2017 cosplay and convention schedule

Hey, who survived Kita wars last January?

Me and my boyfriend are happy to announce we will be attending again this year. I have already got my cosplays decided and even making some damn good progress this year! We will be staying at the Scarman.

I have managed to get Akari Kanzaki from Battle Athletes Victory done for LAGC February this year. Sadly I don't have many pics yet so I dont plan to do a 'Lets Cosplay' of her until I get a shoot done. She was a pretty simple one to make, with it being no more than a crop top and a leotard. Hopefully pics when the weather warms up.

Just to make it clear, I never really felt that I really fitted in into the AL events. I always felt out of place, and to be honest I felt that I belonged in the bar with double vodka in my cup more than I did on the main floor. I needed a little alcohol just to feel relaxed and from experience it seemed to attracted mostly the less experienced (and even more so lesser polite) crowd. After the recent events concerning Mike Towers I am even more so hesitant to go anywhere near the events unless some certain major changes happen.

Now, I don't enjoy being negative about events but to be honest I had more fun drinking in the hotel room in my underwear than spending several hours per day at a number of days at AL events.

A week later I was rota'd off work the following Saturday which conveniently fell on the day where Midlands Expo was happening in Telford, We both had some extra cash so we decided to go. It was much, much, much more relaxing than LAGC. We had done LadyNoir again. Not much can be said about the con itself, just a slow day relaxing and taking it easy with the one I love.

My next event would probably be Em-con, Nottingham. Being my home city I wish to have a costume that slightly obscures my face while giving Ladybug a little break unless my plans don't go ahead for whatever reason. I have recently gotten into Yuri on Ice!! and fell in love with Yurio's Allegro Appassionato costume. I am currently in the process of gathering the materials for the bodysuit (pictured) and experimenting with adding the ombre effect on scraps for the applique, Being metallic Spandex it may be easier said than done but looking at other cosplayers the suit should look stunning even without the pretty effects. I am also doing the track jacket for something comfortable to change into when I need something easier to wear.

My other big costume will be Terra from Final Fantasy 6. I have managed to tie the wig into a high ponytail and in the progress of making the hair accessories. I have a number of ways I am considering the floral design but you will have to wait and see how that turns out! I plan to debut her at Kitacon Quest.

I am also working on Asuka's yellow dress from Evangelion for something easy to wear if the weather get warm. Of course, Ladybug will be returning to Kitacon!

Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm - Asuka's wig!

Wigs are defiantly something I would love to have more experience with. When I started out on cosplay I was actually terrified at the thought of even leaving a wig in the same room as a pair of scissors. All I had the guts to do was braiding, clipping in extensions and putting in hair ties.

Now one thing I have been starting to look at is what can I do to achieve certain hairstyles. I am not gonna lie, I still lack confidence to an extent with hair in general but I guess I just need to consider it with a similar mindset to working with fabrics. You just need to be careful to cut it in the right places for the right effect!

One thing I have learned over the years is that wigs are not usually ready to wear. In fact, there is a good chance you will need to give it a good trim and cut bangs as they are often around chin-length so they can be worn by different head shapes.


The base
I decided that Asuka would be a fun cosplay to put together and although the costume itself is still in the works, the wig is now done. I have ordered a 'Alex in Milkshake pink' wig from Coscraft. The bangs were cut and the sides were cut off just above the shoulders. The longer cut-off were kept to one side while I gave the wig a good spray for added volume and a slightly untidy look.


The extension
During the earlier stages, I just simply used a hair tie for the side ponytail to give me a better idea how the wig would look throughout the process. I felt that this made the wig look very flat but thankfully the cut-offs were the PERFECT length for the extension,

I looked online for various tutorials and read a large number of forum posts and decided to go for the caulking method. Sadly I don't have any process pictures but if you looks up 'Wig caulking' there will be a number of tutorials to help you out.

It is basically a process that allows you to make your own wefts. You carefully line your wig strands evenly on a line of masking tape and pop some watered-down decorator's caulk. I had made the mistake of using the type that does now clear but shush :P the hairclip covers it! I rolled them and sewed them together to create a chunk of hair.

The hairclip
This part was actually pretty simple. I began by getting some left over craft foam and shaped then cutting them into wings.I made 2 wings, 1 with the smaller part missing so they overlap and have more of a 3D feel. I took a artist license to this as the wings should have been straighter but I felt I would like to cover where the extension and clips are so thermoformed them to be rounder. I made a cup so the wefts could fit snuggly in it for extra security and scavenged a clip from a cheap child's hairpin to attach it to the rest of the wig! it is then painted white and varnished with PVA glue!

Convention registration - Getting in!

Demand for the most popular anime conventions can be surprisingly high. While less-known events can take months to sell out, it has been known for the bigger events to sell out in less than A HOUR! Thats right! 1 BLOODY HOUR!

Sadly, due to demand increasing with the community getting bigger it can be harder to attend some events. What can be done?

Consider which events you want to attend

Owwie! Thankfully you sign up online for the bigger events so
no need for a stampede to get in!

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL LAST MINUTE! This step takes initiative and research. There is no point signing up and paying for a con you might not be able to make due to the high travel costs where you might end up missing out on a event closer to home. Be sure to plan ahead what are realistic destinations and look into accommodation.

Discuss with your friends which events you would like to go
Yes, disagreements may happen, some of your friends might find it too expensive to travel to some events, while some might prefer a smaller con close to home. Then we all have these friends who would rather just go to the major party cons. Dont forget you have this little cousin who is still too young to attend some of the more mature events, but hold the phone! There is a small event the whole family can enjoy in town!

Use Facebook, Twitter and anywhere you can get updates
This is a handy way of making sure you are up to date with any important announcements regarding sign-up dates and changes regarding these. If you are attending an event for the first time, the better the reputation, the faster it might sell out.

