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Caves of Narshe Forums > General Topics > Conversational Cosplay.


Posted by: St Khael 12th July 2012 23:26
It's hard to escape the silliness of cosplay in today's world of gaming and entertainment, this is a proven fact. You can head out to a convention if only to hear your favorite author give a panel without someone in costume running past you. Let's be honest, some of these people take cosplay too far and can make a lot of people nervous very quickly, but there are those of us who enjoy it on a quieter note.

Even if you're crazy for it, enjoy it or like to look at the pictures; let's talk about it! If you're working on something from anything in general, tell us about it or link us to a picture (as long as it is appropriate per site rulings). Tell us what you would cosplay if you had the time or the money or even the will to do so. Tell us how much work you would put into it if you would make a costume. If you have a picture of a cosplay of your favorite character that you really like, share it with us.

I for one would really like to hear your thoughts on the subject and see what you can come up with. : )

In my case of silliness I am currently working on cosplays for Final Fantasy VI. I will be cosplaying a sprite version of Setzer Gabbiani at an upcoming convention and am starting on Locke Cole for the same shindig.

Let's get talking! : )



Posted by: MogMaster 13th July 2012 11:27
Personally, just in my usual getup I look like enough like a some sort of character that it would be somewhat redundant for me to dress up as anyone tongue.gif.

I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the Kefka Cosplay guy that we had a couple of topics for here back in the day.

http://www.cavesofnarshe.com/forums/ipb/in...l=kefka+cosplay

Posted by: St Khael 13th July 2012 16:10
This Kefka makes me smile every time I see him. Someone linked me to him last year and I now have a dream of cosplaying Kefka as well. Villainy, with style. smile.gif

One of my personal favorites is here:

http://ayb.blacksuitmedia.com/wp-content/u...ra-Branford.jpg


Posted by: Stiltzkin 13th July 2012 17:09
I've always admired those who manage to create truly impressive cosplay costumes, and I've honestly often wished I could manage it myself.

But... I'm terrible at crafts, so would make a poor costume, and I'm too much of a perfectionist to be willing to wear a half-arsed attempt. Add to that the fact that the characters I would probably pick are either much shorter than me (Vivi), much hairier than me (Mog, Red XIII), or just much, much, too crazy, and my odds aren't good!

Posted by: St Khael 15th July 2012 17:21
I just recently got back into it myself, I was never good at arts and crafts at all but I wanted to make costumes in general so badly that I just kind of threw my hands in the air and said 'to hell with it' and started anyway. I'm still pretty crummy at sewing but at least I learned from my re-enactment days how to make costumes last for a few cons before needing much repair. My trick to getting things done is focusing on making the major piece of costume that the character is known for and then pulling everything else I need out of my closet and customizing it from there.

I'm with you on the perfectionist ideal, Stiltzkin. I'm still afraid to take Setzer to more contests because I don't think he's good enough yet. But then, part of my problem is that I really don't like the Amano artwork for Final Fantasy (But I am a great fan of the Vampire Hunter D novels) and with the early games, no one knows who you are unless you make the Amano artwork. My biggest challenge with it now is making the personality the final touch to tell people who I am.

I really do find that the hardest part of finding someone to cosplay is that we don't have the figure, build or height to pull off the characters we want to be. My major problem is that I'm the wrong gender to cosplay all of my favorites. However, I have broken down and will soon begin work on Frog from Chrono Trigger. Chicken wire and foam, here I come! Believe it or not most of the Vivi I have seen are taller than I am, most capping 6" or taller. There's nothing like being dwarfed by an adorable black mage. smile.gif

Red XIII is an idea I'm fond of too, and there are so many different ways of doing the costume that doing a simple google image search on him can keep you occupied for an hour or more. Some of the cosplays are beyond amazing. There are fur-suits, yes, but I find the humanized versions to be more interesting.

For instance, here's one I'm quite fond of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/77458709@N00/5156847365/



Posted by: Rangers51 19th July 2012 18:36
I've never gotten to go to a con of any kind. On that score, I'm hoping my pending move back Northeast will allow me to finally go to PAX East with the rest of my coworkers next year; I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing the cosplay there.

Having not really seen any up close, I'd have to say that I appreciate it about as much as someone can who hasn't been exposed to it, mainly for the skill that's really required to piece something together that looks good. There's a reason that professional costumers for stage and screen get paid pretty well - there's genuine artistry involved in proper costuming, and if you're doing it well for things like gaming or anime costumes, which tend to be pretty crazy, you deserve some level of respect for that.

I think that the hate that some cosplayers get is because of folks stereotyping - I know, this is an obvious statement, yes. The stereotype in question is of the cosplayer who, regardless of quality of costume, gets mocked not for how they look but how they act. There are certainly some grown people out there who not only do the costume but feel that they have to be completely in character when they're in the costume, and to me, there's no real reason to be like that. Nobody thinks you have to actually act like Squall Leonhart just because you're dressed like him for a few days - you have to accept that while a gunblade battle in a public park might be fun for a bit, there are going to be people that think it's strange.

Of course, some people are going to hate on cosplayers regardless of how they comport themselves, because some people are convinced that grown-ups don't do dress-up. (One wonders how many of these people would scorn cosplayers while at the same time being titillated by the wave of slutty costumes that come out for grown women each Halloween, but that's probably a tangent.) Live and let live, in that case, in both directions, I guess.

I'm being a bit stream-of-consciousness here, I realize, so I'm sure I'm not exactly making any salient points. I'll stand by what I said in the other thread, though - while I can't see any future in which I would cosplay myself, I certainly wouldn't have anything against my daughter wanting to cosplay when she gets older. I also will still continue to reserve the right to roll my eyes not at cosplayers who act like idiots while they're dressed up. smile.gif

Oh, and speaking of my daughter and costumes, has anyone ever seen anything like a plain white painter's jumpsuit in baby sizes?

Posted by: MogMaster 24th July 2012 22:31
Quote (Rangers51 @ 19th July 2012 14:36)
I've never gotten to go to a con of any kind. On that score, I'm hoping my pending move back Northeast will allow me to finally go to PAX East with the rest of my coworkers next year; I'm sure I'll enjoy seeing the cosplay there.

Have fun with all the League of Losers cosplayers there, haha. Don't forget to take lots of pix, please!

Quote (Rangers51)
Nobody thinks you have to actually act like Squall Leonhart just because you're dressed like him for a few days -


To my thinking, there wouldn't be much acting there. Just stand around and say "whatever" to anyone who talks to you. In examples like the Kefka cosplayer, the fact that he acts like the guy makes it all that much better. It's having an OFF-switch that's important, to my way of thinking. Actually, some actors have this problem. The whole article is good, but scroll to the part where it talks about Daniel Day Lewis.

it isn't acting like the character that's necessarily the problem, it's picking a character who has enough of a personality that acting like them is worthwhile. It's a sad shame that most Square heroes, and even a lot of the villains, have the characterization and personality of bricks (I'm looking at you Sephiroth). Even if they do have some meat and bones on the skeletons of their personalities, the fact of the matter is, most of them just come off as regular people. The argument could be made for Squall that he's just an anti-social emo with a gunblade, and I fail to see how it would be fun to pretend to be a kid that everyone beat up in highschool. This, I think, is why the Kefka guy hit gold, is Kefka was such a vibrant, and off-beat figure with a distinct way of acting and talking. Essentially, his chaotic-evil nature lends a lot to his character.

So far as original posters Setzer getup goes, just remember a few great lines, like: "The best thing in life is being free of obligation...otherwise you lose your ability to gamble.". Personally, I've always taken that one to heart as a good piece of wisdom biggrin.gif . Also, so far as acting like characters goes, a Frog cosplay, or even an Ayla, would fall into that same category of character as Kefka, where acting like the character would add volumes to the work. Crono might be fun too, but you would have the same issue with him as you do with Link, where your acting comes down to simply not talking. Still, I can't say I wouldn't be delighted to run into a Crono/Link, who when I talk to them doesn't speak, and just nods, or shakes their head.

Again, it's shutting off the character, hopefully before the flashing lights and sirens are called in, that really strikes me as important there, haha wink.gif . Also, yeah, you're gonna look like a weirdo to most of the normal population, but if that was an issue, I suppose you wouldn't be cosplaying in the first place, eh? tongue.gif

PS: I would be so pumped to run into a cosplaying Squall and Seifer having a gunblade duel in the park.

