Shit cosplayers Say

Cosplayers do and say some weird stuff. So I thought I would share some of the weird stuff we say while working on a cosplay with you.

When buying supplies "This should be enough" only to get home and start work on it "I so didn't get enough". Although I have brought supplies for one cosplay and ended up using it for another and not realised till after.

"Shitttttt" Is a pretty common saying when working on cosplay and you make a mistake.

"I so have enough time to make this cosplay before the con" is a pretty common one.

"This won't take long" 5 hours later.

"Needs more hot glue" hot glue is good stuff

"Yea I just need to wrap myself in gladwrap" there is a good reason for this its call patterns

My Top Five Dream Cosplays

This week I thought I would share with you all my top five dream cosplay. Dream cosplays are cosplays that I might never cosplay, require a lot of effect or I feel like I would not be confident enough to pull it off.

1. Gabranth from Fantasy Fantasy XII. This has been a cosplay that for a while  just the thought of making it scares me. To start with I didn't even know where to start with. I have since been worrying about how I'm going to get it on and get to the con by myself. On the bright side I feel like this one has opened the flood gate for large bulky cosplays. See also 3.

2. While I'm on the topic of Final Fantasy, my next dream is Fran who is also from Final Fantasy XII. I don't think she will be overly hard to do, I just don't like revealing clothing, and the little she wears is way out of my comfort zone

3. Alphonse from Full Metal Alchemist is another cosplay that scares me due to the size of him. But I think he will be a fun one and I hope to pull it off.

4. Demon Hunter from Diablo is another dream cosplay. I don't think it will be a overly hard one, but I can't just pick one

5. Lastly is Yuna from Final Fantasy X. She is such a great character that I don't think I will ever be able to do her justice

My Cosplay Making Process

After seeing a post about how people go about planning and making a cosplay in a cosplay group I'm a part of, I thought I would share my process. This is how I do it, but everyone is different, there is no right or wrong way of doing it.

To start off with I see a character, and think I really want to cosplay that. Depending on my plans for the next two or three cons, how much effect is required to make it, the time of the year, and how much I actually really want to cosplay it, will decide whether it gets made or gets put on the Wishlist.

Once decided I'm going to do a cosplay, I like to work out what I need and start collecting those things as soon as possible if I don't already have them. As someone who doesn't have a fabric store with in an hour of me, this is important so that when I get the chance I can get it.

Recently I have started making a list of all the things I need to do, and in what order for each part of the cosplay. I also want to set mini goals, but that hasn't happened yet.

Than I start to make the cosplay. I like to start from the toes, and work up to my head when working on armour, but that's just me.  Than I might go off and work on props for a bit of a break.  With sewing start the main part and work on that first.

So that's how I do it, hope you enjoy.

2016 Geek Goals

Last week saw a new year began and I shared with you my cosplay plans. This week I would like to share with you all what I would like to achieve this year in teams of Geekdom/Otaku related goals. Along with a couple other goals slipping in. 

1. First of all I would like to buy and read more manga. I would like to grow my collection and reading.  I have already brought a banch of manga online this month so expect a manga haul later this month when it all arrives. 

1.5 Add verity to the manga I buy/read so I don't keep on reading the same old stuff

2. Buy and watch more anime. Once again I would like to grow my collection.

2.5 Start/finish the second Cardcaptor Sakura collection that I brought 2(?) years ago

3. Read 80 books. Last year I only read 67 books, where in past years I have been able to read 90+ books. I love to read, and I want to do more of it.

4. Get my Space Marine army to a point where I am able to play a game with them

4.5 Actually play a game with my Space Marine army,

5. Get my butt into gear, and enter/complete in my first cosplay competition

And that's about all. Here's to a new year

2016 Cosplay Plan

After being tagged on Facebook to share my 2016 Cosplay plans, so I thought I would share them here as well.

First off is Gabranth from Final Fantasy XII. I have started working on this one awhile ago, but so far I have only started on the swords and some leg armour. I'm hoping to have it finished in time for AVcon so I can wear it in the Cosplay Competition.

Next up is Mega Evolution X Charizard from Pokemon. I am hoping to have it done in time to wear it on the Saturday of AVcon along with my cousin Megan from Biased Raincloud Cosplay

Maltheal from Diablo is a maybe for Supanova as it depends on whether I want to make yet more armour after Gabranth and Charizard. I love Maltheal's weapons and I think they would be fun to yield. 

This is more of 2017 cosplay plan, but I want to do a Warhammer 40k Space Marine cosplay. Due to the size of them I will probably need all the extra time I can get. This is also one of the reasons that Maltheal is a maybe. 

Last of all is Nurse Joy from Pokemon. I have no actually plans to finish this in 2016 so I won't be stressing about. This is more of a I'm going to do some sewing to make myself hate making armour a little less project.

Supanova 2015 write up

About two weeks ago Supanova was on. I decided to go on the Sunday. I cosplayed as Dreadlord from Warhammar in the morning and Sabrina from Pokemon in the afternoon.

While I enjoyed, going I thought the amount of panels, screenings and things to do in general to be lacking. If I went for both days I think I would have gotten bored. I got there just before 10am, and ended up leaving just after 3pm after seeing the Matthew Lewis panel.

One thing I was surprise about was how little I ended up buying. I liked how much there was on offer but due to limited version in the morning while I was looking, I couldn't take as much in, and only went to a couple of stalls in the afternoon that stood out.

 T_T Costuming

 Kiri from Fireteam Serenity Cosplay

Why I Cosplay

As many of you would have noticed by now I love to cosplay. I know cosplay isn't mainsteam, but it seems to becoming more common and more people are getting into it. I find that explaining cosplay to normal people can be interesting at time. I am a adult after all, so why would I want to dress up as someone from a game or a movie, or a tv show?

