CON COVERAGE
FREE PATTERNS PATTERNS INSIDE IN SIDE
LET HER EAT CAKE PRODIGAL THREADS FOR THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS KATSUCON COVERAGE
KICKING OFF THE CON SEASON THE EDWARDIAN BALL
A NEO-VICTOR NEO-VICTORIAN IAN EXTRAV EXTRAVAGANZA
7 1 0 2 y a M / l i r p A
ALEXA HEART HEART
BRINGING Y TO LGBTQIA COSPLAY Display until May 28th 2017
©2017 BERNINA of America
editor’s letter CON COVERAGE
FREE PATTERNS INSIDE
One of the ongoing goals of Cosplay Culture is to help promote and give a platform to the philosophy of “inclusiveness” that runs through the cosplay community. We have always been proud to be part of a movement that celebrates individuality, self-expression, and goes out of its way to not be judgmental. Beyond this letter you’ll find page aft er page of articles, features, and interviews with some of the people who have embraced their individuality and made it a major component of not only their cosplay, but their daily life as well. So, starting with our great Beauty and the Beast-themed cover feature, here’s
LET HER EAT CAKE
a quick look at a few of the exciting articles jammed between the covers.
PRODIGAL THREADS FOR THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS
Cosplayer Jinglebooboo stars in our gorgeous cover KATSUCON COVERAGE
KICKING OFF THE CON SEASON THE EDWARDIAN BALL
A NEO-VICTORIAN EXTRAVAGANZA ALEXA HEART HEART
BRINGING TO LGBTQIA COSPLAY
story, photographed by Steve Prue. From one beauty to another we come upon Alexa Heart, who is speaking out for the LGBQIA+ community, both in and out of the cosplay realm. In our never-ending quest to be at as many cons as possible, check out the coverage of Sacramento, CA’s SacAnime, a Midwest blast out of Ohio with Ohayocon, and the always-glorious Katsucon. Venturing even further from home to expand our worldwide coverage, we bring you the fantastic and frightening Elena Samko, all the way from Novosibirsk, Siberia. Between the DIY’s, photographer profiles, the eccentric Edwardian Ball exposition, and so much more, it behooves you to just turn the page and start the fun! So as we welcome you to this issue of Cosplay Culture, we ask you to welcome your fellow cosplayers with the same open arms, mind, and heart. Te Editors Dye, Cut. Sew. Glue. Have Fun.
@Cosplay_Culture @CosplayCultureMag facebook.com/CosplayCultureMagazine COSPLAY CULURE 3
AT KATSUCON TEXT BY TIFFANY PEGRAM / IMAGES BY JASON LABOY
T
his was our first year as a magazine having a booth at Katsucon, and every day we were blown away by the people
who attend this wonderful show. We’d need a full two issues at least just to even start to showcase everyone we want to, but the following pages include just a few of our favorites. But rest assured—from the incredible feats of sculpting we saw posing in the gazebo, to each and every reader who stopped by to hang out and read back issues with us or take photos in our little corner of the vendor hall, we loved every second we spent with you and can’t wait to do it again next year!
Cosplay Culture Staff
contributors PUBLISHER
Margaret Pepe
Jason Laboy is a portrait/editorial
EDITOR IN CHIEF
photographer based in Bronx, NY. Jason took
Paul Malle
his passion for photography to the convention
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
scene 2 years ago and he has quickly
Alison Replinger
established himself as one of the most
MANAGING EDITOR
iffany Pegram tiff
[email protected] ART DIRECTOR
sought-after photographers in the Cosplay community. Jason has the knack for turning the mundane into the mesmerizing.
Erica DeMasi DIY EDITOR
Virginia Britt CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Paul Latimer, Rich Kirby, iffany Pegram, Steve Savitsky, Alan Scholting, Jill Bergforth
Alan Scholting of Synester Saints Ent. is a true fanboy turned professional, with over fifteen years of convention experience and
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
multiple contacts in the entertainment world.
Jason Laboy, Steve Prue, Mineralblue Photography,
As a columnist, he has had the pleasure of
Te Portrait Dude, Arturo Vega
interviewing everyone from WWE superstars
PRODUCTION MANAGER
to living legends like Stan Lee. His writing has
Andrés Báez ADVERTISING EAST COAST
won several awards.
KRIS LONGO 973.751.5829 KRIS.LONGO@GEEKRIOMEDIA.COM
Steve Prue likes to go to interesting places,
EDITORIAL OFFICES
meet up with interesting people dressed up
1411 Broadway 5th Fl
as interesting characters, and shoot them.
New York, NY 10018 CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
[email protected] CONTROLLER
Dom Mattingly DISTRIBUTOR
Curtis Circulation Co.
Mineralblu is a daily publication that covers
COVER PHOTOGRAPH
all things nerd related, including movies, tv,
Steve Prue
comics, gaming, cosplay, anime, conventions, and much more.
Word Up! presents: Cosplay Culture #35 (ISSN 2380-2103) is published bi-monthly by Cosplay Culture in Ja nuary, April, June, August,, November. Contents copyrighted © 2016. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at NYC and additional mailing offices. Postmaster please send address changes to COSPLAY CULURE, 1411 Broadway #5, New York, NY 10018. Reproduction or use in any part of the contents without prior permission of the publisher is prohibited. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawing or photographs. All manuscripts, drawing or photographs sent to Cosplay Culture will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to the magazine’s right to edit and comment editorially. All photographs are posed for by professional models except as otherwise noted. Neither said photographs nor the editorial nor quotations accompany such photographs are to be constructed as indication of the person’s sexual orientation, conduct, personality, or actual quotation. Cosplay Culture assumes no responsibility for the advertisements made therein of the quality and deliverability of the products themselves. Cosplay Culture assumes no responsibility to determine whether the people whose photographs or statements appear in such advertisements have in fact endorsed such product or consented to the use of their names or photographs or the statements attributed to them. Contact us by mail at Cosplay Culture 1411 Broadway #5, New York NY 10018. PRINTED IN USA
contents APRIL/MAY 2017
44
Cover Story: Let Her Eat Cake Prodigal Treads For Te Provincial Princess
10
28
Ohayocon
Photographer Profile
No Flyover Con
David Love: Fantastical Photographs
8 Cosplay Culture
64
News of the Nerdy
16 Pattern Hack Making Your Patterns Work For Your Body
18 Fanini Rabbids D.Va Celebrates the Korean New Year
Belle Of Te Ball
20 Best Face Forward Feminine Make - Up utorial by NightEyes
DIY the Perfect Footwear
72
24 By Any Other Name Felt Rose DIY
34 International Cosplayer Elena Samko: Cosplay’s Jekyll & Hyde
40 Alexa Heart
Katsucon op Shelf Cosplay
Te Heart & Soul Of Cosplay
54
90
Te Edwardian Ball A Neo - Victorian Extravaganza
80 Wigging Out Interview & utorial with Arda Wigs
86 Indie Cosplay Corner
SacAnime
Sudanro Bladeworks
Northern CA’s Finest
cosplay culture
WHEN THE REAL WORLD COLLIDES WITH COSPLAY, THE RESULT IS COSPLAY CULTURE! FROM MUSIC TO SPORTS, FROM FASHION TO TV AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, YOU HAVEJUST LANDED IN THE COSPLAY CULTURE UNIVERSE.
Up. Up. Up. And coming
When Cosplay is Real Play
No1 Te Walking Dead has introduced a new leader to the post
No2 What happens when a performer becomes the character
apocalyptic landscape and despite the 4th grade picture
he or she has developed for their act? Or could it be that
day hairdo, she is not to be messed with. Jadis is played by
they build the performance around their own identity?
the statuesque Scottish beauty, Pollyana McIntosh.
In the case of Kid Creole of Kid Creole and the Coconuts,
No Pollyanna, she is fierce and she is strange. As leader of
August Darnell is indescribable: a cross between Cab
Te Heapsters, a group that has found safety in a junkyard,
Calloway and that cartoon wolf from a Saturday morning
she and her group dress in black (hides the dirt), make
cartoon. imeless and ageless, the Kid has been perform-
knives out of the junk, and may have forged a bond with
ing for more than 27 years to sold-out crowds all over the
Rick and the group in Alexandria.
world. His echnicolor zoot suits, two-tone shoes and
Jada’s unique speech pattern, aforementioned haircut and steampunk hero persona make her ripe to be cosplayed. And we can’t wait!
wide-brim Sunday-best hats pull you in, and his confidence, self-deprecating humor and roguish attitude keep you there. With all the dancing, the energy, the humor, the repartee with the band and the audience (he asks for permission to segue to funkier music) there’s no question. Do yourself a favor and check him out!
8 COSPLAY CULURE
o
N 4 Not Your Grandmothers Corset and Here to Celebrate Not Disguise.
No3 THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN
Sam Polinsky, better known as Adonis in the wrestling
Rago Shapewear, a favorite of the pin-up style aficionados,
world, spent five years wrestling professionally in the
has been smoothing and celebrating the female form for
United Kingdom before giving Consejo Mundial de
65 years. Rago survived the 60’s and the 70’s when the
Lucha Libre a try.
public resisted shapewear, when other similar companies
Originally from Pittsburgh, the 27-year-old tall blond stood out in the world of lucha libre, but it wasn’t until he took
did not fare well and disappeared, taking their expertise and design techniques with them.
on President rump’s persona in the ring that he became
Red, white, blue and green, Rago garments are made
a superstar, painting his face in signature faux tan orange
100% in the USA, drastically reducing the fuel and energy
and molding his man bun into a platinum comb-over.
use of transporting the materials.