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 9th November 2012 21:53
Y'know.. If I had to dress for a halloween, or related themed party something I usually think of it as 'fancy dress' and avoid like the plague.

However if I had some event to attend, It wouldn't take much convincing for me to attempt a cosplay of Hazama:

user posted image


I think I could pull it off, I'm similarly weedy.. happy.gif

Posted by: St Khael 10th November 2012 16:57
I can't say that I know the character but his clothing is certainly cool. I would have too much fun making the armor on his shoes and the coat would be a blast to design plus the added fact that the finished product would be great for actual use beyond the costume. It would be great for rain and snow. And....look awesome on a windy day. >: 3

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 10th November 2012 20:48
ahaha oh man you're right... one could walk around garbed like that, without drawing too much attention. This is starting to sound like a very good idea.

how would you do it anyway, would you buy a similar looking coat and then..add to it?

Posted by: St Khael 11th November 2012 05:08
Buying and modifying would be cheaper to be honest, that way you don't have to scour the internet for jacket material and pay more than twenty dollars a yard. The fabric if you could find it would probably be very difficult to work with considering the weight and possibly the 'rain slicked' texture they put into the fabric to protect it. The hard part is that the slicker that they put into the fabric s part of what gives the coat it's shape. I imagine it would be like trying to sew bat or pterodactyl wings together. You can pick up a nice long coat during the after christmas and early spring sales and modify it from there. This would give you exactly what you want and have it still be functional out in everyday life.


Posted by: Blinge Odonata 11th November 2012 11:08
I see. Uh oh.. I'm reminded of the time I was sewing a protest banner and managed to insert the big end of a needle into my thumb.. pinch.gif

but yes, if I ever get around to doing this, may I bother you with a desperate flood of PMs asking for advice?

Posted by: St Khael 11th November 2012 15:49
Sure thing! I'll help as much as I can. :3
I don't know anyone who hasn't put the needle through their finger. It's got to be some kind of right of passage. >.<;

Posted by: RelmArrowney 11th November 2012 19:27
All I'm saying is, the makeup on that would be fuuuuuun heart.gif

Posted by: St Khael 11th November 2012 19:46
Relm you are amazing with make up. Your advice saved my cosplay of Terra from looking washed out if not ghastly. I'm waiting for the next convention so I can use your scar design on Setzer. I'd love to see what you would do for Hazama.

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 11th November 2012 22:58
Haha.. oh, hadn't considered that. My version would have no makeup, I can't see the point as I refuse to shave =p

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 12th November 2012 16:21
Don't worry; I saw a perfectly competent Sailor Mars with glasses at AnimeUSA a few days ago.

I've never really liked cosplay that much. At first, I felt like it all sucked, in fact. It took me a while to realize that the reason I had that opinion was because the cosplayers really rarely looked or (perhaps more importantly) acted the part in a convincing way. And I just really don't like comedic anime characters much, yet they're inevitably rather popular.

Going to a couple cons has warmed me up a bit more; cosplayers still often don't look the part, but I've begun to appreciate the effort put into the costumes.

I'm unlikely to do any cosplaying myself--I sometimes joke that I could cosplay as Shinji Ikari by wearing a white buttoned shirt and black trousers--but I'm not bothered by it either.

One of my friends--we went to AUSA together--actually jumped on the cosplaying bandwagon from attending just one convention. He and another friend have now proposed that I get myself a Bass (from Mega Man) helmet so we can do a Mega Man themed trio next year (one of them has a Mega Man helmet and one of them has a Proto Man helmet). Oh my...

----

So I was at AUSA.

There were tons of Homestuck cosplayers. That friend, who is a Homestuck fan, was entertained. I was slightly annoyed. And then there were some rumblings (not from me, actually) about whether it was a good thing that at least 30 to 40 percent of the cosplayers (including Homestuck people) were non-anime/gaming characters. But whatever.

On the other hand, I was disappointed that there was but one lone Nanoha series cosplayer--one Fate Testarossa (TV first/second season version, in case you're wondering).

There was a also a Cure Black, and I observed that she was not with Cure White and I wondered how she transformed.

Posted by: St Khael 8th April 2013 19:39
I finally got around to finishing up the heaping mound of work I had left on my Terra Branford cosplay and took it out to a convention at one of the local universities.

http://www.cosplay.com/costume/452923/

My husband and I are slowing getting back onto the convention 'circuit' and have come to find that the larger events are losing their appeal. I am certain that part of this is due to the ever growing amount of Homestuck cosplayers. I don't mind the comic and its fans, but the overwhelming amounts of grotesque grey body paint and all around rudeness of the troll cosplayers (this is a character trait, most of the fans of the comic I have met are wonderful people when you can get them out of character) we're starting to steer clear of them and hope the fad blows over soon. At this point, I would gladly go back to the tidal wave of Naruto cosplayers of five years ago than get caught up in this mess again.

The World Cosplay Summit finals are coming up soon though so keep an eye out for some truly amazing work hitting the internet in the coming months. I believe the actual contest is being held in Tokyo so the competition to get there is going to be intense and the artistry magnificent.

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 17th April 2013 13:41
My dear, you make a fantastic Terra.

But what is homestuck and why are people dressing as such? Are you saying that annoying people is part of the act?

Posted by: St Khael 17th April 2013 14:37
Many thanks, Blinge! We're working on Schala and Magus from Chrono Trigger next.

Homestuck is a web comic that has taken the internet by storm. It's animated and drawn using the ms paint program and features music composed by the writer and many of the fans and is surprisingly well done. The story is amazing for the first few acts but then suddenly goes off into the proverbial left field and loses all sense of continuity or even good storyline. The most commonly cosplayed characters are members of a race of Trolls from another planet that harass the human main characters. And in being Trolls, they are...well...internet trolls in the modern understanding. They are rude, obnoxious and downright intolerable. I have to say, though, they do have some hilarious moments.

The fandom consists mostly of screaming, excited fangirls who will not stop running around trying to put their favorite pairings together or end up acting to deeply in character that they are painful to be around, especially when cosplaying the trolls. Trust me, they're worse than Naruto and Hetalia fangirls, and that's hard. Granted, I know several of the fans and they are all wonderful people, but when in character, I cannot stand to be around them.

The trolls are a rainbow horned, grey skinned race that live their lives in an insect type hive and are raised by alien monsters rather than parents, thus resulting in most of them ending up as sociopaths. The problem with the cosplay is that, though often well done, it is very grotesque to look at considering the gobs of grey paint the cosplayers cover themselves with.

I highly suggest the first three acts of the comic for reading as the writer's plot is incredible until he takes that previously mentioned trip out to left field.

It can be found at mspaintadventures.com and is updated several times a day. Get comfortable though as it is incredibly long.

Posted by: finalalias 7th May 2013 04:37
That Terra costume looks awesome!

I went to the St. Louis Comic Con last month. It was my first time going to any sort of comic/cosplay convention, and I had a great time.

Here are some of my favorite pics from the convention:
http://s1210.photobucket.com/user/FinalAlias/media/IMG_9134-Copy.jpg.html

http://s1210.photobucket.com/user/FinalAlias/media/IMG_9150.jpg.html

http://s1210.photobucket.com/user/FinalAlias/media/IMG_9183.jpg.html

Posted by: St Khael 7th May 2013 21:09
Fantastic pictures! Thank you for sharing them with us. You got my husband and I to 'nerd-out' over all of them especially over the one of you and your son. Kid Spiderman wins every time.

I'm glad you enjoyed the con. Did you go for just one day or all three? I favor one day trips myself, usually on the Saturday of the con. That's when all the kids come out for the events and the major cosplayers bring out their work. There's nothing better than seeing Sailor Moon and Batman standing side by side and swamped with kids. What did your little one think of it?

Also, I'm glad you liked the Terra cosplay, sometime in the interim between major cons, we want to revamp a bit and do a World of Ruin version with battered costumes, bruises and weapons for a change. Granted, between now and then we're working on Chrono Trigger.

Posted by: finalalias 8th May 2013 02:16
I was only able to go that Sunday, but my son loved it. happy.gif

Posted by: St Khael 15th May 2013 16:05
Here's a question for everyone:

If you were to head out to a local convention or even take the plunge and head into one of the nationally known cons ( Akon, Comic-Con, ACEN etc) which video game / any media characters would you like to see walking around? There are some fans out there that have managed to make amazing things out of craft foam and pvc pipe, so just about anything is possible.

