Tips for Newbie Cosplayers

It's been a while and I've been in a hiatus. ON A VERY LOOONG HIATUS. *Cries in a corner*
I've been very busy with school and I just didn't thought of putting my free time in my blog anymore.
Anyway, moving along.

Ever since social media's interest in cosplay, hundreds of people are now looking into and attending cosplay conventions. It was a small thing back in the early 2000's. Back then, tutorials, tips, cosplay shops, forums, and groups were scarce. People didn't have cheat sheets like this back then, they solely relied on experience. So please, let's respect and put our hands together to the first ones in the community. *Claps*
I just started cosplay last April 2011. And despite the fact that I had already read most of the first 10 articles for tips how to cosplay with different word searches such as "How To Cosplay?", "Tips For Cosplay", Cosplay For Dummies", and "How To Cosplay A Specific Character", it wasn't enough for me and I still had a lot of room of errors. But hey, making mistakes is a part of learning. Even if more than 2 years passed, I still consider myself "young" in cosplay. But despite that, I learned a lot. And now I'm going to share you my tips for all those guys and girls who are thinking of joining our growing community.

     1.  Have A Separate Space For Your Cosplay Related Items

             Costumes, wigs, wig caps, and whatnot. You can place it in a cabinet or in a humongous sako bag solely for your cosplay items. It's bound to multiply. No joke. Heck, have a room dedicated for your cosplay items! That's probably the best idea if you're going to plan on having armored or mecha cosplays. I know a friend who showed me a room full of his cosplay props. It was heaven even if it was cluttered all over the room.

     2.  Make Friends

             Most of us probably started as loners in the community. But with the help of social media, we are now able to befriend cosplayers and con-goers not just in our country, but from all around the world! This community is probably the place where you get to meet with a lot of people with the same interests as you. Not that it's hard to look for them in a school or whatever, but the chances are higher than average.
            A word of caution though, be careful. It's a dangerous world out there and the cosplay community is no exception. Don't completely trust anyone.

     3.  Make-up Is Your Best Friend(Forever)

             "Really? Make-up? the characters in most games and animes don't wear make-up. So why should I wear make-up when I cosplay"
             You have a point there. But is it really worth seeing your soggy, oily face you see in your pictures? Definitely not. You can just use a foundation or translucent powder and a little bit of nude lipstick to fix minor flaws and make you look better and natural in photos. You have to think it like this way: Since cosplay is your art, you have to look your best at portraying your character. It also adds more creativity into your work.
             You can also use make-up to enhance your features and add something that you might not have. There are a lot of different techniques on how to make yourself different and there's an ocean of tutorials in the web. The character you might be portraying is someone who has a chiseled face and have dark lines in their forehead, but your face is the opposite of that. You can cheat that with make-up! If your character is in a survival environment, they probably have dirt all over their face and body, you can use eyeshadow or bronzer in order to cheat that too!

     4.  Make A Check List Of Items For Each Of Your Costumes 

              Unless you have super memory and won't forget a single part in your costume, then you're safe. If not, you should probably make a list. This will help you and save yourself some "OMG I FORGOT *insert small important item here* IN MY HOME" moments. That happened about...3 times to me. One of those moments happened during a convention and I forgot my black gloves. Fortunately for me, it was held in Mega Mall and I went to the department store to buy one. Cosplay Crisis Averted. Whew!
               And yes, I shared that because I want you to take it seriously. We're all vulnerable to the possibility of forgetting a belt or a sash for a cosplay. You might consider it as a little detail and shrug it off, but for some it's like forgetting to bring a #2 pencil for a diagnostic test. It's still an important detail.
   
     BONUS TIP: Place In One Plastic Bag And/Or Place A Costume Set In The Same Place

                It's like Tip #4, it'll help you not to forget small items in your costume. No need for me to expound on this one.

     5. Cosplay First Aid Kit

               This will save your life and lessen the inconvenience of broken props or ripped parts from your costume. The ghost of wardrobe mishaps will always be waiting for the moment to strike and it lingers in the halls of  a convention, in the secure place of studio photoshoots, and in the wilderness of outdoor photoshoots. Better safe than sorry, eh?

     6.  Keep Track Of Your Cosplay Spendings

               Keeping track of what you spend, what you get, and knowing how much you save in each month and year is smart. This includes your sales and rents as well. Now, I assume that you separate your money for different needs and wants. It should make you avoid overspending.
               I guess there were times when you think that your money has disappeared in thin air because you didn't know HOW and WHY you spent it. Or maybe you got a huge amount of money from your relatives or salary and then didn't know how it disappeared from your coin bank in the end. This is a good way to avoid those moments, And it only takes a pen, paper, and a little bit of math skills. It's always good to be organized in money matters I tell you.

