Adventures in Cosplay!

[♛ Apher-Forte]

So anyway, since I am gonna cosplay the Titan slayers of Attack on Titan, I figure I should post my sources, where I am getting them and stuff.

so is anyone planning to cosplay the characters from this show?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/p480x480/936741_381288205315081_121828594_n.jpg maybe this could be of use.

Planning to buy
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.84.G1eyU8&id=18175269831 - The standard costume. gonna drop another 20quid for the Military Police badge to sew on.

and if you have extra dough to spend like 720 yuan (I think it is 200 USD) this should be wayyyyy better http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.121.G1eyU8&id=18190581907 in quality

and here is your gear ready made and delivers in one month.
quality apparently is china grade (cosplay grade in China is pretty good, above most average but less than superior USA prop fabricators)

pop on your Alice or Marisa wig and you can call yourself an OC, or better yet, Attack on Touhou characters.

Quality review will be as and when I get the stuff.
I dropped a total of 600 quid on this. My own currency wise. Self made props not included as yet, estimated cost of project is about 60 plus.



wow for something of quality it goes crazy
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Sale-Attack-Titan-Cosplay-Set-C-Gear-New-Cosplay-Costumes-Coslook-/321123218350?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac46f73ae

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-Sale-Attack-Titan-Cosplay-Set-A-New-Cosplay-Costumes-Coslook-/321123172011?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac46ebeab

These are fucking expensive.

[Hime]

Ah, cosplay! Something I thoroughly love. Ufufufu~

I've cosplayed as Konpaku Youmu, Kirisame Marisa, Cirno, Inubashiri Momiji, Moriya Suwako, Komeiji Koishi, Patchouli Knowledge, and Mystia Lorelei so far... I recently ordered a Houraisan Kaguya costume that should be here within the new few weeks. How wonderful!

I lost almost all of my older cosplay pictures, but I do have a few of my Koishi cosplay:

Spoiler:

(my phone's camera sucks, I'm sorry)

This year I'm going to be cosplaying Akemi Homura (Madoka Magica), Gokou Ruri (Oreimo), Houraisan Kaguya, and maybe Ibuki Suika. I'm planning on cosplaying (in the next few years) Hinanai Tenko (Tenshi FTW), Asuka Soryu (Evangelion), Medicine Meloncholy, Hakurei Reimu, and Alice Margatroid. :3

If anyone lives in the WA area, hit me up and let's do a touhou cosplay group together.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

From my maid cafe project - the girls I hired, and what happened during then.

Maid cafe link - https://www.facebook.com/MeidoKissa
like us plz.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122428864630485.1073741829.121597311380307&type=3

Misc pictures
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.122500211290017.1073741831.121597311380307&type=1

[♛ Apher-Forte]

After another MASSIVE EVENT - C2AGE - I bring you photos, rants and stuff. ]There are over 700++  photos for the two days. [/url]

http://imgur.com/a/n6oKy Part 1 - Includes pictures by RedRabbit, ARC, Raz, Wings, Vents, Mike, INT Photos, Nanee, etc etc.
http://imgur.com/a/Pi5eA Part 2 - More on site
http://imgur.com/a/HZFiw Part 3 - Reika Arikawa (one of CURE's top cosplayers and Alodia are here on stage)

^ CLICK THESE FOR ALBUMS. 
From different photographers. Special thanks goes to Wings, Razrig, Michael Ooi, RedRabbit etc etc etc. This is a personal collection, a storage if you will, because I have no more space anywhere on my computer. Please do not spread it around.   

