2016 Panel interest gauging - An Engineer's Guide to Cosplay

Started by Enkai, February 11, 2016, 12:54:24 PM

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Enkai

I have a few cosplay-related panels I would like to do this year, and I'm gauging interest in them.  This thread is what I call "An Engineer's Guide to Cosplay."

Conceptually, this is probably the most general (and definitely the most conceptual) of my 3 panel ideas, and is ultimately talking more about cosplay planning and approaching your costume as an engineer would, with the goal of creating sturdier and lighter pieces.  This will apply mostly in props, but some in the fabric construction as well.  I'm a structural engineer by profession, and you'd be surprised how much overlap there is.  As I get more experience in my field, I get better at constructing my costumes.

I see this as being fairly workshop-based.  I'd like to be able to pass out kits so people can see the concepts I'm talking about, particularly.  I also plan on paralleling things in costumes and construction. *I will be minimizing math (other than some basic geometry equations)*

Initially, I would like to get into basic statics in order to illustrate that you need more than one support point to stabilize something.  This will also be the introduction to connection types, which will probably be the focus of the panel.

Second will be basic material properties, and where those come into costumes. (i.e. wood, PVC, plastic sheathing, foam, fabric, etc)

I would also like to go into drawings.  Understanding about plans, elevations, and sections, and sketching part pieces helps a lot with seeing how things go together.  This is where math may actually come into play.

The big brunt of the discussion will be connections.  What exactly do I mean by connections?  What can you do to make sure your joints are sturdy enough?  When do you want a flexible connection?  When do you want a rigid connection, and how do you achieve one.  How should you plan your glued connections?

Other potential topics

  • Weight distribution (aka easy-to-handle swords)
  • Nuts and bolts, aka being able to take things apart
  • Fabric structures and how that works with costuming

Does this sound interesting?  What sounds most interesting?  Thanks for the feedback!

Tenya

That sounds awesome! I'd definitely want to go to this panel if it happens.

Nina Star 9

I might be interested in this. Always looking to level up my cosplay engineering skills.


Enkai

Sweet. Well, I have submitted this one, so hopefully Fanime approves it.  I requested Monday for it, mostly because I will want my full range of motion, and I don't wear big costumes that limit that on Monday.

Enkai

The panel is approved! Monday at noon.  I will try to offer some previews here as I develop it more,

Enkai

So I just had an idea that I think will be pretty awesome.

This panel's gonna involve breaking things.

I was thinking about what was helpful when I was in school, what's helpful when I volunteer with high schoolers, and what is engaging to watch, and it always comes down to seeing how things break.

So yeah, if you want to see how much heavy stuff I can stick on something made out of worbla (not that Worbla will be the only thing we test), come to this panel.

Nina Star 9

I like that idea. I think that seeing the failure of a material can be very instructive in what that material is capable of.

I'll try my best to make it. Monday at noon is good because it won't conflict with my own panels (both on Friday), nor will I be running around doing cosplay stuff, but it's /right/ at hotel checkout time, so I'll have to make sure that my group checks out early enough that I can make it to the panel. :]

Enkai

Yeah, I was hoping by making it when I did Monday folks would be checked out by then.  Too much later and everybody has left.  Also I was thinking not wearing big costumes because I want full range of movement because I use gestures to explain things a lot.  ^^;

For anybody who wants a preview of what I'm planning, for the drawing portion of the panel, I'm going to walk through my current prop project-a new chainsaw for my husband's Grell costume.  The process I've gone through planning this touches on all the areas I would like to cover (scale, drawings from a number of different angles, thinking about different materials and their responses)
I made a 3D model of it (mostly because that's the quickest way for me to create a complete set of drawings); here's a screenshot of what it looks like!


Also, I have created a Facebook event to advertise the panel.  If you know anybody you think would be interested, feel free to invite them!
https://www.facebook.com/events/476987762500788/

Firefury Amahira

This looks veeeery interesting! I'll have to check what time my fanfic panel is on Monday. If it's not the same time as yours, I'd love to check it out!
"Fandom should be fun!" - Firefury Amahira
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