Cosplay Help Thread

[`AdeRin]

This first post will be updated with sites recommended to use for cosplay


For now though, please use this thread to ask for any help with cosplay ideas such as how to style wigs, where to find a particular cape or sewing pattern. Anything you like! We'll be happy to do our best to try and help you.

[`AdeRin]

Hmmm... to be honest, I would apply something like a white acrylic paint as a base layer of the area you want to put the design on if you're going to use dark shoes (obviously make the white part in the outline of the design you want). Sharpies are a good idea for going on top of that, seeing as they're permanent ink. If you were using lighter shoes like in the photo, I'd suggest just using some fabric paints/pens which you can usually pick up in either an art shop or textiles shop.

I hope that helps!! And don't worry that it's not a cosplay question, it involves an awesome Bleach shoe design so I'm happy!

[wandercrest]

i'm wondering can Faye help me ;3; you've seen saiunkoku, i'm getting a kouchou cosplay comissioned but what should I tell the maker the bottoms are D: is it kimono or hakama I can't tell and I don't have the episodes on this laptop and good reference art is hard to get! D:

[`AdeRin]

To be honest, it's not really either, as Saiunkoku Monogatari is more Chinese feudal clothing than Japanese..... Though if I remember correctly, hakama are more of a man's thing than female? Not sure :S So I would suggest saying kimono....

I do have a couple of pictures though, if that's any help?
img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/capricorn_gal/kochou1.png
img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/capricorn_gal/kochou2.png
img408.imageshack.us/i/kochou.jpg/

This might be a good place to look for some references for the Chinese clothing style - they have an "Ancient Costumes" part in the women's section: www.chineseclothingonline.com/

[wandercrest]

Thank youuuu 8( i'm having trouble working out what exactly it is >> the kimono was purely for my own comfort /sob!
I can't find any references for the back or decide on what material I want :C and the cosplay comissioner I really want to do it hasn't replied to me since I emailed them so i'm worried B|

[`AdeRin]

Awww *hug*

Well, if I remember correctly, I think the back is quite plain and just goes straight across... I'd suggest taking a mixture of something like this for the pink over-part, then a longer version for the white. I don't think it's really that complicated an outfit, it's just the lack of pictures makes it hard to imagine properly xD

[wandercrest]

Thank youuu I have to wait for the damned seller to pm me back! : <

[`AdeRin]

You could just send them another email just in case they didn't get the last one, maybe?

[wandercrest]

They got it, the cosplay will cost 145 euro for the outfit AND the wig! i'm just hoping they'll let me pay in two installments since I have a 3v card ; ;

[`AdeRin]

Oohh wow, that's really good value!! ^_^ I really want to get a Gintama SHinsengumi uniform, but I really shouldn't spend the money *sniffle*

[wandercrest]

My friend let me wear his Gintoki coat before ;3;

[`AdeRin]

*Jealous* >__<

[XenLár]

Nov 28, 2010 17:33:32 GMT `AdeRin said:

Hmmm... to be honest, I would apply something like a white acrylic paint as a base layer of the area you want to put the design on if you're going to use dark shoes (obviously make the white part in the outline of the design you want). Sharpies are a good idea for going on top of that, seeing as they're permanent ink. If you were using lighter shoes like in the photo, I'd suggest just using some fabric paints/pens which you can usually pick up in either an art shop or textiles shop.

I hope that helps!! And don't worry that it's not a cosplay question, it involves an awesome Bleach shoe design so I'm happy!

I'm not sure I'd totally agree with this Flawless, if you want a second opinion.

Faye-san you are totally on my first line of thinking, but then I realised that acrylics wouldn't really work. I work with acrylic paint and a) when it dries it goes hard, which means your shoes will be stiff and not so easily flexible. You can stop them flaking when they move by coating them in PVA but this will make them even harder. And b) acrylic dries very smooth, if you try and sharpie over that it'll probably smudge or take a decade to dry properly.

If you wanna lighten shoes I'd bleach them in a the wash. It shouldn't do the rest of the shoe any harm and you can get the material white. Then I would recommend fabric pens/paints.

Also, if you bleach rather than acrylic, it'll be easier to draw your design on in pencil before painting it. ^^

[XenLár]

I have just trawled images of Captains on Google and I believe that the edging of the jacket is black on the white, not white cut out.

As for a pattern... I can't find one online for you but would a normal kimono pattern not do? I reckon a kimono pattern for underneath and the white jacket you could make from a broad shouldered waistcoat pattern that you just make incredibly long?

[`AdeRin]

Right, so first of all you'll need a pattern for a white under-kimono type thing. You can use the same pattern as the kosode (next), but make sure you don't have slits under the arms!

Next is the kosode, the black top part ^_^ Here's a link to a pretty cool site that helps you make a pattern and tells you all about it too: www.wodefordhall.com/kosode.htm

And then you've got the hakama, the trousers: www.sithvixen.com/tutorials/SewingHakamaPants.pdf

Then you'll need a haori, the white Captain's garment (which, yes, the black pattern at the bottom is probably best to be painted on. You could try cutting out the design in black fabric if you want to though, but painting might look tidier and you don't run the risk of having frayed edges falling off the whole time you're wearing it ^_^) - I found this pattern on Amazon that looks quite promising: www.amazon.com/FolkWear-Japanese-Hapi-Haori-Pattern/dp/B00162KYE8 - it also comes with a pattern to make some tabi socks if you feel like it!

I hope you go ahead with it - I'd love to see an Unohana cosplay ^_^

Also, here's quite a cool video by a girl who's doing a cosplay of Matsumoto: www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-sew-cosplay-costume-pants-for-hakama-from-bleach-401478/

And I just found this thread on cosplay.com which looks really helpful: www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=131376 This is probably the best page to follow overall to keep the design accurate ^_^