Cos Culture Magazine - Second Edition by Cos Culture Magazine

COS

CULTURE MAGAZINE

LEXA ONE Photographie

DISCUSSES COSPLAY PHOTOGRAPHY AND SHARES HER INCREDIBLE PORTFOLIO WITH US. VOL 02

74470 72109

Breaking Through Gender Stereotypes in Cosplay

HIDDEN GEMS OF CANADA

FEATURING EXLUSIVE INTERVIEWS FROM:

SUKI COSPLAY

NIQ COSPLAY GLADZY KEI HENCHMEN PROPS ANDY RAE COSPLAY NATHAN DELUCA OSHLEY COSPLAY VIVID VISION

SECOND EDITION EDITION 1 SECOND

Cos Culture Magazine - second edition Cos Culture Magazine is owned and operated by NH Creative Inc. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Nikko Marie PROOFREADER: Natalie Howell PUBLISHER: NH Creative Inc. CONTACT: info@cosculturemagazine.com www.cosculturemagazine.com www.fb.com/cosculturemagazine

INCLUDED IN THIS EDITION: HIDDEN GEMS OF CANADA: (From West to East) Oshley Cosplay - Vancouver, BC Andy Rae Cosplay - Kelowna, BC Gladzy Kei - Calgary, Alberta Henchmen Props - Calgary, Alberta Vivid Vision - Edmonton, Alberta Niq Cosplay - Ottawa, Ontario Lexa One Photographie - Montréal, Québec Suki Cosplay - Montréal, Québec Nathan DeLuca - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Disclaimer:

Copyrights of all included text, photos and other material used in this edition of Cos Culture Magazine are the property of their respective owners, and have been graciously provided to us for use in this magazine by the legal owner of each work. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@cosculturemagazine.com.

FRONT Cover image:

Suki Cosplay as Kakashi Photography by: Martie B. Photography martieb.photo@gmail.com www.fb.com/martiebphotography Martie is a Montreal based photographer who has been doing photography since 2014.

back cover image: Rubyfia Cosplay Photography by Lexa One Photographie

ISSN 2368-2574 PUBLISHER:

NH Creative Inc. Ottawa, ON Canada March, 2015 info@nhcreative.ca www.nhcreative.ca

Image: Andy Rae Cosplay [Interview page 16] Photography by ZRB Photography 2

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

SECOND EDITION

Photography by Lexa One Photographie (Interview page 78) Model: Captain Izzy Cosplay, Clothing Designer: Aeternis Makeup: Toxic Makeups, Hair: Kym Krane 4

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

COSPLAYERS 8 HIDDEN GEMS OF CANADA A selective feature on Canadian Cosplayers, Artists and Crafters.

OSHLEY COSPLAY

ANDY RAE COSPLAY

henchmEn props

gladzy kei

48 vivid vision

TUTORIALS 32 RESIN-CAST REAPER MASK

by Henchmen Props

PHOTOGRAPHY 78 COSPLAY PHOTOGRAPHY

Lexa One Photographie

Cosplayer and prop-maker Henchmen Props and Cosplay shares his technique for building his resin-cast Reaper mask.

Master cosplay photographer Lexa One Photographie shares a sample of her cosplay photography portfolio and discusses her technique with us in an exclusive interview.

42 Worbla ARMOUR & PROPS by Gladzy Kei

Cosplayer and artist Gladzy Kei shows us how she created her Battle Arabian Princess cosplay and props.

54 niq cosplay 62

SUKI COSPLAY

nathan deluca

SECOND EDITION

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Having met so many amazing people in the cosplay community over the past few years, I couldn’t help but notice how much talent we have up here in Canada. The world cosplay scene is undoubtedly growing at an exciting rate, but the incredible work that is being produced in this country is often overlooked on the global cosplay stage.

other cosplayers have also created stunning work through crossplay and genderbending, and it is now becoming a common theme among cosplayers. I am honoured to have had the opportunity to get to know these cosplayers, and to be able to share their views and experiences in overcoming gender stereotypes in cosplay.

