Chapter 4: Research Packets

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Research Packets for Costume Concept Artists — Taxonomy, Lexicon, Supplier & Atelier Notes

For costume concept artists on both the concepting and production sides

What a research packet is and why it exists

A research packet is a concise but comprehensive bundle that turns diffuse investigation into decisions the whole team can act on. It links period and cultural knowledge to buildable garments, connects archives and fieldwork to supplier reality, and gives legal and cultural stewards the context they need to approve your direction. Unlike a moodboard, which proposes taste and intent, the packet is an operational document: it defines shared vocabulary, codifies taxonomy, captures provenance and permissions, and records who can actually make or source the materials and trims you are proposing. Done well, it shortens iteration cycles, prevents inconsistent naming, and reduces risk by documenting ethics and rights from the start.

Packet scope and audience

Every packet should open with a one‑paragraph scope statement that names the period or genre anchors, the cultural or regional focus, and any occupational constraints. State explicitly whether the packet is discovery (broad and comparative), selection (narrowing toward build), or lock (finalized for production). Address both sides of the pipeline: concept artists need silhouette drivers and material palettes; production teams need construction logic, availability, and lead times. Assume the document will be read by cutters, dyers, riggers, shader/look‑dev, animation, VFX, legal, producers, and—when relevant—community advisors.

Core components of a robust packet

A dependable packet contains three pillars presented in narrative paragraphs, not just lists. The taxonomy section expresses how content is organized and named; the lexicon section defines terms and synonyms so communication stays crisp; and the supplier/atelier notes section translates design into sourcing reality. Supporting these pillars are fieldwork logs, archive citations, rights summaries, and cultural protocol notes so your references are trustworthy and respectful.

Building a taxonomy that scales

Taxonomy is the map that makes your library searchable and your briefs unambiguous. Begin with top‑level buckets that mirror how decisions are made: silhouette landmarks, construction logic, materials and trims, function and context, and cultural or period anchors. Within silhouette, use consistent descriptors for collars, sleeves, waists, skirts and trousers, and headwear massing. Within construction, separate seam families, closure systems, understructures, and pattern logic. For materials, distinguish fiber, weave or knit, weight ranges, hand, and finish. When you are handling cultural dress, include base layers, supports, expressive layers, and seasonal or ceremonial variants. Each bucket should include a short paragraph describing why the category matters to camera readability, motion, and manufacturability. As the project grows, your taxonomy must tolerate new factions, regional dialects, or DLC seasons without breaking; keep a change log so teammates understand why categories evolve.

Writing a lexicon that prevents confusion

The lexicon is where you normalize language across departments and across cultures. Write entries as short definitions with usage notes and warnings about false friends. If a term carries multiple meanings by region or century, record each sense and point readers to the correct usage for your project. Where historical or craft terms differ from common usage, prefer the period‑correct term but include cross‑references to modern synonyms so search still works. For example, if your sleeve entry includes “leg‑o’‑mutton,” map it to “gigot,” and explain decade‑specific fullness and armhole shape. For closures, note whether “frog” refers to the entire toggle knot system or only the ornamental braid in your pipeline. For dye terms, distinguish color family, dye class, and finish, and make it clear whether a descriptor like “madder red” is aesthetic shorthand or a chemical claim. Use the lexicon to encode camera and rigging implications: a collar label should note stand height, roll tendencies, and potential collision zones so animation and cloth‑sim expectations are set early.

Fieldwork intake and traceability

Fieldwork is the fastest path to relevant references, but only if it is captured and logged with rigor. Each packet should contain a fieldwork narrative that explains the questions you set out to answer, the locations or communities visited, the permission process you followed, and the capture method. Summarize your shot plans in prose so a reader understands why you photographed specific angles and details, and pair those notes with a paragraph on equipment and color management to give downstream departments confidence in your swatches. Crucially, include a traceability paragraph: describe how each image or clip is labeled, how the consent forms are stored, and how revocation would be honored. If any subjects requested cropping, face blurring, or limited use, state that clearly here so nobody accidentally publishes a restricted frame.

