Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

I love to experiment with making things I never have before. My process has a lot of research, prototyping, problem solving, and failures along the way. Cosplay is a different experience to everyone who participates, but I'd say that the most important aspect of it to me is the craftsmanship. Actually walking around a con is a wonderful experience--being part of the culture and hopefully making con-goers day with what I've made--but it's the sheer creation of cosplay that really does it for me.

What are your next goals?

Same as always. Learn more and improve my craft! With projects like Iron Giant, I like to create things for cosplay that I maybe haven't seen anywhere before and could inspire someone to something even greater.

Cosplay Characters

The Joker (I learned to tailor my own suit from a pattern), Mr Freeze (I learned to pattern a body suit, make armor and work with basic electronics), and Iron Giant (I learned puppet armatures, low-weight armor, and 3d modeling/patterning)

What does Cosplay mean to you?

To me, cosplay is a chance to create a bizarre mixed-media project in a huge community of other makers. I love learning from and contributing to tutorials online and experimenting with something as multifaceted and complex as costumes while adjusting established designs to operate in the real world.

Who have been your biggest influences/role models/mentors?

Adam Savage, Volpin, Kamui, Jay Tablante, Edentech, Clive Lee, and others

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Figure out what you want from cosplay and go for it! If you're there mostly to hang out with friends, then join some cosplay groups and work with them. If you want to revel in the fandom or get out of your skin for a day, then buy or make a costume and enjoy it. If you want attention and an audience, commission something great and work on your poses. If you want to dig your hands into the craftsmanship of it, look up some tutorials and/or just dive in!

What is the most negative experience you've dealt with while cosplaying, and how did you handle it?

Thinking I had screwed up projects so badly they weren't worth finishing. Even though all I can focus on my first time out in a costume are the numerous mistakes, they just don't really matter! In the end, each time, there was enough good going on that it was all worth it.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

I'm so glad to live in the internet age. It's an absurdly powerful tool that brings anyone with a connection all the incredible information and inspiration that humanity has been able to gather and document so far - from how to make worbla armor to 3d scans of ancient artifacts. It's unparalleled and I only want to be a part of whats coming out of it! So many thanks to my partner Elina. Without her, I'd be driven crazy by making and rendered helpless at cons.