User Posts
623 wrote...
Looks damn good, nice pose tooThank you!
Pervy Fatman wrote...
my goodness! I had to stop for a second and look again, you looked exactly like Momoka! And must I say you look very cute too! Really wished + rep worked right nowThanks so much, That means a lot to hear because I'm loving cosplaying Momoka.
I'm doing an original Yukata style Momoka for Otakuthon that I'll be shooting in two weeks with this same photographer, I'll post pictures of it when I get them back.
Cosplay as WHOLE is a talent. Cosplay means “Costume Play”; anything involved to pull of your character is cosplay. it's Buying, sewing, makeup, crafting, wig care, Acting, Posing, Photographs, Interactions with others and learning about your character it is all what completes your package as a “cosplayer” there is not one over the other that establishes you as more talented, just the combination of them all. Any cosplay 101 panel will tell you the same.
Before I continue with my long breakdown of what goes into cosplay. I have to explain that I do NOT think just dressing up at conventions makes you a “cosplayer” I think it takes a lot more passions behind what you do and your love for each character you choose to put yourself smack dab in the middle of a hobby. Knitting a scarf once does not make you a knitter and a Cosplayer must have most if not all the sills mentioned above. Cosplayers are the people who spend day and night thinking of what they are going to do next and may do it semi-professionally or at least constantly.
Buying a cosplay simply means you lack the skill required to make that particular garment OR you run out of time OR you can not afford to make it and so on. There are very many reasons people buy their costumes versus making them. I Purchased Magical Girl Rin/Kaleido Ruby this year because I simply found it cheaper commissioned through Cosplayfu than making it on my own. Buying the fabric alone would have cost me close to 70 dollars, and with my discount and coupons I obtained the costume for a pretty good price. Some people cannot sew, cannot make armor, they just can’t but they may be more gifted in other departments such as wigs or posing. Buying a cosplay also takes some good knowledge of the characters garment. You have no control over the shaping and construction and you are trusting another person with this. You have to compare everything from reference photos to prices to make sure you get the proper costume. You also have to KNOW your fabrics as they will list them, and that will determine the quality and durability of the costume. It still takes a lot of work and money when you are making the decision to buy a costume.
Sewing is something I have been doing since 2004, I started taking lessons and after making one little skirt I decided to make Dark Chii/Freya’s dress from Chobits. It is still to this day one of my favorite costumes. I have not stopped sewing costumes and I have made everything from Nia from DearS, Taokaka from Blazblue, Lulu from LoL to a Yukata style Momoka. Sewing takes A LOT of patience, time, skill, knowledge and passion. There is a reason some people go to school for this. Sewing is complex. Saying you can sew doesn’t even begin to explain what it is you can and cannot do. It can mean Leatherwork, Hemming, Dress making, Hat making, lingerie, Doll attire and many other things. Each fabric is different and can require different needles, thread tensions and sewing speeds. Some garments require a separate surging machine, some require pressed seams and hand stitched corners such as a neck tie. It is definatly an asset to be able to sew. There is also a bit of math required as most people need to purchase patterns to make costumes and other garments. Pattern making is a intense process. Many people who make patterns at home do not know what they are doing, and the garment will not be as durable or lack the shape originally required. Making a pattern involves a lot of through about how the body moves and what needs to stretch and what needs to lay flat. It is not something to be learned in a couple months but over a couple years. Sewing is by far probably the most important aspect to being a cosplayer, but because it’s intricacy I cannot judge those who cannot do it.
Cosplay Photography is also intricate. It is the reason cosplay looks good, because photographers make it look good. I have seen many photographers take ok costumes and make them look fantastic. They work just as hard as anyone else. There are different photography styles you can do with cosplay but all well done shots make the Cosplayer fit into the environment as realistically as they can. Some Photographs are done to Show case workman ship- You’ll see booths that focus on this at larger conventions. Example Example Others will utilize the cosplayer as a prop in the Photo making every piece of the photograph just as important as the cosplayer yet STILL showcasing the importance of their costume. Example, Example Without Cosplay Photographers, the hobby wouldn’t even exists.
