like effect, and the third is when the windmill dynamically breaks apart, and Violet emerges thusly.
I puzzled a long time on how I can create something interesting, theatrical and manageable for our time and budget. I knew something couldn't just emerge from her costume because there would be no way to hide it well during the huge buildup to this moment. We knew an inflatable costume wasn't stylized enough. Then I thought about a Chinese paper lantern, and how it collapses to almost nothing and then expands into a spherical shape. Perfect!
Violet acts like the tension rod in the lamp, keeping it a sphere. I think we're going to use either thin PVC or tubing for the boning. I already found a pretty decent 4-way blue knit stretch on the clearance table at Hancock's ($2 a yard, baby!). Her gloves will be built in to the sphere to help stabilize the piece from left to right. The last ring around her neck and shoulders will have to be jointed or hinged, so she can shimmy it up her body and over her shoulders.
Rachel, since you're the expert crafts artisan of the group, if you have any ideas or suggestions, I would be ALL EARS!
Anyway, I just really like how this sketch turned out. In fact, now that all of Wonka is done, I'm pretty happy with the set. Yes, I made mistakes. Yes, the proportions are wacky at times. Yes, my marker work is oftentimes inexpertly executed. But, I'm pushing myself to move past that kind of negativity. I'll never turn out a perfect sketch, period.
I rather like to think that it is my imperfections that make me unique as an illustrator.
Wow, fun! I love it! I want to build it!
ReplyDeleteBut, seriously, advice-wise, i have a couple of thoughts.
First up, i have a lantern of this exact sort hanging right above my head, and i can tell you one structural thing about it that you probably want to consider: it looks like it is separate rings, but it actually is one continuous rib that spirals. Separate hoops will give that "ding dong bell" effect that petticoats have, and the "blueberry" will be a bit more amorphous and wibbly when she moves; whereas a continuous spiral channel will help keep the shape spherical. Were it me, i'd make two little ones on one of those 3rd-scale artist forms (or a Barbie or something) and see how they behave. One may have a more desirable motion than the other.
THe other thought i have is, i suspect that using something with a round cross-section may cause some malformation issues as well. Skirt hooping is flat because it controls the motion of the hoop and maintains a flat plane for it. If you need it wider, they sell a metal banding in spools at the hardware store that might work. But, weight is also a consideration, and steel hoops or PVC may be too heavy for this application. Were i building this, i'd look into the thickest weedwhacker cord (trimmer line) that i could find as a possible option for a spiral channel--it has a square cross section--or maybe the thin cage petticoat hooping that Wooded Hamlet sells.
Definitely would require some research and experimentation. Fun fun!
We've been using aquarium tubing for our hip bucket panniers here for Amadeus and it works like a dream...its flexible, doesn't crimp like steel hoops, light weight...I'm obsessed with it. Its also really cheap and available pretty much anywhere...I'm probably going to collaborate with Bill on a poster session at USITT or SETC on using it for panniers and hoops...it may work for you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel about the spiral though.
ReplyDeleteI've made hundreds of walk-arounds (1200 Smoky T. Bears alone) all with H.D. poly tubing (not Low-d). When controlled in a rod pocket, there is no shifting out of shape. Also easy to assemble with dowel pegs and tape over the split. Beware of poly tubing from DIY sources, it's much better to source out the good stuff and get a roll! H.D. acts more like nylon than poly! 3/8-5/8 is the usual range needed depending on face fabric.
ReplyDelete