“Professional wrestling is a lot like movies or comic books,
Te vast assortment includes hard to find pieces like
people really appreciate the bad guys,” he told Fox News
garter belts, padded garments, waist trainers and zippered
before a recent appearance at the Arena Mexico, lucha
items. With four levels of control from light to extra-firm
libre’s greatest stage. o have a good guy, you need a bad
and size ranges from XS (24”waist) to 15 XL (58” waist),
guy and Adonis is glad to fill that need allowing fans to
you would be hard-pressed to find a more complete line of
release their frustrations on his character.
foundation garments. Available on rago-shapewear.com
No5 GETTING A LEG UP
As if fishnet stockings were not perfect enough, enter LirikasByLirika: a collection of embellished ultimate hosiery. We are talking beads, appliqués and gorgeous combinations of the two. Made to order, and with names like Honey Nectar (bumble bees are involved), Wild Cherry and Starry (in 2 color ways), the price tag is not for the faint of heart, but if you think of them as jewelry for your legs, the $150 to $200.00 price tag makes complete sense. Available on Etsy.com
COSPLAY CULURE 9
10 COSPLAY CULTURE
Oh Hey, Ohio! OHAYOCON 2017 EX BY ALAN SCHOLING / IMAGES BY HE PORRAI DUDE
T
he month of January is usually associated with many things. It’s the month
where all of us start anew. Te Christmas tree comes down and we all get back to our postholiday lives. However, for those in the greater Columbus area, there is plenty of reason to s till be excited even after the stockings come down. Founded in 2001 with a modest attendance rate of 800 con-goers, Ohayocon has become a staple show for anime fans in and around Ohio. With exponential growth every year since its conception, the Columbus-based convention now attracts more than 12,000 otaku every year. A good portion of Ohayocon’s success can be attributed to the unique calendar of events that have become the signature of the convention. From the amazing cosplay competition to the hilarious guest roast and an all-star line-up of DJs for the rave, there are loads of activities for everyone. “It is an exciting event at a fantastic venue, run by a wonderful group of people,” said founder of indie apparel and accessory brand Sorbet Jungle, Deanne George. “Te attendees are so much fun to chat with and the staff is on point. I attended the convention for a long tim e before I started vending, and these two things have always been consistent. Te vendor hall and artist alley have always been my favorite places to visit . Tere are so many talented people and a good variety so you'll always find something you like.”
COSPLAY CULURE 11
Miss George also pointed out the stellar community of cosplayers in attendance. “Te cosplay scene here has always been really good. Tere are many places to take photos and not be in the way. Tis is great for some of those bigger costumes and ones that involve wings or large props.” In addition to being a very well-run event, Ohayocon’s location also has its own unique perks. One thing that often gets left out of an anime convention weekend is a nice, hot meal. We’ve all been there: a hotel table ful l of junk food and, uh, “beverages.” But this convention has its own food court right there in the convention center, with all the choices of warm nouris hment you could possibly ask for. So, next year, as you’re fighting the winter time blues, maybe log on to Ohayocon.org and check out one of the Midwest’s finest anime conventions. Te 2018 edition is set to take place January 26th through the 28th. We hope to see you there!
COSPLAY CULURE 12 COSPLAY
COSPLAY CULTURE 13
14 COSPLAY CULTURE
COSPLAY CULTURE 15
PLUS SIZE COSPLAY AND UPS IZING YOUR OWN PATTERNS INERVIEW WIH JESSICA WALSH/SNOW COSPLAYS
B
y today’s nerd standards, jumping into a van with some friends from your anime club to drive to a convention is a pretty
typical weekend, but back in 2001, it was the craziest thing I'd ever done. I’ve always been an anime fan, but it was a bit of a niche market when I was growing up, so hearing about a threeday event dedicated to sailor soldiers and Gundam pilots was unbelievable. With MapQuest as our guide, we were on our way to Anime Central, driving from our St. Cloud, Minnesota college campus to Rosemont, Illinois. I expected to meet other fans, maybe find some DVDs or manga series I’d never heard of, but what I got was my first taste of cosplay and what would become my first steps into an evolving career as a seamstress. After three days of filling my disposable camera with various cosplayers, I was already making plans to play dress-up with everyone else. More importantly, I was trying to figure out what I could make. Te chances of buying a costume based on a character I loved were few and far between back then save for the fairly popular caped crusaders at pop-up Halloween stores. By the time premade costumes started to become more common, I’d already fumbled my way into being a full-blown cosplay seamstress who can create flowing ball gowns and cute, geeky dresses. Since I’m self-taught, one of the biggest problems I ran into was that I had no idea how to draft a pattern for myself. My solution to this was to buy commercially created patterns and alter or combine them to make what I needed. While that worked great, I also ran into another issue -- my partner and I are plus-size women, and our sizes tend to not be included in most standard patterns. Even with patterns slowly increasing in size, many don’t go high enough to fit her, or they don’t work Photo by Ekyse Lavonne
16 COSPLAY CULURE
k e e G X y b o t o h P
e c n e g r e v n o C y b o t o h P
for the shape of my body. It’s not just the weight of a person that needs to be taken into account; the shape of their body also affects how costumes—and clothing in general—look on
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR UPSIZING AS A WHOLE:
•
again before you cut, and again before you attach a piece.
them. My body, for example, is a pear shape (small on the top and large on the bottom), so no matter what pattern I use I need
Measure everything three times! Once before you start,
•
Extra curves mean extra fabric. If you have more curves
to make some alterations so my costumes flatter my figure. My
then the pattern, add some extra space. You can always
partner, on the other hand, has more of an hourglass shape, so
tailor it to the right shape later.
her costumes need to be altered to account for her curves and
•
her size.
Most patterns can be switched out along the sleeve, waist, and bust line to create the perfect combo. Tis is especially
Tis may sound a bit daunting at first, but honestly, this is
valuable for characters whose costumes defy all logic.
something that every costumer has to take into account when bringing these fantasy looks to life. While it may feel extra
Don’t be afraid to swap pattern pieces with one another.
•
Te waist line varies from person to person: for example,
discouraging if your body type isn’t one that’s typically catered
my partner’s natural waist line is higher than mine, so when
to, upsizing and altering a pattern is much easier than you
I’m making our costumes, I have to keep that in mind.
would think and there’s a few tips I wanted to share. • UPSIZING YOUR PATTERN:
•
trying something on and making sure it all fits the right way. Use them (or the dress form) to pin things properly.
On the back of the pattern envelope, you’ll find a table of measurements of your bust, waist and hips. You’ll
A dress form -- or a good friend -- is a must when you’re
•
Don’t just try on the costume and stand there. Move around
notice there’s a pattern to these numbers (usually going
in it. Sit down. Move your arms. Do your normal, everyday
up in increments of two inches per size). If your size isn’t
movements to make sure you’ll be able to walk around in it.
there, just continue the pattern up until you reach your measurements.
•
If you’re not comfortable with what a character wears, alter their look to fit the style you’re comfortable in. Don’t
•
Use scrap paper to extend the pattern along the edges
be afraid to make another outfit you might find in their
and mark your fabric with very small dots to create the new
closet. Everyone has a closet full of styles, even fictional
line you’ll be cutting along. I recommend using a washable
characters. (Like the Wonder Woman ball gown.)
marker for this. •
Cosplay at its core is about dressing up as a character you
•
Cut along the new line and you’ve got your pieces!
love and having fun. Tis isn’t confined to one body type,
•
Some pieces may come out too big, but you can always
nor to any specific height, gender, shape, size or skin color.
tailor it as needed.
Trough trial and error you can make any costume for yourself—it just takes a little creativity.
COSPLAY CULURE 17
FANINI RABBIDS D.VA CELE BRATES THE KOREAN NEW YEAR EX AND IMAGES BY ARURO VEGA
Can you tell us a little about yourself? You can call me Stephanie, or Fanny. In the cosplay world I g o by Fanini Rabbids. I’m from Monterrey, Mexico. When I’m off cosplay duty, I’m one of the hosts of a local V show called ‘Fuera del Control’.
Were there any challenges you faced in making the costume? Is there anything you would change about it? Tere weren’t any difficulties in making the costume since it’s an actual traditional garment, but it was very challenging to move around. Since it was a full hanbok, it has a lot of layers underneath the dress. It was really hard to walk while wearing it .
What inspired you to do this version of D.Va? Is it based on someone’s artwork or is it entirely your idea? I saw the D.Va announcement for the Year of the R ooster, and my friend Daejong thought it would be a good idea for me to use her traditional hanbok instead of making the costume, and by coincidence it had the sam e colors as the D.Va skin. It’s a more traditional version of the Rooster skin.
Do you play Overwatch yourself? Is D.Va your main or do you have another favorite? I have played it, though not as much as I would like to due to time constraints. Whenever I do play, D.Va is my main.
What advice would you give other people who want to get into cosplay? Don’t stop for anything or anyone. Never feel judged, and keep in mind that this is a hobby and you should do it because you want to.
BE THE HERO OF YOUR SAGA WITH SIMPLICITY
PATTERN 8318
Find this pattern and more cosplay must haves at www.simplicity.com
20 COSPLAY CULTURE
MAKEUP ARTIST PROFILE
night eyes cosplay
EX AND IMAGES BY BEH OF NIGH EYES COSPLAY
I
n case you missed my galaxy makeup in the
convention. It’s a great way to practice your makeup
October issue, I’m Night Eyes, a 26 year old
application, and to make sure everything is perfect
cosplayer with a penchant for makeup. One
before you’re crunched for time getting ready!
of the most frequently asked questions I get is “how do you do your female cosplay makeup? Can you post a tutorial?” And while I have posted a basic cosplay makeup tutorial on m y Youube channel, it’s quite outdated and my skill has improved immensely since then. Te character I get asked about the most is Ruby from the popular show RWBY. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone and guide you th rough Ruby’s makeup, which can easily double up as a basic feminine makeup tutorial. Keep in mind the character doesn’t have to be female to be feminine! Tere are plenty of anime boys that could rock a look s imilar to this, so don’t be afraid to apply similar techniques to male characters as well! Te important take away with cosplay makeup is once you have the essentials down, it’s easy to tweak your look to fit any character. I chose pink and orange tones for my eyeshadow here, but if I were cosplaying Yang from RWBY, I would have chosen golds and browns to bring out the purple in her eyes, as well as match her hair and outfit. You can also choose to forego color in general and stick with neutral shades, leaving more room to show off your eyeliner and false lashes. Always plan to test a character before you do a photoshoot or attend a
Tere’s another reason I chose to do a tutorial for Ruby Rose specifically. wo years ago as of February 1, a brilliant creator in our community passed away. Monty Oum was an inspiration to so many of us, from his unwavering dedication and pursuit of his career, to his attention to detail and connection to fans of his work through his character design choices. It’s rare for a creator to release 365 degree artwork of his characters, with suggestions for shoe and clothing choices! I had the opportunity to meet the Rooster eeth staff at a panel at New York Comic Con in 2013, and li stening to the passion in their voices as they discussed a show beloved by so many fueled my desire to conti nue cosplaying and dream of making it my career. RWBY features a staggering number of strong female protagonists, especially compared to other anime. Ruby’s coming-of-age and development throughout the series has served as a role-model for many young women in the community, and I wanted to t ry my hand at her look both as a t ribute to Monty, and to the character, since I’ve come to see a lot of myself in her. I hope this tutorial is helpful for your next feminine cosplay, good luck and have fun!