Makeup and Wigs can make or break a cosplay. Buying the perfect wig takes time and most of the time they need to be styled. Much of the time people stray away from sites such as Arda-wigs due to the price of the wig, however, There wigs are incredible and worth every cent. These are what professionals use. You can tell when a cosplayer has gone to eBay to buy their wigs and are off color or wrong versus a seasoned cosplayer who has put their time into the proper color and style. Makeup varies, Some people wear basic everyday makeup while others go for false lashes, contoured cheeks, false beards and body paint. Buying contacts matters. I Judged a costume contest this year for Animaritime and sponsored an award for hair and makeup. When it came to the final two they were neck and neck between Annie (LoL) and A sailor moon Endymion and Serenity duo. While Sailor moon won due to the intense and believable crossplay makeup done to Endymion, Annie was close for the sole fact she used contacts, an added bonus to her cosplay that was not even crucial.
Crafting such as making props or armor Is kind of intense and expensive. It takes a lot of trial and error to succeed and I must repeat: it is expensive. Crafting is something I am new at, I do not know much besides how to make a Staff from wood, foam and a piece of door screen. As simple as I can get it: Props are your weapons, toys, wings, head pieces or tools. Many skills go into crafting a decent prop. You need to be able to plaint, organize, measure, scale and work through obstacles with your props. Depending on what you are making your props from, you may need to have some sculpting, wood working, paper crafting, plaster or resin casting or mechanical skills. You will need steady hands to cut, paste, paint or carve details. If you plan to use your prop at convention you need to make sure you check the rules set by the weapons masters in regards to what materials you can and cannot use, and the weight limits. Props that are too heavy or made of metal are usually not allowed as they can seriously hurt someone.
Posing turn you from a pretty face to a character. This is something I am learning better right now. Posing is a skill you have to acquire. It’s trial and error, standing in font of a mirror or having a trusted photographer take different photos of you fucking around to know what does and doesn’t look good. If you cannot pose to save your life, your convention photos will not turn out. You should walk into that convention with a set of character poses developed. Look happy if Miku Hatsune, Look serious if Rei Ayanami, Look ferocious if Ganondorf and adorable if you are Hamtaro. If you love your character it is easier to pose like them.
Interacting with others is your way of showing your professionalism. When you have a photo snapped you should always feel like a celebrity, but keep your ego internalized. The moment you try to give yourself a compliment based on the opinion the photographer expressed you look very attention seeking. I happily do not deal with very many people like this and have had more positive experiences with cosplayers. Once at Hal-con 2012 there was a magical man cosplaying Dr.Loveless, his wheelchair worked and would blow steam and it was fantastic. He talked in a southern drawl the whole con, and played it up even more when children wanted photos.
Study up on your character, love your character and KNOW your character. My biggest pet peeve in cosplay are the folks who cosplay things they do not know. If you don’t know your character, if you do not love your character you will NOT have the same passion as someone who really wants to pay tribute to their character. I Have never set out to cosplay a character I do not know. Three times I have come across characters who seem fantastic before I watch/read the series (Siesta 45 – umineko, Mephisto – Blue exorcist and Daiya – Jojo’s bizarre adventures part 8: Jojolion), but I make it my prerogative to watch/read a good majority before I decide to work on it or not. Cosplay is not strictly for attention, obviously, you are adorning a costume to stand out, you have to be someone who is comfortable with attention to cosplay but you should seek the attention of fans of your work and the series you are from. If you are going to cosplay Yoko from Gurren Lagann or Sora from Kingdom Hearts, be prepared for fans to talk to you about the series, and trust me they will bring up spoilers.
Now I broke down essentially everything I have to say and what goes into making cosplay. There are people like Yaya Han, Jessica Nigri, Riki LeCotey, Leon Chiro, Maridah and so many others who make a living off cosplay. A majority of the time people base their hobbies and carriers on their talents.
Here is my opinion, I AM a cosplayer, It is a talent. I do wigs, makeup, crafting, Sewing, buying, Photography, and I do make money from it with my Cosplay team and I have Spent money to learn these skills.
