Ellie Rivett

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FAQ

What materials do you use?
For my costumes I use mostly conventional materials however depending on the costume I may use some more unusual materials such as latex, led lighting, wire, foam, steel boning etc. my creatures are mainly made from polymer clay, wire and fabrics and embellishments that have either been donated to me or are recycled from old broken things. I use an airbrush to paint the clay parts and gloss varnish on some areas such as the eyes and nose to give it more dimension. 

When and where did you learn to sew?
Most of my skills are self taught as I began sewing around the age of 7 and got my first sewing machine when I was about 8 years old. I’ve also been drawing since I was very young and took art at GCSE which is helpful for my designing skills, a key part of costume design. I have also studied textiles at A level which aided me in furthering my skills.

What inspires you/where do you get your ideas from? 
One of the main sources for inspiration is my love of film. I’m a huge nerd and watch more films than any one person should. I tend to gravitate to the strange, weird and whimsical, probably because I am quite weird myself. I also am influenced by fashion throughout history. Another of my inspirations are unique animals and nature. I’ve always loved animals and have an interest in zoology so I love discovering weird and wonderful animals to inspire me.