COSPLAY CULURE 21
Feminine Cosplay Makeup Tutorial EX AND IMAGES BY BEH OF NIGH EYES COSPLAY
No1
No2
No3
No4
than your skin tone, begin to
apples of my cheeks as well
once you’ve contoured and
and moisturized face. Make
contour the face. Since this
as on the outside corners of
highlighted the eye to your
sure your hair is out of the
is a feminine look, you won’t
my eyes. I applied this with a
liking. For Ruby’s younger
way, and if you want to wear
need to go as harsh as you
fluffy angled brush.
facial features, and the color
colored lenses, put them in
would a more masculine
first. Apply a face and eye
structure. Light contouring
primer and let them set.
in the hollows of your cheek
Photo 1. Start
off with a clean
Photo 2. Using
your preferred
method of application, (mine is a damp Beauty Blender), and your foundation of choice, apply an even layer on your face, making sure to blend into the neck, ears, and hairline. For extra coverage, apply a concealer on any blemishes. o brighten your undereye and appear more awake, take a concealer and gently pat it under the eyes, being careful not to tug the skin. Set your concealer and foundation with a translucent powder or powder that matches your foundation.
bones, under the jaw, and down the nose bridge are perfectly fine. I prefer powder products and lightly dusting them on with brushes, but cream products and beauty blenders work great as well! Next grab a color a few shades lighter than your skin and highlight. You’ll want to focus on the tip of your nose, your cupids bow, high on your cheek bones, and the middle of your forehead. Similarly to contour, I prefer powder highlighter and a fluffy brush for application. Don’t be afraid to use shimmery colors to highlight, they photograph really nicely! For blush I
aking a cool toned brown that is a few shades darker
22 COSPLAY CULURE
chose a peachy pink and concentrated it high on the
Photo 3. For the eyeshadow
I used a variety of browns, pinks, and oranges to create depth and bring color to my eyes. Start with a shimmery beige/off-white and highlight the inner corners, bringing the color down under the lash line as well. Apply towards the inner third of the eye lid and then take a neutral light brown shade and blend across the eyelid. I choose a shimmery color for this as well, but matte works great too. Starting on the outside corner of the eyelid, take a matte transition color (a color close to your skin tone, or a color that will blend the specific colors you are using well) and blend into the crease with a fluffy brush. Te colors you choose are completely optional
scheme of her outfit, I went for pinks and oranges to bring out the gray of the circle lenses and compliment the red in her clothing. Experiment with different shades until you find a combination that works for your skin tone and the character you’ve chosen! Start with your lighter colors and build up to the darker ones, concentrating the darkest shades in the outer corner and crease of your eyelid, as well as blending them on the lower lash line. ake a thin brush and a matte brown shadow, and lightly trace a new lower lash line just beneath your natural one, stopping about halfway. Tis will help your eyes look bigger without relying on heavy bottom lashes.
Instagram: @nighteyescosplay Youtube: youtube.com/c/nighteyescosplay
No5
No6
No7
No8
you’d like to use bottom
your eyebrows, there are
necessary. Ten take a pinky-
liner, tight line your upper
lashes, apply them over
many tutorials for glue and
red color, here I used a liquid
water line by gently tugging
the line you drew earlier. I
concealer methods that work
lipstick, and apply to your lips,
on your eyelid until the thin
decided not to use them as
to hide them. Or, if you shave
using the lip liner as a guide.
layer of skin is revealed
I like the way it looks on my
yours like I do, simply redraw
Clean up any smudged lines
just under your upper lash
face better without them.
them in whichever shape
with a synthetic brush and
line. Tis will close the gap
Grab a pair of natural looking
matches the character you
some concealer, and you’re
between your water line and
false lashes and place a thin
are cosplaying. Go slow, and
done! Finish off with a setting
lash line. Line a very small
strip of lash glue to the band.
work in small sections with
spray or loose powder to
portion in the outer corner
Wait around 30 seconds for
little strokes at a time. If you
ensure your makeup stays in
of the lower water line. Ten
the glue to become tacky and
make a mistake, simply take a
place all day.
using a liquid liner of your
place them as close to the
cotton bud with some
choice, apply black liner to
upper lash line as possible.
makeup remover and clean
your eye lid, creating a shape
Once the lashes have dried
up the lines. Apply more
that best suits your eyes.
take your mascara and use
foundation and powder to
For mine, I like to do a wing
it to blend the falsies and
any areas erased with the
that goes out slightly straight
natural lashes together. If
makeup remover. If your
rather than angular, and I thin
you have naturally straight
character has a natural hair
out the line as it gets closer
or droopy lashes, use an eye
color, eye brow pencils work
to my inner corner. ake the
lash curler to further blend
great too. Eye liners can also
liner down slightly until it
your false lashes.
be used to draw eyebrows,
Photo 4. Using
a black pencil
meets the liner on your water line and the darker colors you used to create a new lash line. Apply more eyeshadow if necessary to create a better transition. Photo 5. Apply
mascara to
your lower lashes, and if
Photo 6.
aking an
eyeshadow that matches the color of your wig, and an angled brush, begin to
but make sure to set them with eyeshadow or translucent powder afterwards!
Photo 8.
Put your hair under
a wig cap and grab your wig. ake a few selfies with your phone and look for any glaring mistakes or places you might need more makeup, and touch up anything you see issues with. Sometimes things don’t stand out until you take a picture of the finished look, so don’t be discouraged if you see anything you need to change. Once you’re
draw your eyebrows. If you
Photo 7. Use
have eyebrows, simply fill
is close to the natural color
costume or inspired clothing
them in following the natural
of your lips and fill them in,
on and get ready to take
shape. If you wish to cover
redrawing the shape if
some incredible photos!
a lip liner that
satisfied, throw your
COSPLAY CULURE 23
24 COSPLAY CULTURE
Felt Rose DIY MATERIALS One pc. of 9” x 12” (red wool) felt sheet
Scissors White chalk pencil
One Pc. of 9” x 12” (olive green) wool felt sheet One pc. 12” floral stem
Small pliers Craft glue Rose Pattern
Floral tape Hand sewing needle Red thread Straight pins
Step 1: Cut 14 petals from the red felt and
Step 2: Prepare the sections for gathering
Step 3: Hand gather the marked edge of
one of each desired size leaf from the olive
by overlapping petals at the large dots. Pin
the petals using a 24”length of the red
green felt. Use the marking pencil to mark
in place as shown.
thread.
the overlap point and basting lines on the
Helpful Tip: Te final fullness of the rose is
marked edge of each petal. Te large dot is
determined by the gathering.
centered within the dotted lines along the marked edge of the petal.
Step 4: Pull up gathered threads as shown
Step 5: Using a 24” length of red thread,
Step 6: Glue or hand sew the leaves to
and secure the thread ends. Starting at
hand tack securely as you roll. Secure end
the underside of the rose. Glue additional
one end, begin to roll the gathered edge,
in place. Create a small loop on one end of
leaves to the stem.
rolling tighter to start. Tis will create the
the floral stem. Slide the stem through the
center of the rose.
rose. Apply a small amount of glue to the underside of the rose. Working in an angular motion, wrap the stem with floral tape.
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Felt Rose Pattern •
Cut 14 rose petals from red wool felt
•
Cut 2 leaves from green wool felt
Pattern courtesy of
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PHOTOGRAPHER PROFILE
david love TEXT BY JILL BERGFORTH
S
ome photographs are so magical that they
can unlock a mystical realm of fiction, fantasy, fantasy, and fairy tales; a world where time stands still,
and where anything is possible. Created by masterful artists, these photographs tell captivating stories, stories like the ones told by photographer David Love. All of David’s models embody their chosen characters so perfectly in appearance and in spirit, and David has a natural ability to find that perfect angle every single time. His portrayal of feelings and emotions are utterly compelling, and his use of composites create a dreamscape of adventure and possibilities. When David lost his graphic design job after a 16-year career, career, he believed his whole world was crumbling. Little did he know that a new adventure was about to unfold, as he decided to dust off his camera and make a living from photography. It was a decision that would change his life forever. David’s expertise in graphic design has helped him develop an eye for lighting and color, using it to tell entrancing stories. His unique style of mixing design aspects with composites is exactly what makes David’s imagery stand out from the competition. Are you ready to escape reality and immerse yourself in an abstract plane of beautiful wonderment?
First of all your work is absolutely magical! Is photography currently a full-time gig for you? Two years ago I lost my design job and thought I was doomed, but photography has kept me going. My friend Danica Rockwood and I created a Patreon page, and the people that have pledged have really helped us a lot. People think [cosplay Patreon pages are] just people trying to cash in without realizing the money that goes into cosplay and photography. photography. I call them stockholders because they get the benefits of what we create with their help. COSPLAY CULTURE 29
So, my life is now all photography, photography, all the time. I’m either shooting or editing. Editing is long hours behind behind a desk with no life, but I love seeing how the picture or video turns out and I love working with talented and awesome people.
You’ve You’ve worked on a lot of beauty beauty and fashion photography; photography; how did your passion for photography end up geared towards cosplay? Cosplay is still modelling, so the two worked together well. I don’t want people to see cosplayers, I want them to see the characters, and to see the characters in their own worlds. Sometimes it’s hard for cosplayers to think of poses when shooting and I just ask them “What would the character do?” After that it’s easy.