After breaking all of that down, all the things that go into cosplay, can you still say it is not a talent?
Trailer for a nice cosplay Documentary: My Other Me: A film about cosplay
Before I continue with my long breakdown of what goes into cosplay. I have to explain that I do NOT think just dressing up at conventions makes you a “cosplayer” I think it takes a lot more passions behind what you do and your love for each character you choose to put yourself smack dab in the middle of a hobby. Knitting a scarf once does not make you a knitter and a Cosplayer must have most if not all the sills mentioned above. Cosplayers are the people who spend day and night thinking of what they are going to do next and may do it semi-professionally or at least constantly.
Buying a cosplay simply means you lack the skill required to make that particular garment OR you run out of time OR you can not afford to make it and so on. There are very many reasons people buy their costumes versus making them. I Purchased Magical Girl Rin/Kaleido Ruby this year because I simply found it cheaper commissioned through Cosplayfu than making it on my own. Buying the fabric alone would have cost me close to 70 dollars, and with my discount and coupons I obtained the costume for a pretty good price. Some people cannot sew, cannot make armor, they just can’t but they may be more gifted in other departments such as wigs or posing. Buying a cosplay also takes some good knowledge of the characters garment. You have no control over the shaping and construction and you are trusting another person with this. You have to compare everything from reference photos to prices to make sure you get the proper costume. You also have to KNOW your fabrics as they will list them, and that will determine the quality and durability of the costume. It still takes a lot of work and money when you are making the decision to buy a costume.
Sewing is something I have been doing since 2004, I started taking lessons and after making one little skirt I decided to make Dark Chii/Freya’s dress from Chobits. It is still to this day one of my favorite costumes. I have not stopped sewing costumes and I have made everything from Nia from DearS, Taokaka from Blazblue, Lulu from LoL to a Yukata style Momoka. Sewing takes A LOT of patience, time, skill, knowledge and passion. There is a reason some people go to school for this. Sewing is complex. Saying you can sew doesn’t even begin to explain what it is you can and cannot do. It can mean Leatherwork, Hemming, Dress making, Hat making, lingerie, Doll attire and many other things. Each fabric is different and can require different needles, thread tensions and sewing speeds. Some garments require a separate surging machine, some require pressed seams and hand stitched corners such as a neck tie. It is definatly an asset to be able to sew. There is also a bit of math required as most people need to purchase patterns to make costumes and other garments. Pattern making is a intense process. Many people who make patterns at home do not know what they are doing, and the garment will not be as durable or lack the shape originally required. Making a pattern involves a lot of through about how the body moves and what needs to stretch and what needs to lay flat. It is not something to be learned in a couple months but over a couple years. Sewing is by far probably the most important aspect to being a cosplayer, but because it’s intricacy I cannot judge those who cannot do it.
Cosplay Photography is also intricate. It is the reason cosplay looks good, because photographers make it look good. I have seen many photographers take ok costumes and make them look fantastic. They work just as hard as anyone else. There are different photography styles you can do with cosplay but all well done shots make the Cosplayer fit into the environment as realistically as they can. Some Photographs are done to Show case workman ship- You’ll see booths that focus on this at larger conventions. Example Example Others will utilize the cosplayer as a prop in the Photo making every piece of the photograph just as important as the cosplayer yet STILL showcasing the importance of their costume. Example, Example Without Cosplay Photographers, the hobby wouldn’t even exists.
Makeup and Wigs can make or break a cosplay. Buying the perfect wig takes time and most of the time they need to be styled. Much of the time people stray away from sites such as Arda-wigs due to the price of the wig, however, There wigs are incredible and worth every cent. These are what professionals use. You can tell when a cosplayer has gone to eBay to buy their wigs and are off color or wrong versus a seasoned cosplayer who has put their time into the proper color and style. Makeup varies, Some people wear basic everyday makeup while others go for false lashes, contoured cheeks, false beards and body paint. Buying contacts matters. I Judged a costume contest this year for Animaritime and sponsored an award for hair and makeup. When it came to the final two they were neck and neck between Annie (LoL) and A sailor moon Endymion and Serenity duo. While Sailor moon won due to the intense and believable crossplay makeup done to Endymion, Annie was close for the sole fact she used contacts, an added bonus to her cosplay that was not even crucial.
