Hello Hello!!
So I promised you another blog, and here it is!
Those of you that follow me on Facebook know I have worked a few times with certain cosplayers. Well there's one cosplayer I've worked with the most, who also happens to be my r/l best friend! We've worked together from pretty much since I got my camera, so she's seen me progress as a photographer the last few years. It's been great to see her progress as a cosplayer and make-up artist too and I have tons of respect (and wonder!) for what she can do with make-up!
You may have guessed already, but it's the famous Lady Fancy Pants!
She's not long started a page for all her shenanigans and I like to keep pretty up to date with it.
One thing that makes her stand out is her make-up skills as well as her cosplay, she often posts tips and tricks and reviews related to these. For me, who is terrible at make-up, it's really handy!
So I thought I'd pick her brain on a few topics....
So how long have you been cosplaying?
I went to my first convention in 2009 but I only really started looking into cosplay a year or so later. I’ve had a few years where I’ve concentrated on other hobbies I have so overall sort of 4 years on and off! (Gosh has it really been that long?!)
What was your first cosplay?
My first cosplay was Harley Quinn from Arkham Asylum. Honestly? It was just awful! I’d only just started learning to sew and I had no idea how to work the machine, apply face paint, use a corset, etc! None of that mattered at the time though - it was the start of an obsession! I had so much fun waltzing about as one of my favourite characters I didn’t care that it didn’t look very good; I was proud of what I’d achieved.
What is your favourite cosplay?
Still to this day it has to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. It was the first thing I’d made from scratch from just fabric and a pattern. It was a long, arduous task but once I’d finished it I was so very happy! I was pretty impressed with what I’d managed to achieve.
OOOH now settle in because I never get to tell this story any more!… I wore this cosplay to Kitacon in 2011 which takes place in Birmingham’s Hilton hotel. I got stopped by so many men there on business who wanted a photo with me to show their children that they met a real princess; it was so nice to see that my cosplay could make people happy who weren’t even there! One man was telling me how he always told his little girl that she could be a princess too and that now he could show her he was right as I was living proof; it was just nice to be able to make people smile.
What is your favourite part of cosplaying?
People have asked me this before and I always get stuck! I’m always torn between either the amazing sense of achievement that cosplay gives you and the cosplay community itself.
Cosplay showed me that if you push yourself you can achieve amazing things. You’re constantly on this amazing journey of learning whether it be new techniques, working with new materials or even just improving the things you can do by doing them a different way. It gives you a real sense of pride when you’ve managed to finally do something you’ve been working on - sometimes I genuinely can’t believe I’ve done it!
On the other side though you have the community. As with any hobby it’s full of people who have the same interests as you but I think because a lot of the people who are part of it have struggled to maybe ‘fit in’ with other groups or have had negative experiences trying to do so, they are some of the most accepting, kind and supportive people I personally have ever met. Most people just want everyone to have a great time; to have their cosplays admired and do the same for others. Without the support of the cosplay community I would never have started half the projects I have done so far and I certainly wouldn’t have finished them! I always try to add hints/tips/etc to my Facebook page so that people can learn with me and hopefully it will help people!
I have a lot to thank cosplay for; it genuinely changed my life (for the better!).
What has been your biggest cosplay challenge?
I am currently working on Lady Sif from Thor. This has been my biggest challenge so far as it’s really put my skills to the test and has forced me to learn a lot of new ones! I’m building almost the entire thing from Worbla which is a thermoplastic - it is worth mentioning at this point that I have never worked with this before… It’s been a challenge from start to finish; even just learning things like what to cut it with and how to shape it right down to priming and painting. I’m still building and still learning!
Again though this is where the cosplay community has come to save me! I learnt a lot through seeing various panels throughout my convention history but also I’ve asked so many questions using different forums etc and each time I’ve managed to get the help I needed!
I always find though no matter how challenging I’m finding a cosplay I will always get so many words of encouragement that it keeps me going and keeps me focused - I think I need that sometimes!
What do you think is the hardest part of building a costume?
For me it’s definitely consistency. My approach to building a cosplay is that I go from extreme obsession about an idea to nonchalant almost overnight. I can spend days building and perfecting something to waking up the next day and feeling like I want to throw it out of the window or just leave it in the corner for weeks on end. This is when my friends and fellow cosplayers help me out by giving me encouragement! I have learnt this over the years though so I know that if I have an obsessive idea, I need to leave it a good week or so before I start buying things for it. There are boxes of wigs for cosplays I have never finished (or even started!) under my bed which will vouch for that..
What do you think is the most important thing to make a good cosplay photograph?
The photographer. This sounds quite obvious but it is true. I’d say most importantly it’s about the way that photographer and you interact. If they’ve asked politely and took the time and effort to get a good background/make sure your whole cosplay is in (within reason!)/ensure the best light then you automatically know there is respect between the two of you. If they have not really asked or been rude about it then your photo is going to reflect the bad mood they’ve just put you in! On the flip side of that though is the fact you need to respect them - if you don’t have the time to be able to set up the photo etc then say! Sometimes they need a minute to get the settings right etc so no sighing, just stand and make sure you are looking your best! You are there to have a great photo taken of your cosplay but they are there to take that; respect them as a photographer and expect the same.