     7.  Don't Make Cosplay Your Number One Priority In Life

               "Come on Nicole, no one will really do that.....right?"
               Well, let's just say that I know someone who got obsessed with cosplay to the point that the person wasn't doing well with school and violated some school regulations.
                School, family, friends, work, and religion(if you have one) are some of the few things you should take more seriously. Unless cosplay IS your work and you get paid for it, that's a different story.

     8.  Be Vigilant. Be Smart. Be Aware of Scammers

               I'm deciding to put emphasis on this.
               This is probably one of the most important reasons why you should be updated with the latest news in the cosplay community. You might be surprised, but a lot of people are now getting scammed through online transactions. This community filled with otakus, weaboos, gamers, and fans is no exception. So before you send your precious, hard earned moolah to a seller, take a look at their credentials, reputation, and testimonials from different buyers to know how known are they in the community. Because if a lot of people order or buy from them, then they are probably trust worthy people and have good quality merchandise.
               It's also good to know the normal price range of particular items and brands. Let's say a long Fantasy Sheep wig in a particular shop costs about php900. Great deal right? Maybe too good to be true.
               However, if you're someone who already experienced being scammed, then that sucks. Maybe you have already complained, tried looking for other victims, or maybe tried getting the help from police authorities. But the damage has already been done. I personally almost got scammed, but I didn't have enough money by that time and that saved my life. The last resort we can always be doing is to make it known. Post it complete with screenshots containing damning evidence in Facebook, and Twitter, you name it. We don't want more people getting scammed by some low life, right?

     9. Enjoy The Experience

               And now we have reached the final tip for this article and this is a no brainer. We're all looking for a good time here! You'll probably meet a lot of different people from different places and it will definitely change your perspective in life. Through cosplay, I was able to conquer my battle of low confidence and shyness. It made me into a better person and I'm always thankful for that since it opened more opportunities for me.




This post was a draft for 3 years or so...back then when I was still active.
You might ask, why did I suddenly have the urge to finish this entry?
Weeeeeell, let's just say that I've been watching too much videos from a specific Youtube channel called The Game Theorists. By some unknown reason, it just inspired me to write in my blog again. And oh, if you're a gamer who doesn't know that, please check it out. You won't regret it!


Like this article? Let me know by leaving a comment and hitting the "G + 1" button. Please subscribe if you want to know more from me! 

Newsflesh Trilogy: FEED ~ Book Review

I never thought that zombies and politics could mix together, until I read FEED. FEED is the 1st book of the Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant (Real name: Seanan McGuire)

Feed is a Sci-fi novel set during 2039 where society is living with zombies. What I find unique in here is that the mankind wasn't wiped out badly by the zombies and having no electricity, internet, & whatnot. Instead, mankind is still thriving and people could live inside their homes like normal people(with added security of course).

I couldn't really say that this is a horror novel. It's not something that would make you turn on the lights at night and scared to go to bed. You might think this is jam-packed with a lot of zombie action, but it doesn't. But there are a couple of scenes where there are outbreaks and breaches where people would have to defend their lives. Bottom line, zombies here is something like a garnish or side-dressing. It's not the main dish.

This book is more about blogging, journalism, free-speech, politics, and looking for the truth and

If you're someone who likes blogging, zombies, and a bit of politics, then I bet you'll love this book!
I'm someone who isn't really into politics, nevertheless, I still enjoyed reading FEED.

I really liked the characters here, very well made and they have "depth" especially George and Shaun.  I also liked the side characters, I grew fond of Rick, Lois, Mahir, and Buffy.

To tell you the truth, It took me at least a year to finish reading this. Apart from the having 599 pages, I was really busy this year. (Which explains why I haven't posted in this blog since June of this year).

At first, it was kind of boring to read, but as the story progresses it becomes interesting(Another reason why it took me so long to finish it).

Out of 5 stars, I would give this book 4 stars.

Mori Fashion

Mori is a fashion that emerged in 2007.
"Mori" is the japanese word for "Forest".
It's all about the concept of a girl who is living in a forest so the look should be somewhat earthy. Colors would be white, dirty white, beige, brown, green, and etc.

Mori girls usually likes to drink tea and vintage & eco-friendly items.
Clothes are flowy, layered, and aren't body-hugging.

Must have items are the ff:

• Scarf
• Cardigan
• Boots
• vintage items
• flower wreath
• Floral hair accessories
• clothes with laces~
• clogs

 Details and texture matters~

Mori girls prefer gold items rather than silver items.

