All visual artists work with the same elements of design. Each element has both physical and psychological effects on the observer. The particular choices made by a designer in a given situation produce a design with specific characteristics and effects. All elements can be manipulated to the designer’s purpose.

The basic elements of design are space, line, shape, form, light, color and texture.

Space is defined as the area between or within shapes. The costume designer works with two specific spaces: 1. The area of the actor’s body and costume 2. The total area of the stage

The space of the actor’s body and/or outline of the garment is called the silhouette. The costume designer establishes the shape of the silhouette and sub-divides that space to accomplish the desired effect for each character.

Uneven divisions of space are generally the most pleasing. Equal divisions or extremely unequal divisions are generally less pleasing. However, an unpleasing effect may be exactly what the designer is obliged to produce for certain characters or scenes, particularly comic or evil ones.

There are eight aspects to a line: path, thickness, continuity, sharpness, contour, consistency, length and direction. Within each aspect are numerous variations, each conveying its own psychological and physical effects. These effects of line are based on associations with objects from our experience or from nature.

Shape is flat space enclosed by a line; form is the three-dimensional area enclosed by surfaces. Hollow forms are perceived as volume; solid forms are perceived as mass. Shapes and forms are defined space.

The first form the costume designer must deal with is that of the human body. The separate shapes and forms of the body (head, arms, torso, legs) combine to create the individual’s body structure. The structural shape of a specific actor is a given part of the design formula that the designer must use, and the costume must ultimately work on that actor.

As in almost no other situation, light on stage can be controlled and manipulated for an aesthetic purpose. While the responsibility for the direct light belongs to the lighting designer, the manipulation of reflected light is affected by the choice of materials, fabrics, and trims made by the costume designer.

The most exciting, powerful, and provocative element of design is color. The emotional or psychological response elicited by color is the result of both a vast store of cultural associations shared by a society and associations unique to each individual. The costume designer must learn to manipulate both the physical and psychological aspects of color in order to produce the desired audience response.

The texture of an object is its tactile surface characteristics or a visual representation of a tactile surface. Fortunately for the costume designer, fabric comes in an almost endless variety of textures.

The basic principles of design are directional, highlighting, and synthesizing.

Generally the simplest, directional principles lead the eye from one place to another, build to a climax, and emphasize a direction.

Repetition is the use of a design unit more than once. Parallelism is the use of equidistant units on the same plane. Sequence is one unit following after another in a particular order and in regular succession. Alternation is the sequence of two units changing back and forth.

Sequence Parallelism Alternation

Gradation is the sequence of adjacent units, identical in all respects but one, which changes in specific steps from one unit to the next. Transition is the smooth, continuous movement from one position or condition to another. Radiation is a sense of movement outward from a central point (visible or implied). Rhythm is the perception of organized movement.

Gradation Transition Radiation Rhythm

Highlighting principles focus attention on the differences between one unit and another.

Concentricism is the layering of shapes, each progressively larger and each having the same center. Contrast is the juxtaposition of unlike units. Emphasis is the placement of focus on a point or area of the design – the center of interest to which all other areas are subordinated.

Emphasis Contrast Concentricism

Synthesizing principles guide the total combination of elements in a design to relate and integrate the parts.

Proportion is the result of the comparative relationships of distances, sizes, amounts, degrees, or parts to the whole. Scale is the relative size of shapes to the whole and to each other, or comparative proportional size relationships. Balance is the sense of evenly distributed weight, size, density, or tension that results in stability.

Harmony is a pleasing combination of elements, a consistency of feeling, mood and function. Unity is the feeling of wholeness, of all parts complete and necessary to the totality. Unity is subtle it s the result of design elements used well and design principles applied well.

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