JJ Cosplay

JJ | 19 | male | cosplayer Welcome to my tumblr! Here I post cosplay resources, pictures, and updates about projects that I'm working on. Enjoy!

[bludgeoner]

[e-seal-deactivated20210319]

wyd after smoking out of this?

[arbuscule]

[writing-prompt-s]

The person who grew up expecting to be the “chosen one” learns that they are meant to destroy the world, not save it.

[helz-belz]

[cosplayhelpwithdecember]

I spiffed up this tutorial I made a while ago. And by spiffed up I mean I added the text to the pictures.

[cosplaytutorial]

Choosing Fabrics for Cosplay

Tutorial by:  Whitney Sews Tutorial Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKOJMaKMpEQ

[koumori-no-hime]

After many months, my e-book is finally available on Amazon!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KQU02B0#nav-subnav

[scorpius-fallen]

Cosplay Tutorial: Weathering and Tarnishing Paint jobs

A text and image tutorial on how to paint a certain look onto your armor, weapons and other accessories! WARNING: This is a lengthy tutorial. 

Keep reading

[cosplaytutorial]

Cosplay Tip:

Skits are for the audience: write something interesting that doesn’t rely on too many in-jokes or excessive knowledge of the series to enjoy.

[saria121]

I thought this said skirts at first and now I want to write inside jokes on the inside of my cosplay skirts. :P

[cosplaytutorial]

Nobody said you can’t line your garment with inside jokes written on fabric ;)

[andsewingishalfthebattle]

^ We’ve TOTALLY done this!

A couple of examples:

Back when Fullmetal Alchemist was ubiquitous, we wanted to personalize our FMA costume set to make it a little different from everyone else’s. We covered the lining of Ed’s big red coat with dozens of alchemical symbols, stylized versions of our initials, and other references. Laura (as Ed) used to say, “Youngest person ever to pass the State Alchemist exam? That’s because I cheated!” And she’d flip open the coat to reveal Ed’s extensive “cheat sheet.”

After spending dozens (hundreds?) of hours sewing endless applique designs for a big set of Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE artbook costumes, we were really, really sick of applique. The last costume we made in the set was Kamui’s dragon-wing bodysuit, and we incorporated the katakana for appurike kirai (”I hate applique”) into the design. Part of the first word is visible in this photo, under the belt (kirai is on the back of the hip):

…Actually, now that I think about it, we do stuff like this fairly often. Not sure if it’s a desire to customize our work, or if we’re all just giant nerds and think it’s fun. XD Probably the latter.

[cosplaytutorial]

Prop Making 101: Cosplay Prop Making for Beginners

Tutorial by:  Simon Payne Tutorial Link: http://mirroredwilderness.blogspot.ca/2012/08/prop-making-101-cosplay-prop-making-for.html

[lunaticcosplay]

Ninja Sandal Tutorial

(source x)

Supplies:

- 6mm + EVA foam sheet(s) ( I got a 2 pack of floor mats from daiso for $1.50) OR  a pair of Flip Flops

- 3mm faomie sheet or scrap

- Cling wrap

- packing tape/duct tape

- sharpie

- paper for pattern transfer (not transfer paper but paper/card stock to finalize your pattern pieces for later use)

- pen knife/exacto/box cutter

- self healing mat or a cutting board (optional but recommended)

- heat gun (also optional, really just for sticklers who wan’t anime accurate shoes)

- Navy or Black fabric with some stretch (spandex is fine, I used a synthetic/organic blend remnant from joannes called “Neo Medival Blue Bengal”)

- 4 hook and eyes

- 2 zippers (5″ or shorter)

- E6000 or Rubber cement

- hot glue or super glue

- sewing pins (throwaways they’ll likely get ruined)

- Paint

- cording for piping (optional)

- zipper foot

- silver baubles for the “hardware” on the straps (mine are from the $1 scrapbook section of joannes, was on a sheet of like 50?)

***If you’re using a flip flop as a base ignore this step and continue on

First things first, you’re going to want to trace your foot and round out the toes so it looks like the sole of a flip flop. I would suggest adding 1/4″allowance to the sides of your foot to better attach the fabric later, and 1/2″ to the heel so your closure is securely fastened to the sole.

Once it’s cut you can add some detailing! This step is purely for the look and doesn’t really affect the sandal. Draw out the design and make shallow cuts with a blade. I mean super shallow! You won’t want to cut all the way through.

When you’re done with your cuts, lightly hit it with your heat gun and watch as your cuts become deep set! This will also heat seal your foam and make it so that you can directly paint onto your sandal.

Next you’re going to want to get your cling wrap, packing tape, and sharpie. Yep you’re going to be wrapping your foot like a bagged lunch sandwich!

Be sure your cling wrap goes under the sole of your sandal as you’ll need it to better feel out your pattern. Please keep in mind that when you’re adding your tape layer DO NOT wrap it around your foot like a bandage. You’ll cut off your circulation, instead add tape in short strips, in sections.