I wanted to take this opportunity as editor of this magazine to better get to know some of the talent that is dispersed throughout Canada, and felt what better way to help our humble country break through into the cosplay world than by sharing our work on a global level. I’m constantly blown away by the astounding works that I’ve seen come out of this country, and I can’t wait to share it all with you throughout these pages. Had there been an infinite amount of pages, I would have loved to include all of the amazing talent in this country with you in this edition. Regrettably, I was limited to only a select few. My aim was to select a broad range of talent to feature, covering a variety of aspects of the cosplay community from diverse locations across Canada. I’m excited to share with you a range of cosplayers, photographers, prop makers and artists from British Columbia all the way to Nova Scotia.

We also feature a number of other outstanding cosplayers who have greatly contributed to the Canadian cosplay scene. Nathan DeLuca’s armour builds are second-to-none, Oshley Cosplay and Andy Rae Cosplay have a talent for bringing exceptionally detailed in-game video game characters to life, Vicky Lau of Vivid Vision captures the essence of a character through her cosplays and photography, and Gladzy Kei has the remarkable ability to design amazing and unique characters through her art and bring them alive through her cosplay.

One important theme that we addressed in this issue is gender stereotypes in cosplay. Gender equality has been an ongoing battle in many countries, and I’m proud to say that Canada has been at the forefront of LGBTQTS rights and universal equality amongst the sexes. In this issue we feature a number of outstanding cosplayers who have blasted through the barriers of gender stereotypes and have not let anyone or anything get in the way of their artistic expression. Crossplay and genderbend cosplays are two terms often heard in the cosplay community. A crossplay is when someone cosplays a character of a different gender, as Suki Cosplay demonstrates with her exceptional portrayal of Kakashi from the anime/manga Naruto. Genderbending is when a character of a certain gender is redesigned in the opposite gender, as seen in many of Henchmen and Niq Cosplay’s stunning designs. Examples of each have been included as part of their features. Many

Image: Scarlet Cosplay Photography by Lexa One Photographie 6

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Our photographic feature in this issue focusses on the amazing Lexa One Photographie, who has photographed some of the world’s top cosplayers. Her vision in bringing each character to life is what truly sets her apart from the rest, as you will clearly see through the sample of her portfolio we’ve chosen to share with you. I can’t express enough how honoured I am to be a part of this magazine, and I’m looking forward to what lays ahead in the coming years. We have now joined forces with Richard Dufault of Open Shutter Photography, and will be be offering more exciting services as we tour conventions together. We have many conventions planned, and hope to expand our reach out towards the rest of the world. As always, you can find me through our Facebook page. If you have any questions or ideas for an upcoming issue, I would love to hear from you! Much love,

Nikko Marie

SECOND EDITION

hidden gems of

canada a look into the canadian cosplay scene

Cosplay has grown into such an incredibly strong culture worldwide as awareness of the community spreads and the craft becomes more mainstream and accepted in pop culture. Canada often gets overlooked on the world stage, but in terms of cosplay we have some of the strongest talent out there. Just as Canada is large and diverse, the talent that is spread across the country is rich and varied. Being based out of Canada ourselves, our aim with this feature was to bring awareness to some of the great talent that can be found within our country, and share it with the world. From Vancouver on the West Coast all the way to Halifax on the East Coast, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen a selection of incredibly talented cosplayers, artists, prop makers and photographers to share their work with our readers through a series of interviews and photo spreads. In the following pages you will find a variety of different skills and talents, each

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

person expressing their own unique voice through their craft. We begin the feature in the West Coast, and make our way across the country towards the East. We have been so fortunate to be able to get to know these artists over the past few months, and now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so pleased to be able to share their work with our readers. From hard core armour and weapon building, to original character design and dreamy photography, there is sure to be something for everyone in this feature. Not only do we get to know the artists themselves, but two cosplayers share their skills in armour and weapon building through step-by-step tutorials. This is only a small selection of what talent can be found in Canada, and we hope that more Canadians will be recognized on the global scale for their outstanding contributions to the creativity and richness of the cosplay community.

