/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

Can anyone recommend a somewhat mainstream manga with nice dresses or female designs? Reading Magi after seeing a seagull's rec and the designs are beautiful.

>>8270080

A+ pic

Why hasn't there been a self post thread in forever

>>8270151
Magic Knight Rayearth has pretty dresses that are flowy like Magi.

>>8270151
Otoyomegatari (The bride's story) might be one for you just on pure design and details.

>>8270151
Uh.. Love live! seems to be very popular. I wouldn't read it for the plot though. Just for the clothes.

>>8270844
Because sandy vaginas.

Okay so
I might go to a convention this summer
I've been wanting to cosplay for years but I've never cosplayed before
First of all, what are common newbie mistakes I should try to avoid?
Second; what are good examples of "easy" characters to cosplay for newbies?
Third; I cant afford a sewing machine at the moment. Is it okay to buy cosplays? Or is this very frowned upon? I know that self made cosplays is the shit but I don't think I can sew an entire cosplay by hand
Thanks in advance <3

>>8272166
Wear a wig, wear makeup, that's about it. Don't try hand sewing it if you can't wearing a premade costume is fine. Just don't go trying to enter any competitions and you'll be okay. As for easy characters there aren't really any? It all depends on what you want to do.

>>8272166
It's okay to buy cosplays, don't claim it as your own, give credit, don't enter contests to win prizes for craftmanship when it's obviously not your creation. I believe in you anon, I'm pretty sure if you save up for a sewing machine and practice you will be able to make your own costumes. Start with easy stuff like skirts and accesorries (bows, necklaces, bracelets,etc). You might need to move on to bigger things like dresses but they all become so easy and fun to make, you'll get around to it.

Not a good example but closet cosplays are the easiest cosplays. You literally buy or wear your casual clothing with wigs. But that's cheap and lazy, probably a newbie mistake but nobody shits on it when it's canon (ex: slice of life animes).

Does anyone here do commission/know good people who do commissions?

This seems hard, and I've never even tried something like this before

>>8272177
>>8272181
Thank you! I actually own some wigs already, so Im a bit used to wearing wigs
I obliviously wouldn't enter any competitions, that would just be stupid.
Also for an easy character, I thought maybe Mako from Kill la kill would be something? Its not really a lot that can go wrong there.
If I go more than one day I might do something like just wearing a wig and some clothes I like, just because its a bit more fun than just regular clothes.
Thank you for believing in me anon <3 It means a lot

>>8272210
That seems like a good idea, anon! I would recommend using a premade sewing pattern for the top (not sure if this is too obvious for you). There are lots of tutorials on the sailor collar and pleated skirt via google. Good luck!

>>8272210
Mako from kill la kill is reasonable. Though, just gonna leave it out there, most people actually buy sailor outfits instead of making it so you shouldn't feel bad. The skirt is the easiest part to make but it's still demotivating. People won't shit on you either because you bought it- because we always first assume you did until the cosplayer mentions they made it.

>>8270151
Trinity Blood and Five Star Stories are the quintessential details manga. Petshop of Horrors has some great designs too.

>>8272166
I always show this to newbies it breaks things down pretty nicely

http://sarcasm-hime.net/cosplaycrimes.html

AS for bought versus made it depends. IYou have to find something that's not going to look one way in a picture but like crap when it really shows up. A lot of things could also be made with found clothes that are altered with some handsewing or fabric glues if you're very careful.

Asking what to be is such a broad question. You really just have to look at what series and characters you like and what you think you could manage.

>>8272166
If you anticipate getting photographed, or want to have photos taken by friends, practices poses before hand. It seems silly, but its so much easier to find out you look dumb in front of a mirror than after the con when you look at photos.

Good luck! The fact that you're asking these questions means you're already way ahead of the curve.

It seems like lots of cosplayers (especially anime cosplayers) are college age and younger. How the hell do you guys afford this hobby? I started when I was 22 and my costumes have run me close to $200 each, not including badges, hotels, transportation, etc. How can people so young afford a hobby this expensive? Do your parents support you?

I have two cosplays lined up this summer, and I planned to have a handful of little trinkets/keepsakes to hand out to other cosplayers from the same anime and game series (upa gashapons and lab member badges for my Steins;Gate cosplay, and little homemade blood vials for my Bloodborne cosplay)

Question is: is this too weird? Cringey? It sounds like it could be a neat friendly gesture, but last thing I want to do is burden people with yet another thing to carry around a con.

>>8272217
>>8272229
Yeah, I think I'll probably stick to buy cosplays until I have a sewing machine
Maybe if I redo Mako in the future I'll sew the clothes myself for a better result :) Thanks!
>>8272290
Thanks for the link, I'll definitely check it out!
And I suppose you could go with a mix of bought costumes and altered clothing, to get the best results!
I tend to go to second hand stores and keep an eye out for any clothes that could be modifiable for stuff like that.
>>8272293
Thats actually pretty smart, I've never thought of it before
Since its my first cosplay I dont expect to be photographed but it's still a good idea in emergencies, thanks <3

>>8271343
Love live isn't a manga son.

>>8272302
I started around age 14, now 18. I abused Joann coupons and Amazon and Target gift cards from holidays to pay for things. I also babysat and worked as a lifeguard for my main sources of income. It's a lot easier to pay for things when you aren't worrying about rent or food.

>>8272330
Ugh anon I love steins;gate. Who are you cosplaying? I don't have Kurisu lined up until next year.

If it's any consolation there was a cosplayer of the hooded guy from ouran at my first con that handed out little paper cutouts of Belzeneff and I still have mine because I just slid it in my badge.

>>8272373
Yep, Kurisu-tina for me as well. I am only waiting on my red tie in the mail and I will be totally set. Maybe I'll post shots in the progress thread or something.

>tfw no cute Okabe bf

>>8272302
Heavy budgeting. I work several part time jobs because I think it would be pretty selfish for my parents to pay for this hobby when I'm an adult.

I usually plan out one "big" costume per year with just a few simple ones. I do usually end up skimping on parts of costumes though like getting that 12 dollar ebay wig instead of epiccosplay or getting not getting contacts. I also always bring my own food to cons. Is eating peanut butter jelly for four days straight fun? No, but it gets me by.

>>8272364
>abused Joann coupons
this all the fucking time. It was easier to min max them back in the day too because they were more generous with the 40-50% Now they have some weeks where those just don't work.

Also got good at using unusual materials like plastic from bottles and dollar store trash cans, heavy poster board and clearance holiday decorations. Still do for the most part. People put way too much emphasis on materials like worbla and resins when there's plenty of cheaper alternatives with a little creativity.

>>8272330
If anyone is skeeved they won't take it but for the most part it can be cute. I haven't seen it that much but the two I remember most are:

>Akio Ohtori from Utena giving out fake red roses to ladies who recognized him
>Xmen's Gambit with a deck of Xmen playing cards with his "autograph" on each one.

Still have them back at my parent's house somewhere. You might have trouble with vials of blood since it's probably gonna get nast and not be much of a momento or get crushed n someone's pocket.

>>8272456
>>8272410
>>8272364

Follow up question: Do you guys do local cons only or do you do cons out of state? I'm just trying imagine my parents agreeing to "Yeah I'm going on a plane with a bunch of other kids to spend three days in a huge convention of other people who like the same weird things I do!"

My parents weren't always super support of my nerdy interests.

What would anyone recommend for a dark Hispanic manlet to cosplay at least semi accurately?

>>8272491
My parents never liked the idea of me going to out of state conventions even if a friend's parents were going to be there. My first Otakon they insisted on coming. They didn't follow me around the con, but we shared a room and they made me call them while they visited Baltimore. I did pretty much only local cons besides that until college.

4chan is an 18+ board btw.

>>8272302
>>8272491
I also started pretty recently! My first cosplays were when I was 19-20 (23 now) and no matter how hard I tried, I usually overbought poorly and my costumes were in the $200-300 range. BUT I've built up a sort of "reserve" of fabric and crafting/sewing materials now, so costumes are closer to $100-150. I've also gotten better at judging what amounts of fabric I need, cheaper alternatives to materials, and combing thrift shops for usable things.

