![]() If you're like me, you have to plan for everything in advance. I am always worried that something will go wrong. To help compensate this fear at conventions I always bring a con survival kit. This has helped me and my friends at multiple conventions (and shoots!). Sometimes it's hard to know what to bring, but after a couple of years, here is what I always make sure I have on hand: Safety pins- These are great for quick fixes and attaching one thing to another. If something falls off your cosplay, a safety pin is usually the quickest and easiest fix for a cosplay. Sewing needle and thread- Some things can't be fixed with a safety pin, so needles and thread are always packed. There are some places that when a seam rips, you don't want to safety pin. Having a needle on hand can allow you to sew up seams quickly or reattach buttons. For thread, I always bring a white spool, black spool, and other colors that are predominate in the costumes I'm bringing. Glue- I usually bring super glue and hot glue. Both are good since the strength and uses vary (plus sometimes you don't want super glue on your hands). I always pack at least three glue sticks for the gun since this is usually my most used fix. Super glue is nice when the hot glue has already failed and you need something better. Scissors- I usually bring thread scissors and regular scissors. The thread scissors are perfect for the sewing needle, and the regular scissors are great for everything else. There are also non-cosplay reasons for scissors, which make them great in general. Garment tape- This is a newer addition, but some cosplays need a little extra reinforcement to stay up. This double sided tape is meant for your body, so I would recommend it over double sided tape. Water and snacks- Staying hydrated and fed is very important. I like to have these on me especially since I forget to eat. Taking care of yourself is important, so always make sure you have what you need. There's some items that I bring that are situational such as umbrellas, sunscreen, and sealant. Always be aware of where you're going and pack items accordingly. Your con kit might not help in every situation, but it will help out in most. Originally posted on Nerd Fest's blog
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Once you get your line up figured out, make a detailed list of everything each cosplay needs. If you plan on rewearing a cosplay you've already made, don't forget to make sure it fits and to see if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Once you have a detailed list of everything (and I mean everything) that needs to be done, you can create a time line. For this time line, make sure that you break things up either by day or week in doable portions of tasks. If you bombard yourself with too many tasks, you will fall behind and lose motivation.
Sometimes you will fall behind schedule and that is okay. See if you can redistribute the tasks you have not finished yet to other days/weeks. If not, consider scraping a cosplay. Your health and well being are more important than get your line up done. I also find it is helpful to try on pieces as you go. Trying on a cosplay all together a week before the con and finding out most the pieces don't fit is disheartening. Trying things on as you go gives you an idea of what you need to fix and you can do it right away. Avoiding con crunch will make your con experience more enjoyable. You will be better rested and less stressed when the con is happening! Originally posted on Nerd Fest's Blog Photo shoots are suppose to be fun ways to hang out with friends and meet new people. They take a lot of planning and work to pull off. Sometimes these efforts can be thwarted by people not being prepared. Don't want to be one of the people who holds the group back? Check out the tips below:
Originally posted on Nerd Fest's blog. Nothing is more exciting than realizing a con is next weekend. Except, you still have things to finished. And a bag to pack. And you're running out of time. And the real world is getting in the way. Then, suddenly, it's the day you leave, and you grab your bag and go out the door. Once you get to your hotel room, you open up your bag and realize a part of your cosplay is missing. Has this happened to you? Nothing is worse than realizing you forgot a piece of your cosplay, especially if it is a main piece. With these helpful packing tips, we'll make sure you never leave anything behind.
