The COSPLAY HELP ME! Who? Sewing? Buy/Where? Construction? Support thread

Started by BSaphire, February 19, 2010, 03:30:23 PM

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Rebeccakh


.::midnight.maiden::.

Hello~

I guess you could call me a first-timer in cosplay. Never really made my own costume before. >_>;

So, I'm planning on cosplaying Dell Honne (voyakiloid). Fairly easy.

Now, I don't have a sewing machine. D: Been having trouble convincing my parents on buying one. I have the money, but I'm quite the money hoarder T~T

I will most likely buy the shirt and pants. Pants, easy. Shirt, have to find the perfect shade.

I might have to make the purple tie if I don't find one. I might use one of my old Fanime badges for the badge ^^ Just paint the lanyard black.

The trouble is, the WIG, CONTACTS, CIGARETTE, SHOES, BELT/SUSPENDER, and HEADSET. I am also on a budget here (student, no paying job).

- Where can I get a cheap wig for Dell Honne? I guess it would be described as medium long boy cut white/silver hair. Any stylists around, or how I can learn to style on my own? I also need to gather the necessary supplies like a metal comb and a wig stand.
- Cheap red contacts lol. Willing to pay up to $25/pair.
- Can buy fake cigarette. Fake cigs allowed at convention/hotels?
- Either buying the real cosplay shoes (expensive!) or preparing shoe covers.
- Belt/Suspender I would say is difficult since I don't know what materials I should use and I don't have a sewing machine.
- Headset! I will either buy a real headset and decorate it or make molds around the parts I need to change, or make a paper version like my friends have done before (skeptical about paper, though).

Please let me know if you have suggestions on where I can buy stuff and also on how I should make some of the parts. Thanks!
Here is my reference:
Fanime Attendee - 2007, 2009-
Fanime Staff - 2008(Panels)
AOD - 2011-

JewishCosplayer

So I just bought this wig: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260709963236&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I'm happy with how it looks, but I'm a little concerned about the bangs. I need them to look like this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=belarus+hetalia+cosplay#/d38nrt0 or this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=belarus%20hetalia%20cosplay&order=9&offset=144#/d3113a1

I'm really afraid to cut the wig at all, since I've never styled a wig before in my life. I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice on what to do with the wig.

I was thinking of maybe separating the long bangs in the middle and pushing the ends back behind my ears, pinning/clipping them to the rest of the hair and hiding it somehow. Does that sound like it would work for the first picture?

Rebeccakh

considering getting my 2 wigs from this place
http://www.hellocosplay.com/
now im not too sure about the quality of the wigs because im not too concerned about them being top quality just that it looks right for my costume
so has anyone bought wigs from this shop and if so did they dissapoint or were they good?

Anicofe

So I'm cosplaying as Pirate!Spain from Hetalia, and I'm trying to make the ax myself... Tools and materials are not an issue thanks to my dad, but we're both at a loss for how to actually BUILD the thing. Any suggestions you guys can give me? ;w;

http://sara-cosplay.deviantart.com/art/On-Captain-s-Watch-184751125?q=boost%3Apopular%20Pirate%20Spain%20cosplay&qo=89

I'm trying to make my ax similar to this.

EDIT: Nevermind, we've got everything figured out!

Griff223

Can anyone give me a suggestion for making a Rufus (street fighter 4) costume? I can't do leather or faux leather like it's supposed to be, so I was thinking I would start with some coveralls, and make them have a tighter fit. Then add the details and all that. Would you more experienced costume makers suggest a different method?

username_error

Quote from: JewishCosplayer on March 11, 2011, 12:59:12 AM
So I just bought this wig: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260709963236&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I'm happy with how it looks, but I'm a little concerned about the bangs. I need them to look like this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=belarus+hetalia+cosplay#/d38nrt0 or this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=belarus%20hetalia%20cosplay&order=9&offset=144#/d3113a1

I'm really afraid to cut the wig at all, since I've never styled a wig before in my life. I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice on what to do with the wig.

