What costume should you choose? Do it over tea.

[cosplay_counsel]

I am in no way expecting this to be like Martha Stewart (I post how to do stuff, and in a certain order, and you do it on my schedule), this is just something for me to do and enjoy, and to get to (hopefully) fix some things that I see.

So the very first thing you do on the process of cosplay, is of course, picking your character. Picking things to

Comments

[topknot_forever]

I'm adding you as a friend. I'll try and comment on as much as I can. How cool that you get to do this for collage!

As far as critique goes... your rule 2 and 3 clash. One of the reasons that people choose to do characters like L is because they are simple. You might want to add the the 3rd rule something like, "I know that these simple characters seem inciting for a first time or amateur cosplayer, but remember that part of the fun of cosplay is to try to be original so that people will appreciate your costume more. While a simple white t-shirt, genes, and a spiked black wig might make a convincing L, just remember that there will probably be 5 or 6 other Ls stumbling around with wide, vacant eyes, eating candy, at just about every major con."

Hope this helps! I look forward to where the journal goes!

[crimson_luna_xx]

me too i'll add you as a friend ^^
I like cosplay critiques :)

And also i agree in your post. There are a lot of cosplayers
now a days that go for any character that they please
even though they cannot really portray them properly.
no matter how easy the character is done, the way you carry it matters the most.

Good luck in your other entries ^^

[a_songfor_xx]

I'm seconding topknot_forever, I don't entirely agree with rule 3, that being said, I don't entirely like the entire SnJ thing either so...

Different people have different ideas of what's cool, so there's nothing we (as bystanders) can say about what they choose to cosplay. As bystanders, I highly doubt anyone has the right to say 'please avoid these costumes'.

That said, just wanted to add: Do cosplayers bother to research the roles and personalities of the character they're playing? I've always wondered when people cosplay, do they do it for the costume, or the character? Admittedly I've seen some pretty nicely complicated costumes with all their elaborate patterns and stuff, but character portrayal wise, nadah.

[sofisew]

Do you mean posing and expression? Just let me say, character portrayal is difficult! I research what i cosplay extensively, but even then, it's still difficult to portray the character correctly. It takes lots of practice, and some people can't grasp it. We aren't professional actors and actresses, nor are we models!

Though, yes, some do completely people ignore this aspect of cosplay.

A friend once told me, "If you're going to do something so nerdy, you might as well go all out" This is totally true. We always laugh at the nerdy guy in the spock costume with his glasses on and his costume less than accurate, smiling with all his gummed glory. We would laugh less (but probobly still shake our heads) if he actually looked GOOD doing it

[sofisew]

hey, this is really neat! I hope you don't mind me adding you!

I do have something to say regarding character choices though.

People cosplay for different reasons. I cosplay more for the costume part, rather than the "play" part. Some people cosplay to just "play". By "play" I mean, running around in character, or just because you like that character. It's in no way a bad thing, to call it such would be taking things rather seriously. I mean, we're all dorks here, cmon!

Though I do understand this point when "generic cosplay character" wants to get a private photoshoot done (not a group shoot) or wants to enter a cosplay competition as a walk-on(skits, I understand, as the object of the skit does not have to be about the costume.) You better be the best Naruto (from.. Naruto) I've ever seen to go that far!

[kyonomiko]

The thing that initially drew me to cosplay was the fact that people of varying degrees of skill, budget, and fandom could all get together and feel like they belonged together at a convention. Unfortunately, the cosplay community is really catty, and I think some cosplayers have forgotten why many people started doing it in the first place. That's why I disagree with some of your opinions on who ought to cosplay what