Make a Packing List- At least a week before the con, make a packing list. I find it's easier to break the list in to subsections by cosplay. No matter how big or small the piece is, write it on the list. This will help to make sure everything is accounted for when you pack. Don't forget noncosplay items such as pajamas, underwear, socks, and hygiene products (no stinky breath please!) Layout Your Cosplay- Before placing your cosplay in the suit case, lay each piece out. Make sure that everything is accounted for, and nothing needs to be fixed. Putting on a cosplay during con and realizing you need to fix it is a stressful situation. Make sure it's all there, and all in good condition. If you have the time, it;'s best to actually try the cosplay on to make sure everything fits right. Start Packing Early- Don't wait until the day of con to start packing your bag. If you're in a rush, you are sure to forget something, and if you're going to a con farther away, you won't want to go back and get it. I personally find that packing the Sunday before con gives me enough time to make sure I have everything. Plus, if I find that a part of my cosplay is missing, I have enough time to replace it. Double Check Your Suitcase- Make sure everything is accounted for again. You don't want to think something is in there, and realize it got left behind. Make sure you know where it is. It also helps if you group the items in your suit case by cosplay. Pack Your Car Early- If you are taking your car pack your car early. If your costumes or props can be affected by the heat or cold, do not pack those (trust me, you don't want your worbola to melt). You don't have to pack super early, just a day before you plan on leaving. Do a Final Sweep- Check everywhere to make sure everything is include. Check your bathroom for toothbrush/paste, deodorant, make up, etc. to see if it's all packed. Check your floor to make sure pieces weren't left behind. Make sure to check your kitchen for any snack/drinks you bought too! Now everything is packed, and you are ready to have a fun time! There will be no surprises like missing items, and you can rock your cosplays at the con. Originally posted on Nerd Fest's Blog ![]() We've all seen the meme going around the internet where the cosplayer says that they have nothing to wear on Halloween, while standing next to a rack of costumes. We all get a good laugh, but is there a difference between Halloween costume and cosplay? Halloween costumes vary far and wide. Some are bought, some are made. Some are revealing, and some our modest. With such a wide array of costumes, it might be easy to see cosplays as Halloween costumes as well. I've used cosplays as Halloween costumes before, but that doesn't mean I want to use all of my costumes for Halloween. There are some things you'll want to factor in before using your cosplay for Halloween. The biggest thing to use as a determinate is the location of the gathering you are wearing the cosplay. First, is it allowed? Some places won't allow for masks, body paint, and/or weapons. If important pieces are not allowed, don't wear your cosplay. Is the location going to ruin your cosplay? If it's outside, or in a dirty place, pass on the cosplay. It might be a lot of work to restore it to con-ready. The second biggest factor in determining if you should wear a cosplay is the people attending the event. If you know your friends or other attendees are prone to spilling drinks, or dropping food, it's not worth it to risk your cosplay. It's not worth it to destroy your costume for one night, so if you can't trust people to leave your costume alone, don't wear it. Also consider if people will get it. If your cosplay has made it this far past the check list, and it is easily recognizable (like Harley Quinn or Captain America), bring it. If it's something most people wouldn't know, and you don't feel like reexplaining your cosplay, pick something else. The last thing to factor in is how much this cosplay means to you. If it's something you love and cherish, then it's best to keep this one home safe. However, if it's a casual cosplay, or something you are about to retire, giving it one more wear shouldn't hurt it. Overall, Halloween is meant to be fun. Make sure that what you're wearing is okay to be ruined and comfortable and enjoy your night. Originally posted on Nerd Fest's Blog Presenting panels can be a fun way to enhance your con experience. There are thousands of different topics you can present on, it doesn't even have to be cosplay focused! The process can seem indtimdating, but keeping organized will help you be prepared. 