Do you have an interest in movies, anime and video games yourself? I go blank when someone brings me anime stuff until they tell me about the character, but if it’s movies or characters I know, I light up. My favorite comic when I was younger was Conan t he Barbarian, then Batman, etc. I get most of my inspiration from movies: Te 5th Element, Star Wars, Te Crow, Braveheart, Marvel and DC movies, but I usually enjoy behind-the-scenes videos on how it’s all created more than the actual movies themselves.
How do you approach your photo shoots? Do you usually have a concept in mind? It’s usually been discussed with the cosplayer before the shoot. Tey will send me reference reference images and we’ll watch videos looking for scenes that people will remember, remember, so we are prepared when it’s time to shoot. We put in a lot of work during shoots, but I try and keep things fun. I like the idea that someone will look at their photos and remember having a good time when creating them; plus, it relaxes cosplayers during the shoot.
Which has been your favorite cosplay shoot thus far, and what made it so special? I was hired to do a family cosplay s hoot where they wanted a way to reveal that they were expecting a new baby. baby. Tey all dressed as superheroes with a giant robot attacking the city behind them, with their daughter calling for backup and her hologram showing the ultrasound. I thought the idea behind it and the surprise surprise people would get from it made it really cool. Tey had a huge print made, and I love to see my photos in print.
What is the most exhilarating exhilarating part of your shoots - capturing that perfect moment, the end product, or something else in between? I was in a rock band in the late 1980s in Los Angeles, and it was the same type of thing: coming up with that really cool idea, playing it for an audience, and hearing the applause.
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So now it’s the fun of the shoot, looking at the photos after, and
You’ve had a very successful graphic design career, and I’m
then finally releasing them to see how they do. It’s because of
sure those skills come in very handy when editing your photos.
my music days that I understand the show business aspect of
How much work is involved to produce the perfect Cosplay
cosplay.
photograph?
I like to put the cosplayer in charge of their own branding, so after each shoot we sit down and they choose the images they want me to work with. Tis way I don’t spend hours on an image they hated from the start.
Design definitely helped me develop an eye and learn how to use lighting and color to tell the story. Movie posters, comic covers and game covers have an important j ob: they have to entice people to want to know more from a single image. So even if our theme is anime, I tell cosplayers, “they are doing a live action
Is there a Cosplay shoot you haven’t done yet, but are interested in working on? I’d like to see more men in pics, but cosplay is harder on them. People don’t go nuts for the guys’ shoots li ke they do for women – there’s just less attention and exposure. Tey don’t sell as many prints or get the same opportunities, and a cute girl in a less-than-great Wonder Woman costume is still a cute girl. If a guy does Batman, he better look like Batman, so there’s a lot more to it. But I got to shoot J McDonnell’s Batman costume recently, and that was awesome for me because I know Batman. I’d love to find a Conan, but that guy will have to be huge.
movie, you’re the star, and we’re doing the poster for it.” Te most important thing is a great expression and pose. I can fix the cape flying the wrong way, a missing costume piece, or even change skin or eye color, but I can’t fix an expression if it doesn’t sell the character. Te rest is me spending 6 to 40 hours creating an environment around the character. I see people just stealing google pics and slapping someone on top of it, and it bothers me because it will be the cosplayer selling the print that will end up in trouble when someone sees their work being used. I shoot my own stock images and it’s nice knowing the entire image is my work.
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You also released your own book ‘Cosplay Composition’ back in 2014; what inspired you to release it? Mostly, I wanted to have something physical that showed my work at the time. Also, I was getting a ton of messages asking for Photoshop tips, so I wanted to explain to people that anyone can learn a program but it’s their idea that matters. When I watch movie FX videos, I care more about why they did it a certain way than what tool they used.
How was your book received and how many copies did you sell? Are you planning on releasing more books in the future? Some people were disappointed that it wasn’t a step-by-step book but how do you explain 16 years of design in 150 pages? Hopefully, people that buy it get inspired to find their own style and learn how to think creatively when taking the picture instead of trying to turn a normal pic into something else. Having the finished image in your head from the start shows you how to light it, the right angle, and helps you direct the model with pose and expressions. Te rest is just video tutorials on Youube. I wanted to do a new volume every few years, even if only for me to have my favorite images in print. Everything I do is for me, to impress myself or outdo myself. If I start thinking about what other people want me to do, I’d go nuts. I do images that I like and I’m just happy others have my same taste in art.
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COSPLAY GONE
Jekyll & Hyde INTERVIEW WITH ELENA SAMKO
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INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYER
S
exy, seductive, and provocative one day and utterly gruesome, revolting, and bloodcurdling the next: meet cosplay extraordinaire Elena
Samko from Novosibirsk, Siberia. Inspired by sex and death, Elena showcases a stunning portfolio that’s taking the cosplay industry by storm. A few female cosplayers dare to experiment with gory characters, but being able to pull off both sexy and scary cosplays is extremely unusual. In a very competit ive industry, Elena has found the perfect formula to set herself apart from the competition. Business strategy or not, her ability to portray a wide array of characters certainly proves how very talented Elena truly is. “All of my cosplays are 50/50. I’m very much inspired by sex and death. So there isn’t really one cosplay style I prefer more than another. I also like to be different and enjoy surprising my fans with a variety of different characters.” Elena may be torn between her l ove for both sexy and scary, but she doesn’t restrict herself to either: she also has a never ending fascination for the video game series ‘Te Witcher’. Elena has been haunting her next victims as the ‘Brewess’, ‘the Weavess’, ‘Bruxa’ and as a ‘Nightwraith’. For Elena, ‘Te Wit cher’ video game universe is simply a masterpiece. “I’m a huge ‘Witcher’ fan! I’ve already cosplayed quite a few characters and I’m not done yet. I’m obsessed with all of the characters, there’s not a single character I don’t find fascinating. I even own a copy of ‘Te Witcher’ game with autographs from the developers!” Other terrifyingly awesome cosplays Elena has done include Lilith and Azazel from ‘Te Binding of Isaac’ video game, the nurse from ‘Silent Hill’, Beatrix Russell from ‘Fallout’ and some pretty scary original cosplays. If these cosplays are just a little too gruesome for your liking, then can Elena perhaps enchant you with one of her many seductive shoots? Trough the use of alluring poses, well-defined makeup and seductive poses Elena can pull off just about anything. “I love embracing my female assets, and doing super seductive cosplays is the perfect way to go about it! I’ve done Jessica Rabbit, Elle Driver from ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Succubus’ and many more, and of course a few sexy cosplays from my all-ti me favorite video game series ‘Te Witcher’ such as ‘Te Lady of the Lake’ and ‘riss’. I also did an awesome ‘Sorceress’ Cosplay from ‘Te Witcher’ just recently which was a super fun shoot.”
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INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYER
Not only does Elena boast the most unusual cosplay portfolio
work at major conventions like ‘Comic Con’ or ‘WonderCon’.
but her character creation is simply out of this world! From
Even though there are nearly 1.5 million people in her home-
make-up to costume creation and creative concepts, everything
town, locals aren’t very familiar with the art of cosplay nor
you see in Elena’s stunning cosplays is her own work. Elena’s
very accepting.
costume designs are so very detailed and resemble pictureperfect duplicates. You’d almost expect her costumes to be on screen in a Hollywood blockbuster. “I have always loved working with my hands and creating things. One day I decided to make a fantasy costume just for fun and I loved it so much that I started doing costumes from video games. Everything requires time, experience, money, and a whole lot of patience, but I love every bit of it! Unfortunately, cosplay isn’t
“Unfortunately the community of Novosibirsk is quite close-minded. Cosplay is still pretty new to locals and they tend to be pretty reluctant, but that certainly doesn’t stop me from living my dream.” And luckily, there are airplanes. Every opportunity Elena gets, she travels across the globe to attend conventions. “Tankfully [Moscow] is quite close to where I am from,
a full-time gig for me (yet!) and I’m trying to juggle both my hobby
so I was able to attend Comic-Con in Moscow two years in a row.
and my daytime job.”
Last time around, I sported one of m y favourite ‘Witcher’ cos-
Lack of time and money aren’t Elena’s only struggles. Hailing from Siberia, Elena doesn’t have the luxury of promoting her
tumes. I absolutely love big events abroad and try to get as m any opportunities as I can possibly get.” We’d surely be happy to welcome Elena at any convention!
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ALEXA HEART
THE HEART AND SOUL OF COSPLAY
EX BY ALAN SCHOLING
C
osplay has been around long enough now
country. I've been able to visit places I never t hought I'd see and
for many subgroups to have a voice and an
meet so many great people. It's ki nd of turned me from a s hy,
ambassador for that community. For this
introverted idea person into a craft-savvy social butterfly.
issue, we felt it appropriate to feature the convention champion of a group that, for many years, seemed to not have much representation in the scene. Alexa Heart is known by many as the voice for the transgender
Other than cosplay, what are some of your other hobbies? HERE IS NO HOBBY...ONLY COSPLAYYYYYYYYY! No, seriously, though. I own a nerd-focused business outside of cosplay, so I take a lot of time creating new designs for the business. If I'm not
cosplaying community. Her travels take her to conventions
buried in costume creation or making product for my business,
around the country to speak directly to the ever-growing group of
I try to take in a hockey game or two. Lately, I've been working
not only transgender, but all LGBQIA+ cosplayers (and allies). In
on new makeup styles, which is a hidden passion of mine. I also
this interview, you’ll get to read about Miss Heart’s cosplay heroes,
enjoy cooking, eating said cooking, pinning things from Pinterest
her efforts in helping the trans community be comfortable with
I'll never do or make, and making ridiculous Facebook posts.
who they are, and her never-ending love for burritos.
