Cosplay Spotlight: Shizuku (Hunter xHunter)

Hello Generation of Cosplay!
Today I have a special treat for you~ A full spotlight of my Shizuku cosplay!

This is a cosplay that has grown on me a lot. Firstly, I am such a huge fan of Hunter x Hunter! It has definitely become one of my favorite anime/manga of all time! And Shizuku is one of my favorite characters! She is quiet and doesn't have a big role in the series, but she charmed me either way! Her ability to summon a crazy demon-looking vacuum and the fact that she wears glasses is so cool too! As soon as I saw Shizuku, I knew I wanted to cosplay her! So here's all the info you need to know about my Shizuku cosplay ^_^

Cosplay WIP: Rider (Fate/Stay Night) #2

Hey there everyone~ DarthNancy here!

I just wanted to share some small progress with my Rider cosplay. I have been mostly focused on making the mask for Rider right now. I have the shape cut out, the details laid out, and now I am priming it with PlastiDip! I have a few more coats to go before I can start painting it! But here it is below:

In the mean time I will be working on cutting out the shape of her boot armor, bracelets, and dress trimming from EVA foam while the layers of PlastiDip dry! Ideally, I want to paint everything at the same time so it will be the same shade of purple. I will keep you guys updated on my WIP!

Until next time!

   

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Prop Tutorial: Shizuku (Hunter x Hunter) Vacuum Deme-Chan

Hey everyone!

Phew...finally I get around to post a tutorial for this prop that had me pulling my hair out! Shizuku's vacuum was supposed to be a pretty easy build, but my mistakes and my procrastination made this 1000% more stressful than it should have been T_T Regardless, I will show you guys all my steps, and advise you on things you could do better than I did. So let's get started!!

Materials Used

• Vacuum (thift store purchase)
• Cardboard
• Expandable foam
• Box cutter
• Masking tape
• Paper mache (newspaper and paper mache glue)
• Craft plaster
• Worbla 
• Fast Mache
• Wood glue
• Spray paint
• Acrylic paints
• paint brushes
• Acrylic Sealer
• Large Googly eyes
• Worbla scraps (for the eyes of the body)

Cosplay WIP: Shizuku (Hunter x Hunter) #2

Hello everyone :)

So the last time I updated you guys on my Shizuku cosplay, this is how my Deme-chan prop looked:

Cosplay WIP: Pentakill Sona (League of Legends) #1

Welcome back everyone :) DarthNancy here!

Yes, yes here is another WIP post! Why so many of these lately, you ask? Because I am trying not to procrastinate on my cosplay projects and I want to get stuff dooooone~! And this way I can update you guys on what I've been up to ;) 

Currently one of my long-awaited cosplay projects is Pentakill Sona. Sona is by far my favorite champion because she was my main when I was playing LoL. This version of Sona is also my favorite because 1) she's a redhead, 2) she is all rocked out, 3) her instrument is totally badass, and 4) her instrument has a raven skull (Ravens are my favorite animal!). So yaaas I am super stocked to finally be doing this!

http://orig03.deviantart.net/a808/f/2014/152/8/8/league_of_legends___sona_pentakill_by_xblackswordman-d7koyvi.png

Cosplay WIP: Rider (Fate/Saty Night) #1

Welcome to another WIP post everyone ^_^ DarthNancy here!

I am excited to show you what I have so far for my Rider cosplay! I have loved Rider since I first saw her in the original Fate anime, and loved her even more when I read the Fate/Stay Night visual novel. This has been a planned cosplay for YEARS! And finally it is going to happen! So psyched! 

Cosplay WIP: Shizuku (HunterxHunter) #1

Hi everyone ❤

And welcome to another Work In Progress post. This time it is for my costume progress for Shizuku from Hunter x Hunter! I've been working on this costume for a while and it has been 80% done sine December, but I have been procrastinating with the main prop for this cosplay: Deme-chan (the vacuum).  Here is most of the cosplay so far:

Cosplay Tutorial: Lucina (Fire Emblem) Tiara

Hello Generation of Cosplay ❤

Today, I will be showing you how I create the tiara for my Masquerade Lucina cosplay!

Materials Used

• Reference photo
• Worbla
• Scissors 
• Thin headband
• Heat gun
• Wood glue
• Gold Spray paint
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brushes

Eyebrow Coloring Tutorial: Bleaching Method

Hello Generation of Cosplayers ❤

Today's I'm bringing you a topic that enrages me to my very core: coloring eyebrows for cosplay. I'm of the opinion that coloring your eyebrows to match your wig makes your cosplay look a little better. Of course, it is not necessary to do this, but I like taking that extra step to make my cosplay look a bit more complete. Buuuut, I have very dark and thick eyebrows. Coloring them is insanely difficult and it makes me want to punch someone in the face  something Dx For all of you who might have a hard time doing this too, here's a tutorial for one of the methods of coloring your eyebrows (and what I use as a base for all the other coloring methods I will be posting about). Enjoy ^_^ or you know, rage and go into a fit of hysterical madness because coloring eyebrows just sucks.