When you have everything tapped up, take your sharpie and draw out what you want each piece to look like, and add registration marks so you know which curves line up with what!

When I was happy with my pattern I transferred the tape and cling wrap pattern to graph paper for my final pattern. I added 3/4″ seam allowance because I wanted to “finish” my seams with a zig zag stitch so that my stretch fabric would be super sturdy for all day con wear. I made piping for the center most seam.

For the puffy section at the ankle and toes I wanted to have extra foam sandwiched between my fabric to make them more dynamic. I used 6mm for my ankle and 3mm for the toe piece. Keep in mind that you will need allowance for your foam as well, my ankle piece was a 1/4″ longer and 1/2″ wider than my paper pattern. From here, use your foam to cut your fabric.

Next I lined up my pieces and started to sew them together, pretty straight forward. Here it is flat. Remember to add notched at any and all curves so that it forms to your foot!

And here it is on the side, when this part is done I would suggest taking your heat gun and lightly forming the toe piece, be VERY careful in going lightly as synthetic fabrics can melt and you can ruin it or seriously hurt yourself with burns or carbon fumes.

Continue sewing up the rest of the pieces together and add in your zipper as you normally would.

I forgot to take photos of the glueing stage but it is really straight forward. Take your E6000 or Rubber cement and glue in your heel by the seam allowance, use pins to keep it together while it dries. Once your sole is in, make small notches in the fabric that aligns with the inner curve of your foot. Continue to glue and pin as needed. After 24 hours gently pull our your pins.

Using a glue gun or super glue, glue on your “hardware” to the toe section of your sandal.

Finally, add in your hook and eyes, and you’re done!

That’s about it, sorry for any typos/grammatical mistakes. If I missed something or you have questions please feel free to ask. Hope this was helpful, and good luck cosplaying!

[cosplaytutorial]

10 Ways to Finish Your Seams

Tutorial by:  Sew Maris Tutorial Link: http://www.sewmaris.com/tutorials/tutorial-10-ways-to-finish-your-seams

[cosplaytutorial]

How to Strap EVA Foam Armor

Tutorial by:  wmarmory Tutorial Link: http://www.wmarmory.com/?p=1380

[mahoumeggles]

I made my first real tutorial! This tutorial should hopefully help anyone that wants to wear something on their head without a headband or strap showing! This method also allows you to quickly remove the piece from your body, so it’s great if you want to keep on a wig or small headdress base but still have the option to remove an extra piece (like if you need to sit in a car!), or if you just want to avoid permanently attaching an accessory to a wig or use the same accessory with different wigs (think: animal ears!). Neodymium (aka Rare Earth) Magnets are my favorite because they can be really small, but they provide a super strong and secure connection, perfect for attaching accessories or armor to your body or another costume piece. For my Luluco head siren, I sandwiched 3 of these magnets in between layers of worbla and a basic headband. I found that a 2 part epoxy made for plastic (I used Loctite) was perfect for my magnets and plastic light, but always do a little research and a test to make sure you use the right glue for your project! NOTES ABOUT MEUDYMIUM MAGNETS!! DO NOT use a hot glue gun with these magnets!! Direct contact with high temperatures can demagnetize them! Yes, I also used a heat gun to do this, but mine came out fine. Just be careful and don’t let the worbla heat up too much. This page (https://www.kjmagnetics.com/blog.asp?p=sticky-business-how-to-glue-neodymum-magnets) has a lot of helpful information about these magnets. OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES! Use sandpaper to scratch up the surface of both the magnets and the surface you’re attaching them to, especially for smooth materials like plastics. The cuts in the surface help the items to adhere better. If you have a battery compartment, make sure you position your glue/magnets so that this is still accessible! I also glued a piece of felt to the bottom of my worbla piece for a little extra comfort. Feel free to share, but please credit me or provide a direct link. <3 If there are any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Happy crafting! Check out more on Facebook @Mahou Meggles Cosplay

[nimbus-makes-shit]

Using Chrome Vinyl automobile wrap for Cosplay Armor

It’s called Chrome Vinyl, and it’s a metallic wrap used for automobiles.  

There’s a cosplayer who’s already made a basic tutorial for what it is and how to use it here: http://calgarycosplay.deviantart.com/art/Cosplay-Metallics-SOLVED-FOREVER-464151191

…though she’s not the first one to figure it out.  Chrome wrapping is actually a really popular method used in Asia for covering armored costumes, it just hasn’t really taken hold in western cosplay yet.  

You can look up youtube tutorials for how to apply the vinyl (all the demonstrations will be on cars) to get you started.  