If it is a fast-seller, GET IN THERE
Be at your laptop ready and all systems go before the time comes. You might even have to cancel plans if you REALLY want to go to an event. When the form is right in front of you, you do it fast! Don't piss about, not even for a cup of tea (yes, this is coming from a British person). However...

If you don't make it, just apply for the waiting list
Not all is lost, just go onto the waiting list. There will be drop-outs as there will be people who change their minds for one reason or another, You will be contacted if there is a space available for you but remember it is first come first serve.

Paying for your entry
Don't take my word as gospel as each event would have a different set of rules but usually you have 14 days to pay for your entry through PayPal. Failure to do so would result you losing your place and you will have to sign up again. If there is a waiting list you will be placed at the bottom if you reapply.

Lets cosplay! Fate Testarossa

Mein Gott! Is Ellie resurrecting this page from the dead?

Well...I had never forgotten about my own little corner of the tinterwebs. In fact, if you have read my more recent posts I can still confirm that I have been pretty busy lately. With me working many hours these days and spending much of my free time with my boyfriend naturally the time for cosplaying has been a little cut, both productively and blogger-wise. I still do my best to update my Facebook Page but even then I still wish I have more time into these things.

Without further ado, I am still yet to write about my Fate cosplay.

When I was still in school, I have came across an anime called Nanoha Strikers. It was back before I knew the Nanoha franchise also covered days when Nanoha and Fate were younger. As much as I loved the series it wasn't until last year I have watched the earlier seasons and felt there was a little void in my life that was finally filled.

I had some black and white fabric that was lying around, as well as some red PVC so I had decided to give Fate a try. I made a basic black leotard with a zipper in the back that happens to have been where the red straps were sewn into. The bows, leggings and gloves were made of black Spandex and the skirt had a nice Cotton twill feel to it. It was only a bit of scrap material so it was shorter than I would have liked but made it work with some gathering. The front part is attached to some elastic to make it easy to slip off when taking the costume off.

Day 1 of work

The cape is what makes this usually cold cosplay more cosy and this revealing one much less intimidating to wear. It has a nice sheen to it and it is lined with some lovely Maroon coloured Polyester fabric with interfacing inside the collar.

The belt buckles and yellow triangles were some left over Worbla that was painted silver. Perhaps surprisingly the most stressful part of the cosplay was waiting for the wig as I have never been blond before. When it arrived it was a very pleasant surprise and have plans to cosplay some other of our yellow-haired friends now I have the confidence to pull of that colour!

Fate is far from my more comfortable costumes as the red straps are very constrictive and I normally have to unzip the back a little so I can breathe. She is also among the very few where I get to wear heels. Placing the extensions to the wig can be a challenge within itself but the cape makes this costume somewhat nice to wear.

Fate was worn at J-con 2015, Namsoc Halloween night 2015, LAGC Winter 2016 and Alcon 2016. I wish to wear this as I am usually ill or tired when I am in this for some reason. In fact, on the day of Fate's debut I was up until 4am, had 2 hours before the con to sleep and had to rush home for an evening shift at work. Never again!

Lets cosplay! Sora Naegino

So Kitacon has come and gone Here is my newest cosplay! I love how she turned out and was a massive learning curve.

 I used my Rock Lee costume as a rough guide for the bodysuit. Once I got it all shaped I used fabric paint to paint on the details.

I added some bling by hand gluing rhinestones onto everything that has been painted. I am yet to have a proper estimation of how many there are but as a guess I think there may be well over 3000! Duchess satin and skin toned spandex were used for the finishing touches.The same were used for the sleeves.

The wings are a metal mesh base, cut to shape using strong scissors and gaffer taped on the edges for safety (they edges are really sharp!). Cardboard is used on the edged for sturdyness! Over 1000 white feathers are hand glued individually. The details were blue EVA foam cut and spraypainted gold. Polystyrene balls were painted red for the orbs. Thick elastic was used for the harness but if I have more time I would have considered using the PVC piping method.

The gold wristlets were made of Worbla thermoformed around craft foam for additional thickness. The crowd was a simple headband with a strip of feathers glued on. Shoes are on sale from Primark and I already owned the wig.

For more in-deph details of how this is made and more photos check out my page on CosplayIsland:
http://www.cosplayisland.co.uk/costume/view/96705

Shiny, shiny, na no daaa!!!!!!!!!!

Long time no see guys!

I have been dipping in and out of cosplay lately as I have been very busy. I have been balancing work, costume making and being with my boyfriend, and we all know all these take up so much time! At the moment I have been focusing on an ambitious cosplay. I have decided to try to finish Sora from Kaleido Star for Kitacon Karnival!

I have completed the paint work back last July but it felt half baked so much of my free time has been dedicated to covering then with rhinestones in the past week.

Rhinestones, you say!!!?

Thats right! Sometimes for the results you want, following just what is shown in the references doesn't always guarantee it would be enough. Sora is a fantastic example of this. There are like perhaps 3 references of a very similar costume design so it was very fun playing around with it as well as adding my own flair. Sora is naturally a very ambitious, shining character so decided to turn an already complex costume into a labor of love.

At the moment, much of the rhinestones are sized between 2-4mm. They all/will be glued onto painted Spandex (I used Dylon's fabric paints) individually by hand using tweezers and a seam ripper. I used Api's Crafters Pick Jewel bond to glue them on. Sparkly!

I have also been working on Madoka since the start of the New Year. These are the details so far;

Take care guys!

It happens to us all! Coping with last minute stress

Hey guys!

I apologise that I have been unable to update anything lately. Stupid Ellie! Life has been super hectic since my last post with all these interviews, studies, costume work and I am even about to settle into a new full-time job!

All cosplay veterans have been there; we start a new costume early and what happens? Life gets in the way! No matter how early you start you may have setbacks that makes this time of year super stressful, especially if you have less that 2 weeks to go! You may have a lot of stuff to do left but you have worked to long and too hard not to try to get the costume finished!

