Thursday, September 23, 2010

Just a minor update.

So over the past few days I've been working on blueprints for my next large cosplay prop. I worked out the base size and all on some graph paper and drew it life size today.  Holy crap, this gun is HUGE.  I may need to make a few alterations here and there, but overall it looks good.

I'll try to get pictures of it up tomorrow or something.

Next is to try to make blueprints for the Gunbee scooter. -.-

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Words of encouragement!

I know for a lot of people new to cosplay, or costuming in general, it can seem very intimidating.  Well here is some advice- don't let what other people think of you effect your fun.

No matter where you go, how much time you spend on your costumes, if you bought them or made them yourself- someone will ALWAYS have something negative to say.  Just shrug it off and go on. Don't let it bother you and try your best to maintain composure. If you feel someone said something really inappropriate about you or your costume, talk to them about it. Don't cuss at them or be rude back, simply tell them you felt their rudeness was uncalled for.

Oh, and the internet does not count. You should NEVER let something someone said about you on the internet bother you. It's just some person behind their computer.

And there is a difference between someone being rude and someone trying to give you constructive criticism. Don't get your undies in a bunch if someone says something to you like, "I can see you worked hard on this.  Maybe next time you should try to do "x" thing to improve it." They may really only be trying to help.  It's way different from someone saying "Omg your costume sucks."

All in all, what matters is how you feel about the costume, and not what others feel. So keep up all the hard work!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Taking care of your wigs!

It doesn't matter how expensive, or inexpensive, the wigs you have are.  You should try your best to take good care of them. Basic wig care is actually very easy for those of you that are new to wigs or afraid to touch them.  You can brush them, style them, and clean them.  The only thing about wigs is that the tools you use on your hair, may not work on wigs.

The big thing is to make sure your wigs are always put away properly.  This means laying flat, nicely tucked in a bag or box, or on a wig head. You may want to brush them out before putting them away.

So a basic is having a brush and comb for your wigs.  You need a wide tooth comb, which you can find almost anywhere.  Wig brushes can be found in local wigs shops and online. Here is what you should look for, or things very similar, when getting your brush and comb.
Don't brush your wigs when they are wet, unless you really know what you are doing or you are trying to repair a severely damaged wig. The general rule is though, never brush when wet.

Next thing you want is oil sheen. It's going to help you detangle and brush your wigs, along with giving them a nice shine.  Cans of this stuff are pretty cheap and again, can be found in wig shops, wal-mart and online.

Now comes to cleaning. Over time, after spraying your wigs bunches of times, styling them, and wearing them, they will need to be washed. You shouldn't use your personal shampoo and conditioner. There are special shampoos and conditioners for wigs.  They have different chemicals that won't react badly with your wigs. 
To wash your wigs, fill your tub or a sink with water and add in some of your shampoo. Dip your wig in the soapy water and swish it around.  Don't do more than swishing it. Once you feel like its nice and clean, empty the sink/tub and rinse your wig thoroughly.  Then take a little conditioner in your hand and just rub it down the wig. Rinse it when you are done. Let it dry by either laying it flat or hanging it up.  Don't put it back on a wig head because the wig cap won't dry properly.

And that's it for basic wig care! Hope it helps! There are plenty of detailed wig tutorials online too!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Cosplay- Do's and Don'ts!

I know there are a lot of lists out there like this. Well, here is another one, maybe with some things you haven't thought about before! Keep in mind, these are suggestions and are not "rules" in which you must follow.

Do's!
- Buy a wig. Wigs really help to put the final touches on costumes. Specially costumes where the character has odd colored hair or a weird hair style. Even if the wig is a cheaper one, it can still be better than no wig at all.

-Tailor costumes so they fit your body. Costumes, just like your everyday clothes, don't look good if they are too big or too small.

- Iron your costume! Or steam it.  Whatever is best for your material. If you can't do those, toss it in the dryer!

- Wear dancer tights or stockings with short skirts or costumes that reveal a lot of leg.  This makes your legs look very nice and smooth and you won't have to worry about if you missed a spot shaving or that your legs are really pale. (Like mine!)