Crafting such as making props or armor Is kind of intense and expensive. It takes a lot of trial and error to succeed and I must repeat: it is expensive. Crafting is something I am new at, I do not know much besides how to make a Staff from wood, foam and a piece of door screen. As simple as I can get it: Props are your weapons, toys, wings, head pieces or tools. Many skills go into crafting a decent prop. You need to be able to plaint, organize, measure, scale and work through obstacles with your props. Depending on what you are making your props from, you may need to have some sculpting, wood working, paper crafting, plaster or resin casting or mechanical skills. You will need steady hands to cut, paste, paint or carve details. If you plan to use your prop at convention you need to make sure you check the rules set by the weapons masters in regards to what materials you can and cannot use, and the weight limits. Props that are too heavy or made of metal are usually not allowed as they can seriously hurt someone.
Posing turn you from a pretty face to a character. This is something I am learning better right now. Posing is a skill you have to acquire. It’s trial and error, standing in font of a mirror or having a trusted photographer take different photos of you fucking around to know what does and doesn’t look good. If you cannot pose to save your life, your convention photos will not turn out. You should walk into that convention with a set of character poses developed. Look happy if Miku Hatsune, Look serious if Rei Ayanami, Look ferocious if Ganondorf and adorable if you are Hamtaro. If you love your character it is easier to pose like them.
Interacting with others is your way of showing your professionalism. When you have a photo snapped you should always feel like a celebrity, but keep your ego internalized. The moment you try to give yourself a compliment based on the opinion the photographer expressed you look very attention seeking. I happily do not deal with very many people like this and have had more positive experiences with cosplayers. Once at Hal-con 2012 there was a magical man cosplaying Dr.Loveless, his wheelchair worked and would blow steam and it was fantastic. He talked in a southern drawl the whole con, and played it up even more when children wanted photos.
Study up on your character, love your character and KNOW your character. My biggest pet peeve in cosplay are the folks who cosplay things they do not know. If you don’t know your character, if you do not love your character you will NOT have the same passion as someone who really wants to pay tribute to their character. I Have never set out to cosplay a character I do not know. Three times I have come across characters who seem fantastic before I watch/read the series (Siesta 45 – umineko, Mephisto – Blue exorcist and Daiya – Jojo’s bizarre adventures part 8: Jojolion), but I make it my prerogative to watch/read a good majority before I decide to work on it or not. Cosplay is not strictly for attention, obviously, you are adorning a costume to stand out, you have to be someone who is comfortable with attention to cosplay but you should seek the attention of fans of your work and the series you are from. If you are going to cosplay Yoko from Gurren Lagann or Sora from Kingdom Hearts, be prepared for fans to talk to you about the series, and trust me they will bring up spoilers.
Now I broke down essentially everything I have to say and what goes into making cosplay. There are people like Yaya Han, Jessica Nigri, Riki LeCotey, Leon Chiro, Maridah and so many others who make a living off cosplay. A majority of the time people base their hobbies and carriers on their talents.
Here is my opinion, I AM a cosplayer, It is a talent. I do wigs, makeup, crafting, Sewing, buying, Photography, and I do make money from it with my Cosplay team and I have Spent money to learn these skills.
After breaking all of that down, all the things that go into cosplay, can you still say it is not a talent?
Trailer for a nice cosplay Documentary: My Other Me: A film about cosplay
I'm so happy it's back. It is one of the greatest shows of all time.
I'm not a fan of the celebrity guests they have had so far though, besides that it's just as good as it ever was.
I'm not a fan of the celebrity guests they have had so far though, besides that it's just as good as it ever was.
knolan wrote...
like every year im there :)cool just see that jacob coming this year to
no cosplay this year i don't have time :(
Otakuthon Special Guest
Yup! I'm very excited.