You may be able to tell that I am in this exact same situation. I have a lot of painting, gluing, biasing and thermoforming left to do. What can we all do int his situation?

Consider what exactly needs doing and make a list
Sometimes, this could make a difference between a doable or far-fetched project. Your stress levels may lower just as you cross things off the list. I might be just some minor details such as painting little details or making a full garment. What may help is consider realistic deadlines and stick to them!

Think about whether or not if it is really a realistic goal
This may be the hardest decision you would make at this point. It might be sad to leave your costumes to one side but the rush might end up ruining your costume. If you are confident enough to proceed there are ways to get everything sorted. If things go go wrong what can be done about it?

Think about your schedule
What days can you work on your costume? Do you have any important events you can not cancel? Try to do bitesized chunks between your activities to lesson the load the next day. TRY NOT TO PULL A SICKIE! Use them only for when you really do need them as in my opinion cosplay is no excuse to interfere with your work life. Alternatively, it may be a good idea to get the week before the con off if possible.

Make sure you eat and sleep properly too! You will not be able to work your best if you don't feel your best.

Have sewing parties
Your friends might be in the same boat too so if it is the case try to band together. This can reduce the stress and you all can help eachover out, as well as giving tips to speed some processes. You can also arrange to come together in town to go shopping together for supplies and toiletries to get a precon buzz! The fresh air will do you a lot of good!

Have a dedicated workspace
If you can, keep most of your work in a corner. That way you can ensure you keep everything together to hopefully save having your stuff going missing. Cleaning up will be easier at the end.

Start packing about a week before the con
If you need to wait a little before advancing onto the next stage then packing may be a really good idea. For starters, you can make sure you can take everything you need, secondly if anything is missing you have time to buy whatever it is, thirdly you are less likely for forget anything and most of all you have mostly 1 thing out of the way so less pressure for you!

Lets cosplay! Lady Subaru

Thanks Pouncy for the pic :D

Is everyone having fun at AmeChibi? Sadly it will be finishing for the year at the end of today but it has already been announced Amecon would be returning next year on the 29-31 July at the Warwick Arts Centre! Is everyone excited!

Today we will be going back in time a little bit and discuss one of my slightly earlier creations. Although it is defiantly far from one of my favorites it was still one of my greatest learning curves and has taught me alot of what I know about costume making today!

The base of the costume was made from Duchess Satin. Personally I am not a fan of dress satin as it is cheap and creases easily where Duchess Satin has this lovely sheen that doesnt show off every wrinkle. The top took like 4 attenpts before I got it right. In the end I have used an old T-shirt to draw on a rough patten and made a mock up. Thankfully the fabric was super cheap (£2 per metre hell yeah!!!).

The collar and apron were also made of Duchess Satin. The details on the apron were painted using Dylon fabric paint and were painted free hand. I have used hemming tape for the bias tape.

The pendant was sculpted by hand using fimo clay. I began by making the wings for it and done the feathers by hand. I made the body separate and glued them together before painting them in red and gold. The brooches were also fimo clay. The wings on the back were a pair of costume shop wings that were plucked off and reshaped using the same base. I have used wood glue to attach them and they finished so beautifully,

The shoulder poofs were hexagon-shaped bits of fabric that were shaped into pouches and have lots of tulle to poof them out. They both have elastic attached to them right across my back to slip the wings through, functioning as a harness for them as well as parts of the costume.

The boots and wig were ebayed.

Events worn to: Kitacon 2011

Cosplay...on your CV?

Hey guys, long time no see!

I apologise for the lack of activity as life has been pretty hectic lately. It was a jumble of volunteering, costume making, attending Em-con and stuff. Hopefully pretty soon things will settle when I get a job and I can post more again.

Warning: This is written way past midnight so forgive me if any of this sounds like gibberish.

While I have been on-topic a common question that cosplayers ever ask themselves is: is it ever okay to put 'cosplay' on my CV?

What is the purpose of a CV (the UK equivalent to an American resume) is to give an employer an insight to who you are as a worker. This will include you personal details, work history and education and is often a first step for employers to determine your suitability for the role.

We are talking serious business here but at the same time you want to show that you do more in your life than watch Jeremy Kyle and drinking cheap ciders on street corners. As a cosplayer that may be the unlikely case but for someone to just know you on paper they may be unaware that your life is far more exciting that that.

On the flip side, many outsiders are very unaware of the nerdy side to this. Not aware of the many hours you have spent behind the sewing machine getting the seams right or the hours of emboldening they might only see cosplay as a childish and unprofessional hobby. The media shows mixed and sometimes even distorted views on the hobby so watch out!

There is no definite right or wrong answer to this, and the decision varies from person to person. However if you do decide to proceed with it you may want to consider the following:

Be smart! What exactly are you applying for?
Consider how it fits into the job description. If you are going for a seamstress job, theatrical costume designer or a haberdashery/fabric shop then YES!!! However, if you are going for something more serious and reputable like Law or Science then that might be another case.

How would you word it?
One common idea concerning this is that you should avoid using the word 'cosplay' and use something more universally understood such as 'sewing', 'dressmaking' and 'theatrical costume design'. 'Cosplay', to someone who is unaware of the hobby, might sound ludicrous or even a fetish scene so it could be off putting to some potential employers considering that the term is not widely used and understood.

Would you feel comfortable explaining it?
You might be asked to elaborate on that hobby at an interview at some point. While I like to tell my none anime-fan friends that it is simply 'the recreation of attire sourced from fiction', the way I would word it elsewhere may vary depending on how comfortable I am with that person. I often say that 'I do a lot of sewing so I am familiar with different types of fabrics and textures' at an interview for shops that sell soft furnishings or clothing.

