Architecturally speaking (Creative Juice)

Something that is often overlooked today when in the throws of the creative process is the use and/or influence of architecture. I am lucky enough to have lived near Detroit for the last twenty plus years. I know to the rest of the world Detroit has a less than desirable status but I can tell you the people are great and the old architecture is second to none from a creative standpoint.

My point here is to take a look around you at the architecture near you. It’s often overlooked or taken for granted yet it standsthere in all its glory and history, either grand and opulent or rundown, burned out and beaten down, you can find beauty and creative juice right in front of you if you look.

Take a look at the backdrop we did for Flogging Molly for example. A grand old building in Detroit with busted windows makes an awesome digitally printed backdrop. (http://www.sewwhatinc.com/graphic_design.php)

“Swanky Collection”

I have posted about the wide variety of specialty drapery collections that Rent What? has available for rent, from “Rockin’ Red” to “Industrial Textures” to “Delightfully White” and beyond.  At Rent What? we have tried to think “outside the box” to continually re-imagine soft goods and stage decor to create interesting and beautiful new drapery options for our clients.

Today, I want to give you a sneak preview of our newest specialty collection, the “Swanky Collection.”  We have just added the first piece in the collection, and it is definitely something different.  Rather than a traditional custom stage curtain made of fabric, instead this piece is actually a series of individual linear pieces composed of mirrored plates suspended on invisible threads. 

Each thread of mirrored plates is separate and distinct – different heights, different placement of mirrored plates – allowing a completely customizable dazzling linear mobile.  By attaching each thread to a different location on the stage truss, you can create a unique mobile “drape” for every show.

I am so excited about this new piece.  I hope you like it as much as I do.  Stand by as we add more “Swanky” pieces to the collection – I’ll keep you posted.

Want to get more information and see it in action?  Take a look at it currently on tour with John Legend.

Ringing in the New Year

As the clock ticks closer and closer to 2011, I thought I’d reflect a little on some of the projects that we have worked on this year.  I’d love to post a little bit about all of the projects that we worked on in 2010, but for that I would need to publish a book!  So, instead I’ll just remind you of a few particularly memorable projects.

Large-Format Digital Printing

We printed and sewed so many amazing digitally printed backdrops this year.  A few that come to mind include several gorgeous panels for Brooks & Dunn‘s “Last Rodeo” farewell tour (I love the cowgirl images!), the “Distressed Fleur de Lis” pattern for Little Big Town,  Billy Idol in black and white, and, of course, the beautiful backdrop for Kenny Chesney (third year running).  All beautiful, all unique!

Custom Stage Curtains

Of course, all of the drapery that we make is custom-made according to the client’s specifications, so all projects are interesting and unique.  But some projects really stand out.  The Silver Scrim for Yusuf Islam was so beautiful and quite unusual.  The Alice in Chains project was so cool that I posted about it twice, and of course the drapery in sheers and silvers for Celtic Woman set the perfect ethereal backdrop to their music.

Mixed Media and Specialty Pieces

These are the projects in which we really “think outside the box,” using materials and/or techniques that are just a little bit different from the usual drapery style.  I loved the Metal Mesh frame pieces that we made for James Taylor and the Korn backdrop was an amazing combination of netting, digital printing, and smoke tubes.  And just a few weeks ago – who could forget the American Parachute that we made for Katy Perry?

All of these terrific projects are just a small fraction of the projects we worked on in 2010.  I can’t wait to see what projects come our way in 2011!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Korn Mixed Media Cut Drop

Such a nice surprise to find Sew What? recognized in the November 2010 issue of Projection, Lights and Staging News (PLSN).  The industry mag included a terrific article by Steve Jennings on this past summer’s 2010 Mayhem Festival in Dallas, TX, in which Steve interviewed several people at the festival, including Jim Lenahan, Set Designer for Korn.  In speaking about the set design, Jim mentions the mixed media backdrop constructed by Sew What? according to Jim’s design.

It really was a fantastic theatrical backdrop, including black netting, digitally printed elements, and smoke tubes, and looks great as part of Jim’s complete “industrial oil rig” set design.   We really enjoyed working on it – thanks for the shout out, Jim!

Want to see photos of the show?  Steve has included several terrific photos in the article – just scroll to the bottom.

Putting the “art” in a craft business

When most people think about sewing (whether it is custom stage drapes or handmade quilts or apparel), they generally think of it as a craft rather than an art.  And I think that is generally a valid way to categorize sewn goods.  But you would be surprised at how much “art” actually comes to play in the creation of what is known in the entertainment industry as “soft goods.”

