Cosplay survey!

Since this has been floating around FB, and since I am also a cosplayer as well as a geek....


1 . Your first cosplay?
Vengeance, who was an original Homunculus character based in the Fullmetal Alchemist anime. I will never be reviving that one, since I kept getting compared to Ozzy Osbourne, and since I really didn't look that good....

2. How many costumes have you done?
Eight


3. Your most recent cosplay?
original character, based on Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 2.

4. Your favorite cosplay?
Tied between Alfons Heidrich and Transformers Animated Arcee

5. The character you have cosplayed that is most similar to you (if none that you have cosplayed, then one that you will cosplay)?
TFA Arcee.

6. Your cosplay plans for the rest of the year (if you have no more for this year, then do next year!)
Genderswapped Wash, Deckerd from Brave Police J-Decker, Transformers Animated Megatron, Drill Boy from Brave Police J-Decker, Drill Silver from Brave of Gold Goldran, and quite possibly Vexen from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, if I get my coat fixed in time....

7. The dream cosplay that might just happen?
Midnight Express from Transformers: Robots in Disguise

8. The dream cosplay that will never happen?
Well, if I had done this survey two years ago, my answer would have been Midnight Express from Transformers: Robots in Disguise.... but I've learned a lot, and I feel confident that I will be able to build him.

9. Something cosplay-related that you will never do (eg. crossplay, cosplay from a certain series).
I will never do a cosplay to cater to a fanboy's fantasies. If I cosplay, it's for me.

10. Your cosplay idol?
My friends in the East Coast Cosplayers. They're all awesome cosplayers, and incredibly nice and wonderful people.

11. Your cosplay specialty (ie. something that seems to apply to a large amount of your cosplays, it could be a specific series, or a common feature in their appearance, such as glasses).
Giant robots. :3


12. Your cosplay-making habits (eg. singing while working on cosplay):
I reference the hell out of anything I'm doing. As many angles as I can find, and a whole mess of screencaps, as well as official art. Then I start drafting out patterns, or eying stuff in thrift stores....

13. Your least favourite thing about cosplay?
That there are people who think it's okay to mock someone's attempt at cosplaying, and that for awhile, I was part of that group. I need an occasional kick in the ass to remind me that that behavior is unacceptable in the cosplay world.

14. Do you belong to any cosplay groups?
Yes. I belong to the East Coast Cosplayers, Midwest Middles division, unofficial member of the Mandalorian Mercs, and unofficial member of the GIJOE cosplay group dedicated to the A Real American Hero series. My old cosplay group, The Order of the Red Glove, has been kinda dead for about two years now, but I'll still have a red glove on me as a tribute to them.

15. What events have you cosplayed to? Future event plans?
Anime Weekend Atlanta 2005, 2006, 2007. Anime Central 2006. SogenCon 2007. Anime Nebraskon 2010, 2011. BotCon 2011.

Future plans include Acen 2012, SavCon 1, and Anime Nebraskon 2012.


16. What is your best cosplay memory?
.....Does it have to be in costume, or can it be at a cosplay panel? 'cause if I can do the cosplay panel thing, the one I went to at BotCon. 'Cause it made me realize that my ideas are not unobtainable, and that it is possible for me to build one of my dream cosplays.

17. What is your worst cosplay memory?
Bending over to get something out of the trunk of my car, and having my skirt split at the back seam. Thank Deities that I was wearing an overskirt.

18. Have you won any cosplay awards?
Not yet, but I really don't compete.

19. Your best cosplay derp photo?
....I don't have one of those.

20. Have you worn cosplay in a regular situation?
Only bits and pieces of my steampunk outfit, 'cause it looks nice.

21. Your most expensive cosplay?
Organization XIII coat. $50 for the material, plus odds and ends.

22. Your most comfortable cosplay and most uncomfortable cosplay?
Most comfortable: Tie between Vector Prime Steampunk and Alfons Heidrich. Most uncomfortable: Organization XIII coat, 'cause the damn thing's so heavy.

23. The cosplay you put the most effort into?
Current WIPs.

24. Any unfinished costumes? Will you ever finish them?
...yes. Yes I will finish them, too.

25. How many wigs do you own? Which is your favorite?
Three. Favorite one is my short, frosted blond wig. When I wear that one, it looks natural, so it's funny to take it off and watch people react with "...I thought that was your real hair!"