I only do local cons atm, though I'd really like to do an out-of-state con. Can't justify all that money yet, though. I've also never stayed overnight at a hotel; my cons have only been day trips.

>>8272530
>check the catalog for the suggestions thread
>fill out the form
>give other people suggestions
>post
>????
>profit

What are some good entry-level animes that you would recommend to a noob who just wants to fit in at anime cons? I play video games and read comics but the only cons in my area are anime cons, and I feel like I'm missing out because I'm not familiar with almost anything.

I like fantasy-related things if that helps, but I can watch anything.

>>8272491
I only did 1-2 local cons a year, and other small events like cherry blossom festivals that my parents also wanted to go to. My dad was an old school weeb so that was never an issue.

>>8272646
There's too many. Just go to Crunchyroll and look for something that seems interesting. Sword Art Online, Log Horizon and .hack// are all about being stuck in an MMO if that helps.

>>8272601
As I said, I started when I was 22, but I was curious to hear about people who started when they were young and have grown up cosplaying.

>>8272330
I wanna be your friend anon, I'll be cosplaying Doll in an upcoming game con.

>>8272530
A road warrior!

>>8274019
Hey neat, that's what'm doing too! Gotta perfect my Slavic broken English.

This is a straight up newfag question even though I've been lurking for a few years but

Can anyone link me to tutorials or give me advice on how to sew? I only know the bare minimum that almost everyone knows

>>8274673
Are you looking for how to hand sew stuff or how to machine sew stuff? Both techniques are possible for beginners, but obviously require different tools. I'd start in the Cosplay Tutorail "Learn to Sew" section:
http://cosplaytutorial.com/list/sewingbasics.php

Next, I would find a simple pattern for something you'd like to make. If you don't have an inherent sewing gift, learn to read patterns and follow their directions. Start with something like Kwick Sew, they assume you know nothing and walk you through every step. Go slow, practice a lot.

Or you can just dive head first into a complicated project and just learn as you go. Provided you have enough time and material, you can fuck up many times as you need to until you do it right.

Weird enough, I lost my spool holder while moving, I don't mind getting a replacement next time I'm in town, but I've been wondering if there's some sort of alternative to it.

Someone in my class suggested I used picture related, but I'm not sure.

>>8272330
>last thing I want to do is burden people with yet another thing to carry around a con.
Give them a little clip or s-biner, then they can clip it to their badge. btw this sounds like a really cool idea if you can make them look cool. I once had a Spirited Away cosplayer give me some of those coal mote guys.

>>8272302
What you don't realize is that there are a ton of ways to save money on cosplay, enough so even a kid can save up enough if they're diligent. Likewise it's very easy to spend way over $200 for a cosplay. I've spent twice that plenty of times, and I'm only 24.

>>8272646
Start lurking /a/ for one. People reference anime all the time there. If you see one that looks cool then look it up and read the synopsis. Then start following anichart and torrent from nyaa. Read the descriptions every season and watch as many series as you think sound like you'd like. New anime often references older works. Eventually you'll know what the classics are, like Evangelion.

Get a MAL for keeping easy track of anime you've seen. I often bring up the mobile app to look up anime I forgot. It's like the IMDB of anime. Congrats, now you're in the know.

>>8275154
Pop can tab.

A lot of costumes I'm looking into making have arm or wrist bands like pic related. How the hell do I make these go on and off of my arm? Especially for those that go on the upper arm.

>>8275223
I have some bracelets that are like cuffs and it's two halves with a couple of holes going through them, and elastic through the holes so you can pull them on and off.
I hope that made sense...

How to not sperg out around people?

>>8274335
I wish I knew more people who like bloodborne IRL. Will you post your progress in the progress thread?

>>8275770
Sure! Working on my bonnet this weekend, I'll toss some pics up.
I found this perfect material and venice lace for the capelet, so I'm excited about making that. The only part I'm worried about now is the bodice, I'm probably not nearly skilled enough to construct one.

This is my fourth FromSoft cosplay, dear lord help me.

>>8275809
I'll follow your posts anon, I can help you with the bodice if you want!

>>8272646
Attack On Titan or Death Note
I've showed them to lots of people who dont like anime and they like them.
My mom even liked attack on titan.
Or maybe Mirai nikki
All of these are pretty dark though.

Opinion question.
Do you need contact lenses for every cosplay?
Obviusly you'll need it for an entirely different eye color but if I have light brown eyes and Im cosplaying maybe Aisaka taiga from Toradora or Mako from Kill la kill, do I really need to spend like 20$ on contacts?

>>8272646
Neither my SO nor myself watch anime but we've enjoyed Monster a lot, and so have his parents.

>>8276648
No, not really. Some people can't wear them, that's okay.

>>8270080
Want to create some functional but lightweight pistons.

My idea so far is to use aluminium tape on foam wrapped in card. Just wanted to know if anyone had experience with aluminium tape and if it is easy to cut and shape.

>>8270151
Try out Kuragehime.

>>8276766
It is just make sure whatever you get is wide enough. Look up Adam Savage's sword tutorial he goes into great detail. But as for my experience laying two pieces next to each other makes a weird seam.

What's the deal behind Mostflogged? She's the only name I see thrown around that I don't know the story behind, or is there one?

How the hell do you sew a traditional kimono? Try as I might, I can't find a single guide, tutorial or pattern for a historically accurate kimono. Anyone have any resources that might help me out?

Is there a comprehensive wig styling guide out there somewhere? Is it easy?

I mainly want to know how to get that sideswept bang look on wigs, or how to layer them to make them look more anime/spiky.

>>8277125
There's multiple stories on her
look around old /cgl/ archives

How picky are people about making sure you match a character's eye color?

Can you cosplay a blue-eyed character if your eyes are brown?

I've never cosplayed (yet) and I want to start off with something simple. I'm also a bit overweight, visible tummy fat and all that, though I'm hard at work at losing it. I don't want to wait to be where I want to be bodywise, so I though cosplaying Sadie from Steven Universe would be ok with my current size. I'm also fairly short. I also really like her character, especially after the island episode. Am I totally in the wrong here?

>>8278359
People don't usually care—contacts or circle lenses can't be worn by everyone. They are usually seen as a step to go above and beyond in a cosplay.

>>8278877
For a first time cosplay it would be really simple, and if you execute it well it might turn out really cute. And since SU is really popular right now you would also get recognised a lot.
Just remember the wig.

>>8278359
It will matter only if you want to do super close up photoshoots or you just want to be really really really accurate. No one will kick you out of a con for being a brown eyed Cloud Strife.

>>8278359
>didn't even think about this for my current cosplay
>tfw I realize my natural eye color matches the character's

>>8278359
Depends what character you're cosplaying etc
In my opinion, contacts doesn't only help with eye color but it can also make your makeup look better and make you look more "anime"
But like the other anons said, its only if you wanna do a little extra

>>8270151
Dolls is a great one for Victorian ish dresses

I want to cosplay as handsome jack but I'm like 5' with a round face,so it won't work if I try to cosplay a 6' man with strong features.
I'm trying to make a genderbend version but have no idea how to design it. Should i just give up cgl's?

>>8279503
Fuck giving up - if you wanna be handsome jack, be handsome jack, and if anyone gives you shit, kick them in the dick.

What do you guys do when a costume involves a weapon prop/some other annoying shit you have to carry around?

>>8279638
carry it around

>>8279638

Make it ultra lightweight, then carry it around.

>>8279638
If you've got a friend with you that isn't cosplaying they're usually okay with holding your prop for you for a little bit when you're getting tired of carrying it, but don't try and force it on them all day.

Anyone going to Niagara Falls Comic Con?