For my own photos on day 2 only - https://www.facebook.com/darren.k.ong.754/media_set?set=a.10151434836005952.1073741837.524345951&type=1
On this picture:


 this photo had an embarassing story to it, as I was taking this, or wanted to, a photographer was taking it from the sides, and she was told to look my way... I had a few moment to meet her eyes... and then I quickly took one photo before I started feeling flustered that a cute girl was looking at me... and in such a look too... orz. EDITED slightly to bring out the nice colors.


for you Touhou-fans, there are hardly any touhous there...
Komachi a frog and a ghost The said GOAST


Seriously recently it has been extremely sad, why do our events get littered with rubbish and everything, it is shameful to think that cosplayers these days think the event ground staff can clean up their mess and they can just strewn rubbish all over the place.

This is unprecedented serious affair. Meanwhile, as usual, I appear as a Yakuza. strangely, people seem to actually believe Japanese gangsters appear only in Anime. I WONDER.  - ME also Me, day 2


sometimes...
I am amazed at my cosplay inferiority

[cirnomodo]

I love Komachi's expression!

I'm happy to say the Miko Miko Oni is complete!

[♛ Apher-Forte]

lol them fluffy slippers.
nicely done all this is handmade!? <3

[just realized something]
benefits of cosplaying Komachi
1. messy wig - well my character just woke up ok.
2. messy make up - she smudged it all over the pillow
3. no make up - you don't wear make up while you sleep do you?
4. yawning constantly - she is lazy, always
5. has no scythe prop - she left it in the boat on the way here.
6. caught lazy around taking a rest in a weird look (candid photography) - you like looking at people who are taking a sleep on a bench? what are you? some kinda hobo-hunter?

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

-wet fart-

I'd rather not post my Marisa(that was garbage!!!!! it had a pointy ass hat and looked bad!!!!!!) so I'll post two recent cosplays instead.

First, Komachi!!

I actually didn't make this one, a friend of mine let me borrow it for a photoshoot we did! Unfortunately, the photoshoot didn't turn out so well(it was hella dark outside) so no good pictures really came out of it. 

Also this picture is fairly old. December of last year, actually.

My most recent, however, is another lazy slob: Yuyuko! I really really like Yuyuko and I've been wanting to cosplay her for AGES. I can't sew so I got it from Bodyline. :V

I had really horribly uneven eyeliner I'm so sorry.

We were originally going to take serious pictures together but ended up just dicking around on the computer, watching Always Sunny, and taking selfies.


I know I'm not like a pettanko loli or anything. I hope I didn't ruin anyone's touhous.
 :qq:

[triangles]

You forget that 50+% of the Touhou cosplayers are dudes who crush even more hopes and dreams you're fiiiiiiiine.

Any folks in here know how to prop sword and/or prop armor?  I want to make Agrias for Otakon and I've found a bunch of tutorials on Deviantart of all places for foamboard/foamies which is about my price range/equipment level, but I'd love to hear peoples' experience.  All my ~cosplay superstar~ friends use wood or fiberglass or $China/yard thermoplastics which hahahano.

[Kilgamayan]

Comedy pictures are always better than srs pictures unless you're a srsbsns cosplayer.

With that much eyeliner, though, you should do the Hata-tan version of Hatate. >_> (Except without the needles and razors and stuff)

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

I'm not familiar with Hata-tan Hatate. Is that a fandom thing?

I also hate the tengu(except for Momiji, she's a cute patoot) and try to avoid them like the plague.

[Kilgamayan]

It spawned from some guy's interpretation of Hatate as an emotionally unstable stalker of Aya. She's characterized by dark circles around her eyes and a look on her face that ranges from desperate to soulless. It took off like crazy for reasons I don't care to learn.

[Reddyne]

Any folks in here know how to prop sword and/or prop armor?  I want to make Agrias for Otakon and I've found a bunch of tutorials on Deviantart of all places for foamboard/foamies which is about my price range/equipment level, but I'd love to hear peoples' experience.  All my ~cosplay superstar~ friends use wood or fiberglass or $China/yard thermoplastics which hahahano.

