The last thing is closure....... NOT!

Most often in a costume shop you hear that the last step in garment construction is closure, and maybe a hem. Once zippers are set, hooks affixed, and elastics adjusted I'm just getting started.
I don't call it done there, i pull out my aircompressor and fire up the airbrush. The tutu pictured above is one i just finished for a dancer at the Joffry ballet in chicago. All of the pieces recieved a few airbrush details after completion. The "warmth" of this costume is owed to not to just great fabric, and precision sewing but to PAINT. There are only three colors of fabric here, but what i did was lay various lace scraps over the bodice and top plate and airbrush deeper purples, lighter pinks, and a yellowy gold over the lace (using it like a stencil). The sleeves and gold lace under the top plate also recieved a blast.

The below image is far from a delicate tutu, it is a body suit i designed and created with some awsome help from my buddy Tina Ladner for Houston Ballets Dolls House last season. It is assembled from many interesting fabrics, but its real interest comes from PAINT, airbrushed threw sports mesh in the same fashion. The left of the picture is pre paint.


Aside from adding depth and texture you can use the airbrush to to tweak fabric colors.