Cosplay Updates – For Serious This Time

I’ll go through how I’m doing so far. I’ve been tracking my progress with a new app called Cosplanner, so if you’re a cosplayer who really likes to keep organised, check it out. It’s free, but the upgrades for it are really cheap, so I went and got myself the upgrades.

Oskar

Oskar is complete. It looks daft, it looks silly, but you know what? It’s a lot of fun to play as. Oskar is always funny to run around as, he even got some great responses over at Bristol Pride earlier this year (People just love to take pictures with the crazy skeleton). He’s got his scythe which is currently in 2 pieces I’m going to try and attach it via magnets rather than using foam or glue to attach it. The reason for this is that it’ll actually be stronger (in theory) by using some nice magnets. A little expensive, but worth it. So this costume’s left to do:

• Get some magnets.

Deku Link

You’ll be pleased to hear progress has been made on this, but not quite enough yet. I’ve got it all of the “bits” done, including the mask, but it’s just not yet complete (which I know seems strange considering how I’ve been doing this one for so long. Blame work and other real life commitments.)

So far, here’s a list of what’s done:

• Body Suit (Broken down into gloves, lycra shirt and lycra trousers.
• Boot materials (Including my own homemade shoe bases and some leatherette). I’m cheating a bit: I’m going to get the shape sorted out with some Worbla that I’ve got. It’s cheating, but it’ll get the job done and it’ll look good!
• Bracers
• Mask base

My shoe bases – Cork and rubber. I might line it with a nice material so it feels better on the feet during the convention. Some trimming has been done since this picture.

And here’s what is left to be done this week:

• Make holes in the mask for the mouth and the eyes (30 minutes… There’s a lot of layers)
• File/sand the mask (1 hour)
• Paint the mask and make it shiny (5 hours)
• Attach tunic to Body Suit (10 minutes)
• The flower which will also be a straw! (30-40 minutes)

It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s all ‘done’, just not ‘finished’. We’ll see how well I do with it this week. If I get some extra time, I’ll also make the body suit more “wooden” by getting an airbrush and giving it some streaks of highlights. That’s a heck of a last minute job, but it would be worth it.

Apollo Justice

I’m toning it back a bit, as I don’t have time to make the blue coat. But this is fine, as the rest is almost there. The only thing I really have to do is make the suit itself. That sounds like a tall order, but I’ve already sorted out the patterns. I just need to cut, then sew. This should only take about 5 hours to complete.

Done so far:

• White shirt
• Formal black shoes
• Hair extensions (I’ll explain this shortly)
• Bracelet (I’ll do a post on this at some point!)
• Attorneys Badge
• Blue Tie

Need to do:

• Red waistcoat with black back. (2 hours)
• Red formal trousers. (3 hours)

That’s it. That’s all. I’m going to get on with this as soon as possible.

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No pictures yet. Not really. But you’ll be kept updated. Will Timlah finish his costumes before Kitacon? Will he, for once, have 3 proper costumes? Find out next time on Timlah’s Cosplay Updates Z.

Let me know if there’s anything you think seems off with my timing. I think I’m looking at it about right – I’ve given some extra time for each piece, in case I mess up (which I will). I’ve got plenty of extra materials, so I should be fine with this. As always, let us know what you thought in the comments below, over on Facebook or Twitter.

Cosplay update – Open Discussion

I don’t have nearly enough of my costumes done right now, so I’m keeping this one short and sweet. Pictures and posts following my costumes will swing by next week when we’re really down to the wire (again!)

Today, I thought I’d ask some interesting questions to you, the cosplay and indeed the geek community. Consider this a Cosplayer Highlight, where the audience is going to participate and let us know what they’d do. So without any further adieu, I’m going to ask some questions. I’ll answer the questions and also pose them to you as well.

Cosplay can even bring the silly, childish joy out of you.

Q: What do you think the most important aspect of a Cosplay is?

A: Enjoying the character. The costume is nearly secondary (Very nearly). You see, whilst having the best costume in the world is awesome and really helps to boost you as a cosplayer, it’s not as much fun to go around in the best costume in the world, if you can’t interact with people as if you were that character. My Original Character (OC) Oskar, is one of the costumes you might have seen me post the most about. Not only am I proud of what I’ve made on there, but I love how easy it is to move around as him and to catch people off guard. He’s a funny little guy, who I can’t help but use to bring a bit of fun to any event I attend. People usually ask for pictures with him, anyway!

Q: What’s the most important skill to learn in Cosplay?

A: Whichever skill you need to know to make your costume. Whilst it’s all well and good turning and saying the most commonly used skill (Sewing), which is indeed an important skill to have in your repertoire, you can do just as well without knowing sewing what so ever. If you want to make armour, you could potentially make it all out of cardboard, foam, worbla (if you had the money!) You name it really. So in terms of individual skills, I’d almost say the most important skill is to learn to learn.