Cosplay involves the following:

• Careful planning and initiative; ability to plan ahead, budgeting, research and working interdependently. 
• The drive to meet deadlines, priorotisation, concentration and working under pressure.
• Problem solving and creativity.
• Ability to use various tools and materials.
• Ambition, challenges and confidence.
• Willingness and confidence to be around people, especially strangers.
• Mathematics.

Actually many jobs will require most, if not all, of the above skills!

With caution cosplay can show that one can be a promising and determined employee. Cosplayers come from all walks of life, many are students and many work too. I'd strongly advise that playing around the terminology and thinking about how you can make sewing sound as if it is in a professional light.

Rifles and swords! Transporting cosplay props.

It is a quiet Friday night. You have just finished gaming and nothing exciting is happening on Facebook when you suddenly get a hypercreative brainplosion when you realize you have some leftover cardboard tubes, a toy gun and some glue. The convention is not until like 6 months later but it would be nice to get that rifle out of the way before you advance onto the sewing.

Later on you have managed to get all of your costumes done so the last few weeks before the con is going to be a breeze…that is until you suddenly you realize that not everything will fit in the suitcase! Your clothes fit in fine, and the same with your costumes. You have managed to put your toiletries into your rucksack. It is just your rifle you are having trouble fitting. For starters, it is too big, and even if you can fit it in it would be far too delicate to stay in such cramped conditions.

Oh dear! You haven’t finished your driving lessons yet so that is a major no-no and none of your friends are willing to pay the extortionate parking fees so using a car is out of the question. It is a real shame as this would actually be the easiest option as you can go straight to the convention and just leave your stuff in the boot while you travel. You have decided to go by train. However, you have done such a fantastic job on your rifle to the point that it could stir up some panic if seen. Many cosplayers have come across this problem in the past, and there is always a huge number that will. It is a wonder that so many props make it to the convention in one piece.

If it is a staff or looks especially harmless (and not easily broken) you can just carry it by hand assuming you have light luggage. If this is not the case it would help to pop your prop in a bin liner. You can consider using bubble-wrap to give it extra protection. Sadly, you lose a hand to carry the rest of your luggage so either have a friend to help you can consider packing light to make the journey a pleasant one. Props that are sheathed onto your back can be carried the same as you would in costume as long as they would not interfere with you moving about.

If you are transporting something much bigger (like Halo armour for example), extremely fragile or a specifically styled wig then the practical option would be to put them into boxes. Smaller boxes can be put into suitcases so you get the best of both worlds of safety and convenience. It can be a good idea to play Tetris with parts of costumes and T-shirts to help cushion your work while at the same time free up space in your normal luggage. Alternatively, you can make them in a way you can collapse them so they would be much easier to manage. From experience, I have found that using a clear plastic bag (particularly the zipped ones where car parts are sold in) is really useful as not only you can make sure the props are intact, but it also shows other commuters that there are some fragile objects that they need to watch out for!

 

Things you might need to consider:

• How much walking do I need to do?
• How can I make carrying all my stuff more conformable?
• Can I handle all the weight throughout the whole time?
• How busy would public transport be?

No matter how well you transport your props and regardless if they survive or not there is also the issue of them breaking during the weekend. It would be helpful to bring super glue and extra repair supplies in case such accidents happen. As a last resort you can always ask a family member to give you a lift if you don’t live too far away.

Cosplay is certainly not without the odd bit of suffering, whether it is wearing high heels, needles jamming right into your foot and the odd uncomfortable journey but do not allow that to ruin your chances of having a good challenge. You’ll arrive and people will see all the work you have put into everything and you will forget the rage you had to endure. 

Please be aware of the rules the convention may hold for props and weapons. Chances are that there will be a size limit and materials will be taken into consideration, and such props may only be allowed for masquerades, competitions and certain photoshoots. Please read the rules before you begin making your weapons (SRS BSNS!!!)

How to rock an intimidatingly revealing costume?

Sometimes you need time to decide on your next costume. Considering time, money and resources it can be at times quite a difficult choice. Their may be numerous costumes you would like to attempt but at times you may need to weigh up the pros and cons of making a costume, such as learning curves and what features of your body you are willing to show.

The good old Sailor Scout uniforms are
excellent examples

Some costumes, while they may seem beautiful on the character, might be a challenge in itself trying to figure out how to make them look good on yourself. Most of us of this world are not born with long and slender legs, eyes the size of dinnerplates and completely flawless skin so if we strive for perfection there are many challenges that we must consider to make the costume look best on yourself.

Despite all of that a common misconception is that a perfect cosplay is in perfect proportions to the character. That on the other hand this is not quite the case as we are born with many body shapes and sizes so it is up to us to decide what looks best for us as we are the ones wearing the costume. If it is the case that the'one size fits all' rule applies strictly on costuming then lots of opportunities to make a costume look even better for yourself becomes wasted, or even not attempted as 'visual perfection' would not be possible in the 3D world.

If you are cosplaying a character that shows leg or stomach and don't with to put these on show as much then you are more than welcome to add a few more inches onto your clothes to better cover problem areas.

Revealing costumes don't just apply to those that are showy on the skin; they can include skin-hugging costumes too. Although they may mimic your own natural body shape it is often pretty easy to wear some foundation garments under the costume to prevent unwanted jiggling and panty-lines. Some fabrics may be more flattering to certain body types. For example, T-shirt fabric might be a possible alternative for spandex for those who are not quite as confident with their bodies as it is thicker but still has a nice stretch. Make sure you don't make anything too tight as fat would bulge, and if they are too loose then the costume would look unfinished.

Now we have gotten the types of costumes I wanted to take a look at, the number one rule rocking any costume is to be confident! If you don't feel comfortable with what you are wearing then it would show and affect your posture and mood, making you appear worse than you feel. Confidence and generally feeling good about yourself would often make any costume look (or at least give the illusion of it) better where slouching and generally being unhappy would make even the most well made of costumes look bad. Don't stress yourself and certainly do not be afraid to challenge yourself every now and then, bring back ups when in doubt and wait until you feel more at ease if you need extra time for weight loss or confidence.