Any thoughts?

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 15th May 2013 20:47
Neo Exdeath.

Posted by: MogMaster 15th May 2013 23:09
Quote (Blinge Odonata @ 15th May 2013 16:47)
Neo Exdeath.

He's at every convention already, given most of them have a tree somewhere near-by tongue.gif

Posted by: sweetdude 16th May 2013 02:07
Quote (finalalias @ 7th May 2013 05:37)
And here's me and my son with Lou Ferrigno:

Wish I had a Lou Ferrigno...

Posted by: Rangers51 16th May 2013 11:13
Quote (St Khael @ 15th May 2013 11:05)
Here's a question for everyone:

If you were to head out to a local convention or even take the plunge and head into one of the nationally known cons ( Akon, Comic-Con, ACEN etc) which video game / any media characters would you like to see walking around? There are some fans out there that have managed to make amazing things out of craft foam and pvc pipe, so just about anything is possible.

Any thoughts?

I guess maybe I'm just too mainstream, but there aren't really that many characters that I can think of that I haven't seen someone do in photos by now. I would say that I have never seen anything I can recall from Final Fantasy Tactics, and a Ramza/Alma pair would be pretty neat (if a little generic by cosplay standards).

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 16th May 2013 17:45
Quote (MogMaster @ 15th May 2013 23:09)
Quote (Blinge Odonata @ 15th May 2013 16:47)
Neo Exdeath.

He's at every convention already, given most of them have a tree somewhere near-by tongue.gif

NEO. exdeath.

mad.gif

Posted by: Blinge Odonata 27th May 2013 11:41
Quote (St Khael @ 17th April 2013 14:37)
The fandom consists mostly of screaming, excited fangirls who will not stop running around trying to put their favorite pairings together or end up acting to deeply in character that they are painful to be around, especially when cosplaying the trolls.

Double post to inform you that I encountered some of these trolls yesterday!

I went to the 'MCM' London Comic Con with a couple of buds, it was rather short notice so i'm afraid I didn't cosplay myself, I did see at least 3 Hazamas walking around though. If I do make an effort to dress up next time I might have to pick something more unique. I'm still astounded at how many cosplayers there were, at least half of the attendees were in character.

Saw a huge group of teens and young adults sat in a circle outside, playing party games and making noise, all of them in (mostly bad) costumes. My friend informed me that these were Homestuck cosplayers happy.gif there was some sort of chant going on?!

Saw an Altair (Assassin's Creed) girl blending with the crowd, I stole the apple of Eden off her, ran away and she assassinated me with her hidden blade.. good stuff.

Other highlights? A Lightning and Serah, Light was so convincing I er, couldn't stop gawping..

Edit: yeah, stupid to double post, i've messaged neal about getting this removed.

Posted by: St Khael 27th May 2013 17:19
I'm glad you had a good time! And yes...they do chant. >_>

We went to Anime Odyssey in San Antonio this weekend and it seems like it was a con weekend everywhere. Good news for the nerds at least. : 3 The assassin's creed cosplayers get better and better every year. A friend of mine went with us as a female Connor Kenway in the DLC costume. She did a great deal of research into the tribe and really went all out with her props. She took Best Craftsmanship in the contest and it was very well deserved. Stop by the contest at your next one, they really are a treat. That's when the real works of art come out.

We were surrounded by Homestuck as well, but not so badly this time that it was unbearable.

I do hope you get to cosplay at the next con you attend, it can make a con twice as enjoyable. Just beware the fans that want hugs. A friend of mine who made a functioning and full height Jack Skellington costume has a hairline fracture thanks to a fangirl. The hugs are great, the injuries are not.

I'm also glad you got to see some Final Fantasy cosplayers, we have a tendency to ' go all out' and put a lot of work into the costumes. As for being unique it has its perks and its drawbacks one perk is that you end up finding like minded people if they recognize you and a drawback is that most people don't know you.

We actually got very lucky this con as more people recognized us than they did when we were Locke and Terra.

Here we are as Magus and Schala. We took second place in the costume contest. :
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/9892_581068081915408_448150886_n.jpg

Thanks to these costumes we found out about a classic gaming convention an hour north of us in July. I'd been waiting for one of these for ages and my dream has finally come true. Old school fans as far as the eye can see! : D

Edit:

As a side, I'd like to share the first place winner of the contest. This is my friend's work. The piece is nine feet tall includes fully functioning arms, though the hands are still in progress, and the jaw moves in perfect time when she talks. She's up on stilts as well which I find amazing considering how cumbersome the costume is. She also handmade the Zero marionette including his little light up nose.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hpho...444206740_n.jpg

Posted by: St Khael 15th August 2013 17:30
I apologize for the double post, but, in light of the new 'Heroes of Cosplay' show that came up on the Syfy channel here in the US this week, I'd like to state that I have never met or seen cosplayers that behave in that manner. That show is a poor representation of us. More of a Jersey Shore kind of thing than an actual look into the subculture of cosplay.

On a lighter note: the fall cosplay season began last week with the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya Japan. Congratulations to Team Italy on their victory and a round of applause to the other contestants for their beautiful work! Hit the internet and take a look at some of the work, especially Team Spain who competed as Princess Garnet and Queen Brahne of Final Fantasy 9. Good grief that dress was huge...

Give them a look! : https://www.facebook.com/WcsSpain2013 appears on your facebook page the day before the convention begins.

Posted by: Rangers51 15th August 2013 20:01
I watched about half of the first episode of that show last night, actually, while I was making dinner. I don't really know any cosplayers on a personal level, but just like any "reality" show I could tell right away that it was more "manufactured drama reality." I mean, most of the people on the Jersey Shore don't feel represented by that show, either, I don't think. smile.gif

That said, it was still kind of interesting to see the fabrication process that people were going through, even though it was edited to be more dramatic than real. That's the part of cosplay that has always been most interesting to me, going from sketch to on-a-person.

Posted by: RavenLalonde 15th August 2013 20:41
Quote (St Khael @ 17th April 2013 14:37)
Homestuck is a web comic that has taken the internet by storm. It's animated and drawn using the ms paint program and features music composed by the writer and many of the fans and is surprisingly well done. The story is amazing for the first few acts but then suddenly goes off into the proverbial left field and loses all sense of continuity or even good storyline. The most commonly cosplayed characters are members of a race of Trolls from another planet that harass the human main characters. And in being Trolls, they are...well...internet trolls in the modern understanding. They are rude, obnoxious and downright intolerable. I have to say, though, they do have some hilarious moments.

The fandom consists mostly of screaming, excited fangirls who will not stop running around trying to put their favorite pairings together or end up acting to deeply in character that they are painful to be around, especially when cosplaying the trolls. Trust me, they're worse than Naruto and Hetalia fangirls, and that's hard. Granted, I know several of the fans and they are all wonderful people, but when in character, I cannot stand to be around them.

The trolls are a rainbow horned, grey skinned race that live their lives in an insect type hive and are raised by alien monsters rather than parents, thus resulting in most of them ending up as sociopaths. The problem with the cosplay is that, though often well done, it is very grotesque to look at considering the gobs of grey paint the cosplayers cover themselves with.

I highly suggest the first three acts of the comic for reading as the writer's plot is incredible until he takes that previously mentioned trip out to left field.

It can be found at mspaintadventures.com and is updated several times a day. Get comfortable though as it is incredibly long.

Close-- their horns are red, orange, and yellow; not rainbow. Also it has a good storyline in my opinion, it is just convoluted; partly because there are thirty-two main characters (some more main than others), but mostly because of time travel. A lot of Homestuck fans actually start at Act 4 and go back to the earlier acts later, although I consider this stooping somewhat for some reason.

Also, none of the music is written by Andrew Hussie, because he is no musician; most of it is written and recorded by some people whose job it is to make Hometuck music. One album, "Colors and Mayhem", is entirely fan-submitted songs, and that one is in my opinion the best.

Interestingly, even though Homestuck is an MS Paint Adventure, it is not animated with MS Paint. It is animated with some other, more expensive program, I do not remember what.

I suppose the fans could be annoying if you do not know what they are talking about, but if you are in on the fandom they often seem like geniuses. I do not consider myself a Homestuck fan, having not even finished Act 1, but I do know a lot of things about the webcom because I looked up some stuff, mostly about the trolls, as I find them a fascinating species; also my brother used to go on about it a lot. Although he once said that half of what he told me about Homestuck is a complete and total lie, so...

