Costume cutters working on productions in the film, television and live theatre/entertainment industries apply the skills and knowledge described in this unit. They are responsible for researching historical and cultural material to assist with the interpretation of costume designs, and for cutting and draping complex period costumes by developing patterns using advanced 2D and 3D techniques. Even though they usually work to briefs provided by costume designers, there is scope for costume cutters to be creative as they work on the designs they are given. They need to be adept at researching scripts, films, plays, books and historical data as primary sources of information to assist with the interpretation of costume designs and to ensure that the final costumes are true to the costume designer's vision. Costume cutters take performers' measurements and proportion costume designs accordingly. They develop and cut patterns through a combination of flat pattern making and construction, and pattern draping (moulage), of fabric onto a 3D dress form over corsetry and undergarments or underpinnings. Costume cutters also need to be skilled in a full range of complex sewing and finishing techniques. Costume cutters at this level self-manage the costume cutting and draping process and liaise directly with costume designers and performers when conducting trials and seeking approvals. |
CUFCOS404A Cut and drape costumes | ||
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Plan pattern development | 1. Confirm costume design requirements and materials to be used in consultation with relevant personnel 2. Conduct research to assist with the interpretation of costume designs and the identification of design elements or components 3. Record relevant historical aspects of costume designs 4. Take, record and analyse performer's measurements as the basis for customising the proportioning of costume designs 5. Identify special costume functional requirements of performers and performances and consider the most effective way to achieve creative requirements 6. Document costume specifications 7. Produce a plan of action for pattern development |
Prepare for draping | 8. Prepare dress form or dressmaker's dummy for draping 9. Map costume design proportions on a dress stand 10. Select or construct the required underpinnings for the dress form 11. Determine which parts of the costume design will be draped and which parts will be flat pattern made 12. Check size and proportioning of prepared dress form in relation to performer's size and costume design |
Cut and drape complex costumes | 13. Select draping fabrics that have similar characteristics to the costume fabrics to be used 14. Cut and drape parts of the costume commencing from under-layers and working outwards 15. Combine all parts of the costume into a test toile 16. Conduct test toile trials and fittings on performers and make adjustments as required 17. Seek approvals/concurrence from costume designer 18. Engineer and finalise patterns |
Compile components for costume construction | 19. Calculate and record accurate quantities of fabric and notions using test toile, patterns and design specifications 20. Source requirements 21. Lay fabrics 22. Transfer markings and shapes of patterns or deconstructed toile onto fabrics and cut 23. Compile cut pieces and components ready for construction 24. Develop a sequence of operations for the construction of complex period costumes 25. Provide instructions to relevant personnel on construction procedures and timelines as required |
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Required skills |
communication, literacy and teamwork skills sufficient to: interpret production documentation, costume design specifications and instructions conduct independent research to assist in interpretation of costume designs work collaboratively with costume designers communicate and negotiate with suppliers communicate effectively with costume designers and performers during costume toile fitting sessions write or communicate costume construction instructions to others complete workplace documentation initiative and flexibility in the context of: contributing ideas about the most effective way to cut and drape patterns for period costumes to realise costume designs making adjustments to costume toiles and patterns in response to trials problem solving skills in the context of engineering complex period costume patterns that meet costume design requirements planning and organising skills sufficient to combine various pattern making and pattern engineering techniques to produce the required costume designs technical skills sufficient to: combine complex principles of pattern development use computer applications in the context of producing or adjusting patterns drape fabrics on a dress form to produce patterns (moulage) self-management skills sufficient to: work under pressure and meet deadlines follow costume designer's specifications and enterprise policies and procedures seek expert advice numeracy skills sufficient to: work within a budget measure materials and estimate quantities |
Required knowledge |
industry knowledge, including: protocols between costume cutters, costume designers and performers roles and responsibilities of personnel in the relevant industry sector broad understanding of the artistic and technical elements of productions relationship between costume designs and test toiles well-developed understanding of the properties of different fabrics and their suitability to specific designs principles and techniques of pattern cutting pattern engineering principles and techniques of costume construction OHS procedures as they relate to the safe use of machinery, equipment and materials to make patterns. |
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: ability to interpret costume designs ability to conduct research and apply findings to assist with the interpretation of costume designs application of cutting and draping techniques for complex period costumes that: reflect costume design requirement fit performers meet production requirements development of patterns that demonstrate an ability to: use flat pattern cutting use draping (moulage) methods engineer and test patterns from both methods to produce the best result ability to meet deadlines ability to work within a budget collaborative approach to work attention to accuracy and detail. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to research material practical demonstration of skills through the development of patterns for a variety of complex period costume designs using a range of cutting and draping methods access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of patterns and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance evaluation of patterns and cutting made by the candidate to determine whether costume design requirements have been met and correct procedures followed observation of the candidate during pattern draping, engineering and fitting sessions with performers to assess communication, analytical and problem solving skills written or verbal questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUECOS10B Make period costumes. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Relevant personnel may include: | costume cutters costume designer costume makers costume production staff director make-up and hair personnel other specialist staff performers production manager wardrobe department personnel wardrobe supervisor/manager. |
Preparing dress form may include: | adjusting height to match performer covering the padded dress form with a two-way stretch 'sleeve' labelling a dress form with performer's name and date padding a dress form to replicate a performer's measurements removing previously used additions to the surface of a dress form selecting the nearest size to the performer taping the main body control lines onto the dress form (using narrow tape), e.g.: bust waist hip centre front centre back side high neckline across back armhole chest line bust separation. |
Mapping costume design proportions may include: | mapping proportion lines of costume designs onto dress forms using narrow tape of a different colour to that used for main body control lines. |
Underpinnings may include: | bustles cage crinolines other underpinnings that form a silhouette or illusion pads and rolls panniers period or contemporary corsets Spanish farthingales wheel farthingales. |
Parts may include: | parts to be draped, e.g.: voluminous skirts over underpinnings fitted skirts over underpinnings fitted bodices and jackets over underpinnings parts to be flat pattern made, e.g.: fitted sleeve heads fitted trousers stand collars. |
Unit sector |
Visual communication - Costume |
This unit contains employability skills. |
Not applicable.