26. Where do you work on your cosplays and where do you store them when they’re done?
I mainly work on my cosplays in the basement, since that's where my 'workshop' is. I store them wherever I can, but most end up in my bedroom....

27. What is your favorite cosplay item?
...I don't really think I have one....

28. Cosplay peeves/things you are particular about?
I'm very detail-oriented. I want the costume to be as accurate as possible, since that means that there's less for the judgmental jerks out there to nitpick on.

29. Something you want to improve on for future cosplays?
I would love to expand my sewing skills, so I can make costumes the way I want them. Puff sleeves are EVIL.

30. Cosplay-related work you are most naturally talented at (ie: sewing, prop-making, wigstyling, etc)?

Putting together a costume armor piece just from eyeballing reference pictures. Without a pattern.

iDerp

Yes, it has been quite some time since I last posted. I had a minor bout of insanity, and have been busy helping get the house ready for the visit by the Sib and the Sib's girlfriend. Add into that attempting to work on two big cosplays (One of which I have yet to get the materials for, due to lack of big boxes) for SavCon, and general family drama..... Yeah.... Big bundle of stress and insanity. Plus, I really didn't feel like I had anything terribly profound to say on here.... I also happen to have the Steampunk Masquerade at the end of the month, so I'm working on getting an outfit and mask ready for that....

Pleeeeh

I do NOT like heat and humidity in combination... I have difficulty breathing (due to allergies, but thankfully, I haven't had a major reaction in several years *fingers crossed*) when it gets above 75 if the humidity is high, and most days, when it does get above 75, the humidity is up too.  So I spend a lot of time indoors, usually sitting and working on stuff on the computer, or playing "Just Dance" or "Just Dance 2" on the Wii.  Once it cools off a bit more, closer to my birthday, I'll be more inclined to go outside and do more than just walk to and from the post office or school.  I kind of want to light a bonfire on Samhain/Halloween, but I know I won't be able to unless I visit Kat and her mom.

I guess I'll get back to work on my Deckerd costume for now...

Parents and Myself.... And a bit of a rant...

Thoughts Regarding My Parents and Myself Aug 13, 11

Something I'm having a hard time coming to terms with is the fact that my parents don't approve of me liking anime, Transformers, cosplaying, and my desire to be a graphic designer.  Is it some suppressed sadness that they have allowed themselves to be forced into "growing up" as they've gotten older?  Is it jealousy that I'm doing my own thing without the constraints of what society seems to think I should be doing with my life?  Is it that they just don't like the things I'm into (possibly.  Then again, they're in their 50s, while I'm a 24-year old.  There's a 28-year gap between Mom and me, and she's younger than Dad by two years) ? Or is it fear that they're losing the little girl who used to play with barbies and wanted to be a ballerina or a doctor?  I'm not sure. Ever since I got into anime at around 13-14 years of age, I've been told that I'm "too old" for "cartoons".  I have been told that I am "too old" for dolls.  I've also been told that "A 22, almost 23, year old should NOT still have toys!" by my mother.  Each time I've been told I'm "too old" for something, I've dug my heels in and resisted "growing up".  I currently have over 50 Transformers toys in my possessions, as well as several dolls of various makes, with several in various stages of customization.  I am of the firm belief that I should not have to give up the things that I love just because I reach a certain numerical value that states how long I have been alive.  I have believed this for well over ten years, and I have no intention of changing my tune.  I also do not understand why I should stop cosplaying.  I make all of my costumes, most of them from scratch, and have learned many things from doing so.  I could make my own clothing if supplied with fabric to do so, and I learn about pattern making as well as engineering with the more complicated costumes.  Should I, a 24 year old who is saving her pennies to go to an art school out west (mostly 'cause I'm sick of the cold midwest winters), be forced to give up something that amounts to practice for other, non-costuming-related articles of clothing or whatever I may need to work on in the future to stay comfortable and happy?  No.  I will not accept that apparent "rule" that says that an adult should never dress up in costume aside from Halloween, and then only if one has offspring, or a costume party to attend.  I will not give up doing something I love just to make someone else (my mom, mostly. Though I suspect Dad doesn't think too highly of my cosplaying either... At least I don't dress in things that are overly revealing!  Most of my costumes would be acceptable every-day wear even in polite company!) happy.  In short, despite my parents' aversion to me being me, I will not compromise myself just to please them.  If they can't love me for the odd derp I am, then maybe, just maybe, I need to distance myself from them for good.