I was thinking of maybe separating the long bangs in the middle and pushing the ends back behind my ears, pinning/clipping them to the rest of the hair and hiding it somehow. Does that sound like it would work for the first picture?


you have the right idea.
Now the only problem will be if the wig has a skin top, because it makes it very hard to change the part in the bangs but it can be done, just will take a lot more effort.
But yeah, pinning the bangs back behind your ears, you can even sew them in place where the other parts of the wig will cover your stitches, hand sew of course. Just to make sure the bangs don't slip past your ears.
Cosplays for Fanime-
Izaya Orihara Durarara 95% Done
Suit Izaya Durarara 75% Done
Aoba Kuronuma Durarara 90% done

JewishCosplayer

Quote from: username_error on March 31, 2011, 07:27:02 AM
Quote from: JewishCosplayer on March 11, 2011, 12:59:12 AM
So I just bought this wig: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260709963236&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I'm happy with how it looks, but I'm a little concerned about the bangs. I need them to look like this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=belarus+hetalia+cosplay#/d38nrt0 or this: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=belarus%20hetalia%20cosplay&order=9&offset=144#/d3113a1

I'm really afraid to cut the wig at all, since I've never styled a wig before in my life. I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice on what to do with the wig.

I was thinking of maybe separating the long bangs in the middle and pushing the ends back behind my ears, pinning/clipping them to the rest of the hair and hiding it somehow. Does that sound like it would work for the first picture?


you have the right idea.
Now the only problem will be if the wig has a skin top, because it makes it very hard to change the part in the bangs but it can be done, just will take a lot more effort.
But yeah, pinning the bangs back behind your ears, you can even sew them in place where the other parts of the wig will cover your stitches, hand sew of course. Just to make sure the bangs don't slip past your ears.

Thank you, so much for the advice. I don't know if the wig has a skin top or not...I haven't asked, but I shall now. -__-"

Kuudere

Quote from: JewishCosplayer on March 31, 2011, 09:00:08 AM
Thank you, so much for the advice. I don't know if the wig has a skin top or not...I haven't asked, but I shall now. -__-"

The listing says it's an "Adjustable Monofilament Net," which I'm pretty sure means it isn't a skin top, but the netting type. Those are usually more common among the ebay listings, too.

Rank

Quote from: .::midnight.maiden::. on March 07, 2011, 08:11:51 PM
- Cheap red contacts lol. Willing to pay up to $25/pair.

For red contacts, I can personally recommend these ($34.95). $10 more than your max, but you won't find better looking or SAFER quality for cheaper. :S
http://extremesfx.com/p-116-dark-angel.aspx

Here is a pic of me wearing them. I have blue eyes but the iris is 100% opaque, so they would look just like that on dark eyes. Sorry for the weird yellowy light, they're very much crimson.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z105/psyrate/DSC01996.jpg

The site also has 3 or so other pairs of red lenses for about $4 less each. The Twilight red is extremely popular. You could go for the vampire reds but in my personal opinion, without a little detailing, they make your entire eye look infected, opposed to having red irises.

Hope this helped.

katsumi

Hi,

I'm trying to cosplay as Serah Farron from Final Fantasy XIII...but I can't seem to find a fabric with the right pattern for her skirt.
None of the local stores really have anything that fits the pattern on her skirt. (Not even the cosplay costume you can buy has the right pattern on it!)
Grr, stores just don't have what you're looking for now a days. Joann Fabrics doesn't have that much fabric as it used to. All I could find were checkered fabrics, or it had the right pattern but it was the wrong color. And there's not a Hancock Fabrics anymore near me.
I don't mind ordering online..as long as it doesn't take forever because I'm going to make the skirt myself and it might take awhile.
Here's Serah's outfit

I'm sort of stuck on what to do or where to find the fabric. I'd rather go and buy the fabric from a store but I can't seem to find any local stores with the right pattern or something close to it.

