Introduction:
For this project, we were asked to collaboratively design a space located within Newstead Abbey, fitting with the theme of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (A Christmas exhibition). As a 5-member group, we mind-mapped concepts before individually creating four moodboards surrounding different installation possibilities. These included ‘Alice in the White Rabbit's house’, the ‘White roses painted red’ scene, The ‘Mad Hatter’s Hat-making workshop’ and finally ‘Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’. We wanted an idea that would work within the chosen space of the ground floor piano room: somewhere that would appear small and cosy, allowing us to play with scale and character at a more intimate level.1. As a group, we opted for The Mad Hatter’s ‘Hat-Making workshop’- Where the character creates all of his hats and designs. A chaotic, disorganised workroom filled with hats and sewing materials, jars of buttons, rolls of ribbons, scissors, needles, hats etc.
This concept worked particularly well as it was not taken literally from any canonical ‘Alice in Wonderland’ media and instead we were inspired by The Mad Hatter’s character- how we envisaged his personality to look in a room, as though we were in his hat making workshop perhaps located in his house itself.
Moodboard: Alongside our development of the Mad Hatter’s Workshop, mood-board were used to explore the colour palettes associated with the Mad Hatter specifically, along with the wider colour palette of the ‘Wonderland’ universe. The main colours used on both the live action and cartoon versions predominantly included greens, oranges, reds, blues and purples. We used this information to help create the final colour combinations, using palette hues that were complementary to the overarching room palette. Designs: Designs were explored traditionally and traditionally in both an abstract and realistic fashion. Consistent motifs included the use of the Piano as a tinkering table for the Hatter as well as stacked hats and cluttered set decor, which filled up the space in a messy and chaotic manner that reflected the Hatter himself. At this point, hat designs also became integral to the project and informed the overall aesthetic of the room itself. Plan of Action: A Plan of Action was created in which each team-member was given roles that aligned with their previously stated skills and passions. Alongside model-making of elements such as hats and fabric rolls, in-person sourcing of props (aided by a £50 project budget) was to be conducted and was scheduled on the ‘Goals/milestones’ timeline document. Within the timeline was a grace period of 2 days prior to the submission of the props for dressing at Newstead, giving time for last-minute adjustments or additions. The concept and elements: The overall design concept of the Mad Hatter’s workshop was to be a semi-dressed, semi-modelled space which combined the late-victorian aesthetic of many elements of Newstead Abbey with a whimsical, dream-like style consistent with the ‘Off-the-wall’ personality of the Mad Hatter. The modelled design elements of the space would include: Sketches, hats, boxes and containers whilst the source set decoration would include period-styled elements such as suitcases, sewing machines and tea saucers. In order to mitigate any child-safety concerns, large sharp tools would be replaced with 2D foam models of illustrated tools, and a faux fireplace with red-gel fairy lights would be used rather than igniting the actual scene.
Written collaboratively by Group 6- Me, Laini, Alex, Grace and Emma-Louise
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