Photos: Mark Ryden whisks together sugary sets and costumes for ‘Whipped Cream’

Characters in “Whipped Cream” include Princess Tea Flower, who wears this costume.

Painter Mark Ryden tries on a cape he designed for “Whipped Cream,” a revamped Richard Strauss ballet about a boy who falls ill after eating too many sweets.

A costume confection for American Ballet Theatre’s “Whipped Cream” is held by wardrobe supervisor Tomoko Ueda-Dunbar.

Costume supervisor Tomoko Ueda-Dunbar and designer Mark Ryden hold a costume for Princess Tea Flower backstage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where “Whipped Cream” will be given its world premiere.

A Mark Ryden-designed costume is held by Tomoko Ueda-Dunbar. With the ballet “Whipped Cream,” Ryden makes his first foray into stage design.

Costume supervisor Tomoko Ueda-Dunbar stands amid a sugar rush of costumes and props.

Giant gum balls are given a coat of clear gloss by scenic artist Chrissy Skubish.

These cavity-inducing hats will be worn in American Ballet Theatre’s production of “Whipped Cream,” a reworking of a Richard Strauss ballet.

Painter-designer Mark Ryden, left, and American Ballet Theatre’s director of production, N. James Whitehill III, inspect a whipped cream-style slide.

Costumes designed by Pop Surrealist painter Mark Ryden await their moment in the spotlight in American Ballet Theatre’s production of “Whipped Cream” at Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa.