sashplay

A blog dedicated to documenting my cosplay adventures and struggles!

[cosplaytutorial]

How to Make: Mad Max’s Leg Brace

Tutorial Link: http://madmaxcostumes.com/tutorials/how-to-make-maxs-leg-brace/

[sara-kun]

it’s crazy how I could care less about a sport but as soon as I see a sports anime I’m in tears and trying to buy jerseys

[rare-props]

~Cosplay Chain Mail Tutorial ~

People were asking me about the chain mail I made for my Merrill cosplay so here is a little tutorial on how I did it. Enjoy <3

This will get long so the rest is under a read more.

Keep reading

[sashplay]

Pyramid Head WIP So I've had this idea for a while now, but had no idea how to even execute it, frankly I still don't. However, I decided to gather all the cardboard within a two mile radius and plow ahead. First, I made a template from a large sheet of paper and cut out the necessary triangles using a rotary cutter. I cut out the middles of the two largest triangles (where the mesh would be) before gluing them together. Then I propped up the largest triangles using a scrap piece of cardboard. Using a hot glue gun I glued along the inside seam until the two pieces were firmly in place. The last photo is how the front piece sits on me currently (please excuse my pjs and hideous sunburn)

[cosplaytutorial]

Foam and Worbla armour MEGA TUTORIAL 

Tutorial by AmenoKitarou Tutorial Link: http://amenokitarou.deviantart.com/art/Foam-and-Worbla-armour-MEGA-TUTORIAL-467770119

[two-figs]

Your lucina is way overpriced, i think 200 max is reasonable. Good luck selling it

I disagree, but I don’t see much point in trying to change a stranger’s mind, so thank you, I suppose, for the luck

[chimericfusionprotein]

OK, anon, you caught me on a bad morning and Krista’s having a rough time right now, so I’m about to go the fuck off.

DO NOT FUCKING TELL SOMEONE THEIR HANDMADE COSPLAY IS OVERPRICED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S AS WELL-MADE AS THIS ONE.

I have literally no problem with people buying cosplay, but I think the vast number of cheap costumes available on eBay/Taobao, along with a rash of people (myself included) undercutting themselves for the sake of getting costumes out of their house/making a sale, has led to some pretty gross misunderstandings about how much someone’s handmade work is worth. 

This is a costume with a LARGE number of parts, and it’s made of high quality fabrics and trims and Worbla for the armor. I’m pretty sure this anon has never made a costume in their life, because if they did, they’d know that $300 probably covers the materials costs and maybe a little bit of the labor costs. Making costumes is expensive, both in terms of the money you spend on materials and the time and care you put into making it. This costume took many, many hours to make; if you were to commission this costume, the labor costs alone could be upwards of $800. And sure, wearing a costume does lead to depreciation of value – this is why I side-eye people who sell bought or commissioned costumes for the same price they paid for it unless it was never worn – but even so, $300 is way lower than Krista could reasonably charge for it. She’s a talented, experienced seamstress with actual costuming classes under her belt; she could be charging upwards of $25/hr for her work if she wanted.

Could you buy a Lucina costume on Taobao for $100? Sure, but the quality of the fabric and craftsmanship will be MUCH worse than what you’d get here. You probably won’t even get the armor, and if you do, it’d probably be that half-assed-looking fabric stuff. It also just costs more to buy a costume made by a single American cosplayer than it does to buy one made by a factory in China. A single person takes more time to make a costume than a team/factory, so the labor costs are higher. We also live in the US, where the cost of living and wages are generally higher than, say, China. (I’m not even going to get into how most of these costume factories are likely severely underpaying their employees and/or having them work in unsafe conditions – there is an ethical piece to it that pretty much EVERYONE buying Taobao costumes ignores, but that’s beside the point.) If you don’t like that truth, then don’t buy the costume, and more importantly, keep it the fuck to yourself.

Like, oh my god, this is one of the shittiest and most passive-aggressive messages you can send, and honestly anon, it just makes YOU look ignorant. Step the fuck off.

Oh, and go buy Krista’s costumes. They’re gorgeous. 

[sashplay]

It's been a little over a year since I created this blog and to celebrate I thought I would show just how much my cosplay has improved. The left photo was taken at Anime Expo 2015 and the right photo was taken a couple months later at Anime California 2015. Here's to another year of great times and cosplay!

