#cosplayer interview

[cosplayinamerica]

The Big Chicken (Atlanta landmark) : ms_kelseykat

Since it’s a local landmark, people from out of town didn’t understand it - they just stared in confusion. But Atlanta locals LOVED IT! I’d hear people scream “OMG, THE BIG CHICKEN!!” and they were just so excited. I got to hear so many stories about peoples connections to the actual Big Chicken, I didn’t expect any of it. I’m really grateful that I got to make so many people happy with just a simple cardboard costume!

My friend Michelle inspired the idea. She owns a costuming/prop studio called Overworld Designs and co-hosts this awesome Twitch Creative show called Making It Up, where they encourage people to make cosplay, props, and anything else they can imagine.

She showed me some fan art depicting this local Atlanta landmark, the Big Chicken, in mechanical armor with ketchup and mustard squirt gun arm cannons. It was hilarious! I grew up in the suburb where the Big Chicken is located, and always loved it.

Thinking about someone cosplaying the actual Big Chicken made both of us laugh so hard, I felt like I had to do it. She was really supportive of it, and I’m so grateful for the inspiration!

Cardboard, googly eyes, fabric, paint, glue and tape. I really like the cheap cardboard costumes people throw together, and knew that’s what I wanted to do. The costume almost didn’t come together in time, though!

I had to do some last-minute work on a Half-Life Metrocop group cosplay with Overworld, and being a procrastinator, was running behind on the chicken! Luckily, my friend Amy, who is an amazingly talented cosplayer and crafter from San Francisco, helped me finish it in the hotel room. I’m not sure I would have finished without her!

If you’re interested in cosplay, give it a try. This community is seriously amazing, no matter your level of skill or dedication. It’s never too late to take a chance on trying something that could make you happy!

[the-citrus-scale]

Cosplay Interview: @donttouchmymilk

If wonderfully creepy cosplays, like the Sugar Plum Fairy from Cabin in the Woods, are your thing, then you’re in for a special treat with @donttouchmymilk! Her special effects and make-up skills are so on point you’ll forget it’s cosplay at all.  Seriously, go check out her page and catch her at the next con if you can. You definitely won’t be disappointed.

How did you first get into cosplay?

Back in 2008, some friends and I were playing the Fatal Frame video game series, and they started talking about a local anime convention called Animazement, suggesting we make costumes of our favorite Fatal Frame characters. I purchased and pieced together most of my costume. It was far from perfect, but I had a great time and never really looked back from there.

How did you get started doing the awesome special effects you do now for your cosplays? Was that always a part of it since the beginning, or did it develop over time?

I really got into cosplay via horror characters, such as ghosts from Fatal Frame and monsters from Silent Hill. And most of these creatures involve various degrees of makeup or prosthetics. Over time, I found I very much enjoyed the makeup aspect of costuming, and frequently started choosing costumes that involved heavy amounts of makeup and mask-making. 

How long does it take you to design the average cosplay because of how detailed they are?

It honestly varies from costume to costume. I created my Clicker (The Last of Us) in a couple weeks. The Sugarplum Fairy came together in less than a month. At the same time, my Witch Queen from The Last Witch Hunter took 11 months, and Sakuya from Fatal Frame IV, which has about 60 yards of hand-stitched trim and hand-painted fabric, I worked on off and on for 3 years. That one was rough. 

You attend conventions. How much more complicated is it to attend with costumes that have the effects you work into yours?

A lot of thought process has to go into that. For example, my Witch Queen is head to toe covered in latex, from the body suit, to the homemade wig, to the facial prosthetics. For my own safety, I limit my wear of her to 4-6 hours. I can’t eat in my Sugarplum Fairy because the mask is glued down and my mouth slot is small. So I wear a fanny-pack under my tutu that always has a protein shake and a straw packed inside. And I enjoy the looks I get while being a horrifying monster drinking a milkshake through a straw. 

And seriously, we have to ask how you see in some of that stuff, like the Sugar Plum Fairy mask. What’s the secret there?

Haha. That’s one of my favorite parts about making masks like the Sugarplum Fairy and Clicker. I always have eye holes in my masks so I can see where I’m going. But I conceal them as well as possible, and often paint my eyelids to match the color of my masks. Then all I have to do is close my eyes and I vanish into the mask or prosthetic.

How do you choose which cosplays to do? Do you want every one to have some sort of special effect to work with?

Not every costume I do is makeup intensive. It’s nice to have a more simplistic costume to put on from time to time. Generally when I pick a costume, it’s either because I truly love the character, or there is some aspect of the costume I find very intriguing or complicated. One of the main reasons I chose to cosplay the Sugarplum Fairy was because I thought she looked very challenging, and I really wanted to find a way to create the illusion that my face didn’t exist. I love getting the chance to think outside the box, and costumes like that really give me that opportunity.

What is it like to be covered in head to toe body paint? Because that seems like it would get annoying after a while.