1: Keep Track of Deadlines Make sure you know when panels are due. If you don't keep track, the submission period will sneak up on you, and leave you behind. Some smaller conventions have more of a rolling deadline, but the sooner you apply, the more likely you are to get your time slot. 2: Creating the Structure Some conventions might require you to have your panel ready to go when submitting. Others might not ask too much. Before submitting, I would recommend creating the basics of your panel. Think of who will be presenting, what information you are going to cover, and what materials you might need provided (speakers, projectors, etc). Most conventions will ask for at least this information when filling out the application. I would recommend creating an outline for the presentation so you know what are the topics you are discussing, and how long it is going to go for. 3: Putting the Panel Together Now that you have the outline, you're going to figure out how you want to display the information. Visuals are required for a good panel, but that doesn't mean you have to do a PowerPoint. There are live demos, edited videos, props, pictures, etc. You might find that you want to include a couple of different visual aids, but make sure you can still present in your time frame. You might want to rehearse what you want to say (based on your outline) while making sure the visuals work. Try presenting in front of a couple of friends for feedback so your panel can be the best it can be. 4. Advertising
Since you're putting in so much time and effort, you'll want people to come. There will be people interested who are wandering in, but getting the buzz out ahead of time can help increase your attendance. If you have a Facebook page (business or personal) you can create an event and share it in relevant groups. This can help get the word out to those who are interested before the convention starts. You can also use this event to put in teasers and get people excited about what you are presenting. 5. Go for It! On convention day triple check that you have everything you need. Go through your visual aids to make sure you aren't missing anything. If you can, Arrive to the room early to set up. They give time between panels, so if the presenter is not finished, don't interrupt their panel. Once everything is set up, interact with people in the room. Ask them how their con is going or why they chose your panel. Once it's time to start, take a deep breath, and go! You're panel is going to be amazing! Originally posted on Nerd Fest's blog So you decided to enter a cosplay contest. They might ask you to make a portfolio. But what is a portfolio? Why do you need one? Where do you even start? It might seem intimidating and just another thing to add on your busy plate, but they can be fun to make! A portfolio shows off how you made your cosplay, steps you used, progress pictures and anything else you want the judges to know about your work. It can even include your cosplay resume (if you don't have one, don't worry, it is not a big deal. Judges usually want this so they can judge your craftsmanship better and to make sure it was actually you who made the cosplay. Before you even start making your portfolio, you'll need to take photos. Make or alter a pattern? Take photos of your pattern pieces. Hand stitching? Take photos showing the detail work. Foam working? Take photos crafting, priming, and painting it. The more photos you take, the more documentation you have to present to the judges. Along with pictures of your work, don't forget to include reference pictures. Judges might not know your character, so always include your references. These pictures will also come in handy when you do your write up. I know that writing sounds difficult and no fun at all, but this is the part where you can shine. Write about how you made each pieces, the struggles you overcame, what you pulled from past experiences, what was your favorite part to make, and what you learned. As long as it is about the cosplay at hand, feel free to include it in there. The judges might not read everything you write, but this part is also a good reflection tool for you to see how much this one project improved you as a cosplayer and what you want to improve. Now that you have the pictures and the writing, it is time to put it all together. This is the creative part. Make sure that you follow all guidelines the con gives you about putting this together. If they don't have any, make it yours. Two of the main ways you can create this is either a picture book or scrapbook. Picture books are easier because you can buy a photo album and put in all your pictures and hand in your write up separately. With a scrapbook, you can get a binder and clear page protectors to make scrap booking pages and save some page protectors for your write up. This will allow for everything to be in one place, but it will take more time to set up the pages and add elements. If you do go the scrap book route, theme it to your character and get paper and stickers that match their color scheme, likes and personality. These can also be done virtually, just make sure that your judges will have access to the internet, or you can project your screen somehow. Being judged can be scary enough. If you follow these tips and make your portfolio uniquely you, the judges will love it. Originally posted on Nerd Fest's Blog ![]() One of the most important cosplay (and really any con goer) lessons is con etiquette. With so many things to do, people to meet, and places to be, sometimes people don’t act in the appropriate manner. There are a lot of con etiquette points to touch on, so today I chose to focus on some of the main ones that focus more on cosplay. The biggest thing to remember is to ask people first. You want a picture of someone? Ask them, you’ll get a much better picture and the person could turn out to be pretty cool. You