Cosplay help

[Dusk]

COSPLAYYYYYYUH~

 

I'm so excited about costumes, you guys. I LOVE COSTUMES. I'm still working on costume quality (last year's Halloween costume was unspeakable and I am ashamed at ever having worn it out of the house... *shudder*) but I've had a few good ones. 

 

I have the immense luck of getting to go to a con next month, and since these plans came about kinda last-minute, my group is doing a Walking Dead theme - my mom and I will be zombies and my friend and my brother are going to be zombie hunters. Zombies are easy to pull off, and you can use regular clothing! Tadaa! 

 

I'm brainstorming a renaissance faire costume currently... I'd like to go for some kind of mischievous forest-spirit-type creature, but I don't want to look like a fairy. Everything I can find is cutesy fairies. I want mystical + playful + bad-ass. Any ideas? Any specific creatures come to mind?

 

I'm also thinking of some kind of Skyrim costume for Halloween this year, which is super duper exciting.

[Kareesh]

Satyrs? Or a forest queen type thing? Or a kitsune (fox) spirit?

[Raincloak]

COSPLAYYYYYYUH~

 

I'm so excited about costumes, you guys. I LOVE COSTUMES. I'm still working on costume quality (last year's Halloween costume was unspeakable and I am ashamed at ever having worn it out of the house... *shudder*) but I've had a few good ones. 

 

I have the immense luck of getting to go to a con next month, and since these plans came about kinda last-minute, my group is doing a Walking Dead theme - my mom and I will be zombies and my friend and my brother are going to be zombie hunters. Zombies are easy to pull off, and you can use regular clothing! Tadaa! 

 

I'm brainstorming a renaissance faire costume currently... I'd like to go for some kind of mischievous forest-spirit-type creature, but I don't want to look like a fairy. Everything I can find is cutesy fairies. I want mystical + playful + bad-ass. Any ideas? Any specific creatures come to mind?

 

I'm also thinking of some kind of Skyrim costume for Halloween this year, which is super duper exciting.

 

when I hear "mischievous forest spirit" and "renfair" in the same paragraph, "fairy" is what I think.  However there's fairies and there's fairies.  Some fey are pretty scary (think like the ones in "Pan's Labyrinth".)  You can make yourself more or less cute by your choice of accessories.

 

You could be a raven spirit, or whatever critter catches your fancy.  If you want "mischievous/playful" an owl, raven, fox, coyote, spider, raccoon, or skunk theme would do.  (Rabbits are also tricksters, but you said you didn't want to be cute.)  Just find or make an appropriate mask, get pants or a couple layerable skirts in the base color (black, cinnamon, dust brown, white, gray, black-and-white -- depending on animal) and then tatter and decorate with abandon.  Think like a were-creature or a shamanic totem.

 

You could also do "nature red in tooth and claw" and add fur, fangs, horns, skulls, bloodstains and such.  Fairies can be themed as predators, too.  Try looking up "dark faerie" or variants thereof to get less "cute" images.

 

Get a mask with the face of your animal, or with leaves or horns on it.  Or paint your face.  A crown of ivy or thorny brambles is slightly more badass than flowers; add a few shiny beads to it to soften it up.  Or if it's going to be sunny, you could get a straw hat and add as many nature-themed accessories as possible.  Little toy birds, flowers, feathers, beads, ribbons, etc.  If you're not a hat person, put the accessories in your hair.  Wings are optional, as is a staff or wand.  Add some eye catching necklaces, bracelets, a belt or two, and earrings if you've got piercings.  Throw on a cloak if it's not too hot, and you should be good to go. Fairies wear whatever they darn well please.

[Dusk]

Satyrs? Or a forest queen type thing? Or a kitsune (fox) spirit?

 

 

when I hear "mischievous forest spirit" and "renfair" in the same paragraph, "fairy" is what I think.  However there's fairies and there's fairies.  Some fey are pretty scary (think like the ones in "Pan's Labyrinth".)  You can make yourself more or less cute by your choice of accessories.

 

You could be a raven spirit, or whatever critter catches your fancy.  If you want "mischievous/playful" an owl, raven, fox, coyote, spider, raccoon, or skunk theme would do.  (Rabbits are also tricksters, but you said you didn't want to be cute.)  Just find or make an appropriate mask, get pants or a couple layerable skirts in the base color (black, cinnamon, dust brown, white, gray, black-and-white -- depending on animal) and then tatter and decorate with abandon.  Think like a were-creature or a shamanic totem.