If I had to pick a specific skill that has helped me the most: It’s pattern making. From clothes, to making patterns for props, that has been the one thing that’s stood out for me as the most useful skill. I’m still learning… But if you would rather digitise this process, there is software out there for you.

Q: How old is too old for a Cosplayer?

A: Now, I’ve heard this question used a lot and I have to admit – I almost find it offensive. I didn’t start Cosplaying until I was 23 which is considered a little bit older than most would start Cosplaying. I had wanted to do it from when I was around 13-15. I was heavily into anime, loved me some comics – I was a typical geek who used to love to read and watch. Problem was I had no feasible means to start. Now, I find the question almost offensive because I once was told: “Aren’t you a little old to be playing dress up?” I felt it was such a weird thing to ask, so I retorted to the lady “Thanks for your concern, however this is my form of a hobby. I must ask back now, what is your hobby?”

Weirdly, she had no answer… It was a bit of a strange situation. I turned the question back on her and she couldn’t give me a proper answer. I always believed people need hobbies and passions in their lives. It’s what motivates me and drives me… So as an extra question to the age question: What’s fandom without a bit of colour?

Q: How young is too young for a cosplayer?

A: Stop.

Read above.

Change the words in my answer from “Old” to “Young”.

Next question.

Q: I would love to begin Cosplaying but I am not very creative. How can I get started?

Creativity comes in all forms.

A: For those who don’t know much about me, I’m not really the most creative of people. I try my best, but I’m not going to lie: I struggle to see a lot of things in the same way that a creative mind sees things. I’m always concerned that my lack of creativity would result in me not getting projects finished. I’ve not finished many costumes, the more that I think about it… But I’ve finished enough. The way I got started was by looking up cosplayers who have done my favourite costumes and try to understand their thought process.

If you’re the sort of person who tries to be the best from the first costume, then you might want to buy a costume and practice being the character over the crafting. If you were confident in the crafting, but not the acting, why not make some things and just walk around in these things for a day?

 

Well, that’s it – Let me know your answers to these simple questions. Sorry today was a short post and sorry if you were expecting pictures. They are on their way, but just… Not yet! Let me know what your answers are below, over on Facebook or Twitter.

Prop making: Scythe

This is being a bit of a stumbling point, so I thought I’d use today’s article as a way to discuss the first big prop that I’ve ever worked on, along with materials and the process that needs to be followed to make it. Big props are pretty expensive to buy for many a reason: Shipping, weight, complexity etc. As such, if you’ve got extra cash and don’t mind splashing out on a high quality prop, don’t be afraid to purchase one off a local cosplay crafter. They know what they’re doing and they’re usually glad to make items, such as weapons, completely custom to your specifications.

I’m a bit of a DIY guy, at least in the cosplay sense, so I thought to myself: How hard can this be? Why do I keep thinking things like this?!

Cosplayer Highlight – Rose Cosplay

Welcome to cosplayer highlight, where we look to share insider tips and tricks from the cosplay community, how you can get into the hobby yourself and generally trade wonderful stories about the cosplayers.

Today, we’re joined by a cosplayer, Bryony Harris, who has a large following on Facebook. She really does deserve more attention for her outstanding work as Warcraft characters, as well as all of the amazing work she does in cosplay. She is also a friend of a cosplayer we’ve previously had an interview with, Komplex.

Cosplayer Highlight – Moonset Cosplay

Welcome back to Cosplayer Highlight, where we delve into the creative minds of some craft-smart people who like to get dressed up, becoming a character… and they also tell us why they do what they do!

This week we’re joined by Moonset Cosplay, the partner of Lion Pride Cosplay. I’ve seen this guys works and honestly, he does some amazing cosplays from comics (Marvel/DC). Along with Rebecca, we’ve been spoilt by an incredible cosplaying duo. It’s time for us to see the other side of the coin of these two, because we’re about to see some amazing hero and villain cosplays, along with our usual hard hitting questions (that really aren’t hard hitting at all).

With all this said and done: It’s time for us to get back into the swing of things and question our next interviewee!

EGX Rezzed – Mega Man is coming

Those who regularly read this website will be fully aware of how much I love cosplay, as well as the amazing community it boasts. Honestly, find yourself some cosplayers and get stuck in, because they will make you feel right at home. With this said, it occurred to me recently that it’s really close to EGX Rezzed. You’ll see posts leading up to Rezzed as well as posts on the event in the coming weeks, as well as hopefully getting a few interviews and speaking to the wonderful attendees and cosplayers.

For those who are unaware, EGX Rezzed has a heavy focus on new indie game titles that will be coming out. This is a chance for developers to interact with existing fans and potential new audiences alike. It’s a chance for attendees to get their hands on said games and for people like myself to talk and interview developers. I will be there from Thursday 12th March until Saturday 14th March, so if you’re there come and say hello. You can also speak to the team at 1001-Up who we met last year thanks to Rezzed being at the same time as Kitacon last year.

Joel not included.

