Interview with Lauren

It’s time for another interview, this time with Lauren! She’s a lovely cosplayer from Washington, who has a growing collection of cosplay!

Lauren as Steampunk Poison Ivy from Batman, photo by S.AL Media

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
I actully do not have a cosplay alias unlike many cosplayers. I have no problem having people know who I really am.

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
I’ve been cosplaying for about four years. My older sister got me started when she took me to my first anime convention.

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
I think I really like illustrating my cosplays the most. Working with my imagination is my favorite.

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
I’m most excited about working with my latest character design because it will be my very first original character brought to life.

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
I love to see detail in works and even some personal touches. I see a lot of my cosplay friends do really well with that they pay so close attention to detail; its very inspiring.

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
I think that the cosplay scene is very misjudged. Often people think cosplayers are immature or stereotypical living in mother’s basement types. But I’ve met some very mature and very successful, smart cosplayers. I love the cosplay scene; it’s a like a second family.

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
The only thing I would like to see changed would be the “Fake geek girl” thing going around. I think if anyone wants to cosplay, they should be allowed to.

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
Have fun with it. Don’t be discouraged if the cosplay isn’t great the first few times.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
I don’t know if I have a favorite. I think Sakuracon will always be special to me though, because it was my first convention.

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
I’m very proud of my steampunk Poison Ivy cosplay because it was my first hand-made costume. A fact about it is that I had to re-do the hat three times because I simply didn’t know how to make them. It even made me cry at one point because I was so stressed about it, haha.

Thanks for the interview, Lauren! Hope to see you at a convention sometime in the future!

Convention Harassment

For as long as I’ve been attending conventions, there has been harassment at them. Unfortunately, it’s become a bigger deal as of late. As such, a ton of people have been speaking out about it, and understandably so, and the conventions are answering back. I suggest reading this article to see what steps people, and the cons, are taking.

Interview with Octavian

It’s time for another interview, this time with Octavian! He’s a creative cosplayer from Oregon, who has quite the closet of costumes!

Octavian as Parn from Record of Lodoss War, photo by Tom Good

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
My cosplay alias is Octavian. It was a name I went by when I first started going to Ren Faires and LARPs when I was a kid. I really liked a Roman Emperor of the same name and so I just kind of kept it. I sometimes go by Locatavian, as my other nickname growing up was Locke. We had a bunch of kids named Michael, so I started going by Locke when my friends and I would get together and RP from Final Fantasy VI.

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
Sakuracon 2012 marked my eleventh year as a cosplayer, so I’m going on twelve years now. I have always been into acting, role-playing, and costuming. It is why I did Ren Faires and eventually cons. I got started because anime was gaining popularity in 2000-01 and my friends and I heard abut this convention in Seattle (Sakuracon). Of course we already dressed up so we put together costumes to go to this event. In the end I was the only one who showed up with a costume, but I met friends from the same series and was hooked.

Octavian as Katakura Kojuro from Sengoku Basara, photo by Eurobeat King

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
Every costume, even after all these years, it seems like I am either using a new technique or materials. Times keep evolving and I love challenging myself. Honestly my favorite thing to work with at the moment is Smooth-on mold making supplies. I love constructing things out of clay and being able to make molds to get the exact pieces I want and be able to recreate them if I want. I’ve also recently fallen in love with vacu-forming to mold plastics as well.
However, my favorite thing is electronics. I really got proficient learning to make light sabers. Now I love to work with LED and EL lighting, programming boards to make the lights do different things, and working with sound chips. I just love being able to take something futuristic from movies, TV, or anime and recreate that effect.

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
Feathers. It might sound weird but I am about to make my first cosplay with feathered wings this year. I am really excited not only to construct the moving frame, but learn how to put feathers on so they look angelic and natural.

