Costume accessories 9 CROWNS - OCCUPATIONAL ACCESSORIES -PAPER PULP AND MOULDS. JEWELLERY Corny 226 Cre 229 Cre teed 1) Coury : 3 232 Soon Pax) rou CU as Pa) Le a oar ua RE Pen Pee ur arti co) 234 Items for a school Nativity Play 240 Poe eed 241— CROWNS -1: a basic design and some construction methods Materials x Cut shapes of stiff cartridge paper, stencil paper, felt or similar flexible material. 2 Scrap metals, buttons, beads, springs, etc. 3 Cord and string. 4 Muslin and scrim. 5 Pulp and paper. 6 Tissue paper and torn newsprint. 7 Stapler. 8 Adhesives, scissors, knife. 9 Light and medium gauge wire. ro Felt pieces. 1x Paint. Glue cord to outer edges and cover Staple or stitch | with pasted tissues, tapping them basic parts gently into crevices with a brush. | Use coloured foil or sweet wrappers together, glueing | Strengthen with layers of papier || and bright enamels for the jewels. all surfaces miché and muslin, Leave to dry | Paint the rest with metal powders before fixing. and then shellac. in shellac.Cut out a paper pattern, the circumference determined by the actor’s head ++ 2 cm flaps. Lay out on felt or similar material stiffened with shellac. Chalk round the pattern and cut out. Use leftover pieces for decorations. Jewels are small cut Pieces of felt covered with foil or paint. Metal paints and powders can be applied to the whole crown with a brush or spraygun. Stitch or staple the flaps together. Bend the crown to the required shape before the shellac hardens. Felt cap method Steam an old felt hat (see helmet-making on page 197) to the right size. Cut round with scissors to give a smooth edge. Staple or stitch a 5 cm rim outside the cap. Shellac both parts. Build up the crown over the cap, with strips across and a centre bob. ‘Try variations on string decorations. Wire method A strip of card or paper is wrapped round the actor's head to get the right circumference. A wire frame is built round the paper pattern ring ~ the paper is S later removed. Tie wires as shown on age 233. Paper maché is pasted over the wire mesh (approximately 4 layers). The decorative parts are added with more pulp or felt. Apply a coat of shellac, then a coat of paint, then another coat of shellac. Finish with metal powders, etc. See notes on page 111.Tall cylindrical crown A tall cylinder with a slight cone shape can be constructed from stiff card or from felt stiffened with shellac. Finish decoration with cut felt pieces soaked in shellac or size. Spray or paint with metallic paints - or with metal powders in shellac or P.V.A. medium. CROWNS -2 Fabric over frame o- ~ traditional crown ® fabric eee below. core edging Drape fabric over wire frame AQ and tuck under top ring. Ornament with metal scrap, paste jewellery, beads, etc. Enamel and gild with metal powder in shellac or P.V.A. medium. Ornate Eastern crown Assemble as shown. Staple tabs. Decorate with strings, cords and felts. Paint with gold metal peo, assemble parts A,BandC as ‘Shown Using similar methods, a simple ring type with four plain points can be constructed. ‘Rivets? are featured as the only ornament. Any of the materials already mentioned would be suitable for this tal, pointed, ‘wizard’ style crown. D papier micné (fine wine Unusual shapes can be constructed) mesh with wire, wire mesh and papier, miché.Coronets fee ee or string Greek/Roman Footwear sandals Coronets ‘are more delicate than crowns and need fine detail on the top edge. Interesting spaces can be created by adding raised parts to the top edge. Variety can be achieved by the use of various scrap items ~ feathers, beads, etc. Simple footwear can be erfele constructed over canvas ‘Seurn t shoes, old shoes and jock rubber boots. Old shoe soles and shoe socks can hhave tapes and felt glued and stapled underneath. thongs vaxcaded high to en t s ngue ‘This illustration shows a ring of felt > Pe surmounted by feathers, combs, Ss Pegg ROE Sek eget sticks, hat-pins and scrap metal, all re 2 secured by fine wire. Tiered crowns Verse a n Pier dard Tall Biblical crowns can be made from simple cones of card, as shown 14th cent. shoe card and sdver paper: 18th cent. ‘The mitre requires two halves bound at the bottom by a band, with two ‘tassels? attached.OCCUPATIONAL COSTUME ACCESSORIES Certain plays and musicals demand accessories relating to particular occupations often of an early period. The musical ‘Oliver’, for example, requires various street traders: strawberry sellers, a knife grinder, a milkmaid, etc, Costumes for such trades are beyond the scope of this book (but see page 277 for book list) but a few items illustrated on these two ages can be useful and are not difficult to make. Milkmaid's yoke and pail heavy gauge wire frame A yoke and early wooden pail (17th century). Pail can be fixed to yoke or carried on the head. Chef's hat