This year, Rezzed will be taking place in London at the Tobacco Docks. With Rezzed and interviews in mind, I’m still a cosplayer…

So, I’m currently working on a new costume..! Since this event is entirely about video games, I got thinking about what video games I have really enjoyed in the past and what would actually be a recognisable character. So here’s the candidates:

1. Zidane Tribal – A rebuild and actual fix of that atrocious first ever costume. I decided against this one, as I’m still on the path of losing weight, which would make this costume that little bit more believable.
2. Pac-Man – But then I got thinking about how awkward it would be, interviewing and running around as a big yellow spot.
3. Fantastic Dizzy – This had the same problem as Pac-Man, as I’d be a big white egg… But worse still, I doubt many people would have got the character!
4. World of Warcraft Shaman – But then I realised how much effort would go into the build. I would need more than a month.

But then I thought about it and I figured one of my all time favourite games is Mega Man II. This was the Mega Man game that most people have played at some point, but if you’ve not had a go, just download it from the Nintendo eShop. It’s worth your investment… and it’s not exactly expensive.

I will be attending Rezzed, approaching people as the Blue Bomber himself, Mega Man. I’ll document my progress on this website but for now, let’s discuss what I need to make the costume right:

Helmet – I will be making this out of EVA Foam. I’ve seen an incredible tutorial on YouTube from a guy who calls himself Evil Ted Smith… Seriously, check out the below video, it’s so worthwhile. If you’ve never used EVA Foam to make a helmet before, this video will help you out. I know that the process makes a lot more sense to me now and amazingly, I somehow already have all of the materials he’s suggested.

Glove/s – I think I’ll make the shapes out of craft foam, stick them all together, then smother them in PVA and polish it right up.

Underwear armour..? – I have no better way to describe his crotch-armour, so the underwear I will be making out of EVA Foam. This’ll be two simple pieces that simply snaps together.

Boots – The boots will likely be EVA Foam once more. They’re quite pointy, which should be quite easy shapes to work with… The one thing that won’t be so easy: My large feet. For a short person, I really do have large feet.

Megabuster – The Megabuster I will make out of upholstery foam, coat with craft foam, then possibly put a shiny material over it, or I’ll just gloss up the craft foam. I’ll also get a light to shine through the Megabuster and will do something simple with the energy meter effect on the buster (that yellow rectangular part).

The “clothes” – So the light blue behind the armour parts also needs to be considered. I could go with some tight fitting clothes, but I figured: This is Mega Man. He wouldn’t be wearing clothes… but there’s no way in hell I’m going to paint myself, as that’d not look right either. So what am I going to do? Get myself a Zentai suit, of course!

Am I being too ambitious with this project, or am I being just ambitious enough? If you were a game developer at Rezzed, would you chat to Mega Timlah? As usual, let’s discuss further in the comments below, over on Twitter or on Facebook. I’ll keep you all posted as to how this costume is going!

Cosplayer Highlight – Komplex

Welcome to Cosplayer Highlight, where we are joined by an incredible Cosplayer from the cosplay community.

Today we’re joined by a familiar face from a previous Cosplayer Highlight in Komplex from the Cosplay Duo, the British Bumpkins. We thought we’d interview these two lovely ladies separately this time around and see what’s new for each of them.

So read on for another awesome interview with an incredible member of the cosplay community.

London Anime and Gaming Convention Gallery

As I’ve mentioned previously this week, last weekend I was staffing for the London Anime and Gaming Convention. It was a brilliant event with a lot of positive reviews and many people who had plenty of fun.

Whilst I was working at LAGC, I was able to occasionally get time off to join in with the antics. I was able to get me some new goodies, meet some new people, exchange details with awesome traders and I also saw our friends at the Mayamada studios over there. So, without further adieu, here’s my LAGC gallery!

 

Were you at LAGC? Can you see yourself in any of the pictures here? Why not leave a comment in the section below, or drop us a message via Facebook or Twitter?

Cosplayer Highlight – TPJerematic

Welcome back once more to Cosplayer Highlight. You might have noticed this week was a two for one special – That’s because this was the one that was due last week, but we suffered a technical hitch.

The video didn’t come out as intended, so instead of wasting the slot, we figured we’d fill this week with not one, but two Cosplayer Highlight articles just for you lovely readers.

Much like the person we interviewed today, Komplex from The British Bumpkins, TPJerematic has been interviewed by us before. As he’s helped us provide some awesome pictures of cosplayers before, I thought I’d provide not an interview this time, but an update and a special thanks to TPJerematic.

Cosplayer Highlight – Addaltmode’s Rox

Welcome to the fourth episode in this new series of Cosplayer Highlight, where we have a sit down and a discussion with cosplayers around the world.

Today, we reached out to the blogging community itself. I found this awesome blog called Addaltmode, which featured a Cosplayer who took on a Cosplay project that would transform her life forever. Well perhaps it wouldn’t transform her life so immediately, but at least it was a transformer, so the transform part sticks, right?

Enough tomfoolery from me, it’s time to introduce you to this weeks awesome Cosplayer Highlight guest!