You’ve been involved with the cosplay and convention scene for
CCM: How did your journey into cosplay begin?
some time now. Who are some people that you personally draw
I discovered cosplay about four years ago when I stumbled onto
inspiration from?
the Replica Prop Forum while making my Dark Knight Rises
Can we give this a separate page? Tere's so many! Te cosplay
Catwoman. I was super excited that there was a huge community
community has so many talented people that it's hard to just
of people who liked celebrating their fandoms by dressing up li ke
name a few who inspire me but when I think about it, SKS Props
their favorite characters. I attended a local convention, and was
and Cullen Cosplay have foam skills that make me want to better
immediately sold on the atmosphere. I went home to research
myself every time I look at their work. People like Aaron Rabe (the
where more cons were being held and started working on more
perfect Jack Sparrow), RuthlessFX, Mogchelle, Zach Fis cher, and
costumes. After attending several conventions in cross-play and
Josh Hart inspire me with their creativity. Riddle [Riki LeCotey]
becoming more and more comfortable with myself, I decided to
and Elhoffer Design have a level of quality I strive for. I was always
come out as transgender. I was floored with the support I
told to never meet my heroes because I'd be disappointed. Ivy
received, as I was honestly scared of how others would react.
Doomkitty and Eric Moran were the first "professional" cosplayers
Finding a community that was so diverse and accepting was a
I had ever heard of; I looked up to them because of their message
huge relief, especially since I had taken a break from costuming
that anyone could cosplay, and Ani-Mia was someone who was
after being bullied over my costum es just a few years prior.
my ‘cosplay hero’ because of the amazing amount of positivity
Since finding your place in the cosplay community, what is something cosplay has given you that nothing else had been able to before? I've had the chance to speak to the LGB community and its allies about my experiences, both good and bad, in the nerd community and as a whole at conventions and events across the
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she exudes and her love for helping people. After meeting and becoming friends with these three, I can safely say that they're genuinely passionate about the community and are some of my favorite people on this earth. Looks like my Dad was wrong about these heroes. I think that's a theme in the cosplay community most people are pretty darn genuine and likable.
“I despise the stigma that you have to look a certain way to cosplay certain characters.”
COSPLAY CULTURE 41
You mentioned people like Ivy Doomkitty who spread the
of programming geared toward trans nerds. Tere weren't a lot
message of ‘cosplay for everyone,’ which is a very important
of guests at conventions who were any part of the LGBQIA+,
message that we take to heart as well. On that note, you have
period, to connect with, and there weren't a lot of safe spaces like
also become one of the biggest voices in the community for the
gender-neutral restrooms, open acceptance policies, et cetera. I
transgender community. Was this something you sought out
decided to make it my mission to try to change that. I don't
from the beginning, or did it just happen organically?
consider myself the voice; I'm just a voice among many.
When I started cosplaying, I didn't aspire to anything. All I wanted to do was to go to some conventions, wear some costumes, meet some new people, and talk about how much I love Metroid, comics, burritos, and Batman Forever (don't judge me...campy stuff rocks). But seriously, it's humbling that people actually think that, much less told you that! I really had no aspirations before I came out. I had been cross-playing for about a year, but I was terrified that I would be judged harshly by my peers and the geek community as a whole for being trans, which was definitely something that was only in my mind. I wasn't sure there would be others who were like me because up until that point, I didn't know any other trans cosplayers. I honestly felt that I had no one to share experiences with. I started to realize that there were a lot of trans cosplayers, fans, and allies in general who didn't have a voice in the convention/nerd scene, but there wasn't a lot
42 COSPLAY CULURE
What is the biggest responsibility associated with being an ambassador for the trans cosplay community? When you're an ambassador for anything, the biggest responsibility is making sure people are educated about your cause. We're all ambassadors for something. I think being one of the many ambassadors for the trans cosplay community, it's my responsibility to remind promoters that there is a huge segment of the LGBQIA+ community that loves and attends conventions and to push for programming and guests to make the community feel more comfortable and included. I feel that I'm also responsible for being the person people from all walks of life can talk to - be it trans, gay, bi, straight - when they have questions or concerns about anything concerning my transition, someone else's transition, or burritos.
“I feel that I’m also responsible for being the person people from all walks of life can talk to - be it trans, gay, bi, straight - when they have questions or concerns about anything concerning my transition, someone else’s transition, or burritos” Burritos are delicious! Before I get too sidetracked though, have you ever had any other members of the trans cosplay community tell you that you are their inspiration for being comfortable with who they are? I've been told so many times—through social media and in person—that I've done something to help someone, trans or not, be more comfortable with themselves in social settings, in coming out to their families, and just attending a con as their true selves. It's humbling when someone tells me, but for some reason when parents tell me I've helped their child, it's even more impactful. I was at a con recently where I had spoken the previous year. A parent found my booth and made it a point to find me to tell me how happy they were that they had come to my panel with their daughter the year before. Tey told me their daughter came out to t hem shortly thereafter, because they had all sat in and listened to my experiences about how supportive our community has been. I teared up a whole lot.
Tat’s beautiful. Tere really are so many great people in the community. I know you are also working to abolish some of the bad stigmas in cosplay. What is one that you really push to get rid of? I despise the stigma that you have to look a certain way to cosplay certain characters, or that you can only cosplay characters of your body type. It's sad and it's n ot true. If I want to cosplay Roadhog, I will. If I want to cosplay Yang, I will. If I want to cosplay a guy, I will. It's a hobby, a costume, and your interpretation of the character. Tere's no limits to that . Do what you're comfortable with. Modify that sexy Starfire costume if it shows off more skin than you're comfortable with.
What is one piece of advice you'd like to share with anyone reading who may be new to cosplay? Cosplay for you. Don't cosplay for ‘cos-fame', dreams of quitti ng your job, guest appearances, or for anyone else. If you're having fun, awesome. If those other things are going to come, they will with time. If you're not having f un and doing it for you, you are missing out on the best things about cosplay. To keep up with all of Alexa Heart’s cosplay adventures check her out on Facebook: @alexaheartcosplay or on Twitter and Instagram: @alexaheart_
COSPLAY CULURE 43
LET HER EAT CAKE PRODIGAL THREADS FOR THE PROVINCIAL PRINCESS INTERVIEW WITH JINGLEBOOBOO / IMAGES BY STEVE PRUE
44 COSPLAY CULTURE
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Tell us a little about your background as a cosplayer and the types of cosplays you normally do. Hi! My name is Jennifer but I go by Jinglebooboo online. I grew up in Fort Collins Colorado and have been cosplaying for over 8 years now and am completely and utterly addicted. I love to cosplay everything from anime to video games as well as comics, cartoons and science fiction, but my two favorites are probably Anime and Video Games. I grew up playing video games and started watching anime in middle school, and the combination of my interests and cosplay made me who I am today. I still get just as giddy starting a new project as I did when I was a youngster.
46 COSPLAY CULTURE
Can you take us through the process of creating this look? What was the most challenging part? Te most challenging part of creating this look was the proportions. Te typical proportions I was going for was a large skirt , small waist and big hair. REALLY BIG HAIR. By the end we ended up putting a pannier, hoop skirt and bum roll under there to get the appropriate proportion. I was also very nervous with the hair. Te whole time I was styling the wig I kept being like “Tis is too big” or “I am going to look silly”. But I kept it big and tried to stay confident that in the end with the dress it’d look glorious. Even when I first tried it on I was questioning it since I didn’t have the dress on at the time, but it was completely styled at that point, so I couldn’t really shrink it. When I finally tried everything on toget her I almost cried, I was s o happy. It read exactly how I wanted and just goes to show to keep pushing forward.
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s s e h c u D n a c i r e m A y b s e o h S
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s s e h c u D n a c i r e m A y b s e o h S
What gave you the idea to make a Marie Antoinette inspired Belle gown? I had always wanted to create a pretty ballgown type outfit but got scared and wussed out every time. I typically do more armored outfits with articles of clothing so a huge dress intimidated me. But I love Beauty and the Beast and the idea of making a Belle inspired outfit got my juices flowing and I knew I needed something big and flashy that would read as Belle. Being as the film took place in a french setting, the first thing that came to mind was Marie Antoinette. She was a strong powerful woman but also beautiful and I thought the connection between her and Belle was uncanny and would make a great design. So I went for the huge Marie Antoinette inspired dress and wig and added as many elements to make it read Belle as possible. I made sure to keep her traditional yellow color scheme, off the shoulder top, rounded full skirt, and added the iconic red roses to her hair. I am so proud of this creation being my first big dress and now I want to make 50 more!
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What advice would you give someone looking to create a successful mash up gown? How do you find the right balance between the two characters? I learned so much by making this mash-up gown. I hadn’t done one before and was very nervous, but my first word of advice is just go for it! Be confident and believe in yourself, and even if things aren’t going as planned push through. With a mash-up there is a lot of creativity involved since the design is based on what you envision, so you can go as crazy as you want. Tere were many things with this cosplay that didn’t go how I envisioned, but since it was my design, I could just do something differently and no one knows. In the end I was in love with my design and proud I created something unique. Finding that balance between two characters can be tricky and I would recommend drawing out some ideas and getting a second opinion from a friend. Friends can help you brain storm new ideas if you are stuck, or make you confident by saying they love what you have done so far, which might give you that push to keep going. Finding a balance between two characters was the funnest part for me. I tried to keep with the Belle color scheme and key classic elements and then translate them into Marie Antoinette’s style. I think picking the important elements of both characters and writing them down ahead of time helped me combine the two easier. I went through so many designs and saved hundreds of reference pictures, and being able to look up so much source material was a life saver. I grew up watching Disney movies like many little girls, and Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses, as well as Ariel. Belle is intelligent and kind hearted and beautiful. I was so happy to portray her, especially in a new unique way. I am French as well and have always been fascinated with French culture and history. o be able to combine two characters that I love so dearly was an amazing feeling. My favorite part of this experience was creating something I had not tried before and falling in love with it by the end. I don’t know if I would have ever done a fancy beautiful dress on my own. With the push from Cosplay Culture I am so glad I tried something new and now I think I might be doing a lot more pretty things in the future!