For the sword, there's a handful of ways to do this, each with benefits/drawbacks. Foam board is pretty good and I've used it to make stuff before, but it was a fallback option. It's similar to styrofoam insulation in that it's nice and light, but really frail and easy to damage. If you catch it in the car door or poke someone walking by on accident, it'll bend waaay out of shape. It's great for larger props where weight would otherwise be an issue, but might be a bit vulnerable for a sword uness you do something to strengthen it. It's easy to work with otherwise, for the most part. When you cut it, foamboard/insulation will shed tiny tiny particles like a himalayan cat coming down with mange during summer in Arizona, so work with it in a clear area.
 
After making Shou's spear, I came to prefer medium density fiberboard big time. It's more difficult to work with because it's basically a wood analog, but it's faaaaar more rugged. Unless you deliberately stomp on it, the only problem you should have would be marks on the paint job. For this, it's easier to have a table saw of sorts for actual cutting, though a jigsaw, wood file, and elbowgrease can do it too. You can put an edge on it with the saw or file. The cross guard could be more MDF while the grip could be a wooden dowel and the pommel could be a doll's head you could get from any Michael's. The blade can be connected to the dowel through the cross guard by a cheapo steel rod and any gluing could be done by wood or gorilla glue. Treat the whole thing with a thin gesso, then paint it. The blade would do well with a mixture of Rub 'n' Buff and acrylic paint, which will give it a metallic look in the color of your choosing. Requires a bit more effort and tools, but I'll probably use this route next time I need it.
 
As for the armor, craft foam worked well. It's cheap, relatively simple, flexible, and can take a bit of abuse. It comes in cheapo sheets at Michael's. Heat it with a real beefy blow dryer, heat gun, or even over the stove (not recommended because of how clumsy and imprecise this is) and shape it how you want it. Slather on a layer of Mod Podge and put the cheapest, on-sale-iest muslin (or any thin cotton fabric) you can get on top. Rinse and repeat on any side until the desired strength/thickness is reached, then gesso and paint it. Attach it to the costume depending on what you're sticking it to. It's a nice and dirt cheap method to make any shaped piece of a costume.

[Iris]

It spawned from some guy's interpretation of Hatate as an emotionally unstable stalker of Aya. She's characterized by dark circles around her eyes and a look on her face that ranges from desperate to soulless. It took off like crazy for reasons I don't care to learn.

Pretty sure the answer to that is :internet:

When you cut it, foamboard/insulation will shed tiny tiny particles like a himalayan cat coming down with mange during summer in Arizona, so work with it in a clear area.

Holy mother of simile, batman.

Hey, actually while we're on the topic of painting props and whatnot, does anyone have a good suggestion for how to get paint to properly adhere to a resin prop?  A while back I bought a police training bluegun replica of a Remington 700 XTR for my Material Sniper Iris outfit, and while I got the paintjob to look pretty decent (to the point where I was kind of a little hesitant to leave this thing out in the backyard to dry lest the cops be called in), it's starting to chip/peel/whatever like crazy.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

You forget that 50+% of the Touhou cosplayers are dudes who crush even more hopes and dreams you're fiiiiiiiine.

Any folks in here know how to prop sword and/or prop armor?  I want to make Agrias for Otakon and I've found a bunch of tutorials on Deviantart of all places for foamboard/foamies which is about my price range/equipment level, but I'd love to hear peoples' experience.  All my ~cosplay superstar~ friends use wood or fiberglass or $China/yard thermoplastics which hahahano.

I have like, done only 2 props before thus far. one is a Thunderbringer thing, that wasn't for me needless to say, experience wise - it was frustrating, and choking, think chemicals, now think about smoking them. yeah. dunno what else you want me to say, but it is like this. Buy foam, buy board, proceed to cut board and glue foam, spray shit on, voila. prepare to choke. and scream and pull hair. Yeah. it is science, almost rocket science for idiots like me.
that said, OMG MODE YOU ARE BACK OMG e we

[SuperParadox]

I realized I should have posted my other photos here instead of in Cons and Exhibits.

