23 Cosplay Accessory Tutorials
Tutorial: How to Make Dragon or Bat Wings
Making cellophane wings is slightly more difficult than other methods of costume wings, but it’s still doable for the determined beginner. This method creates shining, see-through wings that look somewhat ephemeral. It’s best used for open wing structures, such as…
Tutorial: Butterfly Fairy Wings (with wire and fabric)
Fabric and wire are ideal for creating large wings with a closed shape. Butterfly or insect wings are good options. The idea is to create your desired shape with the wire, pull the fabric over it, and paint your design…
Tutorial: Make a Clip-On Unicorn Horn
For this tutorial, you use two strands of clay and twist them around each other to create the horn effect. This method creates unicorn horns that have a somewhat more cartoonish look, which will work well for a lot of…
Tutorial: Sew an Anime-Style Bow With Ribbon
This is not a tutorial for how to tie a bow, instead it’s for how to sew one in place so you can reuse it. It will create a bow with a visible looping effect, rather than the flat look…
Tutorial: Make a Cute Fake Bow for Hair Accessories and Waistbands
This method for creating a bow is not really trying to look real. It more of a 2-D version of a bow that looks great for costumes based on anime or cartoon characters. This type of faux bow is simple…
Tutorial: Easy Visor Tutorial for Costumes
In this tutorial, I’ll be making a visor using EVA foam (or craft foam). But you can use the same idea to construct many different types of simple hats. This works best for hats that you can build off of…
Tutorial: Easy Full-Face Mask for Costumes
There are many, many ways of creating a full mask, but this is the method that’s the cheapest and does not require you to make a mold of your face. This method will not work for a mask that’s supposed…
Tutorial: How to Use Polymer Clay for Costume Props and Accessories
Polymer clay is a type of clay that needs to be baked to harden. You can mold it as much as you want before baking, the clay will not dry out, but once you bake it, you cannot go back…
Tutorial: How to Make Gloves (and fingerless) for Anime Costumes
Making gloves from non-stretch fabric is difficult because you need to take the thickness of your hand and fingers into account. The fabric is not going to be able to stretch around your hand. It took me three tries to…
Tutorial: Create Costume Jewelry With EVA Foam
EVA foam is a common, lightweight material that is used for all kinds of cosplay props. You can get big sheets of a flat, foam material. Then you’ll cut it and use heat to shape the EVA foam into three-dimensional…
Tutorial: Make Gems for Custom Jewelry with Resin
A lot of jewelry will have gems and jewels inlaid as part of the design. The good news is that you don’t have to go out and purchase expensive gemstones to recreate the costume piece. Instead, you can create fake…
How to Make Custom Goggles for Your Cosplay (it’s easier than you think)
Goggles are a very common accessory among cosplay protagonists, but they all come in unique shapes with odd details added on. Unless the character is very popular, it’s usually pretty difficult to find ready-made goggles that are perfect for your…
Make Custom Rings For Cosplay (or just for fun)
Sometimes a character you’re cosplaying has a ring with a very unique design. You may be able to find a prop replica if it happens to be a popular show or series, but often your only option is to make…
Tutorial: How to Create a Perfect Bow (shoujo style)
I am not good at tying bows. They always end up droopy, uneven, and upside down (somehow?). So for cosplay, I try to never rely on my ability to tie a pretty bow. Instead, I fake it. There are multiple…
How to Create Custom Gems for Your Next Cosplay
Gems are used everywhere in anime, cartoons, comics, and TV shows. If you cosplay a lot, you’ll have to figure out how to make them at some point. It’s inevitable. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find ready-made gems…
Tutorial: How to Make the Perfect Witch Hat for Cosplay or Halloween
Have you tried making a witch hat only to find that it looks stiff and lifeless or keeps drooping? Well, I have the fix for you! Mostly, this comes down to the material you use for your witch hat. I…
How to Create Custom Hats for Cosplay (with EVA foam)
Hats are one of those parts of cosplay costumes that are intimidating to many beginners. Unless it’s a popular character, you’re not going to be able to find your hat in the store. Of course, you can find a similar…
Tutorial: Superhero Eyemasks for Costumes
Creating a superhero eyemask for cosplay is a fun way to immerse yourself in your character. Whether you’re aiming to replicate the iconic look of characters like the Incredibles or crafting an original creation, the eye mask is a central…
Tutorial: How to Make Stretch Gloves for Costumes
Custom gloves can add that finishing touch to your costume, setting you apart in a sea of store-bought outfits. From sleek superheroes to Victorian damsels, gloves can play an essential role in a character’s look. Making gloves might seem daunting…
Making Comfortable Invisible Shoes for Barefoot Cosplays
It’s not uncommon for characters in movies, comics, and anime to walk around barefoot all the time. They don’t have to worry about glass on the ground or rusty nails on the ground (or just plain unsanitary conditions). If you…
How to Make (faux) Fur Animal Ears For Cosplay (a step-by-step guide)
In these tutorials you will learn how to create animal ears that are made of fur and can be attached directly to a wig or headband. The other method will involve attaching ears to a hoodie, coat, or caplet so…
Tutorial: How to Make Tiefling Horns for Costumes
Crafting tiefling horns for your cosplay ensemble isn’t just about adding a striking visual; it’s about embodying your character’s otherworldly charm. It’s easier than you might think to create your own custom horns that look great and stay put no…
How to Make Floppy Dog Ears with (faux) Fur
Making floppy dog ears is a little different than cat ears for a costume. In order for the material to accurately reflect the shape of a dog’s ear, you need to create a solid base for the ear (I used…