If you’ve been to an anime or comic convention and seen all the amazing costumes people wear, you might wonder where people are getting these costumes. Maybe everyone has high-level sewing skills that they use. Is it not really cosplay unless you make your own costumes? It is not a requirement to make your own…
If you’re just getting started with cosplay, you may have heard the myth that cosplayers always make their own costumes. If you don’t know how to sew or create props, this may seem like an intimidatingly high level of entry to the hobby. The good news is that there is no requirement in cosplay that…
One of the main challenges in creating a realistic crossplay is getting the makeup right. Believe it or not, male and female skulls are actually shaped differently. Everything from the protruding brow bone, to the wider chin, makes it more difficult to create a natural-looking cosplay when you are female trying to recreate a male…
In many circles, genderbent costumes get a lot of unfair criticism. People may see it as a cop-out and a way to get away with a costume that doesn’t have all the accurate details. Others will say that the cosplay isn’t creative enough, and if you’re going to genderbend a character you should put more…
Crossplay is the term used when someone cosplays as a character of a different gender. The cosplayer will actively adjust their own appearance to try to match the gender of the character their portraying. As someone who identifies as female, I can only give advice from experience of a female crossplaying as male characters. If…
Before I started cosplaying, I didn’t wear makeup. I didn’t know what foundation was and had no clue how to apply eyeliner, eyeshadow or anything. It took a number of years of cosplaying before I really started getting the hang of it. But the thing is, even if you are great at your everyday makeup,…
Creating realistic scars can add a compelling layer of detail to many character’s appearances. Scars can tell a story of past battles, adventures, or encounters. One effective method for crafting these details is by using a product called rigid collodion. Rigid collodion is a clear liquid that, when applied to your skin, shrinks as it…
Anyone who cosplays a lot will tell you that it’s a pretty expensive hobby. If you want to create detailed and accurate costumes, the whole process can easily cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. But, that doesn’t mean cosplay is only for the rich. There are so many ways to reduce the cost of…
If you want to get excellent pictures of your cosplay, the best thing to do is plan a photoshoot. But before you go out and start taking photos, you should put some thought into the photoshoot location. A good background and lighting can take your cosplay photographs from good to amazing. As a general rule,…
Cosplay is a lot of fun at conventions, but sometimes it’s not appropriate for everyday life. Your coworkers might not appreciate you walking into the office in full Wonder Woman armor. But that doesn’t mean you have to put aside your nerdy interests just to avoid standing out. You can use your favorite characters to…