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.
Anyone who knows me well will know that I love entering masquerades!
Being backstage can be very daunting but don't let
it put you off from doing a good show!
At any anime convention you will expect a stage event where cosplayers volunteer to show off their work on stage. Depending on the event some masquerades are competitive where others tend to just be just a little fun. There is alot to them so here is a little guide to help you make the most of them.
A common misconception is that masquerades are only for the best cosplayers. This is, in fact, not true at all. While some cosplayers go to show off their best efforts, entrants often join in for the thrill of it or to simply work on their confidence.
Please not that this guide is aimed for the UK convention scene and many events may have different variations to what may be expected. On YouTube it seems that some countries use the word 'Masquerade' to what we Brits call 'Skits' or the 'Omake'. To avoid any confusion,please read the guidelines for your chosen event.
Pre-registration
Not only they are popular to watch, but they are popular to enter. Naturally there may be a limited number of slots to allow the event to not drag too long (think of the entrants near the back and those behind the mics).
At a certain time before the event there may be a application form you may fill in. Nothing drastic, they just want to know a few details such as your name, character and sometimes even your choice of music. Entrants would often enter their best costume they bring to the con. It would be an absolute waste to wear a PE uniform on stage while you plan to wear this amazing ball gown on the floor. Get a group together if you wish.
Changes and special requirements
If you decide to opt out for any reason or have a new costume planned at any point then please e-mail or inform the event organisers as soon as possible. If you have any special requirements such as wanting to be near friends in the que, health issues or wearing a costume with limited visibility/mobility then it will be a good idea to let them know these things and they will do their best to help you out, such as getting a helper to guide you on-stage if you are unable to see properly.
The atmosphere
Masquerades are often performed on stage in front of a large number of attendees.Being a staple event, expect the majority of the con to be rooting for you! You would often get lined up in a certain order so the person calling your name to get called onto the stage will know exactly who will be on the stage next and you too will be aware of when to be strutting your stuff.
Before the masquerade you will be asked to attend a briefing. They allow the organisers to register who has turned up. You will be given the opportunity to ask any questions at this point aswell and to make changes (I will advise you to email the organisers for anything major). Use this opportunity to soak up the atmosplhere and try to visualise what poses would look great on stage.
The set up varies depending on the event itself; MCM Expos and Alcon have the main stage, Kitacon is well remembered from its glorious catwalk, FushiCon (videotaped below) had the box and AmeCon relays across several rooms. You will always be informed by the set-up by the organisers so be sure to listen to it during the briefing.
Lets make the most of it!
Arriving on-time
On the day you arrive make you read the schedule carefully as there will be what is known as what will be along the lines of 'masquerade preparation'. You MUST make sure you arrive before the designated time. You may be disqualified from the event if you fail to attend. Some event might make exceptions only for those who have entered events in the past but it would help alot if you attend. You are not expected to have you conbags or conbadges at this point so make sure you allow a friend to take care of your stuff for you. It should be just you and your costumes.
At this point there will be a register roll and your names will be called out. This just makes sure that everyone who should be there are present and cross off the non-attendees. You will be given instructions on how and where to pose and be given the opportunity to ask questions. Your names will be called out again to get in line for the que so the names of the participants will be parallel to the names listed when they get called out when you are ready to go onstage!
It is highly recommended that you are dressed ready for the event at this point too bar some quick make-up touches. Is this a judged event?
Remember not all masquerades are judged while sometimes are combined with the contest. Some people have a competitive streak while some just like being on stage. Check with the convention to see if they are the same event or if they are separate. You can even take part in both if you wish!
Staying in character
This is important if you are going to be serious about this. It is generally acceptable to enter just for fun but many of the best photos tend to show personality. If you are dressed up as Guy-sensei, show off some awesome kicks, if you are Princess Tutu and ballet trained, do some lovely ballet poses (or do some good research to get the stances right but please do not go en-pointe if you have not been trained properly!). They do not all have to be signature poses but doing the right poses, walk, expressions and stuff are all signs that you are well connected to the character.
Mess around backstage and make friends
The other entrants will be just as nervous backstage so it is a good time to mingle with other cosplayers and share the joy to help yourself (and others) to calm down. Do Darlek impressions with the electric fans, laugh, joke around and make a mustache using your hair/wig. It may make a massive difference for the good to the girl on the brink of tears (or even nausea). It is a good time to get to know others, which helps distract you from the anxiety.
Even veterans get nervous
Sometimes you will be nervous but there will be times where you are more excited. Sometimes it could be a mix of both so don't let nerves put you off from future events.
Walk with confidence!
This is perhaps the most important thing! You would not slump when you get photographed on the con floor so why should you when you get shot my dozens, if not hundreds of photographers at once? Keep your back straight, strut, keep your chin up! You'll look fabulous so don't let bad posture ruin a good photography opportunity! If you are nervous, fake confidence! The rest of the convention will be behind you cheering and you will get a lot of respect for your guts.
POSING!!!!
To avoid looking like a dork, be sure to plan ahead and have some idea how to pose. This is especially important if you are in a group but if you are going solo you can improvise. This is the opportunity to show that you know the character and doing this properly can get you some extra brownie points from the fans.
Due to the lighting of the room chances are you will look more washed out than usual. To avoid looking like a ghost be sure to tone up your make-up to further promote your finer features. Use plenty of foundation, keep natural looking tones for your eye-shadow and add some warmth to your cheeks too! Food! Glorious food!
Be sure to do this at all times during the con but it is especially important in the masq! With the briefing, wait for the event to start, wait to get up on stage and watching the other entrants it may take a few hours and you will be hungry/dying for a beer by the end of it. The lighting here will be more intense than in the halls so to minimise poor skin showing and the risk of passing out be sure to have a light meal before the event.
Be sure to have a light meal before the briefing. I like to take my time while getting dressed and drinking tea to help calm me down. It will be handy to have a light snack in your room at this case but be sure to eat before getting into costume. It helps to take your time to apply make-up and getting the wig right so it helps stretching the time it takes to get ready. If you don't take care of yourself it will show!
Take your time
Not everyone has fast cameras and some people will be using their smartphones so it is a good idea not to rush if you want the crowd to fully appreciate your work. My favourite way around this is to keep on moving while having poses in between movements. Make a performance out of it, freeze for 5 seconds, show your grace and repeat. The photographers will be grateful for it, the videographers will have some nice footage and you will be happier with the results.
Avoid speaking/shouting unless you are Goku shouting 'KAMEHAMEHA!!!!!!!'
This is more of my opinion than anything. You are unlikely to be given a microphone so your voice will be washed out by the background noise and music. Masquerades are an opportunity to show off your costume and is often seen more as a visual art. You may want to enter the omake instead if you plan to have any dialogue.
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!
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!
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.
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.
So Kitacon has come and gone Here is my newest cosplay! I love how she turned out and was a massive learning curve.
