A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students (Paperback)

by Georgia O'Daniel Baker (Author), Helen Redel Pullen (Illustrator) "Figure 1.1 This diagram shows a method of arriving at correct proportions for the human figure using a rectangle to show proportions of the width..." (more)
Key Phrases: value scale chart, fringed bangs, normal waistline, Footwear Stockings, Arm Men, Footwear Men (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Ranging from Ancient Egyptian dynasties to the 1960s, this book illustrates and describes the dominant male and female costume silhouettes for major historical periods. Important features, including head and footwear, hair styles, shoulder shapes, waist, hem and necklines, are detailed to maximize the historical accuracy of each design. Each period contains at least one entire figure and several small detail images, and tips are included on developing a portfolio. The book is intended for students of costume design, designers and directors of small theatre.

From the Publisher
This book presents visuals that will help the designer produce images reflective of a specific time period. Students of costume design and costume history will learn how to "see accurately". Important information, including head and footwear, hair styles, shoulders, and waist, hem and necklines, are detailed to maximize the historical accuracy of each design and fully recreate the look and feel of a period. This new edition incorporates several important chapters covering topics such as: * Drawing from the Source: Period Garments as a Three Dimensional Form. Students' skills are polished by drawing from mannequins in period garments, including both fitted and draped garments * Understanding Color- including the color wheel and the understanding of value, saturation and the relativity of color * The Use of Computer Technology in Costume Drawing- The use of Freehand, Photoshop, and the scanner to add versatility to costume drawing skills. A Handbook of Costume Drawing is the perfect first book for any student of historical costume design. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 163 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; illustrated edition edition (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240801121
• ISBN-13: 978-0240801124
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,804,902 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dissapointed, June 29, 2000

By A Customer

As someone who has "fallen in" to costume design, I was hoping that this would be a great reference that would help me to get my ideas across to my director, but it has done little more than show how to proportion the male and female figures correctly. I was dissapointed in the lack of technical information about drawing fabrics on the human figure. Instead of technique, it gives a very brief overview of what changed in the line of the garments and has a half silhouette on the side of the page to show how the figure changed from period to period. There are several fashion history books availible that have much better overviews and illustrations. Only a few examples on four pages are given for each period.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 50 bucks? You have to be kidding!, December 16, 2003

By	Victoria Culver (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students, Second Edition (Paperback)

I bought this book as a gift. I was stupid enough to throw away the return slip before I realized what I bought. This is a flimsy black and white book that does not show much of any detail. There is nothing from China and Japan and maybe one exaple for every 250 years of history. There are even blank pages throughout the book for no reason. I am still going to give the book because I have nothing else to give but I know the person will be thinking that I"m a cheapskate and will never guess in a million years that I actually spent 50 bucks. I feel like I've been robbed. The reviewer that was the reason I bought the book has obviously only seen one or two books in his/her life.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Really disappointed, May 6, 2005

By	D. Remington "Costumelady" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Handbook of Costume Drawing: A Guide to Drawing the Period Figure for Costume Design Students, Second Edition (Paperback)

This book is lame. It's black and white drawings are sloppy and they don't instruct. There is little or no instructions
This book is way over priced. Stay away from it.