>>8272302
I have a sleeper-ish 90's camaro, swapped the engine, suspension, exhaust and a bunch of other shot. Made money racing Mexicans and rich daddy's boys on this bridge late at night

>>8270080
Three questions.
My boyfriend said he wanted to cosplay Ice King from Adventure Time
How/where could I get a good beard? I saw some cosplays of him that simply used some furry fabric and it looked pretty bad.
Is there some kind of wig like beard you could buy somwhere?
Second question, he's kinda big, in all matters, and Ice King is skinny as shit
Could this still be a good costume for him?
Lastly, I was thinking of cosplaying Gunter with him (one of his penguin minions). Any ideas of how this could be done?

what is the polite practice for taking pictures at cons?

do you just take pictures of people or ask them for pictures or what?

>>8281062
Go up to the cosplayer and ask if you can take their picture. Don't ask if they're eating, repairing something, on the phone, etc. That's it.

I need really thick braids/dreads. (think Predator) Should I get wool roving, or is there another method I can use?

I need to make a sword prop. What are some good, inexpensive materials to use?

It's a pretty short sword, too.

>>8281130
pine wood

>>8274335
Go to /k/ and spend 20 minutes on the slavshit threads, you'll understand a bit of Russian by the time you're done, even.

>>8279638
I make it so I can hook it on to a matching strap so if I get tired of using my hands I can sling it over my shoulder. Can strain your neck but at least your hands are free and you can still take it with you.

>>8281062
I usually just take the pic and if they saw me, they'd stop and pose. I didn't mind if they weren't looking, so I never asked them to stop and pose. I didn't do it while it looked like they were on their down time obviously

>>8282360
Please don't do that. In the back of my mind, I'll spend the rest of my day wondering if you were taking a picture of me or not and whether I should feel happy or confused.

>>8282370
Lol I only did it a few times and only if they weren't doing much. The ones I really wanted I'd ask. Most of the time you couldn't find a cosplayer that wasn't already posing for a picture anyway. I mean in my opinion most are their to get their picture taken anyway, so I just snapped away.

>>8278359
only if you wanna go super autismo with the cosplay or like >>8279194 said, doing up close photoshoots and not wanting to shoop your eyes the right color

Would you consider a transman to be a "male cosplayer" or do trannies have their own separate category?

>>8283816
If said transman passed 100% as a man because of hormones, didn't slather on girly makeup and wear girl clothes, wasn't "non-binary", didn't tell anyone he was trans, and kept his fucking mouth shut about "muh opression!!1!" then yeah I'd give him credit as a male cosplayer.

Fakebois, special snowflakes, and Tumblrinas will never be men no matter what.

>>8277919
Have you looked at Arda's tutorials? Its not everything, but it probably the most comprehensive wig styling guide I've seen in one place.

>>8283816
If it's an actual transman and not a fakeboi then they're a male cosplayer.

>>8282385
It's still kinda rude to just jump in and take a picture too unless it's a big crowd of people taking pictures. When they're done getting a picture taken then ask for one yourself it's honestly not hard.

>>8283843
Can't men be special snowflakes?

How do you wash Lolita?

Is it cringy to cosplay as a board-tan if it was done really well?

>>8286939
Preferably you dry clean it, but most things can be handwashed too.

When I'm going to a con in cosplay, what can I possibly do about bringing stuff? Normally I like to take a backpack to carry my things but you can't do that in a costume so what ways around this are there?

>>8287048
1) Get a bag that goes with your outfit.
2) Make a friend your bitch and make them carry all your shit.
3) Carry a backpack and take it off for pictures.

>>8287048
bring non cosplay friends, other than that, minimize and find a bag that's semi cannon or goes well with the outfit.

>>8287048
If it's not a skin-tight costume, sew some hidden pockets in the lining.

If that won't work, go with >>8287056's options.

>>8287048
I just have a tote bag, plop it on the ground for pictures or have a pack-mule friend hold it.

>>8270080
i'm 20 years old and still dont know how to apply makeup...i'd really like to start using some but i don't know the steps or anything, are there any good online guides that any of you use?

>>8287048

I recently wore a big gown solo to a con and just stuck my bag underneath my skirt for pictures so no one would walk off with it.

Best way to lose weight? I'm looking to lose 5 pounds by Anime North, which starts on the third week of May.

How frowned upon is it to wear a non-anime cosplay to an anime con?

Would getting one of those busts from a craft store be a good way to practice making plaster masks?

>>8287593
Nah, but you'd have less people who would like to see it. Only people who are turbo nerds would care.

>>8286959

If it's decently done and people recognize you, I don't see why it would be.

Just don't be surprised if you get some sperging in the process.

>>8287593

Unless it's a really small con, most cons in America have basically become "Whatever-the-fuck" cons. Panels/merch/programming/guests will be centric to the theme of the con, but cosplayers and attendees will be all over the fucking place. At least, that's how it is in my experience.

>>8287593
I see tons of non-japanese vidya cosplay at AX. Hell, I saw a Three Caballeros cosplay trio at ALA. So fuck it I guess.

>>8281079
Wool isn't going to go as far as you think it will. I'd bulk them up using foam or something similar like in this tutorial http://gerodere.deviantart.com/art/FFX-Shiva-wig-tutorial-176692918

>>8281052
Arda is releasing ventilated hair "pieces" next month that you can use to make a bead out of. This is exactly what you want if you can't find a premade theatrical beard (I'm surprised you can't).

Ice King's robe is huge - the fact that he's so skinny is part of the joke. As long as you still make the robe flow like a parachute dress, it'll help mask how big he is.

Does anyone have any tips on making long coats? I'm currently planning a genderbent Kyoko Sakura from Madoka Magica and I figured her dress could fairly easily be converted into an overcoat, but I've never actually made anything from scratch before.

I realise I'm probably kind of in over my head with this, but there are around 6 months until the con rolls around so I should have plenty of time to work on this.

Pic related is the kind of design I'm going for.

>>8288577
Look for overcoat/trenchcoat patterns and then just sew them without the arms

6 months is plenty of time to sew something like this

What kind of hat would this be that's resting over the straw hat? Like it's clearly not a trilby/fedora or cowboy hat with the indention in the top pushed in. I've been having a hard time figuring out where I could buy something like this that would just barely fit over it that's perfectly rounded off like that and not oval shaped. Is it some kind of farmer hat maybe?

I'm making a sword for a costume and I can't decide if I want it proportionate or if I want to make it larger.
I'm already cosplaying a character way larger than me and I'm worried about the large prop making me look even smaller. However, I'm using it in a couple photoshoot with a character who is much smaller than mine and I want it to look big next to her.

>>8289250
I think you need to make it proportional. If you make it larger than yourself you're just going to look small.

So I feel like this is going to sound like a humble brag more than a stupid question, but how often do you find yourself stopped for photos at conventions? I haven't gone to many cons, but each time I've been inundated with requests for photos. The last con I went I literally didn't my badge for 45 minutes because people stopped me before I could get to the line for badge check in. Is this normal, or are my cosplays really that popular?

>>8272530
Kyros and some other characters from One Piece's Dressrosa arc

>>8288992
wide brimmed bowler hat

So Im cosplaying Miku this summer
I have glasses though, and I need contacts
I own a pair of purple contacts that I can see with, would purple work? Or will it look too wierd?
I dont really feel like spending $25 but I dont want to be mocked either

>>8291717

This only happened to me as an elaborate hamsteak in 2012-2013.

your cosplays are actually probably pretty popular!

>>8291958

You'll be mocked more for wildly inaccurate contacts than no contacts. No contacts is PERFECTLY forgivable. Contacts are nice, but completely optional.

You don't even need normal contacts. Just take your glasses off for photos and make sure they don't fuck up your nose/temples makeup.

>>8291966
Yeah this is kinda what I thought too
I really dont feel like wearing my glasses because they look pretty bad with cosplay.
So I'll probably get a pair of blue contacts since I'm gonna use them for some other cosplays too

Brand new to cosplay. Thinking of doing pic related at next con I go to.

What do? Best place for a wig? How should I handle the sword? What sort of fabric should I get/should I make the outfit from scratch etc.

What is the "50 dicks from ebay" joke? I've seen it referenced all the time but I never got the story.

I've been here 5 years, so I'm assuming it either happened before I arrived or I just missed the thread.