[finnichang]

Anime Expo Artist Alley 2016

This is an open letter to all the artists who participated in the Artist Alley at AX 2016, to the AX management staff, and to all the attendees who came and spent their time and dollars at the Artist Alley this year. 

Please take a deep breath and read this (very long) letter with an open mind. Everything written here is from my perspective and I am only one person. I openly encourage debate and discussion, as confrontation will only give us the opportunity to resolve conflict and move forward as a community. 

Keep reading

[sashplay]

So glad to see this post, from an attendee perspective I was really happy to learn that artist alley had been moved to a new location which would hopefully open up the space to a couple more artists. However, shoving a couple thousand people in what is basically a concrete box comes with its downfalls, especially when it’s not air conditioned properly. Keeping in mind that many cosplayers frequent artist alley in multiple layers it probably would have been smarter to crank the air. That being said I’m super grateful to all of the artists who were there and braved the heat and the crowds! Keep up the good work!

[cosplaytutorial]

When you've taken the time and effort to make a really great costume, or if you've purchased a costume that you really love, make sure that you take care of it! Just like clothing, your costume needs a specific place to call its home - a closet, a garment bag, neatly folded in a drawer, etc, where it is well maintained and protected from damage. If you take good care of your costume, it will last much longer than if you just throw it on the floor or wad it up into a ball or leave it in a smelly, messy heap somewhere. So, here are a few great ideas on how to keep your costumes neatly put away and ready for future use while looking wonderful with minimal upkeep.

[hematight]

A moment of silence for all the cosplayers who have to wear high heels at cons

You are in our minds and in our hearts

[apafee-deactivated20171227]

GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF

GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF GAJEEL IS GETTING A SPIN OFF

[camodadcomic]

privacy PSA

[thankuforthecoffee]

My heart says yes but my vocal range says no

[mirajanestrauss]

Shop Amber Graves's Society6 Shop as one of the thousands of artists creating unique art from around the world. Worldwide shipping available at Society6.com.

Hey all! I’ve put a TON more artwork on my S6 and plan to add even more tomorrow! Feel free to check it out!

[chevalure]

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victory desu

[mangosirene]

On my way home from DragonCon! One of the highlights of this weekend was being able to cosplay Reina and break out my trumpet playing again! :D

[theinturnetexplorer]

it loses a bit of the magic huh?

[justsayins]

Are you kidding this is FANTASTIC

[sashplay]

How to: Make San’s Mask from Princess Mononoke

Looking to make a Princess Mononoke cosplay? You are in the right place! In the movie Princess Mononoke the main character, San, wears two different kinds of mask one full face mask and a half mask. This tutorial will cover how to make the half mask but the concepts could easily apply to the full mask. Supplies: •Newspaper •Mod Podge (or similar glue) •Air Dry Clay •Modeling Paste (optional but recommended) •Acrylic Paint (you can also use spray paint if you want to ensure a smooth finish) •Gesso

You'll want to begin with a bowl covered with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Create the half mask base by building up the shape with layers of newspaper dipped in a mixture of water and Mod Podge. Let each layer dry before applying another one. After achieving a good thickness, remove the dried mask shape from the bowl. To create a realistic edge roll out a snake of Air dry clay and glue it to the underside of the mask, then layer newspaper over the clay like this:

After the mask is totally dry you can add a layer of modeling paste over top of the entire piece. This serves to create a more sturdy mask and also smoothes the surface, however this step is optional. This is a good time to make the 3D elements of the mask such as the eyes and middle band. I made these with air-dry clay and allowed them to dry on a rounded surface. You can also make the jewelry elements such as the teeth for San's necklace.

Wait for the clay elements to dry and then cover them with a few thin layers of gesso to create an even, no porous surface for the paint to stick to. After the gesso has dried you can begin to paint! My mask after painting:

It looks sort of artificial and boring at this point right? That's where aging  comes in! Use distress ink or watered down paint and a foam dapper around the edges of the mask where dirt would naturally gather. You can also use this method to age the jewelry!

To seal all of your hard work you can use a coat of thinned out matte Mod Podge over top of the mask and teeth. Here is what my finished mask and necklace looks like:

And here it is in the finished cosplay:

I’m still improving this cosplay myself but hopefully this was helpful to anyone making a Princess Mononoke cosplay.If you have any tips, questions or concerns feel free to send a comment my way!