Kuudere

Quote from: katsumi on April 03, 2011, 06:30:26 PM
Hi,

I'm trying to cosplay as Serah Farron from Final Fantasy XIII...but I can't seem to find a fabric with the right pattern for her skirt.
None of the local stores really have anything that fits the pattern on her skirt. (Not even the cosplay costume you can buy has the right pattern on it!)
Grr, stores just don't have what you're looking for now a days. Joann Fabrics doesn't have that much fabric as it used to. All I could find were checkered fabrics, or it had the right pattern but it was the wrong color. And there's not a Hancock Fabrics anymore near me.
I don't mind ordering online..as long as it doesn't take forever because I'm going to make the skirt myself and it might take awhile.
Here's Serah's outfit

I'm sort of stuck on what to do or where to find the fabric. I'd rather go and buy the fabric from a store but I can't seem to find any local stores with the right pattern or something close to it.


As soon as you said you couldn't find the pattern, I had a feeling it had to be plaid. Plaid has made things difficult in the past for a couple of my cosplays (one I just settled for the closest thing I could find, and the other, I actually spent several hours drawing the lines on with pen). If you find something that is the right pattern but wrong color, as long as it's relatively light, you may have luck dying it red with fabric dye. Other methods I've seen involve sewing the lines on fabric with ribbon or something like it, but obviously that's a very time consuming task.

Brakinja

Hey guys. Because my custom cosplay as Turkey is taking too long, and my Egypt cosplay is too simple, I wanted to make a custom cosplay. I'm black, white, and Puerto Rican together (give or take some Brazilian) and I'm not dark enough to cosplay Cuba or Haiti and I'm not light enough to cosplay, well, anything else. My hair's not afro-ey, so I decided that I wanted to do a Puerto Rico cosplay instead, and I think it'd be fun.

But, I have no idea what to do with the apparel. I wanted to carry around a Chameleon plush on my shoulder, but I'm lost at that point. I know I don't want to wear sandals throughout the convention (I may change that later though), but aside from that, I really can't decide on how to do this. So, if you could post any shirts or pants that may be good for making a Puerto Rico outfit, that'd be awesome. I just need to brainstorm, and it'd be awesome if anyone had suggestions.

If this goes through, I'll have two cosplays this year (Team Rocket Grunt being the other one), and maybe three if the Egypt or Turkey one works out. If you have any suggestions, post them here! Thanks : D

ice queen

kingdom hearts keyblade question:

I am having a heck of a time making Riku's a way to Dawn keyblade. I have tried both Styrofoam board and foam board. I was wondering by chance would it be ok if I can make his blade out of Wood and Clay? Those meduims I know how to use much better than the former.

2011 Cosplay for Fanime-
Kingdom Hearts - Riku 100% complete
Axis Powers Hetalia - Russia 70% complete
Black Butler - Agni 0% Complete

Hodge Bodge

When I think Puerto Rico (may be somewhat sterotypical) I see something similar to Cuba's red shirt and shorts outfit... Island theme, sort of..

but since you want to avoid sandals I'm thinking something like brown loafers... or a brown leather shoe w/o laces.

as far as shirts and pants go maybe a button-down cotton shirt of a bright solid color (white, lighter blue, yellow possibly pink if you can rock that color more power to you) and possibly light tan cargo pants... Just spitballin, maybe you can work from there! Good luck! Hopefully see ya at the 'con.
100% glomp friendly, Bring on the pain!  :X

demetria656

I would love to see your Puertro Rico and Egypt!
I myself being an Egypt cosplayer like to see others Egypt's too :D
Fanime 2014:
Ms.Fortune- Skullgirls
Ms.Marvel (Kamala Khan)
Noiz- DMMD
Red Robe- Journey
Beat- Jet Set Radio
Satsuki- Kill La Kill
Kida- Atlantis
Malik Al-Sayf- Assassin's Creed
Sasha & Eren- SNK

Brakinja

Yeah, I hope to do both if I can :D It'd be awesome to see other Egypts though, because i only saw one last year.