Anyway I'm done

Posted by: St Khael 20th August 2013 05:42
...You have entirely missed the point of the thread. Thank you for the clarification and the additional information, however.

At any rate, this weekend was San Japan held each summer in San Antonio, Texas in the U.S. The convention was fun but there is something very special that I want to share with you all.

user posted image

These are a pair of cosplayers now become good friends we met during the cosplay contest. Their costume work was amazing and the character performance of Terra on stage was incredible. She had fashioned a fireball out of tulle and netting and attached it to a string. With this spinning about her she literally danced across the stage, almost like a ballet.

The Celes in the image has been portraying the character for more than three years and to our shock had memorized the entire opera word for word. To make things better, she is trained to sing in opera format and has a gorgeous contralto voice. She sang the opera for us on a balcony outside the convention hall. Needless to say we were stunned, it brought tears to the eye. I wish I could have filmed the song for you but you can find Terra's dance on youtube if you are willing to search for it through the hour long contest found here. Her dance begins at 42:53 on the film. It's definitely worth the watching.

As a side note: My husband and I can be found at 46:37 on the same film. You can barely hear what we're saying, but it's a giggle at best.

Here's hoping we hear about more of you here on the forums finding your way to events!

Posted by: RavenLalonde 22nd August 2013 02:43
Quote (St Khael @ 20th August 2013 05:42)
...You have entirely missed the point of the thread.

You are right. Sorry.

Posted by: No-Name 31st August 2013 22:33
Wow, haven't been around here in ages.

I haven't cosplayed as anyone, but I do appreciate those who do. My friends dressed as Joel, Tom and Crow of mstk3 last year at SakuraCon in seattle. They did a great job, and it was fun watching fans constantly ask for photos.

If l were to dress up, I'd probably go with something simple like Otacon from mgs or Shigure from fruits basket.

Posted by: finalalias 1st September 2013 15:37
Quote (St Khael @ 20th August 2013 00:42)
Her dance begins at 42:53 on the film. It's definitely worth the watching.

As a side note: My husband and I can be found at 46:37 on the same film. You can barely hear what we're saying, but it's a giggle at best.

It's cool to see Magus' full costume in the vid. I don't think the pics do it justice.

Yeah, those are some really elaborate Terra and Celes costumes. Thanks for sharing!

And as for your question about characters we'd like to see, I think it'd be cool to pair with a Terra character and go as Terra's esper form. And for a male, I think Umaro would be really cool to see (maybe use platform shoes and/or hulk gloves to help with the size). Actually as far as colors and texture, the Terra's esper form and Umaro almost kind of match...

Posted by: St Khael 1st September 2013 19:28
Glad to see we have other con-goers and cosplayers on the site! It doesn't have to be anime, video games or a movie to be cosplay; so the mts3k thing makes me so freaking happy. I'd love to see you do a Shigure No-Name, the suit would look great but I'd think you'd be more comfortable in the yukata, especially in seattle.

FinalAlias, I'm glad you like the magus costume, but it's still not quite done yet. I have a scythe to make and a proper widow's peak wig to make for him. I wish we could have gotten a better image of his breast plate however because the fiberglass was thick enough to take one heck of a punch like it was nothing. We're wanting to keep these costumes as a steady working pair especially after the 15 hours it took to hand stitch the bridal lace to Schala's sleeves and train / skirt. Eight pounds of satin plus 3 pounds of jacquard in 100 degree weather makes her a boss, by the way. I have more photos of the available on our cosplay page if you'd like to see more.

The lady who played Terra is actually doing MORE work on the cosplay and going for as elaborate as she can. Her next work IS actually going to be an esper form of Terra but she doesn't quite know how she wants to do it yet. She works with the name Heartstrings Cosplay and can be found on Facebook,

The Celes in the picture actually entered the contest as Lenneth from Valkyrie profile and the costume left us half-faint from the beauty of it. Granted she left us like this again when she sang the aria from the opera perfectly a day later. The dress, the soprano, the fact that she sang it in full opera tone; yeah, we were swooning, the menfolk too.)

Our next plans are to be getting as close to a full FF6 group as we can together by the convention next year and take the stage as a group. I got dibs on Setzer again! Our next big project, however is going to be Kain Highwind and Cecil Harvey from Final Fantasy IV. Heaven help us from the amount of armor we are going to have to craft.

I know a gentleman who would greatly enjoy to cosplay Umaro..after he plays a 6'5" tall mog with a mobster attitude and a gun... >_> The building of the cosplay would be easy enough and this might be happening now... I might have to do this. ._.; I desperately want to do this now! Platform sneakers or even stilts could easily handle the height issue and attaching fur to welding gloves would give the hand size desired as well as a bit of dexterity left over. A small pessler cooler inside the suit would also help with the heat issue. I have to plot this costume now... >_> This is going to be great drafting practice. Thank you for the idea!

Posted by: MogMaster 2nd September 2013 11:11
I want to see a cosplay of this. Preferably in that exact pose biggrin.gif ! Judging by the comments on that picture, it looks like GMH does too, haha.

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 2nd September 2013 18:59
You mean cosplay as FFVI characters cosplaying as a FFVII character?

Posted by: St Khael 2nd September 2013 20:47
Best response ever, Glenn. Made my day.

I agree though, I'd love to see someone do that.

Posted by: RavenLalonde 10th September 2013 18:18
Here are some cool cosplays from FF1.
user posted image

Sarisa and Lenna talking to Lightning.
user posted image

A very well done Terra Branford.
user posted image

And a very convincing Cloud.
user posted image

Posted by: St Khael 10th September 2013 21:35
Oh my goodness! I can't pick which one I like best. That white mage is high up on the list. though. Thank you for sharing these.

Raven, since you're a homestuck fan, have you ever thought about cosplaying from it? I'd like to see what you'd do with it.

Also, I found out something that kind of surprised me recently that I should have tried before. A friend dragged me out to walmart in my Setzer cosplay and it surprisingly brightened my day to watch people stare. That and I got to do my special captain's walk. >: 3 Cosplay isn't just for cons, with halloween coming up, now if the perfect time to throw something from your favorite game together, especially if you have some little ones you'll be taking out for some treats.

Posted by: RavenLalonde 11th September 2013 00:57
I have thought about it, and I think I will probably cosplay as Rose Lalonde one of these times. But I think I will do Terra and maybe Cloud first. I am more of a gamer than a Homestuck fan. I will keep it in mind though.

Also:
user posted image

Posted by: St Khael 11th September 2013 01:33
Ooh! Do it! Do it! I'd love to see it!

The pink bloom on that picture just add to the adorable. x3 I know she's not meant to be adorable, but still...it's adorable, and a great representation.

Posted by: Rangers51 11th September 2013 13:27
Quote (St Khael @ 10th September 2013 17:35)
Cosplay isn't just for cons, with halloween coming up, now if the perfect time to throw something from your favorite game together, especially if you have some little ones you'll be taking out for some treats.

I just use the little one for cosplay. I can't sew, but my mom helps out. smile.gif

I think I posted this elsewhere already, but this was her costume last year, when she was 1.

user posted image

Posted by: RavenLalonde 11th September 2013 13:55
Quote (St Khael @ 10th September 2013 20:33)
Ooh! Do it! Do it! I'd love to see it!

I will endeavor to do it quite soon. I will post here when the time comes.

Posted by: St Khael 25th September 2013 03:45
The portal baby is far too adorable. I can't wait to see what you put her in this year.

A group of cosplayers where we live went out for a day on the town on Saturday just to take a ridiculous amount of pictures seeing as so few of us can find pictures of our favorite costumes after conventions we attend. Needless to say, it was glorious chaos. The police were called, crowds took pictures and things were climbed upon. This however was just a silly idea a friend and I had and I have to share it with you all because it comes with an unexpected group of 'feels'.


user posted image

Hmm....Chrono Trigger in the next Kingdom Hearts? Well, I'm for it if Peter Pan is willing to fly Sora off to Zeal! Sadly, we all know that this will never happen. Weep for the forgotten Chrono Trigger. Weep!

Posted by: RavenLalonde 29th September 2013 00:23
That is hilarious. This is something I should arrange with my friends.