Working with archives without losing nuance

Archive materials carry authority, but they also come with context and constraints. In your packet’s archive section, narrate your research path through specific collections, naming accession numbers you consulted and the curatorial notes you relied on. Explain what each source teaches—such as sleeve support types or braid densities—and what it does not resolve, like precise dye recipes or tailor‑specific quirks. Describe how you reconciled conflicting sources and which anchors you chose to privilege for continuity. Record imaging permissions in sentences, not just checkboxes, and write down any reproduction limitations for publication or dataset training. If a garment is too fragile to inspect internally, explain how you inferred interior construction from silhouettes, strain lines, and period manuals, and mark those conclusions with confidence language so readers do not confuse inference with certainty.

Ethics and cultural protocols as a first‑class section

Ethics should not be buried in fine print. Devote a full section to cultural protocols and the approvals you sought. If you are working with communities whose dress includes sacred or restricted elements, document the conversations you had, who granted permission to reference which components, and any instructions about what not to depict or publish. If the answer was no for a motif or regalia, write that sentence plainly and present your alternative direction so the packet models respect in action. Include a paragraph on privacy for living subjects, acknowledging that consent can be withdrawn and that your production will honor that withdrawal without penalty. Finally, address AI usage openly: state whether any generative tools were used in the research process and confirm that restricted images were excluded from any datasets or prompts.

Supplier and atelier notes that keep you honest

Design only ships if someone can make it within schedule and budget. In the supplier and atelier section, narrate the landscape of feasible materials and processes tied to your packet’s direction. Rather than a bare list of vendors, write paragraphs that summarize availability windows, minimum order quantities, dye lot variability, and typical lead times for weaving, dyeing, embroidery, metal casting, and 3D printing. Explain substitution strategies, such as using Tencel twill in place of silk twill for durability and cost while keeping luster within your camera target. If your world depends on a distinctive braid or frog closure, describe whether it is hand‑tied, machine‑made, or appliquéd, and what that implies for continuity across hero and background characters. Note shipping realities, customs delays for natural materials, and any ethical certifications that matter to your studio. For ateliers or craftspeople, write short profiles that include specialties, capacity, communication cadence, and how their craft choices influence silhouette and wear; fold in photos with permission that illustrate stitch density or finish quality in context.

Translating research into decisions and guardrails

A packet earns its keep when it drives concrete choices. After each section, include a closing paragraph titled “decisions this enables,” written in plain language. Tie silhouette anchors to specific construction allowances, such as a maximum collar stand height to avoid animation collisions, or a preferred sleeve fullness range for cloth‑sim stability. Convert material insights into shader targets by describing luster, opacity, and wrinkle recovery in terms that look‑dev can execute. Turn archive insights into do/don’t guidance for motif placement and trim density, clarifying what is homage and what is off‑limits for legal or cultural reasons. For production, translate supplier notes into sourcing guardrails that define acceptable alternates so art direction remains intact even when a vendor slips.

Data model, naming, and versioning

Packets stay useful when they are easy to find and safe to quote. Establish a naming convention that embeds date, scope, and revision, and write it into the packet so everyone follows the same pattern. Describe where masters live, where distribution PDFs or slides live, and who maintains the authoritative version. Include a short paragraph on change control that explains how feedback from cutters, riggers, and cultural advisors is ingested and documented. When an anchor changes—such as a trim rule or a period allowance—record the rationale and impact so future readers understand why the decision moved.

Packaging for different readers without fragmenting truth

Not every department needs the same depth, but everyone should read the same truth. Conclude with a paragraph describing the derivative formats: a full internal packet with study images and rights notes; a rights‑cleared shareable deck; and a one‑page summary for quick onboarding. Explain exactly how these relate so no one confuses a simplified deck with a license to publish sensitive material. If translations are required for international teams, note who owns the translated lexicon and how updates propagate.

Keeping packets alive after first use

Treat the packet as a living artifact. After builds, fittings, shoots, and gameplay integration, write a post‑mortem paragraph capturing what tore, what moiré’d, which closures failed on set, and which materials performed beautifully. Feed those observations back into the taxonomy and lexicon so future packets start smarter. When community feedback arrives—positive or corrective—document it with care and adjust your guidance. Close each revision with a short, dated summary of meaningful changes so history is transparent.

Conclusion: research that respects, organizes, and ships

A research packet is the connective tissue between scholarship, field observation, and the craft of making. By giving taxonomy, lexicon, and supplier/atelier realities equal weight—and by centering ethics—you help both concept and production teams move faster with fewer surprises. The result is a shared language that honors sources, a sourcing plan that can deliver under pressure, and costumes that read, move, and feel exactly as intended on screen and in play.