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“Together we’re creating a collage or a tapestry of immersive experience. “
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THE EVER-EXPANDING GOREY PARTY CELEBRAING HE ECCENRIC & ESOERIC EDWARDIAN BALL EX BY SEVE SAVISKY / IMAGES BY MARCO SANCHEZ
O
ne of the most elaborate retro-fashion
operating with the blessing of Te Edward Gorey Charitable
and art events in the world is the
rust (with some of the proceeds going to them) . Tis year
Edwardian Ball, a multi-city, multi-media
the Ball expands even further, with an event i n New Orleans,
exposition which has been staged in San Francisco annually
featuring a topnotch line-up of New Orleans-based performers,
since 2000, and in Los Angeles since 2009. Described as a mix
music, and entertainment, all presented in a renovated 1820’s
of Cirque du Soleil and Mardi Gras, what sets this event apart
sugar refinery.
from all others is the devotion to all manner of art—including theatre, fashion, circus, fine art, literature, cosplay, stage shows, live music, ballroom dancing, and DJs—combined wit h honoring the art and legacy of Edward Gorey, the celebrated late-great macabre author and Illustrator from whom the ball takes its name. Te other Edward hinted in the name refers to the Neo-Victorian/Edwardian historical era as well as retro and steampunk fashion. In addition to the wealth of spectacular costumes, art, music, and uniquely created carnival rides, there is a large theatrical production adapting one of Edward Gorey’s stories, as the centerpiece homage t o the literary great. Attendees are encouraged to participate as costumed characters in the darkly humorous presentation, with this year’s interpretation of “Te Deadly Blotter,” a classic mu rder-mystery
Justin Katz, executive producer and co-founder of the Ball, explains the event’s continual success is due in part to its ”inclusive, rather than scripted, style of participation, in a respectful, permissive, creative environment. We never demanded any particular aesthetic or compliance with the theme. Te point is effort: just dress in a way that feels special, no rules, no judgment, just enjoy.” For most people the biggest draw is actually each other. “Everybody is so impressed that virtually 100% of participants come in fantastic costume and character. Tere’s a lot of DIY costuming, especially people that create great Edward Gorey-inspired characters.” Related to the idea of cosplay, and the difference in experience between a costume and a character, he says, “we like to encourage people to move towards the character end of the spectrum.”
whodunit. Tis celebration of the eccentric and es oteric has grown from an underground club party into an internationally recognized festival
Co-hosts the Vau de Vire Society does a fantastic job of costuming in a “very true to Gorey look: black & white, crosshatching, props, flats, really wonderful 2D and 3D work.
of the arts, drawing attendees from all over t he world, and
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Te designer, Rose Hardin, has pushed us in t he direction of stage costume design—something that might look rough up close is exactly the kind of look that reads well from the back of a 1500-person ballroom. We’ve had a lot of costume development as related to theater, which is very different from the fine costumes that people come up with on their own.” Additionally there is great appreciation for the attention to detail . “We’re about curating things in every corner, things you don’t expect, things you’ve never seen. Everywhere you look there is something great: art , stage shows, pop-up performances, decor, lighting, oddities. I love the fact that we have the ability to support 30, 40, 50 artists and do it equitably, because nobody’s a headliner; together we’re creating a collage or a tapestry of immersive experience.” While they choose not to politicize the Edwardian Ball, “the act of gathering in this inclusive manner is a form of political and social resistance to those that may be inclined to discourage diversity and inclusion. Insofar as we are creating an open door for people to come and express themselves, it’s an inherently political and social endeavor that is very much needed right now. Tere’s a civility and an elegance to that era, and people are using the opportunity of imagining the past to create an alternate reality to the moment.” As a producer, Katz loves the challenge of finding the balance of curating content and crowd flow. “It takes a lot of energy and consideration to figure how to improve the experience and differentiate it from one year to the next. It’s almost harder when you know your show’s going to sell out because the onus is on you to make the experience worthy of people’s expectations.” He explains the Ball’s expansion, and how they integrate the show into local cultures, without completely changing the Ball. “For each market we bring in just enough of our core scene to preserve our identity, and the remainder reflects the local culture—people attending and participating have their own style and priorities of what they want out of the event.” Regarding the future, Katz’ team is really excited: “We have great local allies, and if we can pull New Orleans off, maybe in year 2 or 3 it’ll really gain some legs and be a gateway to more additions of the Edwardian Ball, maybe around the world.”
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“Co-hosts the Vau de Vire Society does a fantastic job of costuming in a very true to Gorey look: black & white, crosshatching, props, flats, really wonderful 2-d and 3-d work”.
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More information can be found at www.edwardianball.com
“Everybody is so impressed that virtually 100% of participants come in fantastic costume and character. “
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More information can be found at www.edwardianball.com
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Magic WHEELCHAIR INERVIEW BY HALEY FISHER
C
osplay has inspired people from all over the
request for a costume. Once a family and child’s request comes
world to put themselves out there and showcase
through, the child gets to play an active role in deciding exactly
who they really are and what is important to
what kind of costume t hey would like.
them. With that said, being a part of this community is not limited to those who attend conventions. Tere are many charity groups emerging from cosplay and costume building, one of which is the Magic Wheelchair.
“We built a Captain America tank for a young man while he was in the hospital. He was an amazing kid. Te High School he attended put the tank on dis play in his honor,” said co-founder Ryan. “We built a IE Fighter for another young man as part of his Make A
Magic Wheelchair was founded in 2015 by R yan and Lana
Wish. He loved it. His mom shared with us how much of a huge
Weimer. ogether, they have five children, three of whom were
impact his Make A Wish party was. She said he’d talk about his
born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Sadly, that requires them to
IE every day and ‘flew’ it around as often as he could. She said i t
use wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. But Ryan didn’t let the
was the best two months of his life.”
confines of a wheelchair prevent his sons from having fantastic Halloween costumes every year. Instead of going the “traditional” route with costumes, he would build a costume around their wheelchairs. Once the news of these amazing costumes spread, Ryan began to receive requests from other parents to help their own children have a special Halloween. Tus, Magic Wheelchair was born. In 2015 alone, the team built eight Magic Wheelchairs in two different states. Te non-profit organization grew since then, and were able to build 25 Magic Wheelchairs in 11 different states in 2016.
As Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization, they are always looking for volunteers. Currently, they are looking for people to help with operational/management aspects, build/design teams, marketing, fundraising, social media, and digital media. A big focus for them is that they have a growing list of children who have not had a chance to get a build due to a lack of volunteers to make it in the area. “ We also want the community to be involved in the builds and fundraising. We feel that it’s a great way for the community to get involved. Tey can see firsthand what their contributions have done. It brings communiti es together. It’s
As one can imagine, a lot goes into the process. When asked how
pretty awesome. I really want Magic Wheelchair to be a
this works, Ryan stated, “We like to give our builders at least two
community based effort. I think the more we get involved in our
months to create a costume. Ideally 3 months, but that is start to
community, the more we get to know each other, the stronger our
finish: meeting the kiddo, coming up with a design, fundraising
communities become,” said Ryan.
etc. Generally, in a nutshell we have our volunteers meet the family/kiddo, talk shop, come up with some desig n ideas, build and fundraise throughout the build. We try to find a fun event to do the reveal at and Bam — you got yourself a smiley kiddo!” Te application process for this is actually fairly simple: all families
People can donate or apply to volunteer at http://www.magicwheelchair.org/ or at the Magic Wheelchair Facebook page
have to do is go to Magic Wheelchair’s website and submit a COSPLAY CULURE 65
Princess Shoe DIY
MATERIALS
1 o N
Shoes for embellishing Gold spray paint 2 yards Simplicity® gold braided trim 1 yard Simplicity® lace trim (1 ¼” - 1 �/�” wide) Hot Glue Gun & Hot Glue Sticks 2 Red fabric roses (small/medium size) 1 Package gold adhesive gems
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Select a shoe style with enough surface area to decorate.
2 o N
Apply several coats of gold spray paint to the entire visible area of the shoe.
3 o N
Choose a gold braided trim and hot glue around the border top of the toe and heel.
4 o N
Choose a wide lace trim, pleat fold and hot glue under the toe portion of the shoe.
5 o N
Complete your embellished shoes by hot gluing a red fabric rose to the toe and accent the trim with gold adhesive gems.
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Stained Glass Cell Phone Case Purchase a clear phone case for your phone. 1 o N Create a stained glass template design on paper with 2 o markers based on the inside dimensions of your phone Ncase. Purchase EK Tools Plastic Sheets Brights. We used SKU 3 o #55-59015, which can be found at your local craft store. N Use a light box, or tape your stained glass design to a 4 o window. N
MATERIALS 1 Clear cell phone case EK Tools Plastic Sheets Brights 1 Clear plastic sheet Lightbox Tape Rose template Washable marker
Lay the plastic colored sheets over your design and 5 o trace around the matching stained glass color with a Nwashable marker. Find a piece of clear plastic sheeting and cut to fit your 6 o cell phone template design. N Tape your stained glass template design behind the 7 o clear plastic sheeting. N Cut out your traced stained glass pieces from the EK 8 o Tools Plastic Sheets and glue them with transparent Nglue to the clear plastic sheeting, lining up with your stained glass template.
Scissors Ruler Transparent glue Damp paper towel
As you cut out your stained glass pieces wipe away any 9 o washable marker outlines with a damp paper towel. N your stained glass window’s glue is dry, insert 0Once inside your clear phone case and enjoy with your phone! 1 o N
COSPLAY CULTURE 69
Stained Glass Rose
Template for Cell Phone
*For design refer ence only. Adjust design to your own cell phone case measurements.
70 COSPLAY CULTURE
OFFICIALLY LICENSED SEWING PATTERN, 8404 available at
©Disney www.disney.com/beautyandthebeast
KEEP CALM KATSUCON
D N A
TEXT BY TIFFANY PEGRAM / IMAGES BY MINERALBLU
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COSPLAY CULTURE 73
W
e’re not sure what it is about Katsucon that draws so many amazing costumes, year after
year. Maybe it’s the location; the Gaylord Resort practically begs for beautiful ballgowns and elaborate armor to be photographed in it. Maybe it’s the people, cosplayers like Jessica Nigri, Kay Bear, Yaya Han, and Leon Chiro bringing their best work and inspiring others to do the same. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the fact that despite its growth from a small group of 500 in 1995 to nearly 20,000 people from around the world in 2017, the community at Katsucon is still one of the warmest and most welcoming we’ve met at any convention. It doesn’t matter what a cosplayer’s perceived “ranking” is, they’re just as willing to talk about cosplay and their work to a grandmother they meet on the street while getting lunch as they are to talk to a reporter, or to a cosplayer just starting out. Tey hang out in the hallways until all hours of the night, sharing stories and trading tips. Tey’ll stand for hours in sometimes incredibly uncomfortable poses so people can admire their craftsmanship, and they’ll encourage each other to improve, to persevere, to do what you love because you love it and they do, too.