want to do a certain pose or touch someone? Ask them, people have different comfort levels, and your request might not be comfortable with them. Want to touch someone’s prop or a part of their outfit? Ask them, it might be frail and fragile, so handling it might not be the best thing. After asking, it is important to respect what someone says. Everyone has a reason for their answer and it does not have to be apparent to you. At conventions, there will be all types and all levels of cosplayers. Do not make any critiques or “helpful advice” of a cosplay without the cosplayer asking for advice. Everyone one works hard on their cosplay, and there is no need to tear someone down because their cosplay isn’t up to your standards. Even something well-meaning can be hurtful. Even worse, don’t bash a cosplay or a cosplayer because you don’t like how it’s done or yours is “better.” Cosplay is a fun hobby that is supposed to bring the community together. It is not an elitist show of who can do everything best. Find the right balance of acting in character. One of the best aspects of cosplay is acting as a favorite character, but some things might be a little overboard. If you’re at a con with children, and you’re cosplaying a character that swears or might not act in a kid-friendly way, it’s best to leave that part out. Or if your character is really touchy-feely, you can’t use that as an excuse to touch people without their permission. Speaking of kids, be on your best behavior when you’re around them, especially if you are in a character geared towards children. Some kids don’t get the opportunity to go to theme parks and meet their favorite characters, so seeing characters at cons is their only way to meet them. Don’t be the jerk who ruins a kid’s favorite character. Always treat the kids with respect, and if you cannot honor their request, try to find a way to do it later, or turn them down politely. There’s no reason to beak a kid’s spirit. Keep hallways and tight areas clear. Most cons have a lot of people, and tight areas and hallways can get cluttered when people stop for photos, or for a long conversation. If it looks like a high traffic area, it might not be the best place to hold your shoot. Another thing to keep in mind is don’t interrupt a photo shoot. A lot of cosplayers pay for their photographers and they only work with them for a set time. If you want a photo of a cosplayer, or to schedule something with the photographer, wait until the shoot is done. Whichever party you were hoping to speak with can focus on you and give their whole attention. Are there any main points I left out? Drop them in the comments so we can discuss them further! Originally posted on nerd Fest's Blog Out of state cons are a lot of fun, but they take a lot of prep work. Between figuring out how to get there, what cosplays you can actually pack, and what's in the area, there is a lot to figure out. Even though it might seem overwhelming to plan an out of state convention, I would highly recommend going to one. You get to meet new and inspire others. Plan way in advance: Not only is it cheaper, but having a game plan early on helps. Buy your convention ticket as early as possible. They are usually cheaper, and help motivate you to actually plan. Stay at the hotel the con is at: This is easier because there is a lot less moving around. If you're not familiar with the area, it might be harder to find something close by. If you do decide to stay somewhere else, factor in how much it's going to cost to get to the hotel each day. I had some friends who had to uber to Katsucon, which made it more expensive to leave and come back throughout the day. If you can find another hotel in walking distance, that would be ideal. Also remember to check in early if possible to save you time. I was able to check in at the airport with an app, so when I got there, I didn't have to wait in the long line to get my hotel keys. How are you going to get there: There are a couple of factors to consider whether you want to fly or drive: how close is it, and what cosplays you plan on bringing. Some bigger cosplays and props might be harder or more expensive to ship out to the convention. If this is a concern of yours, figure out how much it would cost to drive there as opposed to flying. If it will take more than one day to drive, factor that in to your costs as well. If a convention is far away, it might be best to fly just to save yourself some time. Getting to the hotel: Sometimes your hotel does not provide shuttle service to the airport. There are a few options such as renting a car, taking a shuttle, or using a ride share app. If you only plan on going to the hotel and not driving around much, I would avoid using a rental car. If you do get a rental car, be sure to budget for parking if the hotel charges! To decide between a shuttle or ride share, figure out how many people and how much luggage everyone has. Sometimes it is impossible to fit everything in an uber or lyft, so you will have to take a shuttle. Be sure to look in to group rates. Sometimes the group rate is cheaper than a rideshare, plus you'll have a lot more room. Be sure to get lots of pictures! You worked hard on your cosplays and getting to this convention, revel in the moment!