For me cosplay is being able to show off your love for a show, a movie, a book, a game, or even just a character.  To me cosplaying as someone is one way of saying I really like this thing and I want to let other people know that I really like this thing. I also love the idea of bringing something to life.

I also love the challenge of bringing them to life and because of this I have learnt a lot already. When I started cosplaying, I didn't have much experience using a sewing machine. I still have lots to learn about sewing but now I can use one. I also really enjoyed the challenges of bringing my Weeping Angel wings, Chaos Blade and Highway Star to life. I learnt a lot from them, and I'm really happy with how they turned out.

I think the best bit is having it all come together and wearing it to a con. Having all of your hard work together and being able to show it off is a really good feeling.

Funny Cosplay Moments Part 2

Welcome back to the second part of funny cosplay moments, where I tell you funny moments that I have had in cosplay. This year at AVcon as you know I cosplayed as a Weeping Angel, this led to a few interesting moments.

I had a gold pass so I was able to get in early to have a look around, which I took full use of as I didn't know how easy it would be to get around and have a look at stuff with the wings on. This meant I was able to have a bit more of a chat with stroll holders.

One stroll holder, as I walked passed, told me no murdering, and we started to have a chat about leaving bodies in the toilet and how no one would notice the smell. Um ok than. The second one just stared at me and wouldn't say anything, that was until I asked her if she was a Doctor Who Fan.

The best reaction was from a boy who may have been about 13, on my way out of the dealers room and into the artist alley, I pasted by this boy who was going the other way. When he saw me, he stared at me as he spread past me, as he got closer he told me he couldn't blink, and span around so he could still see me and walked backwards into the dealers room. One of the artist in the artist ally saw this and had to laugh. 

Storage help

I have a small craft room so I try and make the most out of it. Over some time I hope to share with you all some of the different ways I store things.

One of my favorite things are command hooks. They come in different sizes and allow you to hang things. Which means you can get stuff off the ground if size permits. They have sticky pads which are replaceable that you stick to the back of the hooks and than on to the wall and when you pull them they aren't meant to damaged the paint which is handy if your renting.

Some of the things I hang using the hooks include my heat guns, my white broad, dremel, glue and a sword. All pictured below.

Cosplay motivation!

Wednesday night I commented on Facebook about being the most motivated to work on cosplay at night. I had the whole day off and I could have spent it working on my Sabrina cosplay as SupaNova is soon and I'm probably not even half way though. Yet I spent the day doing other stuff and even when I went to work on it I still got distracted. That will teach me for leaving Warhammer stuff on my sewing cabinet.

This was not the only time it has happened. I don't know why. From memory I spent more time working away on my Weeping Angel wings either late afternoon or at night than what I did the rest of the time.

Surely I am not the only one like this, I would love to hear when other people get the most motivated to do stuff.

Updated Supanova 2015 plans!

With my Dreadlord all finished expect for the dragon with time to spare and having done a test run in most of it. I decided to update my Supanova plans.

When I did my test run I found that my costume is kind of hard to walk around in. Not enough to put me off wearing it, but enough to make me rethink somethings. First of I am considering not making the dragon as it will only be yet another thing to carry around and I think I will have my hands full with my sword.

Second of all I am planning on doing a second cosplay. Yes I know I'm only going for one day. I know I know but I want to cosplay the whole day and lets face it, Dreadlord is not a all day near summer cosplay. My plan is Sabrina from the Pokemon Anime. I am going to make the younger version for one of my dolls and take her with me.

So in the morning I will be Dreadlord and in the afternoon if I get it done in time I will be Sabrina from Pokemon

The Making of Dreadlord

As I recently finished making my Dreadlord I thought I would do a write up of how I made it.

The first thing I started to make was the helmet.

I started off by warping my head in glad wrap and sticking masking tape over it leaving a gap to breath and see out of. Than I drew a pattern on, and cut down the center.

Once off I cut one half into four parts naming each one.

I than traced each part on to paper, and modified each one slightly to get the shape I wanted. I used the paper to get an idea of how it would look once made.

I than cut out each bit out of foam and Worbla, covered it and stick it all together.

To get the added detail I drew the shape I wanted on to paper folded it and cut out. Than did the same foam/Worbla method.

Than painted.

I wasn't happy with the first shoe Armour I made so I remade them with just foam. I covered the shoes I was going to use in glad wrap and marked out the shape I wanted

Than cut it out in foam. For the attachments I used d rings and than scrap bits of foam to stick the d rings to the foam.

All painted

Once again used glad wrap and masking tape to get a pattern for my torso. I used some scrap EVA foam I had for the neck.

For the skulls I drew the shape on to paper, traced on to foam and covered with Worbla.

I also cut out little bits of Worbla for the teeth

I did the same for the triangle shape which I totally forgot to put on till after painting it. 

For the pauldrons I winged the pattern and did some practice runs for the curve to get the shape right. 

The little rings were made out of scrape Worbla and I hanged the fabric up to the pauldrons, to see how much I needed. Once happy I marked and sewed it together.

I did the same for the cape, only this time I used masking tape.

To attachment the cape I used Velcro as I needed a weird shape.

To make those I cut out three strips the same width, put a triangle at one end and than cut a bit off the top of two. I used Worbla for the balls and the skull. 

Once again glad wraped and masking tape was used to get a pattern of my legs. Than cut out a shape I was happy with, and used it to get a Worbla version. Skulls were cut out and covered in Worbla and stuck on. 

Same with my arm and hands.

I attached each part using hot glue

For the sword I made a paper pattern. Cut out on to two bits of EVA foam and stuck together.

Covered in Worbla.

Details added using Worbla.

Once all done primed and painted and its all finished!