They also love cameras and photography~

Well, for me...

I like Pentax :3

I also like to take pictures of nature or anything I'm fancy for~

There's a checklist by the original mori girl community to find out if you're a true mori girl.

Enjoy and embrace our lifestyle~

It reflects our inner selves. ^^

Mori girls go for the natural look, so it's best to have minimal make-up.

***Photographers:

Ron Naldo

Kevin Shu

Thomas R.

That's allTill next time~

Lucaille/Dear Wild Wig Review #3

Lucaille/Dear Wild long wig review here.

Lucaille/Dear wild male wig review here. 

Lucaille/Dear wild taobao link here.

This would be my 3rd Lucaille review =))

In person, the wig isn't really that flipped compared to the reference pic.
The flip is actually more concentrated on the right side.

I don't really like the top of the wig. :/
This is actually an Eiji(Prince of Tennis) wig that I used for my Meryl Silverburgh cosplay =))

In flash, the color of the wig seems to be like "blood red".
The fibers are very soft and manageable, you don't need to comb it to fix it.

I can say that people with big heads should try out Lucaille since they have a big head cap.

Top view and fibers up close.

When worn photos~
Photographer: Thomas Regala

Texture(A bit rough): 5/5 

Thickness:

• Top view: -5/5
• Distribution: 4/5

Quality: 4/5

That's all, Till next time :D

The Second Nackname(TSN) Wig Review

Taobao link here.

I was a bit disappointed with the color. I was expecting it to be a bit more blonde in person.

but still, I love this wig to bits <3
Not only that it doesn't shed easily, it's also fun to run my fingers in its fibers because it's so soft and smooth. xD
The fibers are thick and manageable~
Though, it has some frizzes on the side for unknown reasons.
I'm having difficulty inserting the wig on my head which sucks. >.<

Top view and fibers up close

Texture: 5/5

Thickness:

• Top view: 5/5
• Distribution: -5/5

Quality: 5/5

It may be a bit expensive, but it's worth every penny.

That's all, till next time! :D

Grand Young Wig Review

This isn't actually my first GY wig.

 I had 2 GY wigs before but I wasn't able to make a review for it.

**Note: This is a 2nd hand wig. The bangs were trimmed.

Fibers up close and top view

It sheds a lot >.<
Though it's still thick xD

It tangles a lot yet it's so easy to fix.
I could say that the cap is...kinda small for my head. Compared to Lucaille where I can effortlessly insert the wig into my head.

Anyway, here are some when worn pics.
Photos by: Ron Naldo

Texture: 3.5/5 (Smooth)

Thickness:

• Top view: 5/5
• Distribution: -5/5

Quality: 4/5

That's all~

Till next time!

How To Secure Your Wig On Your Head #2

Hello~

Anyway, I just saw an easier and less expensive way of securing you wig in your head.

I bought this at Saizen for php44.

Now, This is the hook that every Ayanamisatoru wig has.

It really does look like the same thing I bought right?

Anyway, All you need are the FF:

• Styling comb(the one I bought at Saizen)
• Cloth (preferably skin tone or anything that matches the lace)
•  Scissors
• Needle and thread

1.) Cut/ break

2.) Leave at least 0.5 inch space away from the edge~

Oh, before I forget, make sure the stitches will go through here.

3.) But before you place it in the lace of the wig, you should first wrap the edge with a cloth.

Since I don't have any skin tone cloths, I just used orange because that's the color of the wig fibers xD

Pls. forgive me for the bad stitches. Anyway, I suggest you use back stitch instead of a running stitch.

4.) Cut the excess cloth on the sides~

Pls. note that I left some a small space on the side.

5.) Fold the remaining cloth. That's where you'll sew the clip in the wig.

6.) Be careful not to sew on the wig fibers xD

Viola~

It's now done :3

Hope I helped~Till next time :3

How To Secure Your Wig On Your Head

That moment when you're photo ready and you thought that everything is okay....

and then when you saw the photo, horror crawled all over your body because your hairline or rather your real hair is showing.

Oh yes, that's one of the effects of carelessness or rather lack of awareness of putting on wigs especially the heavy ones  >.....<
I too am guilty of it >...<



The causes of this dreadful thing are the clip-ons and very long wigs.

Also, I didn't bother coloring my eyebrows and putting on the proper amount of make-up back then :v
I regret it. Orz

You may not totally avoid this because it also depends on the fitting of your wig(The one with the lace and hook).

There are instances where the wig's fitting is too small for your head. If all else fails, you might want to change the wig brand you're using.

Anyway.....