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WIG OUT! A CONVERSATION WITH MALINDA MATHIS OF ARDA WIGS
F
irst, introductions! Can you explain your position at Arda, how long you’ve been doing it and what steps led you to doing this for a living?
My name is Malinda Mathis, with the cosplay alias “Malindachan” on social media. At Arda I work in Customer Support, and am the lead stylist. I style wigs for various marketing projects, and I create resources for our customers such as guides and tutorials. I also offer color and style recommendations to cust omers needing input on a project. I’ve been styling wigs for my own costume projects for almost 10 years. My fans on social media l iked my wig work, so that motivated me to pick characters with crazy weird hairstyles. Te owner of Arda Wigs reached out to me 5 years ago to style a custom character wig, and I was thrilled to do so since I loved her products. A few months later, she reached out to me to work for her company. She wanted someone who was familiar with their products and could provide good customer service, and after meeting me at a convention she thought I would be perfect for the position. I moved from Missouri to Chicago later that year to work full-time. I graduated college with a computer animati on degree, but wasn’t having much luck establishing a career. Styling wigs for theater or movies wasn’t something I considered until after college, and by then I wasn’t sure if I could afford cosmetology school in addition to my student loans. When traveling to conventions, I always get weird looks when I’m carrying wigs at the airport. But there was one ti me when an elderly woman came
COSPLAY CULURE 81
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up to me and asked, “Are you an actress?” When I explained that I
reference of the character is much easier than trying to translate
made costumes as a hobby, she told me with confidence, “You’re
a 2D design to a 3D wig. With original designs, there isn’t a right
going to go places.” Tis interaction happened literally days before
or wrong way to style it, but it can take more time to plan a unique
I got the call from Crystina at Arda Wigs. Back then, Arda was a
idea if you aren’t using an inspiration board. Both types of wigs
very small company of 4 people, so I had a lot of questions and
can yield satisfying results.
concerns. I’m glad I took the elderly woman’s encouragement as a sign, because I’m happy to be working for such an empowering and successful company.
Take us through what a typical day at work looks like for you. My first priority is to answer customer emails, which are usually inquiries for style/color recommendations, or styling advice. If I'm not too busy, I’ll also help our marketing t eam answer questions on social media. Sometimes I’ll have additional desk work from coordinating contests. When desk work is done, I’ll occasionally help our photographer display wigs on the mannequin for product photos. We're constantly getting new products, so this can keep us pretty busy. When I have more creative time, I’ll write up suggestion guides for popular shows/games/etc., style wigs for marketing projects, or film styling tutorials.
Do you prefer to style wigs based on a specific character or to style original designs? What are the pros and cons of each? I’m more familiar with styling wigs based on specific characters,
Do you have a favorite wig you’ve styled? If so, why is it your favorite? Tis is a hard question; it’s like picking a favorite child! With character wigs, I’ve styled a few YU-GI-OH! wig s, and they’ve become my favorites because they’ve inspired others. It’s been many years since I’ve styled them, but I still get fans that share their own wigs with me, saying they followed my tutorials. Out of my original designs, my favorite so far is t he blonde/green ombre braid I styled for the Labyrinth of Jareth Ball. Part of the design credit goes to Arda’s Alexa, who created the flower accessories. I was inspired by woodland elves and fairies, and my favorite princess (Rapunzel).
Do you style many wigs for yourself, or mostly for other people? Up until last year they were mostly for me, but now I st yle fewer personal projects and more for work or friends. It’s good for me because I’m spending less m oney, haha!
What’s your favorite part about working in the cosplay industry?
so those tend to be a bit easier for me. Creating original designs
Te people I work with! We have a lot of interests that connect us
offers opportunities to try new things, though, so I like to do a bit
together, such as cosplay and the pop culture surrounding it. With
of both for a nice balance. Character wigs can be easy or
some jobs, it’s hard to explain your hobbies to others, but I’m free
difficult depending on what references are available. Having a 3D
to be expressive and creative without fear of being judged.
COSPLAY CULURE 83
Wig Styling Tutorial Become the Belle of the ball with this wig tutorial
No1
No2
Arda wigs has two beautiful
If you’re on a budget, the Grace
style options for Belle: Dany
might be the right style for you;
and Grace. Te Dany is a
it’s styled similarly, but has a
lacefront style, which will have
skin top instead of a lacefront.
a more natural hairline.
For this tutorial, we’ll be using a Dany in Spanish Brown.
COURESY OF ARDA WIGS
MATERIALS
No7
No8
You might be able to pull all
For our model, we’re leaving a
hair from along the hairline
piece down to conceal her own
back, but it depends on the
hair above her ears.
1 Matching hairbun accessory 1 Hair elastic Hairspray A easing comb A clip
Visit the Arda Wigs Website for more wig styling tricks!
wearer’s head size. 84 COSPLAY CULURE
No3
No4
No5
No6
Gather your materials.
Pull a section of hair in the
Te backcombing will help
Use your clip to hold it in place
front upwards, spritz with a
create a slight bump shape.
as you repeat on the other
little hairspray, and backcomb
wist the section back, adding
side.
for more volume. Te back-
more pieces from the side as
combed sections should be
you do so.
hidden, so try doing this on the backside of the hair piece only. For Emma Watson’s Belle, you can skip the backcombing step. Use a hair dryer to set the hairspray more quickly.
No9
No10
No11
No12
Use your hair elastic to tie the
Find the little combs inside the
You can also use bobby pins
Now you’re ready to dance
two sections together in the
hairbun accessory, and hook
for more security, if the combs
the night away, or read a good
back. Arrange the hair hanging
them around the elastic to
give you trouble.
book.
down.
secure it. COSPLAY CULURE 85
Indie Cosplay Corner WITH SPECIAL GUEST: SUDANRO BLADEWORKS 86 COSPLAY CULTURE
PhotoNXS
INDIE COSPLAYER
Can you tell our readers a little about yourself? My name is Baxter Durham, but all my friends call me Bucky. My cosplay handle is Sudanro Bladeworks and I'm a cosplayer from Rock Hill, South Carolina. I'm currently a Senior Nuclear Design Engineer by day and an avid gamer, reader, and costumer in my free time. I enjoy video games and table-top, and even co-host the Cool Domain Podcast, which is a predominantly gamingfocused show. Finally, believe it or not, I also really enjoy cooking and baking, because you've got to be well-rounded.
How long have you been cosplaying? What was your first costume, and why did you choose it? I've been attending conventions for almost 14 years at this point and have been cosplaying almost that long. My first real costume was Cloud Strife at Animazement 2004. I chose the character because at the time I loved Final Fantasy VII, he was blonde and I refused to wear a wig, and I also wanted an excuse to make a giant sword. It helped that my best friend was there as Sephiroth, too.
You do a lot of really complex armor- and weapon-building for your costumes. Is that your favorite part of cosplay? What makes it as interesting as it is? My favorite part about cosplay in general is watching a huge stack of materials start to take shape into something you enjoyed from a game or a movie and the closer you get to finishing, the more exciting it becomes. My two favorite parts of the process are definitely sanding and detail painting for props and armor. Tere's something incredibly cathartic about the process where I just lose track of time and everything else while focusing on finishing the task at hand. Ten there's wearing the costume; there's really nothing like having someone else who is a huge fan of whatever media you're representing gush over your portrayal of a character.
What’s your favorite costume you’ve ever made? My favorite costume I've made so far is Abysswalker Artorias from Dark Souls. Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect 2 is a close second, but I'm far more proud of the former. Phosphorescence Photography
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced in a build? Sewing in any fashion is my biggest challenge. I much prefer building armor or weaponry, but I force myself to sew, too. I'll even specifically pick a costume to challenge myself on the sewing front after an armor build so that I can continue to improve my skillset.
COSPLAY CULURE 87
Is it the character that draws you to a cosplay or is it the costume? Or a little bit of both? For me, I prefer to cosplay characters I like and identify with; however, I sometimes pick characters for their design. Sometimes it's fun to portray someone who is completely different from your norm. Do you have any new costumes coming up this year? Tis year I plan to overhaul a few of my costumes; Artorias is getting upgrades, my Mandalorian will finally be finished, and I plan to rebuild Garrus from the ground up. Tat's not to say that I don't have new costumes planned, I have a few major ones, but I'm keeping them under wraps until I start working on them. What about dream costumes to make in the future? I've got a few dream costumes I'd love to make from the Witcher, Warhammer 40k, and a couple of Blizzard IPs. I have a penchant for characters with white hair. Also I would love to do a demon-form Sparda or one of the twins' demon forms from the Devil May Cry series. With my new workshop, I imagine I'll get around to all of these sometime in the future. Are there specific materials or resources you recommend for people interested in armor-building? I am a huge fan of EVA foam floor mats. Price and ease of working with them can't be beat. Tat being said, there are some excellent Youube channels and books out there for working with foam and they even have some templates available for you. Te Foamsmith books and Evil ed (www.eviltedsmith.com) are a couple of great informational resources. Te Replica Prop Forum is also an excellent resource full of people willing to lend a helping hand. Once I get my new makerspace set up, I'll be back to creating tutorials on my channel as well. What advice would you give people just starting out in cosplay? o quote Shia Labeouf, "just do it." Half of the techniques I've developed and strategies I use to make costumes have come from experimentation, trial, and error. If you get stuck, we live in a golden age of tutorials and help with resources available all over the web. Pick your favorite character, even if you think it's out of your skill range, and just go with it. You'll have fun, you'll learn, and you'll improve. Te best way to get better at it is to keep doing it.
