designer | Outside The Lines

Unless you are totally disconnected from all types of media, you are probably aware of Disney’s recent release of its live-action romantic film, Cinderella. To say the movie is a success is a gross understatement; the film has thus far claimed about $500 million worldwide. Obviously, there is something about Cinderella that the whole world loves.

While there are various reasons both children and adults adore Disney’s recent epic movie, art lovers are captured by the sensational costumes displayed in the film. The costumes, designed by Sandy Powell, are true masterpieces that, quite simply, bring the film to an unsurpassed level of artistry.

Sandy Powell’s Exquisite Costumes Dazzle Moviegoers

Sandy Powell, a three-time Oscar winning costume designer, is no stranger to transforming mere clothing into works of art. To create the costumes for Cinderella, Powell looked to the styles of the 1950s and the 19^th Century for inspiration. (These were the time periods that inspired the illustrations for Disney’s 65-year-old cartoon version of Cinderella. Powell drew from the same stylistic eras in order to give the modern Cinderella a distinctly Disney flavor.) Powell commented, “I wanted the costumes to be bold and have an explosion of color as if it were a picture book…but at the same time, I wanted the clothes to be true to each character and believable.”

The Wicked Stepmother Stands Out in Gowns Fit for a Queen

If you think Cinderella’s wicked stepmother was dressed shabbily to express her malicious character, think again. Cate Blanchett, who played Ella’s infamous stepmother, was a human canvas for some of the most stunning displays of costume artwork ever created. Speaking of Blanchett’s character, Powell commented that it is always fun to dress the bad guy, whereas the good guy is typically the most difficult to design for.

Cinderella’s Wedding Gown, an Artistic Masterpiece

While Blanchett’s costumes are remarkable, they in no way upstage Lily James’s costumes (James is the young actress who played Cinderella). For the famous gown that Ella enters the ball wearing, Powell designed a beautiful gossamer dress featuring shades of lavender, blue and turquoise. To add to the gown’s enchantment, tiny butterflies were sewn onto the bodice, giving the dress a touch of whimsy.

While all the costumes in Disney’s Cinderella were spectacular, none were more so than Ella’s wedding gown. At first glance, the long-sleeve beige colored gown appears to be somewhat simple (Powell wanted it to express Ella’s innocence). But, take a closer look and you’ll observe painstaking attention to detail. Once the seamstresses were done constructing the gown, “It was given to the artists who intricately hand painted flowers onto the gown. It took 16 people and nearly 550 hours to complete the dress.” Layer upon layer of fabric was hand painted until the desired effect of absolute costume magic was achieved. All things considered, Cinderella’s wedding gown is no less than a work of fine art that will undoubtedly touch fans for generations.

Do you see costumes as works of art? What film features costumes that inspire you as an artist? Share with us – we’d love to hear from you!

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

When Art Sells Art

Fabulous Floral Designs with Painted Counterparts Makes Art Alive

French Floral and Portrait Painter – Henri Fantin-Latour

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To be considered an artist, must someone necessarily conceive of the subject of their artwork in their own mind, or is it acceptable for them to use a “blueprint” provided by another artist? Dan Robbins, the designer of “paint by number” art kits, would agree that individuals can indeed use patterns to assist them in art making and still be accepted as legitimate artists.

Dan Robbins designed paint by number, a product that allows people to paint pictures according to set patterns, in the 1950s. Max Klein, who was the president of the Palmer Paint Company, sought Robbins out as the designer of the yet-to-be discovered product that would later be known as paint by number. Robbins was admonished by Klein to conceive of and design a product that could help anyone become an artist.

Robbins looked to Leonardo da Vinci for inspiration in his endeavor to create a phenomenal art product. (This is because Da Vinci was known to supply his apprentices with “numbered patterns” on which to paint.) Robbins wondered why the same principle Da Vinci applied to his apprentices wouldn’t work for modern art enthusiasts and soon began developing paint by number kits.

Not long after paint by number was developed and marketed, kits began to sell in droves as Americans became addicted to the product that enabled them to make beautiful, intricate paintings. Robbins created even more kits and trained paint by number designers (Adam Grant was one such designer). Today, Dan Robbins’ art “has been displayed on more walls than that of any other artist.” To say that paint by number kits made Dan Robbins a success is an understatement.

Paint by number has been supplying art enthusiasts with art “blueprints,” so to speak, for decades. As a result, thousands of individuals having dormant artistic skills have blossomed into artists. This has made paint by number somewhat of an American legend, and has afforded many individuals cherished memories and increased artistic ability.

How much do you enjoy paint by number and Segmation? Whether you love crafting perfect paintings, creating great digital art, or have fond childhood memories of coloring inside the lines, your experience is unique. We want to hear your story in the comment section below. What does paint by number mean to you?

Sources:

http://www.paintbynumbermuseum.com/dan_robbins_intro

Coming Soon: Read Segmation’s exclusive article about William L. Bird, a historian and curator at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, where in 2001 he organized an exhibition on paint by numbers on which his book is based.

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