Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

Hi~ I am a Canadian Cosplayer from Montreal, Quebec. I am currently completing a bachelor in computer sciences and working as a Software developer, so time management is quite a challenge when it comes to Cosplay. I have to pace myself in terms of time and budget, but that doesn't stop me to constantly try to improve my techniques. I spend almost 90% of the time that I spend online to read about new techniques, help out people and share tips. I mostly do this, along with props commissions, which works out well with the amount of time I have during school terms. When come the holidays and summer time, I give it all I got to make costumes! I have been cosplaying since 2010, although I have only been really into making everything myself since 2012. I always try to make everything I can myself, and that includes the most dreaded gloves, that I always hate making. It is always well worth it in the end though :) I used to mostly sew a lot, but I have been getting more into armor in the past two wears. I've been working mostly with worbla. You can seriously do anything with it! It may be on the pricey side, but it is well worth it, and the price factor can be lightened by using the right combination of craft foam/worbla. Every scrap can also be re-used in so many different ways! What I love the most about cosplaying is to meet new people. I just LOVE to see everyone in a convention and the result of so many hours of work all in one place. I find it so easy it is to meet new people in conventions, and how everyone is so open and friendly. You can make very precious friends even though some people live far away. The power of being connected by a common passion is amazing! Along with that, I also love to discuss techniques, and I am always very curious to know how everything was done. My mind is constantly watching and learning. I also love to share my techniques. I have learned so much in two years, and a lot of my techniques come up from trial and error, or from combining several different techniques that I have learned. I love to think outside the box and come up with different ways of doing things! Finally, don't hesitate to check out my page for some tutorials that I have been putting up or tips and tricks. I may not be as active during school terms, but I always try my best to share information when I don't have time(or money) to come up with new stuff.

What are your next goals?

I am passionate about programming and electronics, and I definitely want to improve those skills in the future. I have been reading a lot about cable-controlled limbs and animatronics, so I would definitely love to do folding or flapping wings, tails, or anything that I can use this for. I currently do basic electronics with an Arduino board, but I definitely want to push this further! I may do an animated gun for Headhunter Caitlyn from League of Legends soon, or Hawkgirl with some folding wing system so I can walk around conveniently on the con floor.

Cosplay Characters

Megurine Luka (Vocaloid) Rise Kujikawa (Persona 4) Ling Xiaoyu (Tekken 5) Yuna (Final Fantasy X) High Command Katarina (League of Legends) Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon Super S) Dragonslayer Vayne (League of Legends)

What does Cosplay mean to you?

To me, cosplay is the best way to express your love for something. It is something people do to show how much they are a fan of some character or series, and nobody should be judged for who they decide to cosplay. Most people probably chose to cosplay something because they just love it so much, to me it is the ultimate tribute to both a caracyer, and its creators/designers!

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

In the past years, I would definitely say Kamui cosplay. I started following her way back when she did her first druid cosplay from World of Warcraft, and that's when I truly realized how much can be done with crafting when one really invests into it. This is also when I decided to take on cosplay more seriously, and I have learned the most from following her blog, and the few Youtube videos that she's uploaded. She has now released three books that are amazing to help anybody from armor building to painting, so you should check it out!

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Definitely do it with passion! If you love the character so much or the design so much, you will give it everything you got to make it as good as you can. And no matter how good it may be to this person or that person's eyes, you will feel so proud about it, and that's the most rewarding part. It is okay to chose simpler stuff because you don't have enough time to practice the techniques involved in a more intricate cosplay. When it comes down to it, just try to focus on one thing at a time to avoid feeling too overwhelmed. Especially if you are learning new techniques. If you can afford the materials, it always help to do partial projects or small projects involving a technique you want to refine when you have enough time, this way you feel more confident when it comes to the actual cosplay.

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

I think is a mistake done and overlooked by a lot of people. The first time I wore my Dragonslayer Vayne armor, it was extremely uncomfortable, and everything was so tight and so heavy on me. I ended up rushing the costume to finish it, and it was the most painful(and also short) cosplay experience I've ever had. It took me over an hour to get ready, and I was able to stay at the con for barely two hours. I then went back home with a horrible headache and pain everywhere. I made sure that by the next time I had to wear the costume, everything was much more comfortable, and I added a lot of padding. Every gram counts when it comes to armor, and everything needs to sit comfortably on your body, otherwise it is a real pain! I tested every piece one by one in the end to make sure everything was comfortable. It felt like I was wearing a totally different costume the next time, even though everything was still exactly the same from outside.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

Thank you all for checking this out! I want to say a special thanks to Katya Perin Photography for her amazing photos. The Dragonslayer Vayne moon shot is a composite picture she did, and it's my favorite cosplay photo so far! She is very talented, go check out her page for more awesomeness!