TO FOLLOW SUDANRO BLADEWORKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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Danielgrayphotography.com
Hoakakyou Photography www.instagram.com/SudanroBladeworks
www.YouTube.com/Sudanro
www.facebook.com/SudanroBladeworks
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SacAnime EX AND IMAGES BY AMANDA JENSEN
T
2017
he Sacramento Anime Convention has evolved greatly from its humble beginnings, from a 1986 mall comic, toy & anime show, to a modest anime show in a single ballroom in 2004, to the present
large-scale event with over 10,000 attendees. Since 2013, SacAnime has been held at the Sacramento Convention Center (along with the Sheraton Grand Hotel and the Memorial Auditorium), providing plenty of room for additional special guests and events, with the focus mainly on anime and manga. Tis year’s convention featured voice actors Cherami Leigh, Cassandra Lee Morris, and Bryce Papenbrook from Sword Art Online, Nolan North (the Deadpool videogame and Nathan Drake from the Uncharted videogame series), Vic Mignogna (Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist), and, for all the old-school gamers, Charles Martinet (Mario). Panels such as Women of Voice Acting were very informative and entertaining, as Cherami and Cassandra talked about their experiences in voice acting, along with Michelle Ruff who voiced Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach, and Erica Luttrell who voiced the female witch doctor from Diablo 3. All these ladies made it so enjoyable as they took turns telling funny embarrassing stories, and taking a bite of an apple close to the microphone so everyone could hear it while one of the other girls were talking. No one could take them seriously after that, and you could not help but laugh. During the Q&A sessions, Bryce and Vic did funny in-character rants: Bryce quoted a favorite line from his character Rin Okumura from Blue Exorcist, talking about how badly he wanted to kick Satan's butt. And Vic Mignogna quoted Elric's line of "Who are you calling a pipsqueak midget?!" like he was actually in the studio shouting the line into the microphone for us all. But conventions are not solely about special guests; they’re about cosplayers showing off their skills in recreating characters from anime, video games, and comic books. Friday was a bit of a slow day for cosplay, although some good cosplayers did come through the show room floor that day. Tere was a Soldier 76 (created by day_the_mole_dude), a trio with Deadpool, Deathstroke, and the Punisher, as well as Ruby from the Rooster eeth original animated show RWBY. Seeing these five cosplayers enjoying their costumes and being their characters made me remember why I love cosplay so much. Saturday was the day all the big cosplayers came out to play. You saw everything from original designs for the Pokemon Go! games' eam Mystic and eam Instinct, Edward and Alphonse Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, to an original Princess BB8 design from the movie Star Wars: Te Force Awakens. And that was all just on the show room floor. Tat night there was a cosplay masquerade show over at the Memorial Auditorium that I took place
COSPLAY CULURE 91
in, as Celty from the anime series Durarara!. Te cosplays at this show were absolutely breath-taking: Shawn Pugh and Jay Gray as two Ghostbusters from the Sacramento Ghostbusters group won the Audience Choice Award, and Makayla as Queen Ash took Judges’ Choice. For Best Overall during the show, Mikasa Antoinette took 3rd place, a Skyrim Group took 2nd, and 1st place went to Meranda Hermin as the wilight Princess. Tere were a few other winners as well, with t he show handing out a grand total of 12 awards, and everyone did an amazing job on their cosplays and stage performances. It was my first time being part of a cosplay masquerade show and it s urely will not be my last. Earlier that day during Nolan North's Q&A session, someone set off the fire alarms, forcing the session to stop and everyone to evacuate. As we were leaving, Nolan did an im personation of his Deadpool character talking about how “Of course it would happen during my panel!”, which was pretty funny. Once outside, we all just wandered around, waiting ’til they could let us all back in, and I have a feeling passers-by thought we were some huge nerdy flash mob about ready to bust out dancing. People were honking and waving at us all, and of course we could not help but wave back. Once the alarms were off and the sea of cosplayers all headed back inside, I ran into some amazing cosplayers out on the show room floor and the terrace. Tere was a huge Pikachu, multiple Edwards and Alphonse Elrics, a red pirate, nice Batman cosplays, and some fawns. I am still amazed at how these people made their cosplays look so good. No matter how advanced or simple your cosplay is, everyone cheers you on, which is an amazing feeling. SacAnime has definitely stepped its game up since I was first there in 2009. All the special guests were awesome and there was a ton of great cosplayers that came through over the course of the weekend. My overall experience was a good one and I really look forward to the next SacAnime this September, with all the other amazing cosplays that will no doubt be there.
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THE RISE OF is NEAR INERVIEW WIH JEFF LEINIGER, ROBO COSUMES USA
CAUTION ADVISED Robots have been spotted roaming the thoroughfares of planet Earth. Standing a freakish ten feet tall, artificially intelligent, and programmed to be just like you and me—authorities are not yet aware how dangerously cool these robots are! My fellow cosplayers, consider yourselves warned: an army of super awesome robots is about to come your way, and they might just take over your next convention with a BANG! Please, allow me to introduce you to their creator, the forefather and innovator of ‘Robot Costumes U SA’: Jeff Leiniger. Inspired by humanoid robot C-3PO from Star Wars, Jeff was on a mission to turn his fascination for robots into a hobby, and ultimately, into a full-fledged career. aught by premier entertainment companies like Disney and Universal Studios, Jeff learned how to produce unique lightweight composite finishes; skills that very soon proved to be a stepping stone to Jeff’s robotic success. After working countless hours, Jeff spent every minute of the night working on hi s next robotic breakthrough and, in 2002, Jeff’s dream finally came true. He founded Robot Costumes U SA, which quickly turned into the place to go for robot-related items. After producing custom designs for huge entertainment companies and movie makers for a few years, the company started a line of 16 stock costumes featuring unique designs for clients in 2007. oday, Robot Costumes USA exports over 200 costumes each year to customers like Disney, Universal Studios, Samsung, Chevron and Rovio Entertainment. Oh, and of course, awesome cosplayers just like yourself. Jeff Leininger’s custom robot costumes even stole the limelight on V shows like Disney’s Kickin’ it, Lab Rats, Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Fox’s Bones. Te best way to predict the future is to invent it, and Jeff Leiniger has done exactly that. How has your company evolved throughout the years? Robot Costumes USA has become known as the place to go for anything robot-related. We now produce free-standing exhibit 94 COSPLAY CULURE
You manufactured an entire army of robots for a restaurant project in Tokyo – the Robot Restaurant. What were your first thoughts when this project reached your inbox?
Well, we had no idea that they were going to order so many costumes at once until the client came to our shop with about 6 guys and a bag of cash. Tey walked around the shop test fitting everything and having fun taking photos of each other before they showed me an order for five of each of our costumes. Te total order tallied 60 costumes as well as 12 custom costumes and then, they laid that big ol’ bag of cash on my desk. It was time to start working. You’ve also worked on a lot of robot costumes for movie related projects; which venture are you most proud of?
Studios come to us after the film is produced and need costumes of the characters in the film for promotion at premieres, events and trade shows. Hasbro came to us with Optimus Prime displays, body parts for real robots—shells or skins are what they
and Bumblebee for the release of the new designs. NASA even
are called—and movie props when clients just need something to
approached us to create a costume version of Robonaut. Disney
look like a robot.
needed a fighting robot for their Kickin’ It V show, which was also
You have 16 stock costumes readily available, tell me a bit more
a pretty cool project.
about the creation process from conceptualizing the designs
From gigantic costumes to insane designs and special add-on
through production?
requests - what was the craziest costume request you’ve ever
We have 16 stock costumes, which means that they are our own
worked on?
designs and the parts have already been produced. Tey are on
By far, the craziest was the “Rock-in Rio” Robot for the Rockin’ Rio
the shelves in primer and ready for the customer to choose from
Music Festival in Brazil. Te robot stood over nine feet tall, had
two colors. Since each client likes a different color, we start from
every special effect we could come up with, and it even had its
there. Some costumes can even be shipped within 5-7 days once
own tricked-out golf cart to transport it around. Te costume cost
the color has been chosen. All of our production is done in-house.
over $100,000 to produce!
From walking to talking and dancing – all of your robots do some
Are you planning on expanding your bespoke costume portfolio
pretty cool stuff. Which was your first prototype that featured
in the near future?
such technology?
We are always thinking about the future and how we can take
Well, it was a model we no longer have in stock: Syphon, which
over the world with robots. We can only hope one day that Will
was a version of a Storm-rooper-like costume. It was the very first
Smith will try to stop us from achieving this.
model where we started experimenting with different effects back in 2008. Syphon featured basic fiberglass composites with a simple paint finish. Te follow-up model was ‘Carbon X’ (which is now Model#1), which was entirely vacuum-formed ABS plastic with an automotive paint finish and two layers of clear coat. Next up was "Wheely," which was built over a custom Segway. Tis gave it the effect of a real "rolling" robot. How much work is involved to produce such high-end tech costumes?
Custom costumes are the most work because we always need to match the client’s designs. Using sculptors, craftsmen, and 3-D printing to produce the molds for fabrication of the costumes is the biggest challenge. It must look like a robot; however it still has to fit the human body. It takes up to 300 man - hours to produce some of the larger custom costumes. COSPLAY CULURE 95
cosplayer submissions Every day we get a ton of amazing costume submissions online from readers all over the world. Check out some of these amazing costumes that were so cool, we just had to share them with the rest of you! Want to see your picture here? Send us a message on Facebook or tag us on Instagram! We’d love to see what you’ve got!
Stoosh Costuming & Cosplay
Echothymia
CHARACTER: WIZARD FROM DIABLO III PHOTO BY: ANDREY SPIRIDONOV PHOTOGRAPHY
CHARACTER: SCORPION FROM MORTAL KOMBAT PHOTO BY: LESLEY STOOSHNOFF / SPARKINGBAT
96 COSPLAY CULTURE
Brittany Chaos
Christina Dark Cosplay
CHARACTER: CHOLA HARLEY QUINN
CHARACTER: FEMALE DARTH MAUL
PHOTO EDIT BY: FENIX ARS
PHOTO EDIT BY: GIO-X PHOTOGRAPHY
Pulp Heroes: Robbie Dunn, Adam D’Hulst, Kyle Anderson, Skyler Pinales, Roman Daniels
CHARACTER: GREEN HORNET, THE SHADOW, SPIDER-MAN NOIR, ZORRO, THE PHANTOM PHOTOS BY: JOSH WEES / JW PHOTOGRAPHY
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