>>8292011
First thing to decide how much time you have and how much money you're willing to spend. Are you able to sew? Do you have a sewing machine? Can you read patterns? Do you have friends who can help you? Do you want to commission things? Can you make props? Can you buy props? Based on that, you can start deciding where to buy stuff.

Assuming you want to make this costume, you need to start looking for patterns. Google tells me this is a blazer with a mandarin collar, and a quick search shows me that this pattern: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Simplicity-New-Look-Sew-Pattern-6012-Mandarin-Collar-Jacket-Tote-Bag-8-18-oop-/261837476921?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf6bad439 or this pattern: http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/Patterns-Textile-Studio-1213-Mandarin-Shirt-Jacket.html

Both of those will need some modification, but if you've given yourself a lot of time to work on this, it shouldn't be impossible.

For wigs, I like Epic Cosplay, but some people complain that the wigs are too shiny. I haven't had an issue with them, and for longer wigs they brush out much more easily. Other people swear by Arda Wigs, although they're not as good for longer wigs (they tangle more easily). Some people also have luck on Ebay or Amazon, you can ask the Wig General thread for recommendations.

If you want to make your sword, check out cosplaytutorial.com. They've got lots of good tutorials on weapons of all kinds.

If you don't want to do that, it looks like this characters entire costume is on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blast-Tempest-Kusaribe-Cosplay-Costume/dp/B00HQWZFIW

I can't speak to its quality, but that's a way to go too.

Does cosplaying fanart is good?

>>8293416
It's fine as long as you credit the artist.

Does this mean I avoided US Customs?

What to do when you want to cosplay a background character in uniform, but the MC of the show wears the same uniform as well? I fear people would confuse me for the MC and I'd sound autistic telling them that I'm actually some literal nobody who just happens to wear the same clothing.

>>8293416
>>8293416
If you do this art it will just look like a lazy, slutty Jubilee.

>>8291970
you know, you can just take your glasses off for photos, no ones gonna care if you wear them for every other instance

>>8294809
That's the way it is in theory, but in reality, you'll forget to take off them glasses 9/10 times and all your con pictures will be ugly(er).

>>8294790
Accept reality that most people at a con are going to be non-discerning and not as well-versed as you are and mistake you for the MC. I've seen people confuse costumes across different series all together for one another. Take it in stride that at least you got recognized for something. If it actually bothers you greatly to be mistakenly identified, think about how much you want to cosplay the character and perhaps reconsider the cosplay.

>>8294810
It's a pretty easy thing to not just "forget"

I'm stuck on my Ryuko cosplay (fashion week ver). I have all the pieces but I'm not sure how to go about attatching Senketsu to my shirt. I made senketsu out of foam boards so he is relatively light weight but cannot bend well (as I want it to stand up in the picture)

Am I insane to want to hop on the avenger band wagon? I want to try and start construction of the Scarlet Witch Civil War costume preview we saw at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron. I've held out on being a pleb movie cosplayer for this long but damn if that costume did not look challenging and fun to make. Plus I could easily pass as an Elizabeth Olsen look alike and as an added bonus have an Aaron Taylor Johnson look alike boyfriend I could coerce into being my incestuous twin. I have found zero reference images of it though aside from pic related.

I'm planning to cosplay pic related, and I'm a bit lost on what kind of wig to use as a base. The problem area is the part that's pulled to the back. Would I need a lacefront wig? A side-parted lacefront wig? Do those exist?
I'm honestly thinking that I should go with my real hair which is same color and lenght as the characters and would be easier to style. I think that since I'm cosplaying a character based on an actor that doesn't use a wig either, it shouldn't look too out of place to not have a wig.

>>8294998
Fuck it, use your real hair.

what do you use to make your skin very pale?

Is there anything that a nig can cosplay as?

>>8295455
They don't care for us, my melanin enriched associate

>>8295168
sunscreen

>>8295770
>melanin enriched associate
>made me laugh

>>8295168
just lather yourself in mayonnaise

>>8295455
Depends on how dark you are. Sometimes you can get away with cosplaying a tan character.
There are a few characters that are black, but pretty much every black person has cosplayed all of them, since there's so few.
You can also do characters that have masks/all skin covered.

The final option is to not give a fuck.
Plus if you nail the rest of the cosplay, people will look past the skin inaccuracy.

>>8295801
>skin inaccuracy
as if it were something you could change

>>8295814
I didn't mean it to sound like it was anon's fault.

>>8295818
I'm just poking fun at you, lighten up

But it is annoying when you want to cosplay a character, but feel like you can't because they're pale

posting here so as not to derail progress thread
>>8294294
>what did you use to seal it?
I did about 10 coats of wood glue, sanded, then another ~2 coats (more in some places where I really sanded down) and another go at light sanding before getting it painted.
>>8294265
>can you link to some of your progress?
>I'd love to know how you made it.
I unfortunately lost the majority of my progress pictures when my phone died, and had only posted a few of those here - pic is one such picture I shared, and there are a couple more on my tumblr (lishujie). The material is insulation foam; below url is a good guide on how to work with this material.
>http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=95725

I did a ton of research before I started to see how other props in this material looked, what methods they used to achieve that result, and had to decide what I could and couldn't do - for example, I opted not to resin/bondo because I do not have the tools or space to handle these materials (to give you an idea, the stuff you see in pic and a boxcutter are the only tools I used to shape the sword). Using some kind of resin may have prevented the prop from cracking when it got stepped on.

An anon in the progress thread suggested using sintra instead of insulation foam, since it is more durable and also easy to work with. If you're also making a flat-ish prop (like a sword) this sounds like a good material to look into. On another note, I am actually planning on remaking falchion because I want a more accurate version, although it will be made with insulation foam because I still have about 6ft of the stuff. I'll be sure to take more pictures and share in the progress thread.

I should probably mention that while this wasn't necessarily difficult to make, it was extremely time consuming (~100 hours for me). It may be more worthwhile to just buy the prop, unless you are an idiot like me and absolutely must have it 100% accurate.

If I'm a lightly tanned Asian, would people be offended if I cosplay Disney's black princess Tiana? White people get hate for it all the time but tumblr rarely goes full retard vendetta doxx mode on "poc".

>>8296051
Why not just dress up as whoever the fuck you want and not care about what other people think? Black cosplayers dress outside their skin tone all the time and some of the most impressive shit has spawned from it. Probably the only way you'll offend anyone is if you do the whole blackface thing. Even with that in mind you still shouldn't give two fucks

>>8296051
Don't let tumblr dictate your cosplay. You can't make everyone happy so do whatever makes you happy. Making a cosplay you're happy about/interested in will be a better experience for you as a whole.

>>8272195
Try cosplayhouse. They are the only ones I know that do commissions that are not shit.

>>8275290
What do you mean?

>>8294792
¡
who the fuck is jubilee?

>>8294792
It *is* a lazy slutty jubilee

>>8270080
I'm from an unimportant part EU and in my country there are no cons bigger than local highschool or college anime club 'cons'. Are there any English language based cons that I could attend in continental Europe? UK is too expensive for me, but I really want to visit a con. It'll be my first time so I'll be going mostly to see what I can expect from a con.

Second question: Where can I find more information about European communities?
.
.
>I lurk /cgl/ so much that I'm out of touch with local stuff.

>>8295455
Dark skinned characters are very rare, so I'd say cosplay who the fuck you want
Only thing I'd recomend is stay away from characters that have very light hair since that can look pretty bad, no matter how much effort you put in your costume (pic related, I would have loved this cosplay if it was sailor Mars or something)
Also, don' respond with "you racist" or stuff like that if you get criticism on your cosplay (unless they're just pointing out that you're black, then smack the shit out of them)

>>8294981
Do what makes you happy anon. I love seeing Marvel cosplay, so the more the merrier.

>>8297384
>who the fuck is jubilee?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Do any of you guys bother with "natural" eyelash lengtheners/thickeners? Or do you just do fake eyelashes instead?

I've got a problem with cosplaying HUGELY against body type.

I want to cosplay as Juggernaut from Marvel. Except I'm a fairly skinnyfat guy.