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
The greatest trait out there is creativity. We’re taking images from games, movies, and anime and making them happen in real space. I love seeing the ingenuity of people figuring out what materials and techniques to use to accomplish that. Two people of equal skill will handle a project so differently. So it is less a specific costume trait and more just the cleverness that goes into making something difficult seem so natural. I think most costumers do really well in this, honestly; I’ve seen really clever ideas out of people just starting.

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
I think the cosplay scene is very welcoming and inviting. For me it started as a way to meet people who loved the same things I did. Now the community has grown so much costuming is almost a thing onto itself. I think like any big group there are elitists and people who get joy out of putting others down, but in my estimation they are the minority. To me the cosplay scene is filled with people of all skill levels and interests and some of the largest names in our scene have talked with and helped me grow to where I am now. So I think we have one of the most welcoming scenes out there.

Octavian as Squall from Final Fantasy VIII, photo by Josh Miller

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
I’d love to see some of that elitism calm down. People need to remember we all started from closet costumes or purchased outfits. I think people should take more pride in what they’ve done and worry less about measuring up to others as well. Cosplay is an expression and I think everyone who tries should feel special and appreciated. For the most part that happens but maybe if more of us went out of our way to talk to, encourage, and involve newer cosplayers our scene would be even greater down the road.

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
Don’t give up. Some tasks that seem unbelievable now won’t be in years to come. Start small, don’t pick the biggest costume, and pick something to start on that is a bit more achievable. Then just practice. You’ll get frustrated a lot, want to give up, but keep going. We learn through trying and failing. But trust me, the more you try the more you learn and you won’t believe how far you can get just working at it. Also, make friends. Cosplay is about expressing your love of costuming and your fandoms, for all of us. Making friends is rewarding in not only having more people in your life but knowledge as well. 90% of cosplayers will gladly help you or at least take time to tell you tips. So learn from them and don’t be afraid to ask.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
Every convention has a special place for various reasons. Sakuracon 2001, it was my first. Barely any people compared to now, but it was amazing and opened my eyes. Right now though I’d say my favorite convention is Fanime. It is 20k+ people and still feels very intimate like a smaller convention. They treat cosplayers there very well and you can meet so many fabulous and friendly people. Also, their masquerade is something to behold.

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
The coat for Katakura Kojuro is made out of microsuede. It was scary to work with such expensive fabric, but I trusted my skills and made a fully lined, trench length coat with a complex design on it. To this day it is the crowning achievement of where I’ve come in sewing and I just love to wear it when it’s cold outside.

Octavian as Katakura Kojuro from Sengoku Basara, photo by Eurobeat King

Thanks for the interview, Octavian! You can see more of his work on his Facebook!

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial

Not going to lie, this is a looooong tutorial, but well worth it. Created by Echoing-Artemis, this is a tutorial to make your own Rapunzel wig!

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial Part 1 by Echoing-Artemis

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial Part 2 by Echoing-Artemis

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial Part 3 by Echoing-Artemis

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial Part 4 by Echoing-Artemis

Rapunzel Wig Tutorial Part 5 by Echoing-Artemis

Click each to enlarge! Hope this helps! 😀

Videographer Interview with ChillyWilly

ChillyWilly is a talented videographer from California, who has a great eye for composition!

ChillyWilly

How many years have you been into videography and what got you into cosplay videography?
I’ve been into videography since 2005 when my friends started making fanmade music videos of Power Rangers. I was influenced by some of their awesome videos and decided to pursue to doing my own line of videos. I got into cosplay videography once I discovered one of AcksonL’s cosplay videos and got inspired by it in 2011.

What regions do you usually cover, and do you charge for shoots? Also, how does one get in contact to shoot with you?
Right now (due to budget constraints and full-time job) I only attend local conventions within California. I do not charge for shoots, but I do accept donations. People usually contact me on my facebook or youtube channel.

Unknown as Darth Maul from Star Wars, photo by ChillyWilly

What type of costumes do you prefer to video and why?
I enjoy filming all types of armored cosplay and crossplay that surprise me to no end. Generally I love filming cosplays that have never been done before.