Finally the rest of pictures from Anime North

Didn't take any pictures of myself, and haven't been able to find any that others took on the internet. So no pictures of my own cosplay.  :ohdear:

[cirnomodo]

lol them fluffy slippers.
nicely done all this is handmade!? <3

I don't know about the slippers, but my friend made the costume, her Suika horn and gourd.

My costume is a store-bought and I commissioned the horn and wig. Wish I can find a pair of geta that's red instead of black in my size (went with what I could find locally).

[triangles]

Buy foam, buy board, proceed to cut board and glue foam, spray shit on, voila. prepare to choke. and scream and pull hair. Yeah. it is science, almost rocket science for idiots like me.

I too am an idiot as I was hoping for slightly more details than that  :V

all sorts of useful stuffs

I was hoping to ask you if you didn't find this first for advice!  So for the sword, if I'm understanding this right I make sort of a fiberboard sandwich with the rod in the middle to connect it to the grip?  I do like the idea of something a little sturdier, but I don't have any wood cutting tools (field trip to my parents?)  As for the foam armor, that sounds about right from the tutorials - though they put the muslin on the underside of the armor, as it would likely be just one layer + detailing (unless the muslin was for making a surface to connect multiple layers) then just seal the hell out of it.  I had tried the over the stove method once before in my failed attempt to make a headpiece, this ended pretty badly, but I know one of my friends has a heat gun when she'd use the thermoplastics and she's now going to Otakon too thanks to all the music guests so woo cosplay party!

I suppose I'll start on the sword/armor stuff in the next week, and if that fails miserably I'll have time for a Plan B for the con.

[Reddyne]

I was hoping to ask you if you didn't find this first for advice!  So for the sword, if I'm understanding this right I make sort of a fiberboard sandwich with the rod in the middle to connect it to the grip?  I do like the idea of something a little sturdier, but I don't have any wood cutting tools (field trip to my parents?)  As for the foam armor, that sounds about right from the tutorials - though they put the muslin on the underside of the armor, as it would likely be just one layer + detailing (unless the muslin was for making a surface to connect multiple layers) then just seal the hell out of it.  I had tried the over the stove method once before in my failed attempt to make a headpiece, this ended pretty badly, but I know one of my friends has a heat gun when she'd use the thermoplastics and she's now going to Otakon too thanks to all the music guests so woo cosplay party!

I suppose I'll start on the sword/armor stuff in the next week, and if that fails miserably I'll have time for a Plan B for the con.

For the sword, drill a hole in the base of the MDF blade and put a steel rod into it and glue it in place. MDF is about 1/4'' thick, so I'd go for 2 pieces together for the blade with a 1/4'' hole/steel rod. Do whatever for the cross guard. More MDF is fine. Put another 1/4'' hole in the middle. Then, cut the dowel to size and drill a hole in in much the same way as the blade. Hit the whole thing with gorilla glue and hold it together since gorilla glue expands. You'll wind up with something you'll have to swing for the fences with it before it'll break. Also, oak dowels from Home Depot/Lowe's are FAR tougher than ones from Michael's, which is some other kind of wood.

Another problem that you might run into is that the steer rods are GREAT for support, but are a full foot long. This makes it tough for drill bits to go into wood/MDF at a relatively straight and controllable angle for a drill. 6'' is much more manageable and still offers a way to connect the parts of the sword and support it without it being as long. You'll have to cut it with a dremel using a metal cutting attachment or find someone willing to do so since the home improvement places are a bit stingy about such things.