 

You could also do "nature red in tooth and claw" and add fur, fangs, horns, skulls, bloodstains and such.  Fairies can be themed as predators, too.  Try looking up "dark faerie" or variants thereof to get less "cute" images.

 

Get a mask with the face of your animal, or with leaves or horns on it.  Or paint your face.  A crown of ivy or thorny brambles is slightly more badass than flowers; add a few shiny beads to it to soften it up.  Or if it's going to be sunny, you could get a straw hat and add as many nature-themed accessories as possible.  Little toy birds, flowers, feathers, beads, ribbons, etc.  If you're not a hat person, put the accessories in your hair.  Wings are optional, as is a staff or wand.  Add some eye catching necklaces, bracelets, a belt or two, and earrings if you've got piercings.  Throw on a cloak if it's not too hot, and you should be good to go. Fairies wear whatever they darn well please.

 

Thank you guys so much!! You both put into words what I was trying to envision. I knew this was the right place to ask!

 

You have a most excellent point, Raincloak, fairies are not all bright and shiny and cutesy. I had forgotten about the multitude of fairies that steal children and murder people and whatnot.

I do like the animalistic/animal spirit sort of fae as well. 

Much to consider. Thanks so much!!!

[Red1263]

Oh wow, I was talking to my brother about displaying earlier today (Free Comic Book Day) and we saw someone cosplaying as Spiderman. So we thought to ourselves, 'We could do that.' I was curious as to what I would go as and I was thinking of Blacksuit Spiderman. I'm not buff enough to be Venom, but I'll definitely attempt that. How would I go about accomplishing this? I know nothing of cosplay. Also, my brother is curious about the Winter Soldier and how to go about making that costume.

Any advice is appreciated.

[Anim07734]

Oh wow, I was talking to my brother about displaying earlier today (Free Comic Book Day) and we saw someone cosplaying as Spiderman. So we thought to ourselves, 'We could do that.' I was curious as to what I would go as and I was thinking of Blacksuit Spiderman. I'm not buff enough to be Venom, but I'll definitely attempt that. How would I go about accomplishing this? I know nothing of cosplay. Also, my brother is curious about the Winter Soldier and how to go about making that costume.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Black spider man is actually pretty easy; you can find everything you need online.  Check out zentai zentai (or just do a google search) for a good starting place.  Once you find a suit you like, (depending on how much you're willing to spend) you can look into some of the face masks to get the "correct" shape (no visible nose, etc) and eye covers.  Also, you'll want to pick up a pair of cheap water socks and a tube of E6000.  Tear the soles off the shoes, put plastic bags around your feet, put on the shoe upper, then the morph suit legs, then glue the sole of the shoe to the bottom of each foot.  It takes an hour or so to dry enough to remove and you want to keep even pressure on it while it does, but you can sit with your feet flat.  Give it a day or two to cure, then trim off any excess/uneven edges.  For extra effect, you can add a couple light layers of puff fabric paint to the suit details; just be sure to only work on it while wearing it, or the paint will crack when the fabric stretches.

 

Bucky from Winter Soldier is harder, but you can probably find a lot of it at army surplus places or careful amazon searches.  After that it's just putting things together and making small mods to get the right look.  The arm is probably the hardest part, and will depend a lot on how much you're willing to spend and how accurate you want it.  Silver body paint/latex with good detailing can give a costume quality version.  If you want it to be more movie accurate, you'll have to look into something like Worbla and be very careful with the sizing and detail work.

[HelloSweetie]

Did a new cosplay last month as Princess Leia (Bespin/Cloud City) for Star Wars Celebration. Here's a little photo.

 

Next project: Age of Ultron Black Widow in time for SDCC. My roommate is a lighting designer and it going to help me figure out the EL wire stuff, but it should be fun

 

[Raincloak]

woo, how was Star Wars Celebration?  I thought about going but decided it wasn't worth it (already had con exhaustion anyway).

 

if you wanted to cheat a bit with Black Widow you could just use fluorescent piping, no?  I'm sure the movie enhanced her suit with CG.

[Red1263]

Black spider man is actually pretty easy; you can find everything you need online.  Check out zentai zentai (or just do a google search) for a good starting place.  Once you find a suit you like, (depending on how much you're willing to spend) you can look into some of the face masks to get the "correct" shape (no visible nose, etc) and eye covers.  Also, you'll want to pick up a pair of cheap water socks and a tube of E6000.  Tear the soles off the shoes, put plastic bags around your feet, put on the shoe upper, then the morph suit legs, then glue the sole of the shoe to the bottom of each foot.  It takes an hour or so to dry enough to remove and you want to keep even pressure on it while it does, but you can sit with your feet flat.  Give it a day or two to cure, then trim off any excess/uneven edges.  For extra effect, you can add a couple light layers of puff fabric paint to the suit details; just be sure to only work on it while wearing it, or the paint will crack when the fabric stretches.