What is some of your favorite equipment you work with and why?
My favorite equipment I work with right now is the steadicam rig. It has taken me a long journey to harness it right. You have to treat it like it’s your best friend or there won’t be any improvement. Watching professionals make use of this equipment helps build the excitement and continue enjoy doing at what I do.

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
What I am excited working with in the future is the new GoPro3 camera. I hope to utilize some of the clips from that and combine it with my normal shots sometime in the summer of 2013. Should be exciting.

What are some of the traits you like to see in other videographers and who do you think does them well?
I would like to see more cosplay videos that contain sfx. Currently I see a lot of videographers growing into the scenery at every con who film after AcksonL. Right now, I enjoy watching LD Bonilla’s edits. She takes her time with her post edits and inputs all kinds of special effects into her videos. I am still patiently waiting for her Borderlands 2 fan video to be uploaded. I hear that one’s gonna be killer.

Kasea VP as Lilith from Darkstalkers, photo by ChillyWilly

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
My view of the cosplay scene is the pop culture phenomenon that helps makes all my dreams from the anime world come true to life. I love entering the world of cosplay and get into that nostalgic feeling.

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
The only change I’d like to see is some of the access to filming locations. These locations are great and require a license to film or book an appointment in advance in order to have access to the site, especially here in Los Angeles. If we can have the freedom to film at any location site, I’m sure we can produce amazing results with videos.

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into videography?
Some advice I’d like to share is to try your best and film at location spots where there is fewer crowds during the convention. You don’t want too many videobombers in the background, unless you are meant to film the attendees themselves. Be courteous to the cosplayers you shoot, and introduce yourself a bit so they have an idea of who you are and what you do. A little interaction with new people does not hurt and can go a long way. And lastly, drink as much water as you can so you can stay hydrated.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
My favorite conventions at this point are ALA, and Anime Expo. I get to meet with cosplayers from different states and actually get to work with them in person.

Thanks for the interview, ChillyWilly! To check out his work and contact him for a shoot, you can check out his Youtube and his Deviantart!

More Wig Resources

I have another wig resource to share with you all! 😀 Hope it’ll be helpful for everyone!

Qing’s Wig – This is the Ebay store where I currently purchased my newest Hotaru wig! It was very affordable and a very thick wig. Shipping is cheap, if not free, which is also a bonus! Definitely recommend this store, though they primarily have natural colored wigs.

If you have any resources to share, please comment with them! 😀

Interview with Kimchi_Kutie

It’s time for another interview, this time with Kimchi_Kutie! She’s a talented cosplayer from Washington, who is a big fan of accuracy!

Kimchi_Kutie as Princess Celestia from M yLittle Pony, photo by Elite Cosplay

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
Hmm…. I have a couple, but I usually go by Kimchi_Kutie lately. I chose it cause my favorite food is kimchi and it’s kind of a pride thing for me because I’m Korean. ^^

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
It’s been 5 years now. I think what got me started was that I loved dressing up and I loved anime, manga, and video games; so to dress up as my favorite characters was like my calling. XD

Kimchi_Kutie as Luka from Vocaloid, photo by Kyle Mistry

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
Definitely working on my Lightning Farron cosplay was a big highlight for me because I have never made costume armor before and it was nice how it turned out! I also loved how my Setsugetsuka Len cosplay turned out! I love historical costumes and I wanted to be as historically accurate as possible, but I failed at it T~T but it did get lots of good feedback! Now that I think about it, anything that has high amounts of detail I love to work on because people miss the attention to detail and the hard work put into it, but since people noticed it, it makes the costume so much more beautiful!

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
I’m RIDICULOUSLY excited to work on my Noel Kreiss cosplay!!! I’ve wanted to get more into the crossplay scene and Noel is the perfect match. XDD I’m also really excited to work on Rydia of Mist cause FFIV is my favorite Final Fantasy game!! And Rydia is my favorite Summoner!!

