Ah, Wilderness! Collage Concept

For my collage, I chose to revise my design concept and depict the revised concept. Instead of grouping the characters by age, I chose to group them by gender. In Victorian society, the men were expected to be stolid and sedate, while the women fluttered around them like gilded butterflies. The men are the solemn heads of the household and make all the decisions, while the women are innocent and “fluffy”, like pieces of chiffon.

To reflect this contrast between gender roles, I chose to use the split complementary color system of blue, yellow, and red-violet. The older men are calm and stoic in their dark navy suits, with the younger men, especially Richard, in lighter ocean blues. Richard’s costume stands out from the rest of the men’s by incorporating touches of rich chestnut brown. Tommy, the youngest, is in white with touches of light baby blue. The older women are painted in darker yellows, with the younger women in white frilly dresses with pops of bright yellow. In the second act, Belle is dressed in black and red-violet, making her completely separate from the “innocent” ideals held by the rest of the women.

My collage depicts the idea of women versus men, with “women pictures” on the left and the men on the right. The men are solid, like rocks, tall trees, and still water. Their suits have sharp tailored details, like cuffed sleeves, buttoned tweed vests, and polished shoes. The white shirts are ironed, except for Richard’s, as he is too preoccupied with reading and philosophizing to care about tailored clothing. The men’s costumes have a sharp, tailored and structured line to give them the appearance of solidity.

The women are fluttering and light, like balloons and chiffon, and are filled with sunshine. When undesirable things like alcoholism and prostitution interrupt their idyllic lifestyles, they choose to ignore it and live on in innocence. The chiffon and lightweight cotton dresses float with their movement and give them an airy quality. The line for the women is flowing and curved, like the waves in loose hair.