Welcome to All About Cosplay!
What is Cosplay?
Cosplay (short for costume play) is the art of dressing as a character from an
anime series; Another term for cosplay is masquerade. Cosplay is tremendously
popular at anime events worldwide!
Why do They do it?
Going to an anime convention does not require you to dress in costume. However,
it can make the experience much more enjoyable. Sometimes, costumers can get
discounts on merchandise, or admission to an anime convention, as well as photo
opportunities. A lot of cosplayers also act like the character they are costuming
as, which makes cosplaying fun. As someone once said "cosplaying has the fun
of halloween, the appeal of disquise, and the guarantee of a head turning display."
Cosplay Contest
Most anime conventions have what is called a "cosplay contest" or "masquerade
contest" where people will enter their costumes to be judged on craftsmanship,
and also have a chance to act out skits on stage for an audience. Cosplay contests
can
become highly competitive for detailed cosplayers, and usually the top costumers
receive awards.
Hall Cosplay
A newer event on the convention circuit is the hall cosplay contest. Hall cosplaying
is a social gathering (in a hall), where costumers are judged. Since it is more
casual, cosplayers often are photographed closeup, and there may be other activities,
such as karaoke and improv. Another good thing about hall cosplay is that non-cosplayers
are usually welcome to mingle with the costumers, take pictures, and talk as
well.
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Mike as Auron |
Justin as Nash |
How Can I Make My Own Costume?
The first thing you will need to make your costume is reference materials. A
good place to find character pictures from the world wide web is google's
image search. Also, try to watch a lot of the show or game your character
is from. Take notes on how that character acts, and what details and features
the costume has.
For the mostpart, you will not be able to find a pattern
for your costume, so you will have to get some help to make sure the costume
you make will fit you. There may be some comparable patterns to what you need,
that would work with a little modification. Common patterns seen have been
kimono, capes, school uniforms, martial arts style uniforms and popular character
(i.e.- sailor moon, pokemon) patterns.
Next will be the planning of your costume,
taking measurements, sketching out ideas, budgeting for materials, etc.. The
more you plan for your costume, the easier it will be once you buy
the materials and start the building process. Make sure to account
which types of materials and fabrics you will be using, try and imagine what
the costume would look like if it came out of anime into real life.
Expect
to spend a lot of time perfecting your costumes, and expect even more time
to
become proficient at making good looking well fit costumes. Don't get discouraged
by problems, there are plenty of places online to get help! (see below for
resource links.)
Can I Get a Made-to-Order Costume?
The majority of cosplaying fans make their own costumes, some with the help of
parents or friends. However, there are a few places on the internet where you
can have fans make great quality costumes for anyone! |
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Anime
Reference Information
Visit
the Library Home Page |