Oh man, it takes some getting used to. For example, the average time it takes me to put on my costumes is 3 hours. So by the time I walk onto a convention floor, I’ve been wearing my makeup for hours. You kind of have to get used to feeling a little uncomfortable and not really being able to touch things. The post-costume shower also tends to take forever (especially if it’s alcohol-based makeup), but washing everything off always feels extremely satisfying. 

How did you learn how to do all of the special effects you incorporate into your costumes? Did you take classes, use Internet tutorials, maybe a little bit of both?

When I first started doing makeup cosplays, I was awful. But I really wanted to try to get better. Since I lived in the middle of nowhere and youtube makeup tutorials really weren’t a thing back in 2008, I basically just used trial and error. I would make mistakes over and over until I found something that worked. I’ve taken a couple sculpting and molding classes with Tyler Green, a very talented makeup artist in Connecticut. But otherwise I’ve mostly learned things on my own.

What tips do you have for anyone who wants to start incorporating these types of special effects in their cosplays?

Don’t be afraid of makeup! Many people never try bodypainting or SFX makeup because they don’t know where to start. But you can absolutely do it. Search for tutorials, or just get your hands on some products and start playing around. I will say that if you decide to do a bodypaint, practice first! The first time you apply your bodypaint, it won’t be perfect. You need to give yourself a little time to make mistakes and learn the application method that works best for you. 

What’s one cosplay that you haven’t attempted yet, but would love to, and why?

One of my dream cosplays has always been the Diva Plavalaguna from The Fifth Element. I’ve been cosplaying for 11 years and she’s been at the top of my list since the beginning. I’m hoping to have the guts to start on her soon. 

[yugiri315]

In which I did an interview!

[kerbibbles]

OI! Finally, amiright? The Anime Detour 2017 Cosplay Interview video is up!

Thanks to all of you for your patience in waiting for me to put out the video. I would like to thank all of you that were in the video.

If you happen to see yourself, let us know so that we can credit you!

[the-citrus-scale]

Photo Cred: Girl with the Blue Hair Photography,  Mark's Cosplay Photography, and Rhoscoe Photo 

Cosplayer Interview: Veloria.Solo.Cosplay

Why did you decide on this character?

Ever since ECCC 2018, I have been sucked into the colourful, larger than life and funny world of Ragnarok cosplay. For that convention, I made a Gladiator Hulk cosplay (which is my favourite cosplay I’ve ever made to date, armor, green body paint and all) and a Contest of Champions Thor for my husband. Through this, we met so many other amazing Ragnarok cosplayers and had so much fun connecting with them as we all con crunched, and embodying those characters while sparking cool reactions from other con goers. This is the most I’ve seen my husband light up in a cosplay and I wanted to stay in that world and headspace and keep having fun (while avoiding the hours it took to airbrush my whole body green. I also thought it’d be an easier build. Ha! Past me is stupid.) I have always loved the movie adaptation of Valkyrie as a strong character and the scene where she and her other female warriors are riding in their battle suits on their Pegasus (Fun Fact- I just googled it and there is no plural of Pegasus) fills me to the brim with strength and inspiration. I mean, a whole girl gang of fierce female warriors?!

What were the challenges in creating your costume and persona?

So, I started and stopped this build several times. I won’t say this didn’t frustrate me to no end. For one, I am much more of an armor builder and foamsmith, and this project was primarily comprised of fabric materials- which was way out of my comfort zone. I’m a very novice sewer, and I had to make a full, complicated body suit with patterns on it that were incredibly hard to source. I mean it doesn’t help that I get into this crazy zone where I need things screen accurate to the millimeter and find myself staring very hard at reference photos. To get her zig-zag herringbone texture, I hunted so many stores and online spaces, only to decide to full Thanos it and “Fine, I’ll Do It Myself” the project and custom designed the pattern digitally and had it printed by Spoonflower. I sourced a great spacer fabric for the textured darker grey parts of her suit after contacting many local and not so local fabric...

Read the full interview here ⇠

[tabithacerberus]

The newest cosplayer interview is up on my YouTube channel. Meet my friend Sammy I Ammy! The next two interviews will be some international costume makers so keep your eyes peeled!

[tabithacerberus]

Decided to add something new to my YouTube channel. I will be interviewing different cosplayers. To give you an inside on why they cosplay, their favorite builds, and future goals. First up is my friend MK Cosplay Nerd! Hope you enjoy the video <3

[floridageekscene]

Cosplayer of the week : Trisha Lou

Cosplayer of the week : Trisha Lou

Leo Nocedo :  How did you discover cosplaying? Trisha Lou : I’ve always loved doing costumes. Once I discovered volunteering opportunities in cosplaying characters for local non-profits, such as Costumers with a Cause & the 501st garison, I decided to do it as an opportunity to serve in the community. I love bringing smiles to children & families. Leo Nocedo :  What was your first cosplay? Trisha…

View On WordPress