Rachel Chasteen
Art Portfolio
Costume
Journey Dress
his dress was inspired by the video game Journey, created by ThatGameCompany. This game inspired me with its beauty and original take on adventure and multiplayer games.
The dress is fully lined and contains several internally wired light sources. The hem on the skirt, sleeves, mid section on the back, and the scarf contain electroluminescent lighting. The dress and scarf also both have pockets!
The entire project took about four months to complete. So far the dress has won two awards at Arisia Science Fiction Convention 2015 in the masquerade novice division for Best Interpretation of a Character and Most Beautiful.
It will also be featured in Massart's upcoming All School Show in the SIM department beginning on April 2nd, 2015.
Knitted Scale Top
Inspired by the fire spinning and circus arts community in Boston and a tribal belly dance aesthetic, these work-in-progress pieces utilize a variety of knitting, sewing, and metal working techniques to create a performance-ready costume with fire performance in mind. The scales on the costume are made from aluminum and are normally used for chainmail armor, however when constructed traditionally the exposed metal on the back can make them uncomfortable to wear without layering as you would normally with a suit of armor. Assembling them with a knitted technique allowed the material to be very comfortable, flexible, and adjustable to the wearer and create a better customized fit.
Knitted Scales
Knitted scales, similar to scale maile, these gloves and sleeves make an excellent addition to a costume and are sold through my company Crested Creations.
The yarn used is 100% wool and the scales are anodized aluminum.
Steampunk
This is one of my first costume projects. It was inspired by the growing genera of Steampunk: a combination of the industrial age and futuristic technology.
The corset is fully lined and supported with steel boning.
The skirt is modified with leather straps to give a layered appearance.
The goggles are covered with leather and have an elastic and leather strap to hold them in place.