Develop a fundamental understanding of fabric dyeing and painting.

Ryerson University’s Chang School of Continuing Education offers hands-on courses in Costume Specialties that give creative artists from any field – including theatre, fashion, textile, and visual arts – an opportunity to explore and develop creative practice in a studio setting.

COSTUME PAINTING AND DYEING COURSE: STARTS APRIL 29

This spring, we are offering Costume Painting and Dyeing (course enrolment page: CDTH 460). In this introductory dyeing and fabric painting course, students will experiment with a multitude of techniques and explore historical and theatrical applications. Topics may include resist dyeing techniques, silk screening, stamping, stenciling, silk painting, marbling, and costume breakdown. Classes begin with a short lecture and demonstration followed by hands-on exercises.

Your Instructor: Alex Gilbert

Learn directly from Alex Gilbert, who has worked at Ryerson University as the Head of Wardrobe since 2003. In addition to working at Ryerson School of Performance, she has worked in various capacities within wardrobe departments across Ontario and the city of Toronto, including Tarragon Theatre, The Company Theatre, Factory Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre Company, and the Blyth Festival. Alongside her supervisory work at Ryerson, Alex also teaches and advises the students in the Theatre and Fashion programs. She has a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from York University. Her thesis, To Dye For: From Seed to Storage, researched the transition from natural to synthetic dyes in late nineteenth- century Ontario. Alex is also the winner of the 2004 Pauline McGibbon Award for Production Craftsperson.

Scheduling: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m., April 29–May 22, 2019

Duration: 19.5 hours

This course can be taken as a standalone course or as part of The Chang School’s Course Series in Costume Specialties. There are no prerequisites and courses can be taken in any order. No previous experience is required for any of the courses. These courses are suitable for people interested in pursuing theatrical training part-time, costume and cosplay artists wishing to expand their skill set, and artisans wishing to gain alternative techniques and knowledge to incorporate into their own practice.