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
I would like to see people cosplay characters they’re a bit nervous to cosplay as. I know that sounds mean, but what I mean is I want to see people get out of their comfort zones and experiment with other costumes and have fun!

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
Lately it’s been more about competition and “whose costume is better” and a lot of hate towards the lady cosplayers! It’s dumb because cosplaying is to have fun and share something in common with someone else and that’s geeking out and not being afraid to dress up as your favorite character! And honestly, it’s getting redundant, sad to say. :C Like everyone is cosplaying Homestuck, Dr Who, Rise of the Guardians, etc. and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I would like to see more diversity

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
QUIT HATING ON EVERYONE!!! Just because they’re dressed as the same character as you doesn’t mean they did it on purpose to troll or offend you! Or say someone is cosplaying the same character as you but they didn’t do the best job, you shouldn’t belittle them for it! Everyone starts somewhere right? And people really need to stop calling us Cosplay Ladies “Attention whores” because a good 80%-90% of us ARE DOING IT BECAUSE IT’S FUN!!! We’re not “booth babes” and we’re not “fake”! Just because we like comics and video games and liking what we like doesn’t mean we’re “trying to be like one of the guys just for attention!”! No! It means “we like Dr. Who! We like Star Wars and Star Trek! We like what you like! Problem? Get your head out of your butt and we’ll discuss nerd to nerd!”

Kimchi_Kutie as Miku from Vocaloid, photo by SakuraGraffiti

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
First off, it’s okay to start off small. 🙂 You’re starting out and tackling a huge costume project will only result in tears, headaches, and general rage quit! The big costumes people wear; it takes time to practice making them! And if you see someone’s awesome costume but you’re too scared to go up to them, don’t be! We were just like you when we were starting out. Going up and saying “I love your costume” isn’t an insult!
Also, NEVER ask “Where did you buy your costume!?” That is one of the biggest insults in the cosplay community! A good majority of us hand-make our costumes!
And yes, makeup is a pretty big deal in cosplaying! Even with guys! No, that does not mean buying big brand makeup like MAC or MakeupForever. etc. A little foundation, eyeliner, and some eyeshadow for your eyebrows make a HEAVY difference!

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
Sakuracon will always be #1!!! It was my first con ever and I met the most amazing people there!!! Plus it’s close to home!! How much better can it get!?
Also, I LOVED PAX Prime!!! This year was my first (Thanks to my sis, Perzephone cosplay!) PAX ever and VIDEO GAMES EVERYWHERE!!! I was in Heaven!

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
Most of my costumes take less than a week to make! No joke! My Camellia Japonica cosplay took me literally 2 days to finish and complete.
I also experiment A LOT on makeup. XDD I would usually go through 6 or 7 makeup tests for 1 character until I decide which one I should do for a con or another costume event!
And I am one of the DERPIEST cosplayers you will ever meet!! I can make the most serious character look like “ERMERGERHD!!!”

Kimchi_Kutie as Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII-2

Thanks for the interview, Kimchi_Kutie! You can see more of her work on her Cosplay.com account!

Something a Little Different

Usually I reserve Monday for my own rants and the like, but I have to share a Tumblr I’ve come to thoroughly love. Mainly because it’s so truuuue. Everyone head on over to #cosplayworldproblems and enjoy the laughs you’ll get from reading the posts.

And then follow the silliness. ❤

Interview with Serephita

It’s time for another interview, this time with Serephita! She’s a lovely cosplayer from Nevada, who has a beautiful costume collection!

Serephita out of costume

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
Serephita! I was really in love with the manga Angel Sanctuary, and loved the idea of the “Seraphim Angel” Adam Kadimon – also called Seraphita. I misspelled it the first time I typed it out, and just stuck with it.

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
I have been cosplaying since 2007. I started with a Slytherin cloak (which I still have!) for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book.