This method involves bleaching your eyebrows with Cream Bleach. This sounds scary, but it helps lighten very dark eyebrows. I do this occasionally when I feel like doing it. Don't worry, the effects of lighting the hairs goes away in a couple of weeks (so your eyebrows won't stay super light forever).

Tip Tuesday #5: Sewing Machine

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday post.

Today's topic will be...sewing machines!

Sewing machines are scary. If you have very little experience with sewing like I did, a sewing machine will be extremely intimidating. The first time we tried to use a sewing machine, it was a bit of a disaster xD We had no idea how to thread it even after looking up several Youtube videos. But, with a bit of practice I have been able to get pretty good at using my sewing machine! So I wanted to offer a few tips on how to go about familiarizing yourself with a sewing machine :)

• What kind of sewing machine should I start with? Start with something simple that does not have too many settings. I have a Brother LS-2125. It is simple and it is relatively inexpensive. It is a really great starter sewing machine! But you can use any machine you can get. As long as you have the user manual, you should be able to get around to use it. 

Tip Tuesday #4: Sewing

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday post.

Today's topic will be...sewing!

Cosplay is an awesome hobby and some of us got into cosplay much earlier than others. For example, even though I've been going to conventions for about 10 years, I've only been cosplaying for about 3 years. Some people are also lucky to have previous sewing skills, while many of us have zero experience with sewing. Sewing and clothing construction skills are extremely useful when you're a cosplayer, because you can create and alter cosplays on your own (without the need for buying every part of your cosplay). If you're like me, and have absolute no sewing skills and no clue how to use a sewing machine, start by teaching yourself some sewing basics. If you can, sign up for a beginners sewing class. That will teach you many essential basics! But if you can't, use online tutorials to help you how to learn.

http://sewsitall.blogspot.com/2010/10/hand-sewing-basic-stitches.html

I suggest starting with basic hand sewing. I used THIS blog post to teach me about basic stitches. Try making something small and easy (like a small bag, or a bow). The first thing I made was the bows for my Candy Cane Miss Fortune guns; that was a great beginner project. Although for some people it works to dive in at the deep end of a pool (i.e., start with a difficult project), it is usually better to start off small. Once you get the hang of some basic hand sewing, try your hand at using a sewing machine (but that's a whole separate thing!)

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Cosplay Tutorial: Mercenary Katarina (LoL) Arm Bracers

Also check out: Mercenary Katarina Breastplate

Hello Generation of Cosplayers!

Here's another oldie that I wanted to post on here. This is for Katarina's arm bracers! These could be used for her regular skin or for Mercenary Katarina (which is the skin I made these for). 

Products Used

• Scissors 
• Worbla
• Craft foam
• Heat Gun
• Gesso primer
• Spray paint (silver)
• Small brushes
• Acrylic paints (black and silver)

Tutorial

1. I started out by making a pattern with craft foam (you can see THIS tutorial). Then I  proceeded with the "sandwich Worbla" method for making armor pieces. Basically this is using two layers of Worbla to sandwich the craft foam pattern you made (so you will have worbla-craft foam-worbla). This ensures that the armor piece will be thick and durable. For the arm pieces, I used one piece of craft foam and two pieces of Worbla to create a cuff-like shape. I used my heating tool to bind the pieces together and to bend the Worbla into a cylinder shape that would fit around my wrist. The easiest way to shape the Worbla is to heat it up and then to gently bend it, then place it over the area you will be wearing it on. In this case, I wrapped it around my wrist (I protected this area with a thin sweater since the Worbla will be hot), and then gently pressed it so it would get a good shape (although it did not end up perfect).

Cosplay Tutorial: Mercenary Katarina (LoL) Breastplate Armor

Also check out: Mercenary Katarina Bracers

Greetings Generation of Cosplayers!

This is an oldie, but a goodie! I created my Mercenary Katarina cosplay a while ago (2 years ago) and I thought I would share it here! This was the first thing I ever made with Worbla. Scratch that, this was the first cosplay prop/armor I ever made. I messed up a lot, but it was such a good learning experience. I've been wanting to remake this but I haven't had the time or money for it. For the mean time, enjoy this old Worbla tutorial!

The first part I began to make for my Mercenary Katarina costume is her breastplate. I should begin by saying that I had never seen anyone actually make an armor piece for this costume. All the cosplays I've seen use a black corset or something made out of fabric.So I had no idea how this was going to come out xD

1. I used Kamui's tutorial on how she makes patterns and breastplate armors. She is an amazing cosplayer and her videos are really helpful!! Basically she uses Worbla, craft foam, and a heating tool. I had never used Worbla before this, but she made it look so easy! Well, I had no idea what I was getting myself into! This is NOT as easy as it looks. It definitely takes practice. But I went into anyways. Armed with a sheet of Worbla, some craft foam and a heating tool, I started to make my breastplate. 

