ABOUT THE COURSE

This is a creative research project designed by Antje Budde and co-designed by Selina Jia - based on her initial ideas and learning goals.

It is part of the independent research course "DRM491 DRM491FH: 2D Digital Costume Design and Visual Art - Exploration" (Fall 2023) taught by Prof. Antje Budde at the Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies (CDTPS), University of Toronto.

This experimental course is a project of the Digital Dramaturgy Labsquared. More INFO.

This course explores praxis-based research in the field of digital (static or animated) 2D costume and visual art creation using the software Procreate as a main instrument for original preliminary works (prototypes). In order to create such prototypes for imaginative practical purposes (i.e. not for actual productions) focussed contextualized dramaturgy and design research is required, which will inform the aesthetic, functional and ethical considerations that go into digital costume design and visual art creation.

The goal of this course is to allow for professional skill development, hands-on engagement with design and dramaturgy processes and practices while also engaging in critical reflection and public web-based documentation and showcasing of that work.

There are a total of four main assignments as part of the syllabus:

Assignment 1: Designer Research Project

Description: Informed by the readings below, research and elaborate on three diverse (age, race, gender) costume designers of choice. Discuss their conceptual and dramaturgical approach to design, how and what they do to explore, analyze, and play with the task at hand, and how they materialize their conceptual ideas. How are they pushing boundaries of normativity and how do they critically engage with their work and context? Designer choices need to be justified in an up to 50 words proposal prior to the web-based project.

Readings can be found at the end of the blog post.

Assignment 2: Research-based Digital 2D Costume Creation

Create 2D digital costume designs (prototypes) for four different theatrical genres: drama, opera, musical, ballet based on the plays Beautiful Eyes by Caryl Churchill, Indians on Vacation by Thomas Kind, Pass Over by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu, and Triadic Ballet by Oskar Schlemmer. Format: Presentation of each project 20 min., Documentation of the works and process as an annotated PDF document based on Powerpoint (or such)

Furthur resources can be found at the bottom of each blog.

Assignment 3: Research-based Experimental Digital 2D Visual Art Creation

Creating two distinct digital music/sound/spoken word video prototypes (minimum 2 min. maximum 5 min. each) utilizing visual art on a theme chosen by the student. The videos can be based on animated visual objects or use such objects as overlay for a given original video content (can be in a virtual environment such as Hubs by Mozilla and use screen recording following the movements of an avatar, for example), produced by the student. Sound should be produced by using objects of the everyday (rustling paper, splashing water, hand drumming, foot steps, shaking pebbles, dog barking etc.) or musical instrumental improvisation (based on student’s self-identified skill set)

Resources can be found at the end of each blog post.

Assignment 4: Final Web-based Portfolio Showcase

Final showcase and documentation of all artworks produced in this course along with annotations on process, context and major conceptual ideas. Format is TBD but should be usable for future employment, opportunities, and applications.

Decision: Portfolio is to be showcased through this website/blog.