Here is another convincing Terra:
user posted image

And a well done Celes:
user posted image

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 29th September 2013 03:11
^^ Suddenly I want to see Link and Peter Pan interacting.

Posted by: St Khael 29th September 2013 08:46
I have cosplayers the can provide you with that giggle nearby, Glenn. >_> You are a genius. -Wicked grin- And now to make some phone calls...

A friend of mine just completed her version of Terra Branford's esper form. This image was taken from her body paint photo shoot.

user posted image

And this is her human version of the character.

user posted image

You can find more of her work at Esperkin Cosplay

Posted by: MogMaster 30th September 2013 10:30
Quote (Glenn Magus Harvey @ 28th September 2013 23:11)
^^ Suddenly I want to see Link and Peter Pan interacting.

Seems like it would be awkward. They should have called each other to find out what the other was wearing. Link has other tunics! tongue.gif

Posted by: St Khael 8th October 2013 21:04
-Facepalm.- He might try to make Link a Lost Boy if the Zora suit from Twilight Princess was involved. Which raises an interesting idea; Kokiri and the lost boys, that would make for an interesting blending of culture. Once again, I have to make cosplay phone calls. I can make this happen.

Finalalias: I also have have a chance to grant one of the cosplays you wanted to see. A good friend of mine (the Terra / esper form from earlier posts went to a con this weekend and here you go Terra alongside her esper form:
user posted image

The picture didn't capture the esper's feathered legs and claws but it did beautifully on stage. As an added awesome, this was the Terra's very first cosplay ever. She's amazing!

Posted by: RavenLalonde 8th October 2013 22:14
Wow. I am impressed. I never thought anyone could pull off a realistic Terra in Esper form, but evidently I was wrong.

And here is FF8 miscellaneous!
user posted image

Posted by: St Khael 12th October 2013 21:16
That one left me drooling, Raven. The photography on this alone is phenomenal! The set up and the costumes are gorgeous and the posing is amazing. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by: finalalias 13th October 2013 01:08
Quote (St Khael @ 8th October 2013 16:04)
Finalalias: I also have have a chance to grant one of the cosplays you wanted to see. A good friend of mine (the Terra / esper form from earlier posts went to a con this weekend and here you go Terra alongside her esper form:

Very cool! thumbup.gif

Thanks!

It really turned out well. I like the forearms and leggings, and the various ornaments are a nice touch. Both of the costumes have some neat details.

The glow in the dark pic is pretty awesome as well. Very pretty!

Edit
By the way, I just came across the following:
http://cosplaycontest.wikia.com/wikiacosplaycontestonline/
It's the last day to enter, and I don't see many participants. I think you or your friend might win something if you enter in time.

Posted by: Rangers51 27th October 2013 02:00
Quote (St Khael @ 24th September 2013 23:45)
The portal baby is far too adorable.  I can't wait to see what you put her in this year.

Well, here you go then. We got her costume ready a bit early this year so she could go to her school Halloween party. (Click for embiggening.)

https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1004645_10151761325592404_1392896405_n.jpg

user posted image

Posted by: St Khael 27th October 2013 14:26
Yep, yeah, I'm pretty sure I just died from excitement and the fan squeal. She's adorable! The perfect little white mage. : 3 The robe is beautiful. Is the red painted on or applique? It looks flawless on the material. Did she have fun in it and did anyone recognize her?

I don't get to wear my Halloween costume until November 2nd for a non-profit convention to keep local youths out of games by teaching them to box and putting them through competitions. You'd think this wouldn't work in a city full of so much gang and cartel work, but it actually does! My husband and I were asked to guest as our cosplay group and serve as Judges for the contest and we opted to go as Locke Cole and Setzer Gabbiani. Now if I can just get the new Setzer coat together in time to at least be recognizable, I'll be good to go. Now if I can just get my fingers to stop trying to bleed on the fabric from the embroidering. >_>

As usual with us at this time of year, our big Halloween kick is the pumpkin carving and this year is going to be a good one, I'll post a picture once it's done. >: 3

Posted by: RavenLalonde 28th October 2013 01:15
Quote (St Khael @ 27th October 2013 09:26)
Now if I can just get my fingers to stop trying to bleed on the fabric from the embroidering. >_>

It helps to use a thimble, especially when embroidering heavier material.

Posted by: St Khael 28th October 2013 04:31
This injury is actually due to threading and aiming the needle, I have trouble seeing the needle eye and keep slipping my thumb over the top of said needle and actually cutting into the skin, I push the needle through the fabric with my nails so I'm having no trouble there. I am picking one up though so I can speed up the process and start doing this the way I'm supposed to. x3

Posted by: RavenLalonde 28th October 2013 20:22
Ah, I see. Yes, it requires practice. I hope you get the hang of it before you kill your fingers!

Posted by: Rangers51 29th October 2013 01:33
Quote (St Khael @ 27th October 2013 10:26)
The robe is beautiful. Is the red painted on or applique? It looks flawless on the material. Did she have fun in it and did anyone recognize her?

The red triangles are felt applied with simple fabric glue. We weren't looking for anything permanent, as she'll only be able to wear it twice. She didn't like it at first, but after she had it on for a couple minutes she fell in love with it. I think one guy at her school recognized it but wasn't confident enough in what he thought to actually ask me if he was right; however, at my office, a number of people picked it out right away from the photos I posted to Facebook. (Makes sense, there are a lot of gamers at my office.)

Quote
As usual with us at this time of year, our big Halloween kick is the pumpkin carving and this year is going to be a good one, I'll post a picture once it's done. >: 3


I was going to carve two myself this year, one for me and one for my daughter, but it's now Monday night and I don't really see it happening. Guess pumpkins are a better topic for whatever old Halloween thread we have kicking around in General Topics, anyway. smile.gif

Posted by: St Khael 11th November 2013 01:49
October is gone and the holiday cosplay season has begun! Oddly enough, yes there are holiday cons...and holiday themed cosplays...because apparently everyone loves Terra Branford or Tifa Lockheart in Santa Claus lingerie...

Anyway! My husband and I were asked to guest at a small non-profit con on November 2nd and opted to appear as Setzer Gabbiani and Locke Cole. The con was,...interesting. I'm glad I chose to go as Setzer because when I got there, the person running the con was in the hospital, people were drifting away and nothing was going on. The result? I spent the next several hours in character; something I never do. Seeing as Setzer doesn't get much time on screen to really set up a personality, I somehow made him loud, boisterous and commanding. He also has a tendency to refer to himself in the third person as 'The Captain'... It's really something you have to see and hear to understand...and be annoyed by.

Anyway, the con managed to come together and go well enough. We threw together a live pokemon battle larp using the abundant homestuck cosplayers as the pokemon. It was exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, but fun, especially with Setzer running the game like it was some sort of cock fight while Locke ran damage control in the wake of things.

Our cosplay contest winner for the day was a wonderful Rose Lalonde. Her costume was pieced together using old pajamas picked up at thrift shops over the summer. Her wings and medallion were her prizes, not part of her costume.

user posted image

She put on a great performance as well; very elegant.

And here at last is Locke Cole; convention tested and well recognized.
user posted image

I don't have any pictures of Setzer yet as only two were taken. He's in pieces again, however for embroidery additions so there won't be any photoshoots of him soon. But you can check out the rest of the Locke Cole shoot at our https://www.facebook.com/swordandscorcerycosplay?ref=hl pages.

We're hoping to get some daytime shots of Locke soon. Hope you like him!

Posted by: St Khael 19th November 2013 02:51
I'm not sure what the policy about double posting is, I'm afraid and I apologize if it's causing trouble.

At any rate I figured I'd share the fun. Setzer and Locke finally made it outside and into the light. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.221696628007789.1073741838.181250672052385&type=1

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 19th November 2013 10:58
Pretty sure you're fine if you have something new to show us.

...and boy, do you. That's some impressive cosplay.

Posted by: St Khael 19th November 2013 15:08
Thank you! I still have embroidery to add during the next year but we did take some rather funny shots that will be coming soon, hopefully. : )

Posted by: St Khael 27th February 2014 18:59
With Katsucon 2014 the convention season has begun! Gaming is going to be big in cosplay this year with the major game releases and announcements that have already been made. Get ready for a year of armor, props and a lot (and I mean a LOT) of our favorite games making an appearance at events around the world. As always League of Legends has a big cosplay turnout but Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda and the Persona series are going to be giving it a major 'run for its money.'

