(Have collated days 1-15 in one post, once these are done will do the same for the rest)
30 Day Cosplay Challenge!
Day 16
Not locally because I’m the smelly judge 😉 No really. But I am part of one or two groups that not everyone can say they have been invited to be a part of 😉 I may one day get to meet another member if I am lucky. They all bloody live in the US! 😉
17. What events have you cosplayed to?
Again, costuming in general because it’s more what I do 😉
SCA events: Since 2004. They are semi-private in that you need to be a member to attend (though this does include “event” memberships).
Theatre: when I did theatre I would regularly costume myself or others or do hair and make up.
Armageddon: recreation costumes.
Charity events: I got to be Peter Rabbit when I was at high school and just adored it. Since then I have used every excuse under the sun to do more.
18. What is your best cosplay memory?
Hmmm…. so many good ones 🙂
SCA: being laurelled for sure 🙂 While I didnt have all my friends I had a lot of good people. And the venue was amazing and the whole event. Sadly so many of those venues are gone due to the Christchurch Earthqaukes.
Theatre: performing at the Aotea Centre 🙂 Irish Dance spoof. It was fun.
Charity: Peter Rabbit at Starship and Ever After at Special CHildren’s Christmas Party (07)
19. What is your worst cosplay memory?
Hmmmm….. health issues have made a number of events really pretty horrid. Home burning down made one pretty shocking too.
20. Have you won any cosplay awards?
Yep 🙂 1st at Armageddon Auckland 03, 04 and 3rd 04 Welly Geddon and Best Costume Auckland 06.
Also best costume Sydney Supanova 10 (saturday)
i’ve also helped others who have gone on to win contests here and overseas.
And in the SCA I was laurelled for my costume research.
And several audience participation awards in various places.
21. Show us your best cosplay derp photo!
derp as opposed to just sheer bloody awful? Hmmm…. how about a video instead?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDyOtvv9L3k
And like omg a fat comment. *eyeroll*
22. Have you worn cosplay in a regular situation? (eg. at school, to work)
No.
23. Your most expensive cosplay
Not yet finished. And costume as opposed to cosplay 🙂 Though weight/cost it’s probably not too bad…
Saya y Jubon y Galarilla (skirt with short train, doublet and semi fitted coat) c1600 Spanish.
Skirt and coat (and additional matching doublet to turn it into a Saya entera):
Silk/cotton brocade: 7m
silk dupioni lining: 7m
22m silver bullion trim (I need another 10 at least, so far 1.5kg of trim…. possibly silver plated definitely over copper wire)
Glass pearls, at least as many metres worth to be strung and couched.
Cotton muslin for interlining.
Doublet (jubon):
Silk satin for doublet
cotton sateen lining of doublet
hair canvas for interlining
linen canvas for interlining
14m silver ribbon for doublet
silver buttons for doublet and coat and sleeves.
Underskirt (faldalin):
1 silk saree
2m tabby linen
farthingale (verdugardos):
15m velvet ribbon
2.5m silk twill
2.5 starched cotton canvas
2.5m tabby linen
26m flat steel (will be using plumbers coil)
Corset (cuerpo baxo):
1m linen satin
1m fine linen
120 individually cut bones (probably cable ties)
I have not managed a total cost but even with good prices this is heading to $700 easily in raw materials alone. Half of that on trim.
24. Your most comfortable cosplay and most uncomfortable cosplay
Done and all respectively. Really. I don’t do comfy.
25. The cosplay you put the most effort into
It would have been easier to answer least effort as I do so very few that aren’t OMGWTF was I thinking????
My AvP Human Hunter sent me to hospital.
My Slave Leia almost did the same and I will be lucky if my new Bounty Hunter doesn’t do the same. Allergy to the world I haz it. But specifically epoxy allergy. And it is one of those repeat exposure= exponentially worse. i am a pink duckface is what I’m saying after three days.
My Historic stuff is based on a few decades of research and understanding of historical technique. Believe it or not what works for 16thC doesn’t work for 18th or 19th. And then the early 20thC.. SHEER BLOODY MADNESS!!!!!!!!!
But currently my Bounty Hunter. I am far better at organic shapes and styles when it comes to sculpting and working outside of fabric. But I am having great fun converting my hand drawn patterns into computer files (printable as gifs but lines were vectors originally 🙂 The files will be released once I have made my own gear. I think that is fair enough!
26. Any unfinished costumes? Will you ever finish them?
Ahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahah
Ehem.
Just a few. No idea when any of them will be finished. Some yes, some will be finished to the point others can finish and wear them.
So…
Padme Fireside, Padme light blue, Codex, Shae Vizla, Mina Red dress, Lucy lilac dress (Both from Dracula), Satine Pink Diamonds, Dawn white corset, Poison Ivy, Dark Phoenix, Glinda bubble
Silly Spanish c1600, Cleves/Cologne Festkleid redo, ruff of doom
Worth Sunburst (c 1887), 1830s cotton, 1860s green velvet, 1890s Hunting, 1760s smocked gown, hanfu…
Actually it’s not that bad a UFO pile compared to what I was thinking… I just have a few other containers of fabric not even cut yet… Nor things I have thought of doing but haven’t even started buying fabric for.
27. How many wigs do you own? Which is your favourite?
Umm… Lets see:
Leia, Dreads, black goth.. I used to have more but got rid of them. I do have a few hair pieces and have just bought human hair wefts to make my own wig 🙂
fave is definitely the dreaded wig.It is a full wig but worn as a 3/4 so my own hairline blends into it. A lot of people were fooled into thinking it was my own hair.
http://articles.glittersweet.com/howto/recreations/bigwig.htm
28. Where do you work on your cosplays and where do you store them when they’re done?
I am very lucky to have a workroom 🙂 Ever since i have had access to a converted garage I have been able to get into the really mucky stuff (latex, resin, drilling, sanding etc.) so that is where I do most of my work. I do have to make sure my fabrics are stored in plastic containers with lids and that I keep the sewing machines cleaned regularly due to this dust and mucky stuff though.
Storage after… well I am trying to keep myself limited to the wire drawers I store my costumes in. I use wire drawers as Auckland is so muggy and where I live is really very damp (a lot of greenery) that my oak wardrobe and drawers are at risk of mildew. The wire drawers keep everything aired really well too.
So I try and limit to that (when I get too much I start giving stuff away). But my Togruta headpiece and my resin pieces are stored on top of my wardrobe.
I have far more storage for stuff to make costumes from than costumes and more costumes than clothes. Maybe not individual pieces (socks number many) but in volume yes.
I also build my costumes to be able to be stored as easily as they can. My Mina dress for instance will fold up- the fully pleated skirt as one piece, the drapery will also be able to be undone and folded and then the bodice over that will lay flat. The jewelery is stored in a cabinet and wigs and boots stored as much as possible with regular clothes.
It is just all very out of order right now due to post WellyGeddon mess. And due to poor health and lack of energy.
29. What is your favourite cosplay item? (eg. a pair of shoes, a wig)
My Togruta headpiece 😀 Even more fun than Samara though pretty much everything looks cooler with alien tentacles 😉
30. Describe cosplay in three words. No more, no less.
Playing dress ups.
Really. You can do all sorts of other things with it like get involved in the community and social aspect, you can focus on the art side. But the second you wear the costume for fun it is dressing up. And there is nothing wrong with that. It has a very long history. Usually for the very rich rather than anyone else but still. Check out the fancy dress balls of the 1800s. Very speccy and silly.