Should I do it anyway, or am I doomed to turn up in the cringe thread?

>>8297411
Really? I feel the exact opposite way - I think it's really flattering and pretty when girls with darker skin wear light clothes. I think black sweet lolitas are fucking adorable.

>>8300469
It depends on skin tone really.

Can someone explain to me what manlet means and why is it such an insult?

>>8297395
Anyone, please?

What fabric should I use to make glossy bootcovers?

>>8301615
It means a small guy, which would be insulting because men are expected to be hueg and strong.

>>8302773
Try using pleather or PVC vinyl.

>>8301615
It means a short guy.

It's insulting because the vast majority of women prefer to date taller guys (IIRC it's the one constant found in female attraction to men - some women like skinny guys, some women like buff guys, some women like chubby guys, but almost all women like tall guys over short ones); because shorter men have been found to earn less money and get less respect soley because of their height; and because guys with no other accomplishments besides being big and tall live to pick on smaller men.

>>8300458
You probably won't end up in the cringe thread, but half of the Juggernaut's costume is his body.

A lot of it comes down to why you're cosplaying. Is it because you love the character? Then go for it. Because you want to get lots of photos taken? You want people to recognize your character? Maybe go for something else. People are more impressed by cosplayers who resemble the character they're portraying.

For those of you who don't have your own living space (still with parents, dorming, room/housemates) or started working on cosplays before you lived on your own, how do/did you cope? I keep clashing with my mom on this, and I understand it's her house, but sometimes she can be uncompromising (insisting I put everything away in my room despite it being neatly stacked and organized in one corner of the dining room table, me having to work several days in a row, us not expecting any guests for the next few days, etc.--only to have to take everything out again the next day to continue working). It wears down on my motivation very quickly when I have such limited opportunities and space to work. So what are some strategies for making the best of such a situation? Do you feel like it's something that actually hindered or affected your cosplay choices (maybe you didn't choose more complex designs knowing it'd be a huge hassle)?

>>8305249
Talk to them ahead of time, that's the best I can suggest.

When you're living on your own, finding roommates who also like anime and comics and conventions is a good idea in general. Always easier when you can all agree on what to watch.

But you also want to look for roomies who are on the same cleanliness level as you. A neat freak will hate that you left anything out at all, and a messy person will mess up or get crumbs all over your nicely stacked and folded costume parts.

Do I need an embroidery machine to do embroidery?

If not, is there some guide that'll tell me what to do?

I sought classes in nearby stores and never found anything about hand embroidery...

>>8305309
Embroidery is essentially "drawing pictures with thread", so the only real trick to it is knowing different kinds of stitches. You definitely don't need a machine.

I have a friend who is super into embroidery for historical garb (and sometimes just for fun). She sort of sketches out her designs on the fabric in pencil, then goes over them with embroidery floss.

I think most of her stuff is pretty basic back stitch and stem stitch, but she has no formal training, she just kind of made stuff up as she went.

>>8270080
>Cosplay Questions
>photo of a Question cosplay
Noice.

My question:
If I wanted to put a symbol or pattern onto a compression top or track jacket, what would be the best way to go about it?
I imagine spray paint would not work very well at all on stretchy sports gear.
If spray painting does work that would be my ideal method, I'd rather not add layers to the top/jacket if you follow me, but obviously I will do it if that's the best way, ideally I'd want to keep the added layer(s) as thin as possible.
I'm open to pretty much any ideas, even alternatives to the top/jacket, but I don't want to go with spandex/lycra/morphsuit type onesies if you get me.

>>8305577
Don't spray paint it, it will look terrible.
You can applique a symbol on top of the shirt you're planning on using. Find a material with a similar stretch and find a tutorial for applique-ing stretchy fabric.

>>8305583
Thanks anon.

>>8295842
>lighten up

>>8270151
Literally anything from CLAMP

They have some crazy cute costume designs.

Cardcaptor Sakura, Tsubasa, and Magic Knight Rayearth especially since there's a lot of females and/or a lot of costume changes.

>>8272195
if you've never done "this kinda stuff before" fuck off of jojo cosplays, even more so for a stand copslay

>>8272330
>buy case of Dk Pepper
>print out a bunch of labels
>attach labels
>offer passers by the intellectual drink for the chosen ones.

I'm planning on doing this at my next con. I'll be Kurisu and the bf will be Okabe. Honestly the worst that'll happen is people will decline.

Fairly newfag here, so I know it's not recommended to use your actual hair for cosplay, but if your hair looks exactly like the character you want to cosplay's hair or just needs some really simple styling to look like it, would that be fine? Or is it still better to just get a wig?

>>8308814
> your hair looks exactly like the character
When a newfag says this, 9.5/10 times, their hair does not look exactly like the character. Yes, there are occasions where it works, but most of the time, just getting a wig is better. Who are you looking to cosplay?

>>8308822
Ema Skye from the Ace Attorney series

Admittedly my hair doesn't look exactly like hers, but it's the same color/length and I feel could style it in a similar enough way since it's fairly basic. Though if you think it'll look better if I get a wig I'll do that instead.

>>8308594
Honestly this will work because my bf is refusing to be Okabe with me, he's going as fucking Pepsiman instead.

>>8308575
I don't even have a face for this

Incoming mass of dumbass questions from a loser:

>What's a masquerade and what do you do in one?
>What are cosplay contests usually like?
>What's a "flavor of the month" cosplay?
>What does "selca" mean?
>How do you befriend people at conventions?

For the solo congoers who attend as normies:
>How do you manage attending by yourself? What do you usually do with your time between panels, events, and merch booths?

I'm making Spider-Gwen for later in the year and I've had to buy and paint these gross flats cause ballet flats give me horrendous cramps in my feet.

Be honest. Are these acceptable or am I going to spoil a costume with shitty shoes?

>>8309984
A flavor of the month, or FOTM cosplay, is a cosplay from something currently or recently airing that will not likely be cosplayed from much in the future/ does not have staying power. Stuff like SnK and Kill la Kill were good examples of FOTM: they were wildly popular to cosplay from around the time they aired, but cosplays have drastically dropped in popularity since then. FOTM cosplays are usually associated with being an attention whore, for a few reasons: there's usually a race to do them first, which results in bad quality, and since the shows are often still airing it suggests that the cosplayer doesn't care for the characters. Additionally they just get more attention since the series are wildly popular at the time of the cosplay.

>>8309984
> Masquerade
Where people show off their cosplays, potentially winning money but sometime not. It can range from competition of craftmenship to just presenting (shitty) plays as a certain character.

> selca
Self-cam, basically the term Asians use for selfies.

> befriend people at cons
Like anywhere else, really, except you now have the advantage of having at least one hobby in common with them. Go to panels, or just chat with people while waiting in line or something.

> attending as normies
I've been to cons with and without cosplaying (most of the time by myself because I hate having someone clinging to me while I'm roaming around). You do the same thing either way, namely walk around, check the Artist's Alley, go to panels, talk with people. Except, obviously, people take pictures of you when you're in cosplay.

how bad are the homestuck people in 2015. i would make a damn cute homestuck but idk if con weirdos deserve me

>>8310052
Her shoes aren't actually supposed to be ballet flats, they're suppose to be the soles of Chuck Taylor All Stars.

I've seen plenty of girls with those kinds of canvas shoes. You're fine if that's what you need for running around a con.

>>8309984
Flavor of month is the newest popular series that everyone cosplays from. Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, those are flavor of the month.

I need to attack a thin ribbon to a wide ribbon for a belt like in the picture. What's the best way to go about this? I was thinking glue, but the black ribbon is very thin and I dont want it to look sloppy.

>>8310439
*attach

>>8310439
That looks like a stripped ribbon. I think if you're actually attaching satin ribbon to satin ribbon, its going to look messy. Can you make something similar out of fabric or find striped ribbon that wide?

