Lilac Fairies And Lavender Dreams

Classical Ballet Tutu’s And The Magic Of Airbrush Design

When this gorgeous classical ballet tutu was completed by Costume Creations, I was only one of many people waiting to see a photo of the finished costume. We were anticipating this design with impatience because the tutu skirt was going to be airbrushed.

When this ballet costume was finally ready for viewing, everyone who saw the photo was in awe of the beauty of this costume. The airbrushing effect on the tutu skirt was simply stunning.

Airbrushing is a painting technique that uses a specially designed sprayer or “gun” to apply color on a surface to achieve a certain effect. Airbrush painting technique is not something that someone can learn overnight. It takes skill to know how to properly use an airbrush gun, mix the right consistency of the paint, and to apply the color in even layers.

This ballet tutu resembles a beautiful hand-dipped purple rose or a flower petal from the lavender fields of France. The airbrush design on this gorgeous tutu gives it such a three-dimensional look, that I can almost smell the scent of lilacs just by looking at the photo…..

Tutu’s With All The Trimmings

The Razzle-Dazzle Of Ballet Costume Trims

One of the most dramatic parts of a fully completed dance costume is the application of different kinds of trims on the costume. Nothing says magic more than theater lighting reflecting rainbows of light from the dancer’s costume as she moves.

Trims can take many different forms, and some of them are easier to apply than others. The easiest trims to apply are those that are already fully decorated and all you have to do is apply the trim in the right places using the right measurements.

Other trims start out as plain binding and have hand-worked decorations placed on them for a one of a kind look.

The most tedious and time-consuming types of trim are the individual beads and light-reflecting crystals that must be sewn on one at a time. Of course, these are the prettiest of all!

The different types of trims that can be used for dance costumes are quite extensive.

Dance costume trims can be made out of swarovski crystals, glass beading, rhinestones, velvet, lace, hand embroidered cotton, silk flowers, ribbons, fringes, sequins, and many more. The only kind of trimming that may not go well with a classical ballet costume would be the trimming from Thanksgiving Dinner which could cause the costume to become  too tight. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself with that one…..