驫舞劇場 MDans2010 陳武康 Part 3: color test 創作過程

Notebook Date: 2.23.2010
Project: costume design
Event: M_DANs 2010
Event Date: 3.05-07 at The Metropolitan 城市舞台
Presented by: Horse Dance Theatre 驫舞劇場
Title: 景
Choreographer: Wu-Kang Chan 陳武康
Dancers: 張堅志���黃懷德���張子凌���蘇威嘉���周書毅

In costuming dance performance, the approach does not always come from styling and design. The beginning of the concept often lead to multiple creative ways in expressing choreographer's vision. In this project with WuKang Chan, we are trying to explore the possibilities of a pencil/graphite sketch images as shown in this picture. The approach here including putting on powder like substance on the dancers body along with the costume. Since powder sometimes could easily fall of on clothes, painting directly on the fabric of the costume could be an options here. This lead to a series of experimentation on applying color paint to the fabric. The medium we try here is acrylic paint and fabric dyes. Oil paint and water color do not work here for obvious reason. Oil paint does not dry very well whereas water color falls off easily after multiple wash. Fabric dyes naturally is a cheaper options but it diluted quickly and do not provide the kind of intensity of color that we are looking for. Acrylic paint became the choice of medium here.

Golden Acrylic, a popular brand for artist.

Color testing on cotton jersey fabric. The random application of paint intensity on the fabric not only create interesting shades of color, through different seaming and paneling, the paint also looks a bit like cracking on the edge of the seam.

Vivi fabric paint, can be found in any art store.

Vivi fabric paint dissolve into the fabric and does not produce the kind of intensity as acrylic.
If we look closely, there are layers of the same greyish brick color that create a monotone effect without looking too flat. Naturally, costume on dancers in motion already has that 3 dimensional look and we want to continue elaborate that with a little more layers of colors. For that we start with single layer cotton jersey, mismatch with cotton ribbing as cuff and collar, then the color paint over it create another layers of coloring. Then, the level of acrylic paint can apply with several different intensity by either applying thick acrylic without adding any water or just mix with water just like watercolor painting.
Next up: time to put it together in garment form.....putting all together is a challenge, stay tune...

All photos by Jordan K
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