>>8308844
Not that anon but it would look better with a wig
99% of the times it does
If you dont wanna spend a lot, I'd recomend bying a cheap wig of ebay or aliexpress
A cheap wig will most likely look bad at the top of the head, but if you wear a hat like in the picture, the problem might be avoided
I've ordered wigs from aliexpress a couple of times for like $10 and honestly they're not that bad
Just look at the customer reviews
If they aren't any, find something else

>>8308844
Wigs keep their style better during a con (and will look better at the end of the day) and can be styled to exactly resemble a character's hair style. This isn't a difficult wig to find or style, buy a wig.

Is doing a dance for a masquerade skit always terrible? My friends and I are cosplaying from an idol anime and we're all good at dancing so would it be okay then?

>>8310728
>we're all good at dancing

everyone who does a dance for masquerade skits say the exact same thing and its always bad.

Are al Homestuck communities cringey bad or has anyone ever encountered a good one?

>>8310760
Haha, no worries. We've all been taking dance lessons since we were young.

>>8310770
I've never encountered a community as a whole that's good, but it's easy to get together a group that's tolerable. An easy thing to look for is age, of course maturity is no guarantee there, but you have a better chance of an 18 year old being alright than than a 14 year old.

What are all your reasons to cosplay, gulls? I used to do it to celebrate my fave characters with friends but lately everyone's trying to get cosfamous and have no time for friendship unless it works in their favor.

This is probably silly, but how would I go about putting a clip like this in my hair and having it actually stay properly?

How is covering worbla with modpodge? i've been doing the wood glue method but i dont like how the wood glue is really runny and doesn't dry flat...

What makeup would be good for crossplay male contouring along with basic touching up/contouring (in a girl cosplay) with a person who is recovering from seborrheic dermatitis?

>>8310807
Mt close friends don't care about getting cosfamous and they actually care about real life problems. My "arm's reach" friends are mostly trying to get cosfamous and they are never fucking happy with their 1000+ likes. If they don't reach whatever today's goal of reblogs and likes it, they question their entire self worth and its incredibly toxic and I'm questioning why I'm even around them anymore.I guess its to try and keep my feet on the ground so I don't become like them.

>>8311062
It doesn't? Get better quality then. And sandable paintable primer would be better than mod podge.

>>8311032
Rule #1 of cosplay: wear a fucking wig

Okay I have a question that I really want answered.
Why the hell do people always stylise cosplaying x character genderbent as 'fem!x' or 'male!y' ??

Is there any need/reason for the '!'? It just sounds like they're over emphasising the first part and it sounds like shouting. Whats so difficult about just writing 'female x' or 'male y'?

Idk why but it gives off the distinct smell of Tumblr.
Pic unrelated.

>>8312831
Idk where it originated from but I've seen it since waaay before tumblr, like on gaiaonline or before. It annoys the heck out of me too but I used to do it when I was younger because everyone else did it then too .

>>8312831
It originated with fanfiction writers describing alternate versions of characters. It's been around way before tumblr was a thing.

http://allthingslinguistic.com/post/46453848763/exclamation-compounds

>>8312831
Absolutely not a tumblr thing. First encountered this on Livejournal kink memes way, way back.

I really love this Gwen Stacy wolverine variant but it's literally one picture.

Would it be weird to cosplay it?

are wearing wigs that important?
i like styling my hair myself to fit the character

>>8315504
>are wearing wigs that important? YES

>>8315509
but what if my hair is the same color?

>>8312865
this, I remember seeing it way before tumblr was a thing, on lj and ff.net
back when porn was called lemons

>>8315512
Depends on other aspect of your hair.

Does anyone has the picture of a white(?) Toradora cosplayer who use her real hair but still looks pretty awful since her hair doesn't have the same volume with the character's?

his pants are two separate pants right? right??

>>8315521
Yeah, seems like he's wearing chaps like cowboys do

>>8270080
It's summer
expect lots of newfags

What sturdy fabric looks most like gauze that I can sew into armbands without it falling apart?

>>8317893
When you say "gauze" do you mean like bandages? If that's the case I'd go for muslin. Its cheap and looks a lot like bandages.

>>8315512
The chances that your hair is the same color, style, length, volume, etc as the character you're cosplaying is so slim that the advice "wear a wig" is almost universally applicable.

Wigs aren't that expensive and look better. Wear a wig.

>>8272330
If someone doesn't want it, they'll decline. It's a cute idea and most people would probably be very happy with a small, easy to carry trinket. Please avoid food, though. Unless it is obviously pre-packaged, it's really sketchy IMO.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but does anyone know if a new Heroes of Cosplay shitstorm/season is happening this year? I can't seem to find anything online about it, and it's starting to become a yearly tradition to laugh at the group and scoff at the writers' dramu mongering.

>>8275290
Don't over analyse your interactions.

Advice from a normie

This is going to be my first time cosplaying to a con. I'm going to be wearing shorts (and a vest), so my bare legs will be on display all day. Is it suggested that I shave/wax them so that people don't have to see a load of disgusting body hair?

I should probably mention I'm a guy. I presume armpit hair is a definite no-go too?

>>8323899
What are you cosplaying?

>>8323899
Depends how hairy you are and what character you're cosplaying. Personally, I prefer it when a guy shaves. As for armpits, at least trim them.

Two questions about this
First, I've always imagined that she's wearing some kind of suit that's just skin tight, but I just realized that maybe she's naked?
And if that's the case, could you do a bodysuit instead? I obv cant nor want run around naked.
Second question, if it is a bodysuit, how the fuck do I connect the bodysuit to the neck/face without it looking weird?
I know this is an out of-the-ordinary-stupid question but yeah help would be appreciated

>>8324135
Hooded zentai suit. You're going to have to get a face mask to get the shape right. No idea how to attach a wig to a zentai suit though.

>>8324135
Zentai suit, same as the other anon said. Tip for these though: wear shapewear underneath. It just looks better.
You can wear it with heels under the suit, just pop a hole for the heel to stick out.

I'd recommend getting a zentai suit that stops at the neck though.

>>8324135
>>8324152
>>8324160
Highjacking anon's post, but does anyone have experience blending bodysuit hems with skin? Is the only option to hide it with a bracelet/collar or is there a way to make the transition look more natural?

>>8324166
Spirit Gum the fabric down and blend it with your makeup, I guess?

>>8324194
I was thinking of trying liquid latex, but dunno how well that would work on fabric...

>>8324197
Its probably possible, but you'd need to spirit gum your sleeves in place on the hems, and even then I'm not sure if it would hold.

Also I think painting liquid latex over fabric is going to soak up a lot of your latex. Were you thinking a spandex one or like a pleather one?

How do you sew 4-way stretch knit on a regular sewing machine without fucking it up?

Stupid question - how do you guys carry your stuff around at cons when cosplaying? I never want to carry a handbag or whatever because it doesn't go with what I'm cosplaying, and I have to keep taking it off for photos. I'd ask a non-cosplaying friend but I don't want them to have to carry my stuff all day.

>>8324278
>>8287056

>>8324262
I used a zigzag stitch to sew all of the stretch fabric for the gloves, boot covers and waistband here. Didn't pop or fray.

>>8324262
I just sewed a whole Spider-woman body suit on a regular machine. This is the second time I've worked with lycra and it was definitely better the second time around.

Assuming you're using a pattern, follow the directions carefully. Make sure you leave seam allowance, if appropriate. I cut out my fabric pieces by pinning the pattern to them, then stabbing the whole thing into the carpet. This was particularly important for me because my costume had a lot of symmetrical pieces that looked off if they weren't the same.

Make sure you get a ballpoint needle in the correct weight for your fabric. This makes a huge difference. Use a zig zag stitch. I used polyester thread, as I read in a couple places that it has a little more stretch than cotton thread.

Look through your sewing machine manual for the correct settings for sewing spandex. I needed to adjust the tension, the presser foot tension, and stitch width and length. Try adjusting all of these things (one at a time) if you're having problems.


Don't stretch your fabric as you're sewing.This will cause ugly bunching. Let the fabric feed itself through the feed dogs. If its not moving through at the right speed or evenly, you need to adjust your presser foot settings. If you are doing everything correctly, you won't need to use tissue paper to sew through spandex. However, if you find yourself having trouble, you can use freezer paper or tissue paper to stabilize your garment.