From experience I find, although very uncomfortable, that heels are often a great asset to making a costume more visually appealing. This creates an illusion that the legs appears longer than it seems, making them appear slimmer. However, I suggest that unless you often wear them that they should only be worn for short periods at a time or changed to flats regularly/while going for long walks. Most people will understand if you need to change back into them for photos. Consider putting some time aside that night to pamper your feet as they deserve a break and they would most likely ache that time. Gel cushions work wonders so be sure to prep some before to go to the event! Pantyhose/tights will give your legs a nice sheer and will also give your legs support and hide away imperfections.

At the end of the day, costume making is basically your own interpretation of the design. It is your creation, a result of your own hard work. In other words, be happy with what you do!

Do your best in life! Part 1-Exercising to promote positive thinking

Cosplay can test the boundaries of your self-confidence. It seems that just a few inches of body fat can make an impact to whether or not you should cosplay a certain character. Unlike traditional dress up, cosplayers often feel that they need to look the part yet it is considered the preference to choose based on what you want to do. Anxiety and your image can really make an impact on lots of things in life, not just cosplay.

Everyone that knows me well will surely be aware by now that I probably, in fact, suffer from many anxiety disorders. I have Social Anxiety, which I am slowly leaning to cope with, and I also have Generalised Anxiety, Anticipation Anxiety and a few minor OCD tenancies.

In all honestly, I never had any professional help, not even a diagnosis; yet its still obvious that the listed above were the roots of the many problems I have to face such as anticipation worry, social nerves, depression from workplace bullying and giving TOO much of a **** about anything and everything that goes on around me. I proved to myself many, many times that its all in my head but still getting my mind off such things are not quite this easy.

I always thought that as a constant worrier maybe that would be the path to gaining more endurance to handle such negative thoughts. I always do manage to get back on my feet eventually but lately I have noticed that should be the last thing I should worry about since what is more of a problem is how I tackle worry on foot. It wasn't until I started working that I realised how many problems this could lead to. In fact, most of my worries until that point were more dwelling into my thoughts rather that coping with stressful situations on the spot and coming up with a solution immediately. Depression and anxiety does far more harm than good, and just sitting around behind the computer all day wouldn't help all that much so something needs to be done.

I was toying with the thoughts for years to whether to see a doctor or not as I don't want to keep handling all of this for the rest of my life. I spent a few days Googling solutions to try and beat my stress levels as I don't want to be on anti-depressants (I can't stomach tablets well and I like to enjoy drinking alcohol). I found out that exercise turned out to be one of the best solutions for it.

The problem is, although I am not afraid of moving and I can spend quality time away from the laptop, is that I am very, very unfit. My PE lessons at school got it into my head that because I was a really, really fast developer in my late childhood/late teens that having curves is not practical at all on the sports field and its true when people say it hurts running around with quite a colossal sized chest. I never considered myself to be fat but I have always been a little chubby in places.

About a decade later, although I still lack stamina and flexibility, I am starting to think that maybe I shouldn't compare myself to others in terms of physical endurance but try to become more active to enjoy the many other benefits such as stronger bones, improved cardiovascular health, faster metabolism, improved thinking and a depression/anxiety beater. Oh, and sports bras really do make a difference in performance!

On New Years day I just on a whim decided to go on a gentle jog around the block. Nothing intense, just wanted to test the waters. I noticed although it did hurt a bit at the time I felt better shortly after. I jogged again tonight and been asking around for tips to improve my endurance when I was done and found out all that jogging requires is some perseverance and some weight training would help too. I want to lose a bit of body fat. Maybe I should make it into a habit, now the new year has begun.

KitaCon has a group called Fita4Kita that is designed for the congoers that wish to improve on their overall health. Cosplay seems to be a common drive for a healthier lifestyle and looking at their Facebook page is very inspirational and full of help. I have been working on my make-up skills for the past year and that alone gave me a esteem boost so

I have a number of cosplays for the year that will be mostly made out of spandex, including Rock Lee. I dont want my weight to be the deciding factor for who to cosplay. Now is a good time to stop worrying and start doing something about it!

Cosplay hacks! Masking/duct tape and cling film

Happy New Year guys!

I secretly had this tutorial prepared for you guys since Boxing day as I couldn't help but to want to start the New Year with new content. Thankfully I had most of this written already considering I have been nursing a hangover today.

The patten I made for Hikaru's bodice using this tutorial

I know it sounds odd but masking tape and cling film are pretty handy for certain cosplay techniques, especially if you are make form costumes such as non-stretch leotards and maybe even corsets. Here are some examples to how to make your costumes easier to make.

Sometimes normal pattens can be hard to come by or a deadline is getting close so you cannot even consider buying one so you will have to improvise. You come up with a draft but its not going to plan. It needs to be close fitting and it needs to be perfect. Try wrapping yourself in cling film! I know it does sound kinda awkward like some creepy BDSM practice but it is a very handy and accurate method getting patterns quickly. I am defiantly not a fan of maths and measuring tapes but I can reassure you that they are really easy and you can alter and reuse the patterns. Sadly I didnt have any photos of the process a few months back so Ill do my best to explain :'D Sorry guys! However I did manage to save the patten I managed to create using the method. 

These methods are really simple and the materials are as cheap as chips and easily found in many shops! You will need the following for all of them:

• Cling film
• Masking/duct tape
• Permanent marker
• Scissors (make sure they are thin!)

1) Pattern making

Say for example you want to make a bunny suit (a classic example for this method). Unlike most leotards they are often made out of a none-stretch fabric such as PVC in the cosplay world and they would often have complicated pattens if you were to go with the usual design. It can be possible to do this alone like I had to with my Hikaru cosplay but if you have a friend to help you it would be much easier.