BunofGovt

Quote from: MeowDesu on April 03, 2011, 10:59:51 PM
Quote from: katsumi on April 03, 2011, 06:30:26 PM
Hi,

I'm trying to cosplay as Serah Farron from Final Fantasy XIII...but I can't seem to find a fabric with the right pattern for her skirt.
None of the local stores really have anything that fits the pattern on her skirt. (Not even the cosplay costume you can buy has the right pattern on it!)
Grr, stores just don't have what you're looking for now a days. Joann Fabrics doesn't have that much fabric as it used to. All I could find were checkered fabrics, or it had the right pattern but it was the wrong color. And there's not a Hancock Fabrics anymore near me.
I don't mind ordering online..as long as it doesn't take forever because I'm going to make the skirt myself and it might take awhile.
Here's Serah's outfit

I'm sort of stuck on what to do or where to find the fabric. I'd rather go and buy the fabric from a store but I can't seem to find any local stores with the right pattern or something close to it.


As soon as you said you couldn't find the pattern, I had a feeling it had to be plaid. Plaid has made things difficult in the past for a couple of my cosplays (one I just settled for the closest thing I could find, and the other, I actually spent several hours drawing the lines on with pen). If you find something that is the right pattern but wrong color, as long as it's relatively light, you may have luck dying it red with fabric dye. Other methods I've seen involve sewing the lines on fabric with ribbon or something like it, but obviously that's a very time consuming task.

MeowDesu has good suggestions.  The fabric seems like you might find it in the upholstery/furniture fabric area of the fabric store.  You might see if there's a place near you that does upholstery and see if they carry a similar enough fabric.  Mind you, it will be heavier and stiffer to work with, though.  I made a skirt a few years ago out of furniture fabric and washed it a few times to make it a little softer to work with.
Life is too important to take seriously.  Seriously.

username_error

Quote from: ice queen on April 04, 2011, 02:34:13 PM
kingdom hearts keyblade question:

I am having a heck of a time making Riku's a way to Dawn keyblade. I have tried both Styrofoam board and foam board. I was wondering by chance would it be ok if I can make his blade out of Wood and Clay? Those meduims I know how to use much better than the former.



Clay would be super super super super super heavy. If you're talking about fired clay, it will be breakable and heavy. If polymer it will be incredibly expensive. Wood could work  but I still think you should do styrofoam. There's dense styrofoam which is wonderful for carving and shaping. It's a little pricey but it's amazing and holds shape so well.
http://univfoam.com/products/styrofoam/blocks-and-sheets
A block would be good. It's nice for power sanding.

Also if you go through that route you must MUST MUST coat the foam in some kind of sealer. I recommend Crystal gel, so the spray paint you use doesn't melt the foam.
Cosplays for Fanime-
Izaya Orihara Durarara 95% Done
Suit Izaya Durarara 75% Done
Aoba Kuronuma Durarara 90% done

ice queen

Quote from: username_error on April 06, 2011, 10:48:02 PM
Quote from: ice queen on April 04, 2011, 02:34:13 PM
kingdom hearts keyblade question:

I am having a heck of a time making Riku's a way to Dawn keyblade. I have tried both Styrofoam board and foam board. I was wondering by chance would it be ok if I can make his blade out of Wood and Clay? Those meduims I know how to use much better than the former.



Clay would be super super super super super heavy. If you're talking about fired clay, it will be breakable and heavy. If polymer it will be incredibly expensive. Wood could work  but I still think you should do styrofoam. There's dense styrofoam which is wonderful for carving and shaping. It's a little pricey but it's amazing and holds shape so well.
http://univfoam.com/products/styrofoam/blocks-and-sheets
A block would be good. It's nice for power sanding.

Also if you go through that route you must MUST MUST coat the foam in some kind of sealer. I recommend Crystal gel, so the spray paint you use doesn't melt the foam.

I could give stryofoam a shot again. I have two more boards of it. But I'm afraid it'll break on me again. Making this blade has been uber fustrating.
2011 Cosplay for Fanime-
Kingdom Hearts - Riku 100% complete
Axis Powers Hetalia - Russia 70% complete
Black Butler - Agni 0% Complete