Serephita as Rinoa from Final Fantasy VIII, photo by Stillvisions

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
Sateen! Cotton blend sateen is one of my favorite fabrics to work with. It’s incredibly forgiving, and is fairly sturdy, so it holds up for almost anything, and is machine washable. Plus it doesn’t wrinkle -too- badly, so it’s easy to iron.

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
I’m really excited to be making Beatrice from the series Umineko. I’ve been dreaming of this dress since I watched the anime in 2009, and after 3 years of plotting out the patterns and piecing everything together in my mind, I’ve actually started making it and I can’t wait to complete it and wear it! Since I’ve recently become enamored with historical costuming, I’m also looking forward to making Anna Rochefort’s purple gown from the end of Le Chevalier D’eon for a very special project I’m hoping to do in 2013, mixing the anime styling with historical fashion, fabric and scenery!

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
To me, creativity and individuality is a huge thing. I love seeing the creative aspects that people bring to the craft, like how they interpret the styling of wigs, or what materials they use to create designs in patterns that are on a garment. I’ve always admired what the ladies of Cosplay Cupcakes have done with things like that, and of course Yaya Han, and Rufflebutt. I also love Kamui and her husband Benni; I’m incredibly envious of their skills with armor and props!

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
I’m still what some people would consider “fairly new” – having only been really paying attention to it 2008 (I stumbled upon it in 2004/2005, but didn’t really think much of it). I feel like it’s changed a lot since then, in terms of peoples’ attitudes, how cosplay is perceived by the general public, and all kinds of things. It’s grown a lot, mostly in good ways. I think it still has a long way to go, and that people need to understand that how they present themselves does reflect not only on them, but on cosplayers as a whole. So always put your best foot forward, or at least be polite! You never know what opportunities it might lead to.

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
Attitudes! We’re all nerdy people in goofy costumes and wigs! Who cares if someone buys their costume because they don’t have the skills or time to make something? They’re still enjoying themselves, probably more than you are if all you’re doing is looking down your nose at them in your impeccable garment or whatever. We all have to start somewhere, so shut up and enjoy being a nerd, surrounded by other nerds!

Serephita as Azmaria from Chrono Crusade, photo by Eurobeat King

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
Be passionate about it. Don’t be afraid to take risks, online tutorials are your best friends, and practice, practice, practice! Start out with super cheap fabric to practice with, never use cheap costume satin… just try to stay away from satin in general, because really, the shinier it is, the less flattering it will be. Invest in wig heads, a small portable fabric steamer (irons can be really iffy, especially in hotels), and don’t be afraid to ask questions of other cosplayers.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
Another Anime Con in Manchester, NH is my favorite convention by far. I’ve attended a couple of larger conventions that I’ve enjoyed, but AAC is like family. For a smaller convention, they have great programming, the staff is pretty awesome (I would know, since I love it so much, I decided to join the staff!), and everyone just really wants to be there. I also really love Katsucon in National Harbor, MD. I’ve only had the chance to attend once in 2010, but it was a very positive experience for me. The energy was really laid back compared to most of the other conventions, the attendees seemed a lot more mature in a way as well, and I just really enjoyed it. Plus the location is beautiful, and great for taking all kinds of photos!

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
I designed all of the flowers on my Terra Branford costume, and spent over 200 hours hand beading all 7,000 crystals onto it! I had no idea how to bead, but once I got started I really enjoyed it and it was much easier than I initially expected. The whole costume was a great learning experience and helped me push my comfort boundaries! Before then (and since) I’ve been kind of… avoiding challenging myself so much when it comes to construction.

Serephita as Terra from Final Fantasy: Dissidia, photo by IndieNate

Thanks for the interview, Serephita! You can see more of her work on her Deviantart, her Facebook, and her American Cosplay Paradise account!

Zira-Inspired Make-up Tutorial

This eye make-up tutorial was created by Hedwyg23. It’s inspired by Zira from Lion King 2! 😀

Zira-Inspired Make-up Tutorial by Hedwyg23

Click to enlarge! Hope this helps! 😀