Some great compilations have already been put together just from this convention and there are countless more to come. As always I encourage everyone to take a day and attend just to see the walking art from games we all play running rampant in the streets.

Here's just something to give you an idea of what's coming. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlacyYNHEr8

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 23rd February 2015 05:50
The idea came randomly. My first thought was "what the $&%^! am I thinking?" The next thought was "I can do this." The train of thought then drifted towards why I could rather than why I couldn't.

This year or next, I will be attending a con in costume as a character of the opposite sex. This will be fun. Or it could be a disaster. Maybe both. Other than the time I went to a Ren fair as a ghetto FFT Thief, I've never done something like this before. Will be sending out a few PMs to the more experienced members asking about what I'm getting into and similar questions.

Photos? Maybe. At the moment, I'm clinging to plausible deniability though that can swiftly change...

Posted by: Rangers51 23rd February 2015 17:34
Since I saw this topic bumped and it's been on my mind a lot lately, I'll be aiming to take some photos of Squenix cosplay during my day at PAX in a couple weeks. If any of you have friends or friends of friends going who I might be able to find on Saturday, let me know!

Posted by: St Khael 1st March 2015 15:51
I'd have loved to see a thief at Faire! :3 As for PAX I don't know of anyone who will be going. All of my friends went to PAX South in January and your can find their pictures all over the net. My next con will be A-Kon in June in Dallas so I've got a ways to go before I'm out on the con floor again. We're building Schala and Magus again (because we're cheap and already have the materials we need) but I've already heard that there will be a big Final Fantasy turn out at it.
I cant wait to see what pictures you take!

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 3rd April 2015 07:45
Progress. I have most of the outfit now with three items left to acquire, one I already have a source for. Oh yes, ordered the wig which is estimated to arrive later this month. I have nearly all the materials for accessorizing the way I plan to. Refreshingly, the people in real life I've shared this wacky project with have been supportive or at worst neutral and some have been quite helpful in directing me to find what I seek.

Also decided to not compare myself to others I see on DeviantArt cosplaying as the same character. This is my first time; those folks are more experienced, talented, and have the natural advantage of being the same sex as the character I'm choosing.

Question for the community: When do you feel OK with divulging your real name while in costume? Would like to hear other viewpoints.

Update 4/10: Wig arrived. Like what I see in the mirror.

Update 4/19: I have a complete outfit so all that's left is finishing touches and props.

Posted by: St Khael 19th April 2015 15:53
I'd like to see some pictures if you don't mind sending them to my inbox. : 3
I'm glad you're finding support for your project among family and friends. Cosplay is great for stress relief due to the amount of work you do with your own two hands. I've been taking Schala's heavy sleeves with me to work and attaching the bridal lace to the satin by hand on my lunch breaks. It helps a lot with retail stress.

I'm NEVER comfortable using my real name at conventions and none of my friends are either. There are a lot of creepers out there who will stalk you on the streets and through social media that you can run into at cons. Only my very close con friends know my real name. Most of them know us as 'Sword and Sorcery' or 'Saint' and 'Paladin'. I've even earned the cosplay name 'The Captain' from my time as Setzer Gabbiani. It's great being in a floofy dress and having someone shout "The Captain's in a dress again!" Love it. :3

As a beginner, I would suggest keeping away from art and cosplay sites to keep yourself from getting discouraged. It still takes a lot for me to look at other costumes and go "I like that, maybe I could try a variation of it?" rather than giving up on the project entirely and crying myself to sleep whilst feeling horribly inadequate. I will tell you this, though. hos great cosplayers are all just as insecure as we are but usually love to hand out advice and tips and tricks. Don't be afraid to ask your favorite cosplayer how they did something? Most of them want to see the newbies succeed and will be more than happy to help you get into the spot light.

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 29th April 2015 00:12
Setzer... floofy dress...
Setzer in a floofy dress...
I'd like to see this. Pairing it with Celes in Setzer's outfit for more entertainment and a plausible theme.

Was going to chime in with how hand crafting makes use of math. I ran into a situation because I forgot how to compute the circumference of a circle and didn't pick up enough material for what I planned. Oops. Since I waited so long to post, have since completed the outfit to my liking too so it's ready to show now.

Had an interesting experience thanks to this project and I haven't even attended a con yet. Was listening in on a conversation where someone appeared to want to volunteer to be an adult chaperone for a teen retreat. The person appeared to have fear and uncertainty about being able to do a good job and had concerns about letting people down. I offered some encouragement that this person already had everything she needed within and the organizers provide sufficient support so go for it.

What does this have to do with cosplay? Nothing directly, though it does relate to the person I became. Probably would not have thought to offer encouragement had I not developed a high capacity for uncertainty, which matters since this will be my first cosplay. Yay validation and a positive result so early.

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 13th June 2015 04:09
Pictures. None of them are taken by me and some can be found elsewhere online. I copied them over to my Mediafire storage for the purpose of anonymity. Stories later if I remember to share some; it was quite a weird and wonderful experience among other things.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/c0bd68q1cx4q0e7/witch_by_the_woods.JPG Picture taken by the one person I knew in real life who was into cosplay when I started the project. I was happy that we were able to connect.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/2vp45fjlt3v44g3/cosplay_from_behind_reference.jpg

I'm not in this one; just found it hilarious.

Missed the Final Fantasy photoshoot so the only cosplay I saw from the games covered at this site was a single Terra.

I felt warm and fuzzy when someone addressed me by character name. Also, someone asked for a photo within 15 minutes of arriving at the convention so (on top of other reasons) I consider the project a success.

Posted by: No-Name 20th December 2015 20:33
Haven't been into anime or videogames for a while until just this year. I got back into SNK, Haikyuu, Tokyo ghoul and a whole variety of manga. So I decided to finally dress up for a convention in march.

I'll be attending Sakura-Con 2016 in Seattle and I'll be cosplaying as Kuroo from Haikyuu and possibly Shizuo from Durarara. It'll be my first time in a costume, and l'm really excited!

Posted by: St Khael 4th February 2016 17:52
Oooh, I've always wanted to go to Sakura-Con. Look out for one of my favorite Terra cosplayers: Seifer-Sama. She's a cosplay champ who pulls of Terra like a dream. Take pictures of your costume, please! I love seeing new work!

I'm rebuilding my flower-garden Terra for A-kon 27 here in June and I'll be taking her to the Final Fantasy photoshoot along with Locke. I can't decide if I want to take denim Locke or Locke-in-Black this time around, though. Last year I took my first ever Aeris cosplay. She's always a favorite cosplay of mine to see. I'm not a big fan of the character but I love her cosplayers, they're always so beautiful!

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11391343_652615138205994_2985314565062312440_n.jpg?oh=2be4438e606deb854bd4ec681207402e&oe=576D2E47

Also, please enjoy TifaIA's beautiful shots from Black Butler at the beginning of the album. Her work is fantastic!

And of course my favorite:

The gentleman shot!

Keep cosplaying and keep me updated on your cons in general everyone! I love to hear about the fun you're all having. : D

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 15th March 2016 03:00
Stepping into the uncharted world of cosplay makeup, I've been checking out tutorials online and my initial impression is that cosmetics would cost more than my costume does. I'm referring to my first cosplay which I didn't have just lying around the house here. Still in the research and scouting phase before I make a decision on how much cosplay makeup my sanity and budget can stand.

Inspiration struck again and I've picked a Final Fantasy cosplay to assemble which is easier since I have most of what I need in my closet. All I'm missing is a suitable jacket to modify slightly and a wig. Finding reference images has proven somewhat troublesome. FF wiki is a deathtrap for my browser so that's out. Would prefer to not use Google image search though may end up giving in if I strike out otherwise.

Posted by: No-Name 15th March 2016 21:33
Make-up is definitely a must for any cosplay that shows your face. It's not hard. You just need foundation that matches your tone and some powder.

This blog here has helped me out quite a bit and I recommend it for any make-up novice.

When I get around to doing a costume test, I'll post some photos.

Posted by: No-Name 21st March 2016 21:59
Update! I did a costume test last night. Messed with my wig and make-up.

https://40.media.tumblr.com/d923ab08db48836b359d0ff23e1bd71a/tumblr_o4essv9lKA1vnw3aro3_540.jpg

Posted by: St Khael 31st March 2016 16:51
You look AMAZING! Fantastic job! You're posture is great and I love your little hint of a smirk. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your work. Please share what you've done, everyone!

