Costume Workshop Classes
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
We all know how to put on a show. The trick is making sure we don’t lose the techniques that got us here from our brethren and sisters before.
These workshops are about preserving and passing on the art of Gay Mardi Gras costume tableau, especially traditional construction methods that are too often learned simply by standing next to somebody who learned them from somebody else.
Each day includes a short history and walkthrough, an introduction to materials and construction methods, and a live demonstration.
It’s not about teaching krewe members how to be creative. We think you’ve got that covered. It’s about keeping this techniques and institutional knowledge behind this art form alive and in use help make use of that creativity for Fabulosity.
#September 12 | Mixed Media & Foam Sculpting
Foam changed what was possible in costume tableau, but there’s a little more to it than cutting out a shape and throwing glitter at it.
Saturday explores foam block sculpting, foam-core sculpture and design, structural mounting, and decoration methods.
We’ll look at building large dimensional forms while keeping them lightweight, wearable, and structurally sound, with a short historical presentation and live demonstration along the way.
# September 13 | Wirework Sculpting
This is the one we especially want to keep alive.
Wirework is one of the defining construction arts of traditional Gay Mardi Gras costume tableau, and fewer people are learning how to do it.
We’ll cover wire craft planning, rod superstructures, wire sculpting, and the batting and coverage process, from the backpack frame to the finished wearable form.
You’ll see the process through a live demonstration, including some of those little techniques that rarely get written down because traditionally, somebody simply showed you how.
And that’s really the point: let's keep showing each other how. Never Forget, "All boats rise with the tide"
Costume Workshop Classes | 09.12.2026 & 09.13.2026 | Armeinius Den
Venue Details
Armeinius Den
433 N. Broad Street
New Orleans, LA