 

Bucky from Winter Soldier is harder, but you can probably find a lot of it at army surplus places or careful amazon searches.  After that it's just putting things together and making small mods to get the right look.  The arm is probably the hardest part, and will depend a lot on how much you're willing to spend and how accurate you want it.  Silver body paint/latex with good detailing can give a costume quality version.  If you want it to be more movie accurate, you'll have to look into something like Worbla and be very careful with the sizing and detail work.

Thanks Anim! I'll relay this info to my bro and we'll see what we can do. I'll keep you guys posted on it.

[HelloSweetie]

woo, how was Star Wars Celebration?  I thought about going but decided it wasn't worth it (already had con exhaustion anyway).

 

if you wanted to cheat a bit with Black Widow you could just use fluorescent piping, no?  I'm sure the movie enhanced her suit with CG.

 

Star Wars Celebration was probably my favorite con I've been to. It's neck and neck with Gallifrey One. I had so much fun!! I really want to go to the one in London next year, but money is a thing.

 

I could use fluorescent piping, but I wanna go full throttle with it. And when I have an awesome resource like my roommate who can get wholesale discounts etc from her work, then why not? The hardest part of that costume will be the pattern and using the right fabrics anyway, so having the EL wire detail won't be that much more work. 

[Becoming-Bane]

Any of you do helmet work? I am trying to do a red hood helmet and another of the same shape that will be a custom Bane design. Im thinking foam because I realized I suck at paper mache lol. any tips or advice? 

Also Im glad to see that you are all getting use of this. Im happy to see its working out.

[Anim07734]

I've done a paper mache Gundam helmet and mask.  Matboard (used primarily in picture framing) worked well for the frame.  Then masking tape and white glue for the paper mache portion.

 

I'm currently working on a Mandolorian helmet for my brother, though that's mostly modding an existing helmet to actually look decent.  The main tip from that project is that you can use the inner support from a cheap hard hat to make the helmet sit right on your head.  I'm also looking into worbla to make a Captain America mask/helmet for a friend.

 

If you've got some reference pics of what you're going for, that might help us come up with better tips.

[Anim07734]

Thanks Anim! I'll relay this info to my bro and we'll see what we can do. I'll keep you guys posted on it.

Just found this tutorial on how to make the Winter Soldier arm with worbla.  Haven't read through it, but should at least be a starting point.

[LadyGrey]

I've been absent for a couple of months, but I am starting a new challenge this round. I wanted to share the cosplay I was working on for my last challenge (seeing how it was part of it). I didn't get to finish my grey warden, but I did finish my Rainbow Brite and it was so much fun. And inspired by a fellow Nerd Fitness friend. I'm nervous about posting photos about myself but here goes!

 

 

 

[Raincloak]

Wow, I didn't think anybody remembered Rainbow Brite except me. Nice job! Made me smile.

[LadyGrey]

Wow, I didn't think anybody remembered Rainbow Brite except me. Nice job! Made me smile.

YAY! at least I made someone smile!

[Becoming-Bane]

anyone got any idea how I could make these heaphones? http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11/113509/2731403-ame_2.png

[Raincloak]

wow, that's an ambitious outfit. Or an ambitious figure, at least.

 

... anyway, the headphones.  Maybe sculpey or some of that magic foam, added to a regular pair of cans (sand the plastic first, for better adhesion).  Or buy some big corks at a craft store, cut to fit and glue them on.  Then spraypaint the whole mess.

[LadyGrey]

anyone got any idea how I could make these heaphones? http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11/113509/2731403-ame_2.png

I find EVA foam to be awesome for stuff like that

[Anim07734]

I'd try looking around amazon and ebay for some headphones that look similar, then add foam, plasticard, or matboard for the extra bits.  Possibly add a small ropelight to make it glow if you have time (hide the batteries in one of the ears).

[SkiBlue]

Since it's been a month, I think I will contribute a bit. Modding a set of headphones should be pretty easy. It depends on what kind of material you would be most comfortable with. I would get a similar set and mod the shape by adding parts, primer it, and go from there. There are plenty of ways to do it, it's a matter of how durable you want it to be.

 

I've been slowly getting more and more into cosplay/costuming. It's a matter of funds and time. But it's now becoming a bigger priority to me. Here are the few that I've done:

 

I'm the Bulma on the right (2009)

 

Last Halloween (excuse the dull hair highlights and my keys)

 

And my current project is to complete one of these for myself. This is actually a photo of my husband getting Mando armor made for him during Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

[Robkashikoi]

Holy cow, I am glad I found this thread!  People like me!  I suppose I should make an introduction.