When a major music tour is being planned, much more is involved than simply the music itself (the set list, the rehearsals, etc.).  Concerts today are  more than musicians on a stage, singing and playing.  Sound, lighting, special effects, pyrotechnics, and set design all work together to give the audience an experience for the ears and the eyes.  And soft goods are often a major part of that.

The role of the Production Designer is to design a set (which may include both soft goods and hardscape) that provides a stunning visual backdrop to the music.  Once the design is created (the “art”), the Production Designer brings in all of the crafts (sewing, stage builders, etc.) and charges them to make his artistic vision a reality.

That is where we come in.  The Production Designer presents us with his vision (it may be in the form of an artistic drawing, a technical drawing, or even a verbal sketch), and it is up to us to figure out how to best achieve that vision through stage curtains, painted or digital backdrops, and even mixed media pieces.  The Production Designer relies on us to recommend fabrics and construction methods that will carry his design from paper (or just his head) to the stage.

At times, it is relatively straightforward – perhaps an Austrian Drape or a series of Swags.  Other times, however, it takes skill and ingenuity (and, dare I say, art?) to figure out the best way to manipulate fabrics (and other materials) to achieve the look. 

One example that springs to mind is the project we did for Mariah Carey last fall.  The designer knew the look he was after, but it was up to us to find a way to achieve that look.  Gwen Winter, the Senior Sales Rep on the project, knew that traditional stage fabric, such as velour, was out of the question.  The solution?  Clear vinyl, hundreds of silk flowers, and sheer net, along with the experience and skill of our manufacturing staff, turned the designer’s vision into reality.

Another example is the Maxwell 2009 project, in which Sew What? and Rent What? joined forces to help the production designer achieve his vision through the use of fabric (Black Mirror Sequins and ”tattered” White Voile) and other media (mirror shards), with Rent What? bringing more drapery to the table (including Silver Satin Austrian Drapes and Swags and an LED Star Drop).

These are just two examples (out of many), but I think they are great illustrations of how closely connected “craft” is with “art.”  We may be a craft, but part of that craft is taking the “art” and making it a reality.  And I am so proud of the way our team accomplishes that reality.

Maxwell’s 2009 Tour – Dark and Light

We work on a lot of music tours, and it is always fun to see the interesting and innovative set designs that the production designers come up with.  In some cases, the set is classic and elegant, in others it is funky and edgy.  For Maxwell‘s recent tour, the production designer presented Sew What? and our sister company Rent What? with a design that combined fabric, reflective elements, and mixed media pieces to make up a cohesive set that was eye-catching, dark and sexy.

The key to the design was the combination of black fabrics and reflective elements.  Though the design called for traditional drapery pieces, such as Proscenium Drapes, Riser Skirts, and the like, it was the choice of fabric – a black-on-black Mirror Sequin  textile – that took these pieces from traditional to WOW! 

Building on the theme of reflection, we also made incredible mirror shard drapes – huge pieces of mirrors, carefully cut and broken into “shards” and attached to webbing headers.  The concept of shards continued in additional drapery – white voile was carefully cut with a hot knife to achieve a “tattered” appearance.

Rent What? also provided soft goods to the show, including a number of black masking drapes and borders.  A Silver Satin  Austrian Drape and set of swags provided another element of reflection and glamour.The most dramatic rental item, however, was the LED Star Drop (manufactured by Sew What?).  Made out of black synthetic velour, it includes dozens of twinkling lights, perfect for this show’s theme of light and dark.

All together, I think the set came out looking fabulous – just right for this sexy soulful artist.

Mixed Media for Mariah

Recently we did a fun project for Mariah Carey, for her four-show gig in September and October at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas.  The designer came to us with a unique mixed media concept – an ethereal floral drape evoking cherry blossoms in the garden.  It sounded challenging, but we knew we could pull it off.

We started with clear vinyl.  After printing the vinyl with a series of different colored dots, we cut the vinyl into narrow strips, in lengths ranging from 9′ high to 20′ high.  Then, using hundreds of white silk flowers, our crew meticulously attached the flowers onto the vinyl strips, with larger and smaller flowers attached just so.  What seemed like random placement was actually well thought out – those printed color dots determined flower placement, with each color indicating which flower size was to be attached in each location on the vinyl strips.

To add to the look, we digitally printed 30 butterflies onto clear vinyl, cut them out, and attached them “randomly” on the vinyl strips, as if butterflies were flitting from flower to flower.

Webbing headers were used to turn layers of these flower & butterfly strips into drapes, with a layer of sheer stretch net fabric added strategically to some of the sections for a diffused look.  Our sister company, Rent What?, also provided a stunning element to the show, with gorgeous swags and legs from their Silver Satin Series.  

I think it turned out beautiful.  Want to see the finished look?  Check this video of one of the September shows.