Chef’s hat of the r9th century. The as feasaly became deeper to reach the height seen today 230 foe ie slight Slope Pecinanlaga white card badges cant p tape ng BIOS Qos. ss Finish The double-peaked postman’s cp (1904) can be made from an existing cap with peaks add 's brush and cap sticks of 25mm dowel bam anh stitch onl side ‘The sweep’s brush is shown in a closed position. ‘The sweeps’ fantail hat was also used by dustmen in the 18008.Carpenter's tools and paper cap double-handed saw handles tn- ‘The paper cap was common to many trades in the 19th century but was associated chiefly with carpenters. The paper-folding method is complicated but can be found in most origami books. Stove-pipe hat ‘These tall hats are useful for Dickensian pageboys, Bow Street Runners and some tradesmen of roth century. ico, wicker type or re from plywood and pam as idan nork Early police and fireman's helmets saul evest of cank —/7 paper pulp over wie and/or card Bem chin strap of tape ‘These helmets can be constructed as Roman helmets — see page 202. Water seller's tankardFANS Ostrich fan broaden handle " with thick fat jy, oma coras —-4 \ Sans fl no wet ye sides and 11] img fams-Sscove and m7 ry \ | { | ul ULLAL eel Folding fansSPECTACLES, etc. Do not fit any glass. square shape-fite “gauge wire By Square soca hard board re ae jou: Jf om fo oe, Shepherds’ crooks Use a 25mm dowel or bamboo stick; insert heavy-gauge wire at one ‘Wrap a padding of paper round the wire where it meets the dowel or bamboo, narrowing as you work towards the tip of the wire. Finish with self-adhesive tape and paint. 240 Angels’ wings For lengthening the wings, hold a stick in each hand and drape materials (cloth with feather shapes attached looks effective) over the stick. ‘More traditional wings: use a wire frame attached to ae to tie across the chest. wire frame cover with light: camwas, ete. Build up wire frames for the wings themselves and cover with fabric stretched tightly. Attach ‘feathers’ if desired. Primary school Nativity Play: note the use of simple sheeting for ‘angels at the sides.The gifts Look at pages 160-163 for examples of various pots and page 168 for boxes. The important thing is to aim at variety of shape, the decoration can be quite simple. Here are shown a sphere, an oblong box and a chalice- like shape. Many other possibilities can be tried — but differences in shape should be obvious from a distance. discs Crowns ‘See pages 226-229 for method of construction, Crowns can be elaborate or very simple but variety of shape is important as it is for the gifts. Here are three basic shapes: Bei snty ors wmside Aw 2 ‘Make a wire frame, stretch tissue paper over it and place a lamp behind; alternatively, cover wire or card with silver foil. = paper star-- score j NZ Mand foto Sa cake br Yssue covered Taipan Gadkony bela ITEMS FORA SCHOOL PASSION PLAY Passion plays can be most effective if performed in the ‘open, weather permitting. It is rewarding to work with large crowd movements in a natural environment, ‘The essential items for a Passion play are: Three crosses; Pilate’s throne; Roman arms and armour; and small props ~ a crown of thorns, a bow! for washing and some stage blood. A stretcher will be useful if Christ is to be carried away. A simple form of Roman armour is shown below: 1 Cut four lengths of card scm wide, long enough to encircle the waist. 2 Cut eight lengths of card gocm py long for each soldier's shoulder Perec hes armour, te =e 3 Cover each card strip with thin foil, glueing it on with P.V.A. medium and folding the surplus foil to the back of each strip - one side only need be smooth. _—<———, Blue metal fort ~y =z Ey any conveniout 4 Each set of shoulder strips can be curved together and stapled, then sewn to the garment. ‘The waistband is secured at the front by lacing or press studs. Fasteners , press Studs, etc... Secure with paper fasteners or pap: ‘Helmets and body armour are shown on pages 202-203, arms on page 213. (continued on next page) 24rItems for a passion play (continued) The crosses Ensure that they are strong in structure to carry the weight of actors. Cut lengths of timber and assemble as shown, Allow extra length for the depth of the hole. The Christus figure should be raised into position from the ground so it is important to place the cross base con- veniently close to the hole. Ropes can effectively be used. to pull the cross into a vertical positon. A wedge can be inserted at the rear of the cross to prevent movement. Thieves! crosses cam beim a ofa'T' Siferoone or Witck plyweood Throne A throne suitable for a Passion play is shown on page 150. A crown of thorns Use either medium gauge wire or light ash twigs as a base - intertwine suitable twigs with this base. 242 (Christus figure on Cross ~ rehearsal for an outdoor Passion play.