Make sure you test your settings on scrap fabric. Go slow, be patient, don't be afraid to stop and pick up the project again on a different day.
I had several things I needed to adjust on my machine.

>>8324323
Er, no idea what that sentence is doing there at the end. I need some coffee to make it to the end of the day.

>>8324295
Haha, thanks, missed that.

>>8324368
What's your costume?

All of the fabric stores near me have gone to the quilters.

Does anyone have any good experiences ordering fabric for cosplay online, or should I suck it up and take a long trip to hoard fabric?

>>8324415
Nebula from GotG. I have weapons to carry too so a bag would be an extra pain. Also worried about my paint wearing so I'd wanna carry some (and sealer?) just in case.

>>8324160
>>8324152
Thanks guys
What color do you think would be best? Skin colored or really light pink

>>8325848
Skin colored for sure, light pink would look really off-model

>>8325825
Make holsters or straps for your weapons and get a bag that matches your jacket/vest. You are going to want to have a bag.

>>8324083
>>8324092
I'm planning on going as Meow from Space Dandy. I've got everything else about him sorted, from the hat to the crocs but it's just the actual body that's the problem since I'm no intention to go full furry. For now the idea was a grey vest and shorts, hence the body hair dilemma. The other alternative was white tights but I thought they might look a little silly, especially since I'd need the rest of me to be as white in order to go for the "bare body underneath" look.

>>8326705
dood just shave and don't bother with a bodysuit

your idea of a vest and shorts is fine

>>8296051
Dress as Tiana, but don't use spray tan or makeup to make your skin significantly darker - it's rarely done well and almost always looks fake (and therein comes the problem of people treating skin tone as a costume).

White chicks cosplay Mulan and Pocahantas and Kida all the time, anyways.

>>8287332
Things you'll need (in approximate order of application - face -> eyes -> lips, but I'm not pro-level at makeup so if there's a better way someone else should correct me):
>allover face primer
>foundation that matches your skin tone
>concealer for hiding blemishes and scars
>eyeshadow or foundation that's a shade or two LIGHTER than your skin tone - the highlight colour
>eyeshadow or foundation that's a shade or two DARKER than your skin tone - the contour colour
(I've tried using bronzer for a contour colour, and it's never looked good for me. It looks orangey, like a bad fake tan, but some people might have better experiences)
>blush (to get a really intense shade, I've dabbed on lipstick and blended it in)
>eyeliner/eye pencil (doubles as something to go around your eye and as eyebrow pencil)
>eyeshadow (again, get it in a few lighter and darker shades for contouring)
>mascara (optional; I still have trouble applying it)
For mouth stuff, it's important to use products specially designed for use around the mouth. There are a few tutorials for eyeshadow lip colour out there, but a lot of them neglect to mention that most blue and green eyeshadows have harmful chemicals that should not go anywhere near your mouth (because if you've worn lipstick before, you know how much of that ends up getting eaten over the course of a day). There are lots of specialty lipstick stores out there that can cover weird lip shade needs.
>lip liner (it's basically a lip pencil - helps keep the colour on your lips, if you're wearing lipstick)
>lipstick
>allover face powder (optional - most makeup brands are designed to work with just a setting spray)
>setting spray (ELF, Ben Nye, Urban Decay, and most other makeup lines have these)

General tools: makeup sponges, a small angled brush for eyes, a larger floofy brush for face powder.

>>8329060
Comment was too long.

You can get all of these at drugstores, and this is the bare minimum of what I use (there's fancier stuff like eyelid primer, but I'm not into that yet).

Contouring and highlight guide:
>www.rookiemag.com/2014/03/how-to-highlight-and-contour-your-whole-face/

Poke around on Youtube, look for makeup videos from people with similar face structures to you (in my case, I look for East Asian vloggers because they have tricks and techniques for my eye shape and the like).

>>8329060
>>8287332
This is a good overview, but I have a few additions/changes I'd suggest.

Knowing what type of skin you have (oily, dry, combination) is just as important as having the right shade of foundation. For example, if you have dry skin, you probably want to avoid powder foundations, and oily skinned people typically don't want liquid foundation (although this isn't universally true, primers and moustrizers can help make either one of these look fine on your skin).

If you're just starting out, I wouldn't worry about conturing. That's kind of an advance thing, and its very easy to make conturing looking bad. However, if you're putting a medium to high coverage foundation on, you will definition need blush. If you just use foundation, you'll look really washed out.

I would also include some step for brows. Even if you're not filling them in, brushing them or taming in them in some way makes a huge difference in how your make-up looks on any given day.

If you're just starting out, lipstick and liner will probably seem really over the top. Start out with tinted balms or lipglosses and work your way up to highly pigmented lipsticks.

There are lots of youtube make-up artists who have indepth videos about a variety of techniques and looks. Anything in particular you're looking to do?

Any ideas on how to build the inside structure of a diglett csoplay
>pic related

I was thinking of just making a round sculputure (like a mushroom head) build on top of a construction hat, and then just draping the fabirc over that to make the rounded top. However, this seems like it would put all the weight on my neck, which seems painful after awhile. Any ideas?

Any ideas on how to build the inside structure of a diglett csoplay
>pic related

I was thinking of just making a round sculputure (like a mushroom head) build on top of a construction hat, and then just draping the fabirc over that to make the rounded top. However, this seems like it would put all the weight on my neck, which seems painful after awhile. Any ideas?

How could I make this effect in reality? I was playing around with the idea of iridescent sheer fabric and wiring... But I'm scared it will look like crap.

How do I add the red fabric to box pleats? I'm fairly new to sewing

Is it possible to be a professional cosplay photographer? To go from taking pics like this

>>8332312
>>8332312
>Is it possible to be a professional cosplay photographer? To go from taking pics like this
To taking pics like this and selling the prints to the models?

I'm cosplaying korra and I need some blue contacts, but my eyes are dark brown and I'm blind as hell. I was thinking of getting those air optix colors ones with the prescription in them, but I don't know How Well they would work. I Also need them within the next four weeks so I'm not sure if anything from Japan or China is a good idea. Any suggestions?

How do I get my boobs to have a bit of push up when I'm cosplaying pic related?

How do you get a good photographer to do a photoshoot with you at the convention? Also, am I supposed to pay them? I'm really very new to this!

>>8332491
You can buy inserts at any local store that sells bras. And contouring your boobs helps a lot too (look up tutorials, jenna marbles has done one.)

>>8332491
Use a stick-on bra, boob tape, or a nude strapless plunge bra.

Has anyone here ever had any luck spraying foam? I'm trying to make a con-friendly baseball bat but can't find anything in the right colour. There are some slightly more weighty kids bats that are coated in foam that are allowed so I want to try and spray one with an ash wood colour.

Should I just coat it in white first and then spray on top of that? I have no idea what I'm doing here really.

>>8332749
If you paint directly on foam it'll look like foam. You want to try sealing it with something first to give it a smooth finish for painting.

Have you thought about one of those hard and hollow plastic bats?

>>8332799

I could do that, the foam ones just felt weightier. What would be the best way of painting one of those?

>>8332815
I've never painted a foam bat before, I mostly use construction foam or craft foam -- I think foam bats are probably more spongy and porous, so take this with a grain of salt.

I would try looking into Gesso or Mod Podge. People use white glue and thinner stuff with craft foam but I think it's probably too thin for what you're hoping to use it for. Generally you want to use a couple of layers of Gesso and then sand it down for a smooth, white surface -- then you can paint and seal it.

>>8332749
Don't just spray paint any kind of foam, it'll eat it. You need to seal it beforehand.

>>8277214
idek if you'll see this but do try google translate + yahoo.co.jp- i've definitely seen kimono patterns on the internet before, but they were in Japanese. honestly, don't really worry about the language, as the patterns use all the same symbols and diagrams as anywhere else :0

>>8326705
meow is a total slob, just saying

>>8332863
>>8332836

What about plastic? If I prime that with some light sanding and then spray paint it, should I varnish it or something to finish it off? I'm going for a dull wood effect so I don't want it to be too glossy.

