Costume Design
About the Course
Students will be provided the supplies for this elective.
Students will explore how costumes help tell a story, reveal character, and shape the world of a live performance. Through hands-on projects, they’ll discover the creative role of a costume designer and how designers work with a production team to bring ideas to the stage.
Through guided research and studio exercises, students will develop visual concepts inspired by character, style, and historical influences. They’ll experiment with form and silhouette while exploring how fabric, texture, and structure affect the appearance and movement of a costume.
Students will develop their ideas through sketches, material studies, and model pieces. Along the way, they’ll practice communicating design choices and refining their work through feedback, building skills that connect fashion, visual storytelling, and performance.
What Students Will Create
Students will develop a costume design concept supported by research, sketches, fabric and texture studies, and model pieces. Their collection will demonstrate how they’ve translated ideas about character and story into a design for the stage.
What Registration Will Include
This registration will cover one afternoon elective only. A morning intensive, a second afternoon elective, and housing will require separate registration.
Students will be able to take this elective on its own or combine it with other Summer@Cornish courses. No morning intensive will be required.
How Students Will Build Their Schedules
Full-Time Program
Students will register for a morning intensive and two afternoon electives, one from each schedule. Morning intensives will meet Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon, with a lunch break from noon–1 p.m.
One Afternoon Elective
Students will register for this course and attend on the days listed in its schedule. Afternoon electives will run from 1–4 p.m.
Afternoon Electives Only
Students who wish to attend every afternoon will choose two electives: one that will meet Monday/Wednesday/Friday and one that will meet Tuesday/Thursday.
Students will be able to pair this elective with either the Musical & Theater Intensive + Audition Prep & Performance or the Art & Design Intensive + Portfolio Development. They’ll also be able to combine it with another morning intensive to explore interests across disciplines.
Students will need to add each course to their cart separately.
Browse Summer@Cornish courses →
Housing Options
A residential option will be available to full-day students and will include supervised housing, evening and weekend activities, and extra studio time.
Students who plan to stay in housing will need to begin with the residential application before registering for courses. They’ll receive instructions for selecting a morning intensive and two afternoon electives as part of the residential package.
Learn about the residential program and how to apply →
Questions?
Students and families will be able to get help choosing courses and building a schedule by emailing cornishplus@seattleu.edu.
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