As for the foam armor, additional layers will make it more rigid, which is better if you're going with a specific size and shape. A couple layers would probably be good for something like leather armor or something similar since you can still flex it all over the place then. Several layers on either side of the original foam would be better for something more rigid. Give it a test! Cut a 2''x2'' square and keep putting fabric on it until it's a solid as you like and go from that. Materials are inexpensive, especially because you can cheat with cheapo fabric. Also, I think things might change depending on what kind of adhesive is used. Mod Podge is almost watery glue, while gesso is glue and chalk. I think gesso will add more rigidity faster.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Yeah, well, sadly I got nothing much to share. The only thing I can say that are not already stated in Reddyne's post above is that if you plan to use boards, be sure to use them sticky petroleum base putties, the sort you use to stick PVC pipes with (or the Bondo thing they use in car fixing) that is basically this black clay like tube that can be found in DIY stores. They sell in bulk in some stores. That stuff needs to be molded over and over again, by hand, so it becomes the shape you like. But you have a time limit, before it hardens. Once it hardens, and say... you wanna build my hammer above, it weighs a ton (chemical yadda yadda) and, if you like me, also paste the entire hammer's inside with it (which is essentially a wood block, with cardboard outside and foam, and inside with said putty... it will be about 3 - 4kg when done. BUT it is a useable hammer, like seriously, it is so hard you can smash rocks with it. (I prefer to make useable props, might recycle them for day to day use later lol).

Use this putty to make swords, and I guarantee you can chop veggies with them. split branches even. It is harder than wood or fiber resin for the most part.
Just remember to wear a mask when using those DIY fiber putties, they generate air-borne particles that can clog the nose and irritate the eyes, if you have sensitive skin use disposable gloves, and damn, wash your hands thoroughly... at least 3 times. This shit is so poison had John McClane been the name of this putty, it would churn out 10 Die Hard films with one tube of putty.

and here
https://www.facebook.com/GSProps?ref=stream&hc_location=stream

[AzureAmulet]

I have been looking everywhere for his cosplay online! The only things its coming up with in Google is his boots, or Red's and Ash cosplays...  Does anyone know of a site where they are selling Green's cosplay? Yes, before you ask I have tried looking on eBay.

[helvetica]

O I should post some of my cosplay pictures. I'm bad at this though These are a couple of shots from my most recent con excursion down at Animazement.

My roommate made the Keine cosplay and I inherited it when he retired it. That Nazrin is indeed super adorable but she's not my cosplay prop :b


My friend and I both ended up doing Fionna accidentally so we decided to ham it up (I'm on the left)


COSPLAY IS FUN There's tons I want to do but I absolutely suck at sewing so now I'm learning hardcore propmaking and stuff so I can exchange favors with my roommie >>

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

I made a post about how strange it is seeing yourself in and out of cosplay at the same time and this happened.



But dumdums aside, it's a really weird feeling, isn't it? Almost like an uncanny valley thing, even if it doesn't look all that different.

[Kilgamayan]

I think that person was being facetious for the sake of humor.

At the very least, I probably would have said the same thing had I seen that post. <_<

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

I think that person was being facetious for the sake of humor.

At the very least, I probably would have said the same thing had I seen that post. <_<

I just assume they were dead serious because Touhou fans tend to have no sense of humor.

[Kilgamayan]

You need to come to AnimeBoston some time, then.

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

You need to come to AnimeBoston some time, then.

As much as I'd love to, I'm broke and live in the Midwest.  :ohdear:

We do have some decent cons here, though.

[helvetica]

I missed Origins this weekend so I am a sad

[Kaze_Senshi]

I made a post about how strange it is seeing yourself in and out of cosplay at the same time and this happened.



But dumdums aside, it's a really weird feeling, isn't it? Almost like an uncanny valley thing, even if it doesn't look all that different.

A smile can make a lot of difference

[ErASeR MOdER MAxiMUM]

A smile can make a lot of difference

I can only smile when dressed up as a bug-eyed anime vidya character.

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Given any situation I think you would look perfect cosplaying as a Persona 4 character. I dunno, it just hit me like so.

anyway, No matter where I go I notice you guys have no contact of good photographers, do you guys not have PHOTO-PRIDE? Like literally all I see are amateur shots, there must be some awesome (or at least filtered photos) of you guys in drag/cosplaying.