1. To do this, you begin by wearing whatever underwear you plan to wear on the day (this is important as shapewear could alter your figure slightly). 
2. Wrap your torso with a few layers of cling film in the areas you wish to pattern on your body. Make sure you add a few inches as masking take can get annoying with contact to skin.
3. Repeat step 2 with masking tape.
4. Get your marker pen to mark where you would like to cut. Think about the best places to add the seams.
5. When you are happy with that, carefully cut yourself out along one of the marked seams. It feel likes you are removing a suit of armour at this point.
6. Cut the rest of the seams.
7. You should now have a patten! Draft it onto some spare fabric to make a mock first to ensure you are happy with the measurements. Don't forget to add seam allowance!

2) Making a cast

If you have a lot of complicated bits of thermoforming to do for some accessories but the heat would be a bit much and you may need somewhere safe to put them in between making them. 

Arms and legs are much easier to add clingfilm and tape on than torsos. You can easily do it yourself. Taking the arm for example:

1. Wrap your arm with cling film.
2. Repeat with duct tape/masking tape
3. Draw a line from one end of the arm to the other. This will act as a line to cut your arm free.
4. Once it is removed, get some additional tape and reconnect the cut to make a tube.
5. Carefully seal one of the ends but try not to distort the shape. 
6. Using any scraps you can fun (paper, fabric, even bits of tape) stuff the hell out of it!
7. Seal the other end.
8. DONE!

3) Duct tape dummy

Just imagine the steps above but it concerns the body from the neck down (or just your torso). I already have a second-hand mannequin so I never really had to take this step but I feel that is it very handy to know should you feel it is of use. If you have no access to a mannequin (they are pretty expensive) they are a much cheaper alternative and you can be sure to get the measurements right. The end result should resemble a shell-like bodysuit with stuffing.inside.

Due to my lack of experience and your safely, I will cover the basics but I'd suggest looking into researching proper ways to make these. You will need a friend or 2 for this so it will be a good laugh! Be sure to use the bathroom first as the process may take a while.

1. Get some old clothes that covers every inch of your body. Painter's coveralls are ideal and really cheap. Please note whatever clothing you wear will get destroyed in the process so old and unwanted clothes wiil work best.
2. Cut the tape into short strips! Make sure it is heavy duty tape. Begin at the torso around the stomach.
3. Make your way around the body and keep going.
4. Once you are done use a marker to mark out any costume construction details.
5. Carefully get cut out and use some additional tape to repair the cuts.
6. Stuff the turkey!

Planning ahead for Kitacon 2015!

OK serious business is done! Time for a happier post where I dont have to be serious. My brain is fried XD

2014 is near it's end! Coming soon will be a new year of cosplay fun! Although Kitacon is not until simmer, there will be a gruelling battle for places on the 1st January! I will be there the minute they open! I will also be attending Em-con, the NAMSOC regional social and maybe Midlands Expo if I am up to it.

 I have some ideas for 2015 already but with months before the con and a number of local events coming up they are subject to change. I will defiantly be rewaring Hikaru and I have made a start on a number of projects already.

The first costume I have made a start on for next year is Rock Lee from Naruto Shippuuden. I was in 2 minds at first but I have some blue lycra to use up so I dyed it in green dye for the bodysuit.It was one of those stove dyes but I didnt have one big enough so I threw boiling water into a bucket and it still worked pretty well. I still have some finishing up for it and the wig is already styled. I will be using the flak jacket for Forth Shinobi War Hinata too, who is also well on her way. I also intend to make her Last movie attire. Her wig arrived last week and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

I also have plans to cosplay Ladybug to go with a friend and zentais are really cheap so I can get her done quickly, and Amy from Suisei no Gargantia, who should be appropiate for the summer heat. I wanna do some more thermoforming so Mushra from Mushrambo is pretty tempting. The anime is a childhood favourite so im looking forward to this one.

I have no idea when, but I would love to being Sailor Jupiter out too. She was on a temporary hiatus due to the gloves being missing but thanks to a good tidy in my room I found them!

I have Justin (Grandia), Rider (Fate/Stay night), a Ranma Saotome remake and bunny-girl Mikuru (Haruhi) half completed in my sewing box so I wonder if I should bring any of these out from the dead?

Popular vs Obscure - which should I go for?

Everyone is familiar with Naruto, Evangelion, Hetalia and Final Fantasy. Even if you haven't gotten into any of these you can tell who they are from miles away. After all the hard work you have put into your costume you are sure to be recognised and pounced on for photos left, right and centre.

What would you like to get out of cosplay? Do you want recognition or are you just simply masquerading as your favourite character? It is quite natural to think that in order for everyone to notice you maybe choosing a character everyone knows might get everyone's eyes on you and go 'Hey, You are 'X' from 'Lorem Ipsum!' We are all attention seekers to an extent so dont worry, you are not alone!


Every year there will be cosplayers being characters from sources that are 'big in season', recent examples being Frozen and Attack on Titan. 'The more people who know the anime/game/film, the more will recognise me, and the more recognition I'd get the more popular I will be right?'

Surprising it does not always work that way. There can be rivalry among doubles or triples and you may not stand out as much, or it can start friendships depending on how you take it since cosplay on the floor can be quite competitive for the more seasoned lot. For the more easygoing, doubles can provide this sense of relief and joy as you obvious share a love with someone and you can totally geek out at your favourite characters among yourselves. If you are being that character for fun there is absolutely no problem but perhaps standing out from the crowd would help you become noticed. On the plus side, photo opportunities with others from the series are just around the corner.