I was invited to do hentai panels actually but decided (after just finishing working another con) I just wanted freedom to run around and see things.
Is Anyone going to Otakuthon in Montreal, Canada?
Con runs on August 16th-18th.
If you are going will you be in cosplay? I'll be Cosplay Momoka again on the Friday Himari/Princess of Crystal(Penguindrum) Saturday and Custom Skin Lulu (LoL) on Sunday so I shouldn't be too hard to spot.
Con runs on August 16th-18th.
If you are going will you be in cosplay? I'll be Cosplay Momoka again on the Friday Himari/Princess of Crystal(Penguindrum) Saturday and Custom Skin Lulu (LoL) on Sunday so I shouldn't be too hard to spot.
If you can upload it somewhere so we can all see it without having to log in that would be great! I would love to see what you've got!
Most of the time it is all at once, I don't usually keep up with new anime until it is complete. There are a few, like Attack on Titan I am watching weekly.
I agree that each have their benefits however I personally much rather attend a larger con. Anime North was fantastic, met a lot of great people who love the same anime as I do, saw a lot of amazing Cosplays and had a wonderful adventure getting lost in the vendors room. The artist alley is Diverse and great and the guest list is impressive (This year I will be able to meet Yaya Han for example at a medium sized con)
Small conventions are cliquish. There is very little room for acceptance of newcomers and "cosplay drama" seems to continue past the age of 15. The number of bad cosplayers outweighs the good and many serious cosplayers tend to be labeled as being "elitists" for simply being good. Being someone who goes to cons for the cosplay more than anything this is what I notice above all else. The panels however are more diverse in smaller settings. They have everything from Discussion panels, Makeup seminars, to into prop making and Hentai Trivia. This I don't see at the larger conventions where meet-ups and anime discussion panels are the majority.
I have worked for cons three times, twice for Hal-con a medium sized sized Sci-fi con, Shimokon a tiny video game convention and Animaritime another small convention where I will be a Judge this year for the costume contest. Hal-con is far more organized than either small convention I have worked in and was a more enjoyable experience. I think if the staff like their job then it will make the attendees also love being there.
Small conventions are cliquish. There is very little room for acceptance of newcomers and "cosplay drama" seems to continue past the age of 15. The number of bad cosplayers outweighs the good and many serious cosplayers tend to be labeled as being "elitists" for simply being good. Being someone who goes to cons for the cosplay more than anything this is what I notice above all else. The panels however are more diverse in smaller settings. They have everything from Discussion panels, Makeup seminars, to into prop making and Hentai Trivia. This I don't see at the larger conventions where meet-ups and anime discussion panels are the majority.
I have worked for cons three times, twice for Hal-con a medium sized sized Sci-fi con, Shimokon a tiny video game convention and Animaritime another small convention where I will be a Judge this year for the costume contest. Hal-con is far more organized than either small convention I have worked in and was a more enjoyable experience. I think if the staff like their job then it will make the attendees also love being there.
Please_don't_ban_me wrote...
Like an idiot I just tried it anyway... Looks like no +rep right now, perhaps later...
I'll still say thank you for trying.
X.P: Cosplayer was Bromoka at Anime North this year. He was pretty fantastic.
Futabot wrote...
I wish +1ing worked right now. This would be an appropriate use of it.Oh well, It's ok, Thank you!
Shii Arisugawa wrote...
You look so cute! :3Thanks! That means a lot to me coming from a fellow cosplayer.
I personally like to read more than watch, So most of the time I will read the manga and never watch the anime.
I finally had some nice photos done for my Momoka Cosplay! I cosplayed Momoka for Anime North this year! I will be Cosplaying her again for Animearitime and Otakuthon (all Canadian conventions).
All of my photos can be found on my page Here ^_^
All of my photos can be found on my page Here ^_^
I personally use Cosplayfu when I need something made. I don't know if they are able to create something like draven, however. It wouldn't hurt to ask, when you commission they always send you a photo of it made for you to decide if you like it or not. May be worth a shot.