Preparation - Stop Motion: Passion, Process and Performance - page 185

A detail of the delicate costume from Trnka's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Saemi Takahashi).
A piece of fabric fresh from the shop looks just like that, sitting awkwardly on the puppet, not
looking like a piece of clothing the character has selected. It usually helps to weather or break
down the costume. A slight darkening under the arms, in the folds or round the hem always
helps. It's good to scrunch the fabric, or drag it round the car park or wash it
several times before making a costume, just so the fabric has a history. It's a shame
to make these beautiful costumes then go and dirty them down, but they'll look so
much more convincing. They will get dirty during the i lming, with sweaty hands
mauling them all day. Gloves help, but animators are seldom comfortable wearing
gloves. Provision has to be made for duplicate costumes or for time to wash and
maintain them.