Ask people who have been before: I talked to some local cosplayers who went to Katsucon while planning my trip. They can let you know what is in the area, and give you tips about the best time to go to places around. I got one recommendation to go to CVS day 1 because things sell out super quickly. Arrive a day early, leave a day late: You don't want to miss out on your con experience because you're flying in the day of! Schedule your flight to arrive the day before and leave the day after it's done (or late that night). This will allow for you to get more out of your experience, plus you won't feel rushed to get places. Picking cosplays: The main thing to consider is how breakable is the piece. If it is easily breakable and cannot fit in your carry on, I would recommend bringing something else. We all have seen airline employees throw our bags around. You don't want something broken because of a careless employee. Another factor is size. Anything too big can be mailed, but it can be pricey. Be sure to check with the hotel if you plan on mailing anything to make sure they can receive it for you. I hope these tips help you out this con season! If there are any tips I forgot, be sure to tell me yours in the comments! Originally posted on Nerd Fest's blog Does this quarantine have you missing friends? If you're anything like me, you're planning different cosplay groups once this is all over so you can have your fill of fun and creativity with your friends. Although it might be hard to pick a date or con (unless you're striving for 2021), you can still get started planning now, so you'll be ready once this virus is gone. Have no idea where to start? I've got you covered. ![]() There are a lot of decisions to be made when setting up groups, it can be easy to forget them. You will need to first decide on theme and deadline. If you are planning to do the group for a con, you will need to make sure all costume and props are welcomed at the con. If you are doing a photo shoot, you will need to find a location and a photographer. Make sure to contact the location you plan on shooting at to make sure you will be welcome and if there will be any fees. With photographers, be sure to get their rates and make sure that everyone can afford them. Once you have the basics set for your group, you will need to begin recruiting to fill your spots. First, you'll want to ask people you know and can rely on getting the cosplay done. If you are really excited about getting a full group, you probably don't want someone who rarely follows through with their commitments. If you still have open spots after asking friends, social media is a great way to get those filled. If you are going to a con, check to see if they have a cosplayer Facebook group and post in there. If you are aiming to do something more local, find your community's Facebook groups and ask there. I have also filled spots by posting to my Instagram story Once you have a group, I recommend setting up guidelines for the group. This can be anywhere from what patterns to use, if there can be duplicates, or anything specific requirements. For the Sailor Eevees we decided as a group on butt bow tails, how many tiers the skirt would have, and if gloves would be white or match the paws. It's important to settle this ASAP, so people can know the requirements before making or investing in the cosplay. It helps to keep your group cohesive and on the same page. Setting up a Facebook group/event or a messenger chat with everyone for communication is essential. This way, people can post their work in progress, any questions, or any other relevant information to the group. Have a pinned post with everyone's character and their cosplay name so people can easily find who to tag in photos.
I would recommend planning a group at least five to six months out to give everyone sufficient time. Even if you give everyone enough time, be prepared for people to drop. Life happens and someone will drop. If you are dead set on having a full group, maybe find a few people who are willing to be any character and act as an understudy in case someone drops. Check in with your group at least monthly until there is about two months from the event. At that point, I would communicate weekly so everyone is aware of what the plan is, if there are any last minute changes, and you can have people respond with works in progress. By following these steps, you should be able to have a wonderful time with your group and not have as much to stress about when the day finally arrives. Do you have any other advice? Leave it in the comments! Originally posted on Nerd Fest's Blog |
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Gamora: Get Geekish Blake: Yuki Cat Captures Nui: Ham Sandwich What's this?These post are different cosplay advice topics that I think people would find useful. Categories vary, so they can help beginners as well as veterans. Archives
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