23 Easy Cosplay Prop Ideas
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…
Tutorial: How to Make “Wooden” Shield for Costumes
You can use props of any kind to help your costume stand out within the crowd of cosplayers. One of the most common types of props that costumes call for is some form of shield. There are many different types…
Cosplay Armor: How to Make Basic Arm Bracers and Hand Guards
If you’re new to using EVA foam and making cosplay armor, arm guards are one of the easiest places to start. The shape and design for these are fairly simple, and you can easily make tests using paper before cutting…
Tutorial: How to Create Claws for Costumes
You can attach claws directly to your fingernails for a beast-like effect. The type of claws you make will depend on the overall look you’re going for and the amount of work you want to put into the claws. Nail…
Tutorial: Cosplay Swords for Beginners
Need a shield to go with your sword? check out my other tutorial (which includes two types of shields) Crafting a cosplay sword can elevate your costume from good to great, providing that element of realism that can impress at…
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…
Cosplay Armor: How to Make Basic Pauldrons or Shoulder Guards
Because of their domed shape, pauldrons can be one of the more difficult pieces of armor until you understand the trick for creating curves. This tutorial will walk you through how to create basic shoulder guards. You can build upon…
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: 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: 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: 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…
Cosplay Armor: How to Make Hip Plates and Attach Them to Your Costume
Hip armor is a fairly common detail in anime and game character designs. It’s one of the easier types of armor to make since you can easily create mock-ups with paper to test out your design. Sometimes the hardest thing…
9 Tips to Weather Your Props
Weathering props adds character and story to them. After all, what fighter will ever have a pristine shield or armor that looks like it’s never seen battle? All of the items that we use day-to-day will have some kind of…
4 Methods to Make Cosplay Props Look Like Metal (for beginners)
The easiest method for making your swords and other props look like metal is by using metallic acrylic paint. However, this doesn’t give you the most realistic effect, since there will always be brush strokes and surface texture even if…
How to Make a Cardboard Dagger or Knife for Your Cosplay (the easy way)
There are any number of ways to go about making a dagger for cosplay. If you’re a beginner and you want an easy first project to try your hand at prop making, this tutorial is for you. It is a…
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…
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 Simple Shoujo-Style Wings For Costumes
You don’t need to be a master crafter to take your outfit to new heights; making simple wings for cosplay is something you can totally do on your own. This guide will walk you through the process, from selecting materials…
How to Make a Poseable Cosplay Tail for Cats and Tieflings
Your cosplay character has a tail and you want to make one that doesn’t just hang behind you lifelessly. You’ve come to the right place! I will teach you how to create a tail that you can position into various…
How to Make a Collar Stand Up Like an Anime Character
As someone who does not have a background in sewing, there was a lot I had to teach myself about how to make costumes look the way they should. One of the things I had to learn was how to…
Tutorial: Cosplay Shoe Covers Using Fabric
Cosplay shoe covers are your secret weapon for bringing your favorite characters to life without breaking the bank on footwear. Instead of hunting down the perfect boots to match your costume, you can create a custom cover that slips over…