Metaphor and Color in Costume Design PDF

# What is Metaphor in Costume Design? **Metaphor is **"A figure of speech in which a word ... that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison."** **What does "Let's discuss the elephant in the room" mean?** An elephant is large. It is hard to...

# What is Metaphor in Costume Design? **Metaphor is **"A figure of speech in which a word ... that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison."** **What does "Let's discuss the elephant in the room" mean?** An elephant is large. It is hard to miss. It is what people are thinking about (trying to ignore) yet not mentioning. The elephant in the room symbolizes an obvious problem that no one wants to address. ### Costume Design **Metaphor is used** to assist the costume designer in developing a specific tone, mood, style, or feel for the play. **An easy way** to display the mood of the production is through color, texture, and tone. ## Texture * **Rough textures** symbolize struggle, conflict, old age, discomfort. * **Smooth texture** symbolizes calm, agreement, peace, ease, happiness. **Without texture**, art lacks life and vibrancy. ## Tone **Tone refers** to the degree of lightness or darkness of an area. * **Warm colors** tend to seem more active and lively, and suggest feelings of optimism and energy. * **Cool colors** tend to seem more passive and subdued, and can suggest feelings of peacefulness, sadness, and tranquillity. ## Color **The Color Palette** - **Red:** Passion, Danger, Violence, Anger, Adventure, Blood, Fire - **Orange:** Energy, Vitality, Cheer, Excitement, Adventure, Warmth, Good health, can mean a lack of serious intellectual values and bad taste. - **Yellow:** Happiness, Optimism, Enlightenment, Creativity, Sunshine, Cowardice, Betrayal, Egoism, Madness, Caution - **Green:** Growth, Fertility, Rebirth, Ecology, Jealousy, Money, Financial stability - **Purple:** Magic, Mystery, Spirituality, Creativity, Dignity, Royalty - **Blue:** Color of heaven. Authority. Cold. Wet. Convey a sense of trust. Loyalty. Cleanliness. Understanding. Blue evolved as a symbol of depression in American culture. - **Brown:** Steadfastness, Simplicity, Friendliness, Dependability, Health - **Black:** Strength, Seriousness, Power, Authority, Grief - **White:** Innocence, Purity, Wholeness, Goodness, Completion. Light. **Notes:** - The images in the document include: an elephant, a color wheel, a picture of cracked concrete, a picture of the ocean, a tree shaped like a head, a splatter of paint, a picture of a couple hugging, pictures of a family, a paint palette, a splatter of paint, and a few colored circles. - The document is about how metaphors are used in costume design. It emphasizes how color, texture, and tone can be used to communicate specific moods and ideas.