To add to Calgary’s tutorial, I would say that if you buy a cheaper, no-brand-name vinyl wrap, it’s not going to give you the same results as buying a known brand of vinyl wrap.  I have a sample of generic wrap I bought off of eBay, and then a sample of Avery chrome vinyl wrap, that’s advertised to have a nice bit of stretch to it, and the Avery definitely works better because the stretchiness helps go around those curves.  Generic brands tend to be less stretchy, the adhesive less sticky, and more prone to dents and wrinkles when you apply heat.  As with all things, you get what you pay for.

Generic 

Avery

In addition, whether you’re using foam or worbla-coated foam, or wonderflex… it’s a good idea to stiffen it up a bit before applying the vinyl so that it can retain its shape.  Applying heat to the vinyl helps it stick and stretch, and you don’t want the heat un-shaping the foam/worbla/wonderflex underneath.  I find that using a few light coats of wood glue helps a considerable amount (don’t worry, you don’t need to go get yourself a gallon of epsilon or anything).  At the same time, don’t use your most powerful heat gun when applying your vinyl.  A hairdryer works fine, and the lighter heat will also contribute to keeping the shape of the foam/thermoplastic you’re wrapping.  

And of course, the more time you put in, the better the results.  Go slow, experiment on scraps first… if you’re using worbla or wonderflex, I do actually recommend smoothing it out a little bit first.  Stretchier chrome vinyls will hug a little bit to the grooves of the rough exterior.  For the smoothest possible finish, take that wood glue or wood filler or gesso to your worbla and just apply 2-3 coats to help even it out.  Not as much as you would need to if you were painting it, but just enough to give the vinyl a helping hand.  

If the adhesive seems to be losing its stickiness or just isn’t holding well enough (and you’d be learning this through your test scraps that I know you’re taking the time to do), I’ve been using contact cement.  

You can find this and various other brands at Home Depot or Lowe’s, etc… I find that using contact cement also reduces air bubbles and creases, especially as you wrap the vinyl around the edges so you get a nice cleeeeean finish.  

If you don’t know how to use contact cement, google is your friend.  

Obviously armor has a lot of pieces, and the unfortunate bit about vinyl wrapping is that you have to do it with every individual piece BEFORE assembly, as opposed to painting, where you can assemble everything first and then paint.  

The back of Kuvira’s armor has 10 pieces, and I need to wrap each of the ten plates before I can attach the plates.  The inside tends not to look very pretty, but nobody’s looking there anyway.

Worbla scraps are GREAT for assembling those wrapped vinyl pieces btw.  

…aaaaand that’s what I have to share about what I’ve learned in using chrome vinyl to make my shiny Kuvira armor!  Look forward to pictures of the complete armor and cosplay, and hope this helps!

[jj-cosplay]

So I’m using this for a current project and I just want to mention a couple things:

1.) The part about the adhesive not being super strong is 100% true. If you’re going to use this, plan on getting enough that you can have a significant amount to fold over, or anchor it to the back with more Worbla/tape/glue/something. I’m going to try sticking some liner fabric to the back with contact cement, but we’ll see how that turns out.

2.) This stuff is vinyl, so it’s slick and smooth. This means that paint doesn’t stick to it very well, which sucks for aging and weathering the armor. I tried out some black acrylic paint over the top and when it was dry I could literally just peel it off. If you use this, you’re going to need to seal any painting that you do on top somehow.

3.) The vinyl wrinkles super easily. You have to be really careful when heating it to not let it wrinkle, although if yours is not so sticky (like mine is), then you can also just peel it up and re-attach it to fix that.

4.) Lastly, it’s not very stretchy and flexible, even when hot, which means that complex curves are a no go and any detailing has to be done separately. I tried using it over a 2mm craft foam square on top of more foam and the vinyl didn’t get into the corners at all. You’d be better off covering the detail pieces separately and then attaching them afterwards imo.

All around, the vinyl does look a lot like shiny metal, and it’s definitely great for big, flat pieces of shiny armor. However, it doesn’t do curves very well and it’s hard to weather, so be warned.

[cosplaytutorial]

Affixing your cosplay armor to your body 

Tutorial by Mashayahana Tutorial Link: http://mashayahana.deviantart.com/art/Affixing-your-cosplay-armor-to-your-body-427100999

[lomarifairchild]

DIY Wig Weft Tutorial

Ever get a wig and after styling, you realize you cut way too much off? No?! Oh.. uh...me either. Well here's a tutorial on how to make wefts out of discarde...

Tutorial Thursday! 

Making your own wig wefts from discarded wig hair! 

[plutoknights]

HOW TO MAKE A TAIL - Or at least, how we do it! Our tutorial covers how to make a basic tail with an under structure that is strong enough for you to be able to bend and pose your tail as you like! The examples that you see of our finished tails in action are free standing - no tail-throwing photo assistants were needed to achieve awesome angles!

You can find our full in-depth tutorial here: -> http://www.facebook.com/KnightsofPluto/ <-