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Last week I wrote an article discussing my British Literature class' foray into costume design. Over the next few days I'll briefly how your class (or homeschool) can engage in close reading and preparation for the final drawings.
Step 1: Look for obvious, obligatory costume details.
“Obligatory” details are costume descriptions clearly given in the text. For example, in A Christmas Carol, the second spirit is described like this:
“It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur. This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. Its feet, observable beneath the ample folds of the garment, were also bare; and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath, set here and there with shining icicles. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. Girded round its middle was an antique scabbard; but no sword was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust” (Dickens).
To keep track of the details, make a list.
Green robe with white fur with ample folds
Bare feet (no shoes or socks)
Holly wreath with icicles
Long, dark brown curls
Antique, rusted scabbard (and a belt to hold it on)
Once the list is complete, do some basic sketches based purely on imagination/before research. These can be stick figures or fully expressed drawings depending on your level of skill and desire!
Love the idea of giving your teen an experience that combines art, movement, and literature? Check out the online homeschool literature class that begins January 22. http://bit.ly/Spring2019Lit