 

Hello, my name is Rob and I am a cosplayer.

 

I am an R2 builder, working on my second one soon, and a Mandalorian Merc.  I am sort of working on a Judge in my extra free time, I peped a helmet and printed my badge and Lawgiver. It's awesome to find more like me here!

[NicTheRugger]

Waaah, cosplay. I recently was Thor for Boston Comic Con (my sister was Loki). I'll have to find a way to upload pics from my phone. 

 

I'm planning a long-term project to be Wonder Woman for next year's BCC. I want to go with a more historically accurate look, because as much as I love Wonder Woman, I just CANNOT deal with her costume. As a woman with... larger tracts of land... and as someone who played rugby in college, the idea of wearing a swimsuit with minimal armor is beyond belief. Strapless outfits don't work well for women built like WW, especially if they're fighting. Instead, I'm trying to make my costume a combination of Xena (yes, I know, not really historically accurate) and Spartan armor from the bronze and iron age. My two biggest concerns with this project is sewing leather/faux leather (because I cannot afford real leather), and making the armor. When I made my Thor armor, I had the hardest time in the world coming up with how to make armor that looked like the breastplate that Thor wears (new Thor, that is). In the end, I ended up using just the cups from a bra, craft foam, and a lot of duct tape. And spray paint. It worked out okay, but I wasn't entirely happy with it. As it were, I was thinking about recycling said Thor armor for my WW armor, and just adding maille scales (also craft foam), since that technique of armor was introduced via the Persians in Ancient Greece, and the iconic eagle. My other plan was to experiment with Worbla and come up with new armor. 

 

Any armor masters out there? Advice would be much appreciated. I might eventually post some draft sketches that I have for the costume. 

[Anim07734]

I'm far from an armor master, but from what friends and I have done, craft foam and worbla seem to be the way to go.  I've also had friends make pretty convincing leather belt pouches by painting craft foam.  I'll see if I can find the site they got the patterns from when I get home.

[SkiBlue]

Holy cow, I am glad I found this thread!  People like me!  I suppose I should make an introduction.

 

Hello, my name is Rob and I am a cosplayer.

 

I am an R2 builder, working on my second one soon, and a Mandalorian Merc.  I am sort of working on a Judge in my extra free time, I peped a helmet and printed my badge and Lawgiver. It's awesome to find more like me here!

 

Yes, a Mando Merc! I'm hoping to join you guys next year. I'm currently trying to finalize my first armor set.

 

Waaah, cosplay. I recently was Thor for Boston Comic Con (my sister was Loki). I'll have to find a way to upload pics from my phone. 

 

I'm planning a long-term project to be Wonder Woman for next year's BCC. I want to go with a more historically accurate look, because as much as I love Wonder Woman, I just CANNOT deal with her costume. As a woman with... larger tracts of land... and as someone who played rugby in college, the idea of wearing a swimsuit with minimal armor is beyond belief. Strapless outfits don't work well for women built like WW, especially if they're fighting. Instead, I'm trying to make my costume a combination of Xena (yes, I know, not really historically accurate) and Spartan armor from the bronze and iron age. My two biggest concerns with this project is sewing leather/faux leather (because I cannot afford real leather), and making the armor. When I made my Thor armor, I had the hardest time in the world coming up with how to make armor that looked like the breastplate that Thor wears (new Thor, that is). In the end, I ended up using just the cups from a bra, craft foam, and a lot of duct tape. And spray paint. It worked out okay, but I wasn't entirely happy with it. As it were, I was thinking about recycling said Thor armor for my WW armor, and just adding maille scales (also craft foam), since that technique of armor was introduced via the Persians in Ancient Greece, and the iconic eagle. My other plan was to experiment with Worbla and come up with new armor. 

 

Any armor masters out there? Advice would be much appreciated. I might eventually post some draft sketches that I have for the costume. 

 

If you like a more armor looking Wonder Woman, check out the armor she wears in the New 52:

 

 

Sorry for the big photo, it's the only size I found. I happen to love the style for this one. I hope to make this one myself specifically. If you don't like that much leg showing, you could always add more to the tasset. But I like the sound of historically accurate Wonder Woman. I would definitely give Worbla a try, if you're interested in making authentic-looking armor. The concept behind it isn't that hard to understand, I think it's just a matter of practice. Kamui Cosplay is a fantastic resource for Worbla armor making.