Since I don't have time to make my own tutorial, I decided look for tutorials that I will find interesting~

This tutorial is by Yu Hibari 

Source of tutorial is found here

You can click on the link above for better viewing or click on the photo below for a larger picture~

That's allHope I helped~

Coloring Your Eyebrows With Eyeshadow

There are many techniques, methods, and variations on coloring your eyebrow like the watercolor method.

Though, this one is the easiest for me xD

Some people use glue instead of concealer, but I haven't tried that yet.

To tell you the truth, I haven't done this during on a con but I did it once in a photoshoot, but I never got the pictures. Orz

Anyway...

To start off, you'll only be needing 2 things:

• Concealer
• eyeshadow

Le moi with untouched eyebrows~

Apply concealer to your eyebrows~

Make sure only a little or no hair at all is visible. That means you have to apply a heavy amount of concealer.

After being satisfied, you'll now notice that my eyebrow is not all that visible compared to the untouched one.

You may now apply the eyeshadow~

Begin by tracing the edges of your eyebrow.

It also depends on you if you want to have heavy application or only little. Either way it can easily come off.

I'm pretty sure I don't have to be detailed on that part.

After applying the eyeshadow, remove the excess by using tissue or make-up remover.

You can also just apply concealer over it and smudge it if you're a bit lazy.

Viola~

Now compare my eyebrow with the method and w/o~

That's all~Hope I helped xD

Basic Crossplay Make-up For Girls

Ohai female reader~

So you want to know how to do the basics of crossplay make-up? Well, this is how I do it. xD

You guys might wonder why we need to do those steps. I'll enumerate it for you~

It's because guys have:

• darker skin tone
• longer/prominent nose
• Their face is more of a "V" shape
• Generally, their eyebrows is more thicker and "arched"
• They have prominent jaw

Though, there are instances where they have different eye shape, brow shape, and whatnot from most of the guys.

Hair styling is also important but I won't discuss it anymore xD

This are the basic things you need:

• Nude Lipstick/Concealer (or a combination of both)
• Liquid Eyeliner
• Eyeliner pencil(not shown here)
• Contour palette(highlight and shadow)
• Bronzer/eyeshadow that can be used for contouring

Le face with no contouring or whatsoever. I only applied the basics of make-up like concealer, foundation and moisturizer.

You'll be needing this also for making your eyebrows look thick. Try to choose brown tones instead of black because if you use the latter, it would look unnatural. I'm really sorry because I don't have any photos on applying this. Orz 

I recommend you do the eyes first because if you screw up with applying the eyeliner, you have to wash it and do it again. The part with the brown tint inside is where you apply brown eyeshadow/bronzer. The line around your eyes is where you apply the liquid eyeliner.  Cosplayers do different styles so you may not totally follow this part of the tutorial.  After this you can now apply the eyeliner pencil on your eyebrows.

So after you apply those 3, you may now do the nose~

Note the difference between my picture on the top

The next step is applying shadow and highlights in your nose~

Apply shadow/bronzer.

You might want to spread it in the side of your nose for a "gradient" effect so it would not look too harsh but keep the "heavier" tone inside the encircled area. You'll also need to apply highlights in the middle of the nose.

I made the contour harsh in purpose so you would be able to see it. 

For the last two parts, you will need to apply bronzer inside the marked area~

Make sure you also apply the "gradient" affect on your jaw and neck so that it would not look too harsh.

You might also want to make this part to be really slanted if you like~

and you may now apply the nude lipstick/concealer on your lips.

IMO using concealer makes your lips too pale so I also use nude lipstick to lighten in up a bit.

It looks like I also failed to take pics on that part. Orz

TADAAAA~

I hope you get the main idea in this tutorial on how to do the basic make-up for crossplaying guys~

I also hope that I didn't fail you guys.  =))

That's all~
Hope I helped :3

Jill Valentine Cosplay

Jill Valentine is actually my very first cosplay from a game~

I bought this costume from Sheila Navarro~ xD

Jill is one of my favorite RE characters along side with Rebecca Chambers, Spectre and Leon =))

At first, I had some difficulties in cosplaying her because of the sudden change of genre and all.

When I first cosplayed her, I had problems regarding my facial expressions and poses since I have no knowledge on how to handle a gun and whatnot.

After that experience, I began researching on the things that I need to know like the stance, aiming of the gun, safety and precautions, and the handling/storage of the gun.

So far, she's one of the most challenging characters that I cosplayed because of the limitation on poses. Orz

Here are some photos of my Jill cosplay~ 

I'll be also making her rocket launcher in Marvel vs. Capcom :v

I'll post it here as soon as I'm determined enough to finish it xD

By the way...

I also cosplayed Spectre.

You can view it here.