- Think about what the weather will be when you wear your costumes.  This is more based on temperature than anything else. 

- Wear a little make-up. Even if it's only a light foundation or some eye liner.

- Clean your costumes. Dry cleaning, hand washing, throwing it in the washer...whatever it calls for, keep it clean. If you wear it on more than one day during a con, hang it up and air it out, maybe fabreeze it.

DON'Ts!

- Wear sneakers with every costume. If you are having show trouble, hit a thrift store or try making show covers. Nothing ruins a really nice Sailor Scout uniform like a pair of sneakers.

- Claim work you haven't done on any part of costumes. It's very rude.

- Forget to take off your glasses for pictures! We've all done it, sometimes it's because the person taking the photo didn't give you time, and others we just don't remember to.

- Throw your wig down in some spot and leave it. If you have wigs, taking care of them isn't very hard. If you don't have wig heads. lay them out on a flat surface so they don't get tangled up.

- Forget your manners when in costume. Be polite to other people around you, remember, kill them with kindness.


Well, that is all I can think of for now! Feel free to comment with other suggestions! 

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Cosplay on a Budget!

So today I said I would cover some techniques and ideas for cosplaying when you are on a very tight budget.  Some things you read here will probably be repeats you have heard, but I'm going to try and provide information on local stores as well.

1. Check thrift stores first. - If you have never done this before, you would be amazed with the things you can find to modify.  This is also a good option if you don't have any, or very good, sewing skills.  If you need to find shoes that you are just going to paint or cover anyway, why not get a pair that costs 5 bucks instead of 10 or 20?

2. Save things you use at home! - Make a special area somewhere, in a box, or a closet, where you can store things that you might be able to use later.  This means saving a Pringles can or two, maybe some milk or water jugs, old cardboard boxes, newspapers, etc.  That way, you aren't spending more money later trying to find bases for armor or prop pieces. You can even use these things to make patterns for props and armor!

3. Make a "mock-up." -What this means is taking left over fabrics or really super cheap fabric (like the 1.00 stuff you find at Wal-mart) and making a fake version of the costume.  You put it together just like you would have your regular costume, but now you can see if there are mistakes or problems you need to fix BEFORE ruining your good fabric. Trust me, it saves money in the long run. 

4. Check local wig shops before buying online and paying extra for shipping. We have PLENTY of wig and hair supply stores around. Granted, not all of them will have the wacky styles and colors cosplayers need, but if you need something plain and rather simple, check local first.

5. Go make-up shopping right close to and right after Halloween.  Halloween make-up in all those crazy colors will likely start to be on clearance.

6. Take your time. Rushing to finish your costumes can lead to serious mistakes, ones that can threaten to ruin the whole costume.

Here is a quick google search with locations of lots and lots of local thrift stores!  The Salavation Army Stores are really nice.  Hope this was useful to you guys! Come back next time for some Cosplay do and don'ts!

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=thrift+stores+new+orleans&fb=1&gl=us&hq=thrift+stores&hnear=New+Orleans,+LA&view=text&ei=9z6RTLONCIL7lwel0bzjAQ&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQtQMwAA

Welcome with a little side of introduction.

Hello world. Batsu Sai coming at you with bloggings! I hope to keep this blog focused on cosplay, specifically cosplay in Louisiana. There may be interviews with cosplayer of various ages and skill levels, reviews of cons, cosplay tutorials, and links to various cosplay related stuff on the web.

I have been cosplaying for about 8 years or so now.  I was really into it in high school and made a lot of really bad costumes, but it's all about learning with trial and error. I fell out of it for many years, and have recently picked it back up with more sewing and prop making knowledge. It also helps that I have a job to pay for it now. 

What you won't see from me is multitudes of new costumes every few months.  I tend to only work on a small number of costumes each year, and take my time with each of them. You will get lots of info on the progress of those costumes though, and hopefully some tutorials with them.

Anyway, come back soon as I begin to write these blogs! Check in next time for "Cosplaying on a Budget!"