On the other side of the spectrum there is the option of cosplaying as a character that is little known. Animes such as Slayers, Gargantia on the Verduous planet, Kaleido Star and Sabre Marionette J all have characters with gorgeous and unique costumes. Sadly sometimes cosplayers plan costumes they genuinely would like to do by choosing a character they like but later drop it out of fear for not being recognised. As a result a lot of fantastic costume opportunities become wasted. In fact, my more obscure costumes happened to be the ones with the best reception!

Many experienced cosplayers will be aware that it takes guts and effort to make costumes. They wait for the cosplay contest to start and look at yours in awe, regardless they know the character or no, a fantastic costume IS a fantastic costume. In fact, a lot of costumes I love the best happen to be detailed lesser known ones! 80's and 90's anime have all kinds of themes and lots of detail.

At the end of the day cosplay isnt a popularity contest. You dont have to be the best Mikasa, or have full golden armour. Just do what makes YOU happy.

How cosplay has changed me as a person

Before going into cosplay myself I had never imagined it to have such an impact in my life. My life pretty much resolved around the arts back then and now it made me realise that it is pretty much my lifestyle too, not just a phase. I always enjoyed Graphic design, gaming and drawing, and before I knew it I have gotten into costume making and crafts. Now it branched into fashion, game design and make-up too!

Back in late 2007 all I wanted was a friend that I felt could relate to me over my love of art and anime. Thankfully back in the early-mid 00's I was an active member of the AZ:UK forum, a close knit on-line anime community back in the day where anime was relativity unknown to most people in the UK. I have made lots of friends at the time so I was overwhelmed to find out I was not the only one. Although there were plenty of my own species in the virtual world it wasn't until much later where I had found others in my own home town. Sadly living in a small Nottinghamshire village made it very difficult to be myself at times and even when I was in my last job recently there was no way I can be my dorky, silly self without people thinking I am some sort of weirdo.

Thankfully years ago I have found out about AmeCon 08. Like the reckless dumbass I was back then I registered and paid for my space but there was one problem; I still didn't know any anime fans! I have always been a forum nut (still no different today!) so I have spent countless hours getting to know what others and out of a blue found out there was a local cosplay event happening. To make it even better there were a number of people going to Amecon!

May 27th, 2008 just a few minutes after 7PM...that was a the start of meeting some of the best friends I have ever made and 6 years later I still meet a lot of them, at the same place at the same time every week.

I was always socially awkward to the max. I still am pretty shy now but back then much of my life was either at home or at school trying to keep up with my A-levels. As soon as I have gotten to know these people I begun going into town, having cinema trips, helping to organise picnics and even attending other anime conventions during the day. It was a massive leap and looking back I genuinely wonder how I managed to muster up all this courage to meet all these people. Maybe because we have all these geeky things in common I no longer feel like a foreigner in my own country. I now can deal with public transport on my own, go around town without feeling judged and I even had a few retail jobs; that in particular I thought I would NEVER do.

Breaking this social barrier was only the start. It was only the start of the battle to fight against something much greater; my own self esteem!

I was happy with my social life, I attended my first convention and I felt that I am becoming much more independent but I had never realised that being in the convention could be such a double-edged sword.In a way my anxiety levels around people were still an issue. I am bad with crowds and I have begun questioning my sewing skills as most people outside my own circle seem to have been in the scene for years. Being a timid newcomer surrounded by many veterans can be scary for some. Maybe that is what driven me to make this blog as I knew all along I would be completely lost without my friends. I remember watching the masquerade and being in awe as every single entrant looked like they belonged to that stage. No chance I would be able to show off my work with such confidence.

I carried on attending smaller conventions with friends that were more relaxing. As time went, so did my social anxiety and began to feel more comfortable in crowds. I began talking to more people, made some friends from outside my home town, and been inspired by a close friend to begin entering masquerades myself. I never thought that being on stage would feel so...so fantastic! My name gets called and the stage...no, the world becomes my own! People cheering for me, camera flashing everywhere! Oh my goodness I feel like a celebrity! Everyone can see the hours I put into this costume and the cheers completely any negativity in the room. It is wonderful!

Friends, check! Learn to manage social awkwardness, check!

What more can I do? Ah yes! Learn to love myself!

Strangely enough, that was the part that was the most difficult to motivate myself to do, but seem to have the fastest progress once I got into the zone. Much of my previous insecurities was due to my low self esteem. How does one raise their self esteem? Is there a globally agreed way of doing it or is it just simply a result of always doing your best in life.

I began becoming more ambitious with my cosplays, dedicated more time and effort to get things right and even been taking make-up into account. In fact learning cosplay make-up has taught me to become more fashionable in my everyday life and begun experimenting and explored my feminine side. Now I have learned to love myself, my body, my personality. It is very empowering and I am starting to struggle with deciding what would be my next move.

Sticky fabrics are hard to work with! HELP!

Today I wish to share some simple tricks while working with sticky fabrics.

Some fabrics such as leatherette and vinyl can be quite challenging to sew through with a machine as they tend to have a slightly sticky surface. As a result they may now flow through the machine as well as cotton would. There are ways around this.

Before you start you may want to ensure that you have suitable sewing needles. Your usual ones may not be strong enough to pass such materials with ease and may result in a number of skipped stitches and worn out needles. Sadly vinyls and pleathers are not able to heal once punctured but thankfully there are needles that are designed for such projects and are widely available. Denim and Leather needles work fine. 

One way to reduce friction is by using a Teflon foot. They basically replace your usual metal foot and work the same way. They are pretty cheap and easy to access. Highly recommended that if you plan to work with a lot of such materials.

Alternatively, you can separate the foot and the fabric with a layer of tissue paper. You can reduce wastage by cutting it into strips and you can simply tear the paper off without disrupting the stitching.

My method when I worked on the belt for my Suzaku belt is simply covering it with talcum power. Most households will have it and can be accessed quickly but it may cause a bit of a mess so you best be prepared to bring towels and clean the machine and the sewing area when you are done. I just simply got a wet cloth and washed it off when I was done. Sadly not all fabrics are suitable for washing so be careful!