Posted by: No-Name 19th April 2016 18:33
I have a ton of photos from the convention, but I haven't gotten all of them yet. Photographers are busy and need time haha. However I do have a few good ones that I can share.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/1f09ef633eb25ad52274c9c803112cd0/tumblr_o50mnc0PxS1smiawzo1_1280.jpg and here.

Photos courtesy of JP Lumansoc and Dollar Menu Crew respectively.

PM me if you would like to see more.

Posted by: No-Name 13th May 2016 14:17
Update! Okay so this is kinda last minute, but I decided to go to Bellingham Anime Convention. It's a lowkey one day con and I'll showcase my Shizuo cosplay again, but this time I have a photoshoot so expect photos in the near future!

Posted by: St Khael 14th May 2016 15:48
One day cons can be a blast. Looking forward to pictures!

Posted by: St Khael 8th September 2016 15:38
With the passing of PAX Prime, San Japan and Dragon Con this past holiday weekend the internet is full of new final fantasy cosplay especially from 14. I'd like to share however a photo a friend took of her 6 cosplay group that hit San Japan like a storm. They had an almost complete group and looked fantastic!

https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s480x480/14237560_570999273088379_4799721711464842761_n.jpg?oh=985f6989f977ee4e9c6a209898a58d6d&oe=588249D8

Lady Amalthea 2

Posted by: Rangers51 8th September 2016 16:22
I don't have much to add, I haven't been around cosplay much in the last year. I think I did PM you about some stuff related to cosplay, though, so check that out! smile.gif

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 12th September 2016 06:17
I've been sitting on the photos I took from the FF gathering at con this year for a while now. Mostly don't like them it seems. http://www.mediafire.com/view/7g7ipgl3srdw3cr/Cloud_and_Sephy_duel.JPG of my slightly updated cosplay. Shows off the wig more than others I've posted in the topic.

Posted by: No-Name 2nd November 2016 22:35
WOO! Just got back from Kumoricon the other day and had a blast!

My cosplay~!

Day one l was Tenga from Kiznaiver with a few friends
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14908165_231081143977832_1460392210822448405_n.jpg?oh=6b5e90bfd0f2f16540b9254826faf216&oe=5895A3F0

Day III I was Kuroo from Haikyuu~!
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14900412_229664047452875_8411662751964046948_n.jpg?oh=6bc327ab0785d61fbce87b1a273b113e&oe=5889DE28 awesome cosplay of Delita that I must include because it was so amazing~!

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 2nd January 2017 23:29
Losing a major part of a cosplay is not a fun experience. My hat! (sob) There's a lot of sentimental value for me there (along with the Santa hat I lost at the same time).
Wore cosplay to a holiday party due to a silly idea. Likely blew off my head without me noticing. Tried retracing my steps on the chance I could retrieve it but no dice.

Several days later, I did find the product tag in my stash which simplified obtaining a replacement but still...

I may soon be initiated into the "wig turned into a frizzy rats' nest" society. Suppose it's practically a rite of passage for cosplayers. Though inspecting it before posting, it looks better than I remember from my attempted detangling session. I'm still somewhat scared to give it a bath out of fear of wrecking the prestyling unless it gets really thrashed though.

Posted by: St Khael 10th April 2017 02:10
Finally! Finally! Terra and Locke are done and a large portion of the photoshoot is in! Whee! We headed out to the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio Texas with cosplayer Alexis De Quinara as our Celes for a few hours of shoot in the heat and humidity of south Texas. Oh Lord, it had been a long time since I'd been back to S.A. and Terra withered slightly in the heat. xD Oh well! We had a great shoot except that my feet gave out in my boots and I was wandering the gardens in Pokeball socks and a flouncy cosplay for the better portion of the day. Here's a link to the shoot that we have so far, stay tuned for more on the way (much more)!

https://www.facebook.com/pg/swordandsorcerycosplay/photos/?tab=album&album_id=737151579795622 and this laugh and a half.

I hope you enjoy the album and look forward to bringing you more pictures as the month progresses. Hope this hits your FFVI fix!

Send me more pictures as the summer con season kicks off. I can't wait to see what you've built!

Posted by: Spooniest 11th April 2017 15:23
user posted image

Um....imagine a fat faced Irvine Kinneas without hair smile.gif

edit: Oh yeah it's not legal for me to acquire a firearm... :/ For reasons

Posted by: Harlequin 19th April 2017 00:43
I threw together a Gogo costume for a local convention last weekend. It was sad that only one person recognized me, but I guess next time I should put more than 5 hours of effort into it tongue.gif

It can be seen here.

Posted by: No-Name 19th April 2017 04:55
I've got a few sample photos from my cosplay of Ignis Scientia (FFXV) cosplay from sakura con 2017.
https://68.media.tumblr.com/d4a1ed92bfa6b3bdb4d3e2768f92403d/tumblr_oomk2lyEbg1vnw3aro2_1280.jpg

and this one too

More to come!

Posted by: St Khael 20th April 2017 15:11
*Squeals like a kitten* Oh my goodness, you all look so good! That Gogo is killing me! I love it!

Spooniest, you rock that Irvine, own it!

And No-Name, I still haven't played FFXV but you look AMAZING! I love your shirt!

You all make me so happy! Keep them coming, guys!

Here's a https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17880579_10212918011813280_764773422612767035_o.jpg?oh=44cc5084a5463dc944f6c37b3719cf72&oe=597D20EF to brighten your day.

Posted by: Spooniest 20th April 2017 20:20
Quote (St Khael @ 20th April 2017 10:11)
Spooniest, you rock that Irvine, own it!

Might I retort (Heh) that your Locke and Terra Cosplays are dead on the money gracious how do people make such accurate costumes they must have jobs biggrin.gif

Thank you for your kind words, I need a wig and a nerf gun biggrin.gif

I do an Ok Locke Cole myself, I even cut off the sleeves of my jean jacket to do it smile.gif But I have no hair, because after 18 years in TN I decided I didn't want to sweat my brains out this summer smile.gif

Posted by: Spooniest 24th April 2017 22:22
user posted image

Stefania Pellizzari as Terra Branford

Searched for 45 minutes for someone with a 1000-yard stare like Terra has. Most just seem happy they fit into the leotard lol (I would be too)

...Terra is a very unhappy character. She is turmoiled, she is troubled. The weight of everything is dropped on her by Edgar near the beginning of the game: "You are the only natural magic user in the world. You will decide a great war."

:/ That's some heavy shit to lay on an amnesiac who isn't even sure she's talking to the good guys yet.

Posted by: Kame 26th April 2017 04:01
I've thought about cosplaying as Lucca from The After Years. Physically she's the closest I come to looking like with my (fat) body type. Now I just need to track down a pink track suit and sun visor.

Posted by: Spooniest 27th April 2017 00:04
Quote (Kame @ 25th April 2017 23:01)
I've thought about cosplaying as Lucca from The After Years. Physically she's the closest I come to looking like with my (fat) body type. Now I just need to track down a pink track suit and sun visor.

You could do Doreen, Masa and Mune's sister, who lives in Enhasa studying dreams and constantly teleporting from room to room saying nonsense. smile.gif You would need some pretty rad Akira Toriyama prosthetic ears and some kind of facemask nosepiece smile.gif

It's a character from Chrono Trigger.

"Am I a man dreaming I'm a butterfly? Or a bowling ball dreaming I'm a plate of sashimi? Never assume that what you see and experience are real!"

<POOF>

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 9th October 2017 05:30
I've been sitting for months on this picture I took at a con. Finally getting around to putting it up.
Serenity and Endymion at the ball

Also have gone from zero to two different upcoming cosplay ideas in five months. One of them is even a character from a game covered at this site. Going to keep an eye out for scrap cardboard I can turn into an axe head. No idea on when either will be complete; money factors are rising up and it's a busy time of year to be trying to find parts for a staff at the craft store.

I have searched AmaCON for various cosplay supplies. It's been rather hit or miss for me though experiences will vary.

Posted by: fatman 27th October 2017 18:48
I cosplayed as King from Tekken 2 (pictured left) at the latest Eurogamer. Good fun but very limited vision and it really starts to heat up after a while! Unfortunately I didn't get to do any of his moves on this occasion, maybe next time!