>>8330819
Make a shoulder harness to do the support instead of your head.

Look for wing harness tutorial and go from there

>>8310300
Pretty cool if you know what people to avoid. Check the MSPA thread, maybe see if some steaks from here wants to chill with you.

anyone has a "staff tutorial"?

I asked about breast forms usage in a thread here yesterday and was suggested to glue on the forms with liquid latex and then to blend it to my skin with airbrushing.

I don't have an airbrush so would using makeup work?

If so, is there a way to make sure the makeup applied does not get onto the clothes I would be wearing on top?

>>8334982
Same anon here from the other thread. Use medical adhesive to glue it on, and liquid latex to blend the seems to your skin. Medical adhesive is heavy duty and will keep that thing planted on you even while you sweat all day. You don't have to use an airbrush kit for the skin texture, it's just the most realistic option and water based makeup is sooo much easier to work with. As for applying makeup to the prosthetic, use a sealant and let it dry for 10 minutes before the application. That way the makeup will stick. Dab off excess with a clean cloth and powder lightly afterwards. Don't use normal makeup for the prosthetic, oil based makeup like grease paint works well as a replacement for water based. After you've applied the makeup, powder firmly and a lot, oil based makeup requires a lot of time to set and a lot of powder just be sure to dust off the excess. Once dry to the touch, you can dab a lightly damp cloth or cotton ball over the makeup to restore the vibrant colors. Just be sure to buy multiple skin tones for highlights and lowlights. Your body isn't one tone, so take the time to notice your natural shadows and highlights so that you can replicate them with the fake boobs.The powder should seal it if you apply it properly so there should be no mess on your clothes. Again hope that helps anon, best of luck to you!

What does /cgl/ think about combining cosplays/ideas?

I don't know why but I have an obsession with cosplays that have added tactical gear for no reason. Pic sorta related

>>8335792
I still think you look like ass

I said that on /k/ sometime too

>>8335798
I'm not sa/k/uya, I just saved his pictures. ;^ )

>>8331824
Only her belt is red though.

>>8335806
in that case, I think he looks like ass. If he was a she he might be better off but he's automatically disadvantaged besides the fact he knows guns.

like you have AOR Pink who only gets to play airsoft and half the stuff looks super huge on her but since she's got the looks it counteracts most of that

>>8335818
seriously it's like "uguu am I kawaii, oniichan?" and pretty ridiculous

>>8335818
>AOR Pink
>AOR
>Wears multicam and OD

What a fucking faggot

>>8335792
that's a man, baby

>>8335824
>>8335818
asian girls in tactical gear is my fetish

>>8335824
>>8335818
holy fucking shit my dick look at this operator as fuck loadout. would play bb warz with

>>8335851
>wearing plaid and body armor is my fetish

>>8335818
calm your shit sperglord
I think he's doing it mostly to be ironic and funny. The fact that all of what he is wearing is real counter-acts /cgl/ thinking he sucks at cosplay. Whereas the airshit stuff you are posting is lame because its just pretend.

>>8335881
Knowing how much gear airsofters buy a lot of what the girl is wearing is probably real.

>>8335881
flannel and body armor or woodland and jeans. I got my flip girlfriend into guns and wearing flannel. now i just gotta get her playing bbwarz so she wears the gear. My dick will be hard as diamonds

>>8335890
especially in japan they go way over board because they can't own real guns. I've seen more crye precision on gooks then on American servicemen

>>8335890
>but the guns aren't
And thats all that really matters ;^ (

>>8335893
Doesn't do it for me like the flannel one did
>flannel
>black jeans
>chestrig/plate carrier over top
sogood

>>8335898
its good to know /cgl/ has some /k/ left in it

Will this work for my hair?

>pic related is my hair

Link: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=2755&skuId=6011825

I have no idea what I am doing and it's for a cosplay expo this weekend.

My main questions:

Will my roots show by this weekend(Friday-Sunday) if I die it today?

This will work on blonde hair right? Do I need to bleach my hair first?

I am going to follow the instructions on the box but does anyone have anything tips besides the normal directions? I know there is sometimes a better way of doing things.

>>8335898
Looking good counts for a lot when trying to loo good. Especially when your criteria is "tactical gear and cosplay" unless you are fine with "looks like shit but at least there's tactical gear!" Might as well just stick to normal gear without the cosplay part.

>>8335890
99% of the time the airsoft gear is more expensive than the real stuff

that's why I gave up airsofting for /k/

but that all goes down the shitter for ammo pricing

Aesthetics counts for a lot when trying to look good. Especially when your criteria is "tactical gear and cosplay" unless you are fine with "looks like shit but at least there's tactical gear!" Might as well just stick to normal gear without the cosplay part.

>>8335909
If you go black, you'll never come back.
>mfw I'm actually serious, it'll make all your shit after look terrible and two toned.

>>8335915
But its funnier with the cosplay part.

>>8335920
I am actually going to shave it in about 2 weeks for reasons so I can't really regret much

>>8334236
ah, brilliant! thanks anon

>>8335937
yeahhh I think I have blueish black in my hair right now haha

oops

Posting this in a couple threads because I'm desperate af. Trying to find a good wig for Sugilite from Steven Universe but I don't know what artistic liberties to take. A lace front rhapsody style would be amazing but all lace fronts either have curls or are straight, opinions on this wig???

>>8335909
>not wearing a wig for cosplay
>posting selfie when "I have sandblonde hair" would work just as well
>those fucking glasses
>no shirt

I think we've found the male version of the fake geek girl.
Also, if you dont think it'll work, how the hell would bleaching your hair make anything better?

Also, yes, it would probably work. You might have to do it twice though.

>>8336322

>those fucking glasses

I agree in any circumstance other than mine since mine are for the costume.

I am wearing them since they feel weird on my face and I am trying to get over it.

>no shirt

You are telling me you don't wear as little clothing as possible when in your own home? It feels amazing to be free of clothing.

>not wearing a wig for cosplay

You are 100% right. I should have done that.

My hair is fucking dark blue right now and it looks even worse in the sun haha

>pic related

I am going to die it in real black instead of the stupid colour I thought was black and try to fix the damage I did.

Either way it was an interesting experience and I don't really care.

First time coplayer here. I have a "themed" ninja cosplay I'd like to create, and I have a question regarding the look.

My original idea was to buy a simple ninja costume to use as a base, then start tailoring around it (very basic tailoring skills) and adding the "theme" accessories, but most of them tend to be rather form fitting and would just make me look like a lanky nerd in a Halloween costume, as seen on the right.

How would I go about getting that "poofed" out leg effect like the image on the left, assuming it's possible / practical in reality? My original thought is that it's being caused by pant legs being "muffin topped" by the shin guards, but I'm not certain since I don't have a set to try.

>>8336084
posting this wherever I find your question in case any of the other ones sage
please take your time on that, I don't want you to end up in a bad cosplay thread

do some research (youtube, deviantart, etc.) involving:
>how to sew wefts into a wig
>how to style wigs/real hair
>how to lace front
>how to tease hair

Buy a couple (2-4) wigs. Use one as a base wig and remove all the wefts from the others. Sew them into the base wig and keep some wefts to the wide for ventilating a hairline. Make sure the wig will end up proportionate to your body. Get lots of constructive criticism from people who are a little TOO honest (family members, often your mom, someone that doesn't like you, etc.). Don't ask your good friends to give you criticism--they'll want to be nice and say "it looks great!" when it doesn't.

Buy some lace close to your skin tone from a fabric store or splurge and buy real wig lace. Sew it into the wig and ventilate a hairline (lots of tutorials online, esp. youtube, check arda wigs' channel for good tutorials)

If you're not confident in your own styling abilities, TAKE IT TO A HAIRDRESSER. THERE IS NO SHAME IN THIS. You're already dressing up as a giant purple rock alien, what do you have to lose?

Pre-made lace fronts are often expensive but you can DIY everything through research and ebay for much cheaper and probably end up with a better product.

Other tips: don't drench the wig in hairspray. Got2B hairspray and a HAIR DRYER are your friends.