While on topic I wish to address that while cutting and patterning these fabrics it is not advisable to use pins on areas that will eventually be shown on the costume. I try to use objects nearby to weigh them down. From experience PVC in particular grips to quite well when cutting with the reverse sides facing outside. Rotary cutters tend to be better than scissors when it comes to straight lines. Be sure to use a large cutting board and a ruler.

A basic introduction to Craft Foam

Craft foam is a popular material. It can be found easily in a number of arts and craft stores, is very cheap, lightweight, easy to use and comes in many colours. Many cosplayers use it at least once and it can be used to make simple accessories and armour. Although it might look like something that a small child would play with, when crafted right it can really bring jaw dropping results.

Pst! That does not look exciting at all!

Oh...my...God! (and this is just the basics!)

The stuff can be cut, painted, used to make patterns, glossed and even heated up to change shape. The possibilities are endless!

I have made several Sailor
Moon tiaras using this method! 

The only major downside I have found with Craft foam is that it requires some preparation if you plan to paint it. Being a porous, sponge like material, it would absorb whatever paint that touches it. The solution is simply apply several (usually more) layers of PVA glue (the type you played with back in your school days) that is watered down. About 2/3 water should do. If after applying several coats and the paint job still looks iffy then you can still always add more glue. I love adding more layers because it makes it so shiny shiny na no daaaa!!!!

Craft foam can be layered for added sturdiness but if you don’t what it to become too thick you can simply use some PVA glue to attach some fabric behind it. Should be nice and sturdy after a few coats. For my Sailor Jupiter tiara I have simply reinforced it with a layer of craft card onto the back as it can be quite flimsy without the support.

Scissors does the trick when you cut the Foam but for neater edges you may be better off using a cutting knife or scalpel.

One particularly neat thing about Craft foam is that it can be thermoformed. Although this term might sound intimidating it is actually rather simple and very handy technique to know. Like Worbla, it can be manipulated with a heat source, usually a heat gun, an oven stove or simply a hair dryer. Using my Justin (Grandia) armour for example, I have managed to keep it in shape by cutting the foam into shape before taping it onto a large drinks bottle and blasting it with a hairdryer! For the ‘bumps’ I have slowly dug a egg cup up from under the surface while keeping it heated from the other side. When done long enough it should maintain it’s new shape even when relaxed. You can also just simply fold something for a few days and it stays curved but I'd recommend the heat method for longer lasting results.

As you can see in the picture they are still unfinished as it will need several more coats of paint and then be glossed with several layers of PVA glue. In fact I would like to play around with different paints for a more metallic effect! I have heard good things about rub'n buff for a more finished look!

Deadman Wonderland-Collar tutorial

Please click to enlarge :D 

EDIT

Agh! Its Transparent! Right click and open in new window to view details XD

I have made this tutorial back in 2012 for my Deviantart page. There has been a number of people planning to cosplay from the series and unsure where to start with the collar so I made a tutorial. It has proven very popular in the community and hopefully it will also help others around here too!

I had to make one for a friend so I made a tutorial while making the second one. I gave it to her before I could photograph the final step so the last 2 were from my own. Mine was made in a bit of a rush so its not quiiite as neat and has been worn a few times.

Just a quick work of warning, some glues make polystyrene melt so you might wanna test a little bit on some scrap first. Uhu glue is one of them as I found out 0_0 I have used Loctite super glue for both and it works a treat!

Feel free to use and send to friends ^^ Let me know if you are gonna put it online somewhere.

BONUS

I have also made my own Cast Cards ^^ Drawn on Adobe Illustrator and mounted on card :D So proud!

Hikaru's headset!

For my blog I wish to talk about my experiences in costume making and attending conventions. For my first post I wish to share the progress of one of the funnest, challenging and exciting costumes I have ever made!

Back when I was in school I have began to watch an anime called Angelic Layer. Sadly it was before I have discovered MyAnimeList considering I have only gotten into anime at the time I sort of lost track where I was and didnt get the time to get back to it. Funny enough, my local anime society shown the entire anime a year ago and reminded me why I enjoyed it back then. In fact I enjoyed it more as an adult than I did when I was a teenager. My love of the series drove me to cosplay the doll the lead character, Misaki, had created.

I love working with spandex and stretch fabrics so thats some guarantee that I will enjoy making some parts of it but it is also required for me to learn to use Worbla (a thermoplastic that is manipulated by heat) and PVC if I wanted to do a good job of the costume. For this post I will just talk about the headset.

Yaaaaay selfie time!

The first step was research! It seems that Worbla would be really promising for this so I just jumped on the bandwagon as its a really popular material at the moment! I brought a large sheet on CosCraft and while waiting for it I made a simple paper pattern. I have also got myself a cheap headband to make sure it keeps it's structure!

Once I was happy with the design I have drafted the pattern onto the Worbla and used some simple scissors to cut it out. When heated not only does it start taking shape, but one of the sides gets sticky so you can layer it. Due to the bold colours, I just shaped everything for now and painted it all before glueing it together. There is also some craft foam sandwiched in to add a little thickness in some places. Like Worbla, craft foam can be thermoformed.

I found that acrylic paint works by far the best on Worbla. The white was painted used some wallpaper paint as I couldnt find any >< turned out ghetto but thankfully the worst of it was covered by the lush red layers X'D hehehe

I have used 3 different kinds of glue:

• Poundland super-glue-Agh! Hate using that stuff as it clings to my fingers for days but it does the job well.
• PVA glue-Perfect for varnishing!
• Uhu glue-Does not work as fast as super glue and gets stringy but if used right the stuff is excellent.

I have also got some Loctite glue on hand for emergency repairs. My favourite glue as it can be used for alot of things and thanks to the nozzle I can use it without worrying about making a mess.

Feel free to use this as a simple guide!