Prop Tutorial: Yamuraiha (Magi) Staff

"Sorry, but I'm a genius magician ^_~" -Yamuraiha

Hi everyone! It's time to show you guys a sort of tutorial on the staff I made for my Yamuraiha cosplay. This was the first staff I have ever made and the biggest prop I've ever made. I messed up a lot on it, but that only means I learned a lot from making those mistakes. I am here to give you guys some tips on how to go about making a prop like this. You might see that my staff does not break down into two parts (because I messed up on that part) so it makes transportation a little difficult. I am planning on remaking this staff at some point, so I will have a better tutorial for a two piece staff later on. Because this staff has such an organic shape, it is a rather easy beginner project.  Anyway, to the tutorial!!

Materials Used

• Reference pictures
• Large piece(s) of cardboard or poster board
• Writing utensil
• Box cutter
• 2 8" Styrofoam half orbs (they are sold by halves)
• Wooden dowel/stick/PVC pipe (for support)
• 2 cans of expandable foam
• Carving knife
• 1-2 rolls of masking tape
• Newspaper
• Paper Mache glue (I make this out of water, Elmer's glue, and cornstarch)
• Fast Mache (or plaster)
• Sandpaper
• 1-2 bottles of woodglue
• 1 can of pink spray paint
• Sealing spray

Tutorial

1. Find a whole bunch of reference pictures to help you decided on the shape of the staff. I used the photo below because Yamura's staff changes a lot from episode to episode, and frame to frame. This is the shape I liked the most, and the one I wanted to create.

Cosplay Tutorial: Cutting a Wig

Hello Generation of Cosplayers! ^_^

DarthNancy here~ 

I recently received the wig for my Shizuku (Hunter x Hunter) cosplay, and I thought it would be a really good opportunity to show you guys how I go about cutting and styling a wig. Now, you can certainly wear a wig without cutting it and styling it, but cutting and styling will make your cosplay look overall more accurate and more neat. 

This is an example of the difference two steps can make. The wig I will be showing you here was specifically purchased on eBay as a "Shizuku" wig (you can check out the listing HERE). On the pictures shown of the wig, the wig has already been cut and styled. A lot of people assume that the wig show in the photos of the shop is the wig they will be getting. Do not ever assume this. Most of the time (although not always) you will be getting an unstyled wig that looks really different from the shop's photos. Always keep that in mind. Anyway, I got the unstyled wig for Shizuku, so now it is my job to style it myself. Here is how I go about doing this! 

Step 1: Wear the unstyled wig over a wig cap. Wear the wig so you can see what needs to be cut and what doesn't. Just using a wig stand will not be enough. Make sure you try it on yourself first before cutting anything. As you can see, I tried on the wig and marked off the bags with a hair tie. This was also to see how much of the bangs I was going to cut off.

CosplayTutorial: Yamuraiha (Magi) Bra Shells

Hey, Generation of Cosplayers!

DarthNancy here ^_^

Materials Used

• Shells pattern (drawn out or printed out)
• Nude strapless bra (with clear straps)
• 2 sheets of craft foam
• Worbla
• Heat Gun
• Hot Glue Gun
• Wood Glue
• Paint brushes
• Pink acrylic paint (whatever colors you want)
• Acrylic paint seal spray

Makeup Tutorial: Candy Cane Miss Fortune (League of Legends)

"Sure you can handle me, Summoner?" ❤

Hey, everyone! It's time for another makeup tutorial! 

Cosplay makeup can be both really fun and very frustrating to do. If you know exactly what you want to do, it will make your cosplay look really great. But, if you have no idea what you are doing, you will want to pull your hair out! I have been really frustrated with Miss Fortune's makeup, because her splash art (and in game model) show her wearing an insane amount of makeup (eyeahdow in particular). I want my cosplay to be accurate, but I also don't want to end up looking like a $5 hooker. So, I've been looking for a middle ground with her makeup. 

Today, I have a makeup tutorial for the makeup that I have been happy with so far. I decided to use green eyeshadow to add to the Christmas feel, but I toned it down with some neutral/brown eyeshadows. Oh, and you'll notice in the tutorial that I forgot to put my circle lenses in at the very beginning, so make sure you put them in before starting your makeup!

What Not To Do When You Work on Cosplay #3: Heat Gun

Hello Generation of Cosplayers! 

DarthNancy here ^_^ It's What-No-To-Do Thursday!  It's time to talk about the mistakes many of us make while we work on cosplay.

Today's topic will be... what not to do when using heat gun!

A heat gun is precisely what it sounds like: a gun that applies high heat. Heat guns are particularly popular in the cosplay world for working with thermoplastics like Worbla. Heat guns can be pretty dangerous, so it is important to handle them with care.

What can go wrong with a heat gun? Well, first of all you can burn yourself with the hot air and/or with the extremely hot steel end of the gun. I myself have burned myself by accidentally touching the tip of the heat gun...it was not fun T_T Don't burn yourself!

It is also extremely important that you work on cement or non-flammable surface. As you can see in the image about, I worked on my cosplay project over cement. If you use a heat gun on carpet or wood, you will burn it and run the risk of catching it on fire! You don't want to catch your house on fire for working on cosplay. Just don't do it, okay?

You don't want this to happen...

See you next time ^_^

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