Sorry it's not a Final Fantasy one, always fancied doing that, maybe one day.


user posted image

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 29th July 2018 23:00
Had my first experience with commissioning a cosplay. Story stretches out over quite a long period of time. Idea came around around a year ago upon discovering a character I really liked design-wise, both visual and personality. After a few visits to thrift stores, seemed beyond my ability to thrift or make given my lack of sewing experience. Would have let it stay in the idea pile except some site I randomly found had the character listed. US based, have my legal service plan in case they try anything shady, took my chances and ordered with a few custom specifications. At this point, I wasn't really thinking about commissioning yet.

Two months after placing my order, I get a full refund with no explanation. This is much better than some of the horror stories I've read about where people run off with money without delivering a thing. I still have no costume. Now that the idea has been planted, it's not going away and I am willing to pay someone to make. So I ask around with people who have indicated they know someone who makes costumes or is otherwise skilled enough with sewing. The con I want to wear the cosplay to is in May and this is still November so there's still time to find someone. About the 3rd or 4th person I ask does know someone with the experience I'm looking for. It's ultimately someone I already know who takes the job.

One benefit of having an existing friend to make the outfit is an easy working relationship that allows ideas to flow back and forth during the creative process. Another one is that I get a friend discount so I pay less for labor than I would finding a commissioner at market pricing. Being able to go with someone to the fabric store to pick out materials is a plus. My friend already had a lot of other responsibilities I was aware of beforehand so I expected delays. Cut it close for sure with last-minute touch up work being done after convention had started. Another perk of working with someone local as the way events played out would not be able to happen with a remote commissioner. My nerves were not helped by my friend getting trapped in traffic for an hour on con Saturday on the way to my place to do finishing touches.

Between materials and labor costs... Well, without specifying exact amounts, I spent enough that it would have covered the cost of a new game console and several higher priced games. It's rather ironic how I could have bought the game and system the character is from but I decided cosplaying the character is worth more to me than playing the source game. smile.gif And while the costume was in a completed enough state, it's not truly done and I have plans to add some details that we didn't get around to with the whole con crunch.

I got a few really enthusiastic responses at con and do have a picture I got from someone there. I suppose I'll put a picture up sometime. I do want to get some more taken at different angles. Didn't think to get any taken by my own camera what with the last-minute finishes and other drama that occurred that day.

Posted by: No-Name 20th February 2019 00:25
My crew and I got together at Akicon 2018. FFXV took a few, but this one is my fave.
We cool~

Posted by: St Khael 28th February 2019 19:07
Heck yeah, you guys are cool! I've got to say, though...Ignis in the wrecking ball pose is freaking epic. XD

Hey all you beautiful costumers, if you're comfortable with it, link me to your cosplay page / insta (feel free to message if you're not comfortable posting). I'd love to see your adventures!

Now that my husband has achieved greatness in the form of the college degree he's fought for these last ten years, we're going to start cosplaying again ourselves. The universe is smiling on us in that we're getting a Final Fantasy VI group together for a con over Labor Day (US) weekend here in the South.

Does anyone have any convention excursions planned for the coming year? Please share!

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 21st March 2019 09:01
I might be at Sunrise Comic-con and Anime Iwai this year.

These are both in southeast Florida, so my guess is that you probably aren't anywhere near here, not to mention the first of them is pretty small.

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 19th June 2019 04:38
The one convention a year I attend has come and gone. Open to maybe one or two more but the chances of them being something that interests me enough, is geographically accessible to someone with no car, and is something I want to cosplay for seems unlikely.

This year I cosplayed a character from an Atelier game. It's such a niche series in these parts (in contrast to Japan where it's huge) so not much recognition. Though not everyone who recognizes a character will speak up so who knows. I don't try to chat with every cosplayer whose character I recognize either. Anyways, useful when wanting to move through a convention without being stopped often.

With some help, made my first cosplay prop. Guess I've hit another milestone. Even it is was a bit of a rush job and isn't that accurate.

While brushing out wigs afterwards, found this homemade concoction of lotion and water worked quite well for loosening up knots. The type of wig knots that I find unsightly when looking at them up close but so small a passerby wouldn't even notice. Still an encouraging development in maintaining my cosplay stuff.

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 23rd August 2019 20:16
Meanwhile, I managed to completely forget about Sunrise Comic-con and miss it completely.

What Atelier character did you cosplay as?

I've heard that the series just gets marketed poorly in the west.

Posted by: St Khael 6th September 2019 18:36
*Abject screaming*
https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69174835_10220179529946695_8603040697588645888_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_oc=AQk7qxs3mevzY9y5MUzLpbh0vmM8Yxi9kpdO2VDeMTqGsID6kR6J-EdVpDdhUTNwOisdjoujsOFB5zdTLzYayPpt&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=1419734ad2507e53218ef1529a75d061&oe=5E06A9E0

It is a cellphone photo so I apologize for the poor quality. We do have better pictures incoming. For those who are curious, yes that is a real full steel chain shirt my husband is wearing under the tunic and I made his gambeson. My pain and frustration was great.

For more details catch up with us on instagram at @sword.and.sorcery.cosplay

Now tell me your plans!!!!! Feed me, Seymore.

Posted by: DragonKnight Zero 7th September 2019 04:01
For the time being, I don't want my Atelier cosplay to be conclusively connected with this username. Would prefer to maintain a degree of plausible deniability.

I will let out that this cosplay is the first time I'd ever worn platform sandals. Stumbled a lot the first go-around; my feet hurt at the end of the day.

Posted by: St Khael 26th April 2020 20:23
Hello, my loves!

With the current state of the world a lot of cons are getting cancelled and postponed meaning the come back is going to be big. As for myself, my husband and I have cancelled our Con plans through October due to him being immunocompromised and the general nature of lack of hygiene at most cons. Seriously, they put up poster boards in our state reminding people to shower and that water is required rather than just soda and alcohol.

At any rate, what are you working on right now? Have you found anything cool that you want to share?

I'm mostly finished with my biggest project to date which is a personal design otherwise I'd show you. I've already started on Angela from Trials of Mana and we'll be getting started on Duran soon. Keep us posted on your builds and escapades!
In the meantime; Here's our Link and Zelda build.


Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 6th May 2020 22:00
Aww, that's a sweet photo!

Posted by: bellawatson492 30th September 2021 05:49
If I have a money I'll do Justice League Cosplay with my close friends biggrin.gif, but sadly I can't afford it now..

Posted by: St Khael 28th November 2022 19:45
Cecil and Rosa

We finally did it! My husband's dream cosplay was Cecil Harvey so we finally broke down and went for it. This was his first armor build and I think it came out amazing. Rosa was a real challenge but it was worth it in the end. I'm so proud of the work he put into this cosplay and will be doing more. He has decided to start replacing foam pieces with thermoplastic so once it's fully complete it will be ARMOR. Cecil is the reason his online handle is Paladin and his face when he finally put on the armor was everything. A huge round of applause and a big cheer to Paladin finally getting to be the paladin of his dreams.

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 30th November 2022 01:49
Quote (St Khael @ 28th November 2022 14:45)
Cecil and Rosa

We finally did it! My husband's dream cosplay was Cecil Harvey so we finally broke down and went for it. This was his first armor build and I think it came out amazing. Rosa was a real challenge but it was worth it in the end. I'm so proud of the work he put into this cosplay and will be doing more. He has decided to start replacing foam pieces with thermoplastic so once it's fully complete it will be ARMOR. Cecil is the reason his online handle is Paladin and his face when he finally put on the armor was everything. A huge round of applause and a big cheer to Paladin finally getting to be the paladin of his dreams.

Wow! Well done! Congratulations to you both!

Posted by: Rangers51 30th November 2022 16:27
Quote (St Khael @ 28th November 2022 13:45)
Cecil and Rosa

We finally did it! My husband's dream cosplay was Cecil Harvey so we finally broke down and went for it. This was his first armor build and I think it came out amazing. Rosa was a real challenge but it was worth it in the end. I'm so proud of the work he put into this cosplay and will be doing more. He has decided to start replacing foam pieces with thermoplastic so once it's fully complete it will be ARMOR. Cecil is the reason his online handle is Paladin and his face when he finally put on the armor was everything. A huge round of applause and a big cheer to Paladin finally getting to be the paladin of his dreams.

That turned out great for you both! heart.gif

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