Mantel Cosplay

Even though it may feel like our life doesn’t belong to us, but to our family, our friends, our work, or even a cause, take comfort in knowing that at least you’re still here. So raise a glass… to the unyielding injustice of the universe.

Geek & Sundry did a really lovely writeup about @fanfriction‘s video and our stop by the studio for Talks Machina! You can read it here!

Some tired but adorable Critters.

Featuring @ohbuckle as Vax, @missadventurecosplay as Pike, @dog-of-ulthar as Scanlan, and @narrendor as Percy

I wish I had a good photo of just Buckle, but alas, Saturday was the day the autofocus on my beloved but ancient camera finally gasped its last dying breath, so I didn’t get many good shots. 

I do not want to die who I am. I’d like to live long enough to be someone else.

I got absolutely amazing pictures of my Percy cosplay at Katsucon this year! The weather was unseasonably warm so the beach worked out really well for the shoot and Siffy did such great work!

Percy: @strikerthetacosplay

Booking photoshoots for MTCC! Message on tumblr or fb to secure a slot https://www.facebook.com/ChickadeeCosplayPhotography/

Booking photoshoots for MTCC! Message on tumblr or fb to secure a slot https://www.facebook.com/ChickadeeCosplayPhotography/

Booking photoshoots for MTCC! Message on tumblr or fb to secure a slot https://www.facebook.com/ChickadeeCosplayPhotography/

Sculpting EVA Foam Wings - Bracers

We worked really hard on wings detail and I’d like to show you how we sculped them, in particular this is the bracer’s wing.

Looks like it’s time for an end of year wrap-up. 2016 was an alright year for cosplay, I feel like I have definitely improved since last year which is the most important thing, and I had lots of good times with my friends.

Tagged by @mantelcosplay for 6 selfies!

Okay so! I know everyone posts a lot of cosplay comparisons between so many years of improvement but I just wanted to give an example of improvement over a short span of time. These pictures were taken less than a month apart, the top 3 was my FIRST EVER armour build that I wore to Michigan Renaissance Festival near the end of August. The bottom 3 were at Fan Expo on the first weekend of September. The only thing I redid was the breastplate, everything else got a new coat of paint and some heavy weathering. I had no idea what I was doing on my first build. I bought 2 rolls of black Worbla at Anime North, picked a cosplay and kept my fingers crossed. Looking back my first build wasn’t that great-my strapping was a mess, I had no idea what I was doing with my closures and my friends had to re-velcro me every 25 minutes because I hadn’t formed it properly. My second build still gave me a fair amount of trouble (a combination of time crunch and forgetting to pack my sports bra for the con) but it fit nicer, had a better paint job and I took the time to fit and superglue buckle closures on. I can guarantee if I continue to make armour and I came back and redid this build in a year or so it would look even better. Keep in mind EVERYTHING but the breastplate and the wig are the exact same (my makeup was better the next time around as well but I went to school for it so I don’t hold makeup skills against anyone). I know it can be discouraging to look and see so many amazing cosplayers around you but everyone starts somewhere and you’re not going to suddenly be amazing at everything after one or two attempts. Things take time and determination. Be kind to yourself, you’re learning just like those cosplayers you look up to did.

Top images taken by Sergio Mazzotta