Can you give us any tips on cosplay modelling?
Goodness gracious - have fun! I’ve seen so many photos of really great cosplays where the cosplayer looks crazy uncomfortable in the photo. This is where the above point about you and the photographer having a good rapport. If it’s something you’re new to then of course you’re going to probably feel a bit awkward, maybe not sure what to do, can’t remember to do all the things you’re thinking about at once. This is all natural though! Just try to think of the bits of your cosplay which are the parts you want on display and focus on that. If your photographer is a decent human being, they will help with the rest by asking you to tilt your head to a different angle etc to make it look more natural. It’s taken me a long time to get to the sort of level where I can pose more naturally but it’s just practice!
My tip for cosplay modelling is tell your photographer what you are paranoid about! My example is that I get insane double chins. It’s true - I can’t escape them! So before I start a shoot I tell my photographer to watch for this! That way they know that they can say something (politely!) without offending me and I know that I won’t have to hate the photos because I accidentally looked too far down.
You do a lot of make-up experimentation and looks, which is your favourite?
I adore darker, gothic style make up but on the other side I also adore bright, colourful make up! I think I just love extreme looks? I practice so many different styles because I think every style has an appeal for some reason or another. I follow so many drag queens because I love their make up! There is so much to be said about really bold colour - I think it is often underrated! Also, they have the most incredible skills when it comes to contouring and such - I’m extremely jealous! Again though make up is just practice and learning - anyone can do it if they just apply themselves! (Get my pun?) That can be my advice for everyone. APPLY YOURSELVES TO YOUR FACES. How I’m not a motivational speaker I’ll never know.
How important do you think make-up is in cosplay photography?
Make up isn’t necessary - I’d never tell anyone they NEEDED make up for a cosplay. However I think a lot of the time it’s maybe not considered as important as other things and that can be a real shame. After spending days, weeks or even months on a cosplay I think it’s only fair on you you consider what make up could do to improve your cosplay.
This becomes more enhanced when you think about cosplay photography. Those photos are going to be high resolution. They are going to show everything your skin has to offer. I know for example when I cosplay I often have to cover my face of freckles! So try taking all of that into account before you decide whether to wear make up or not!
Can you give three top tips on doing make-up for photoshoots?
1. Plan and practice. Study your character and what you need to do, then practice it! It took me a long time to get the hang of contouring for example but it was needed for my cosplays so I did it!
2. If this is something you want to do a lot or often, consider higher end make up for those occasions. For example I have quite the collection of Illamasqua make up but I use it almost exclusively for photoshoots. Don’t get me wrong though - brand make up is not the be-all and end all. High street make up can be just as good at half the price - I’ve dedicated part of my Facebook page to reviewing high street make up to prove just this!
3. This is my most important tip so Hey! Listen! - Photographs will wash out a lot of your make up so apply much more than you usually would! If you put on the amount of make up that you usually would walking around shopping it’s going to look as though you haven’t really bothered at all. Brighten up those bright colours, make those lines darker and more defined and always remember that practice makes perfect!
And how about your three favourite brands of make-up?
1. Illamasqua - They have the most insanely nice colours but their bases sell it to me! If you are pale like I am, they have the shades for you! It is the only place I can get foundation to match my skin. Also, their lipstick and lip colours are insane! Again I’ve reviewed some of these products on my Facebook page so if you’re curious, go take a nosey!
2. Sugarpill - Cruelty-free make up of the most colourful, beautiful eyeshadows you’ve ever seen! The creator is called Shrinkle - if you like bright make up she will be such an inspiration!
3. ARTDECO - Dita Von Teese’s very own make up brand! She has some of the most wonderful mascaras and lip colours! It’s a bit hard to find but I’m very lucky in that it’s in my local Debenhams store!
Which three parts of your make-up kit can you not live without?
1. Eyebrow pencil - Those who know me know that my eyebrows are ALWAYS coloured in one way or another! I don’t dye them black to match my hair so that I can wear blonde wigs etc but they are naturally very light.
2. Mascara - I’m extremely jealous of people with long lashes! My lashes are pretty short (probably the years of abuse!) and so mascara helps me feel good!
3. Illamasqua Sealing Gel - This is an insane product! It’s a gel which you mix with loose powders to make eye liners, liquid eyeshadows, etc. It makes your possibilities endless!
Finally, the use of photoshop on cosplay photographs is discussed a lot. What are your thoughts on the use of photoshop in cosplay photography and how do you prefer it used on your own images?
I find this subject rather difficult. I think Photoshop in terms of composites can look incredible. There are some really good examples out there where backgrounds etc have been added and I think it can really add to photos! I think it’s a modern way of developing a cosplay photo further and I like to see it - I follow a fair few of these artists online.
The other side however is using photoshop to remove ‘imperfections’. I think this is the dangerous grey area. If I have a photoshoot with A Shot in the Dark for example I know that if I have a bruise or something she will edit it out for me. However I can count on her not to make me thinner, change my skin tone or change my look in general! There are some people out there however who will but I don’t agree with extreme photoshop. I think you need to accept the person you are (I know that is easier said than done) but at the end of the day, you know what you look like and you know that that heavily photoshopped photo isn’t really you. I respect everyone’s decisions however and I accept that it is what some people enjoy.