Suki Cosplay (Interview page 62) Photography by Sasu Cosplay + Photography SECOND EDITION

OSHLEY COSPLAY 10

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Photography by Costographer / Al Lin SECOND EDITION

OSHLEY COSPLAY VA N C O U V E R , B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Oshley: Hi, my name is Ashley! I am a noobie cosplayer from Vancouver, BC, Canada and art has always been a part of my life. Through my childhood and adolescent years, I spent most of my free time drawing my favourite dinosaurs and Pokemon then graduating to drawing fantasy characters and portraiture. I got into cosplay because I am an avid World of Warcraft fan and I have been playing for almost 8 years now. I’ve always thought it would be amazing to experience the beauty in the world... of Warcraft, so when I can I live vicariously through the characters I cosplay. CC Mag: How did you get into cosplay, and when did you start your first costume? Oshley: I got into cosplay because I absolutely love the beautiful character designs, lore and concepts WoW offers players throughout the gameplay. When I learned that there was such a thing as cosplay in July 2013, I did not hesitate to make the decision to start my first costume. My mind went into a “crazy planning mode” I usually get before starting a huge art project. My ideas turned into sketches and my sketches into labelled diagrams, shopping lists and physical representations. My first cosplay was Alexstrasza the Dragon Queen (WoW) and if took me four months to complete just in time for Halloween! I chose Alexstrasza because she is totally badass and has a gorgeous armour design. I am very proud of my work from last year, and it was a huge learning experience for my future projects. CC Mag: The cosplay scene in Vancouver has really taken off these past few years. What are some of your favourite local events? Oshley: So far I’ve had great experiences at all the local cons I have visited, but my favourite memories are from NorthWest Fan Fest (NWFF) and Anime Revolution (AR) this past summer. I debuted a new costume at each local event - my night elf hunter at NWFF and Valkyrie

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Leona at PAX, and I always felt welcomed, appreciated and comfortable walking around in a huge armour set. I didn’t participate in many panels or events at these cons since I was in cosplay most of the time and I was with my friends, but I liked the atmosphere and how general attendees had lots of stuff to do and see. NWFF and AR were absolutely amazing for me getting cosplay photographs and costume exposure in the local community and on social media. Aside from photo shoots and posing for the paparazzi, I also love meeting and seeing my cosplay friends all swagged up in costumes whose progress I’ve been following from start to finish. I love being a part of the close-knit cosplay community crowd here, and that I was accepted and met so many amazing people. CC Mag: You’ve built a few full armour cosplays this past year – what has been your favourite and what was the most difficult? Oshley: Ahhh, that’s such a tough question because I love something special about each costume I build! I think my most difficult design was my night elf tier 8 hunter armour from World of Warcraft because it was my first time working with Worbla thermoplastic and I had a LOT to figure out. I also wanted to put my own creative spin on the armour set so I added more complex designs that slowed down the painting process. The armour and prop bow took me 6 months to make and made me so excited to do my next armour cosplay… Valkyrie Leona from League of Legends! Leona is probably my favourite costume right now just because my crafting process was more refined and the red and gold armour really pops. I was more confident working with my materials and I received amazing support from my Facebook followers and strangers telling me they love my take on this wellknown Champion. Their kindness definitely puts value on what I think of my own work and it made me really excited to wear the armour in public and best represent the character in photographs.

Photography by Ryan Cooper of Vancouver Cosplay SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Worbla seems to be the go-to material these days for armour building – do you have any advice for people who haven’t used the material before? Would you recommend it to people just starting out with their first cosplay? Oshley: Worbla is an extremely versatile, durable and easy product to use. It is a thermoplastic, so it is bendable and moldable after being heated (usually with a heat gun) and cools to whatever shape you desire! The great thing about it is that one side is rough and paintable while the other is slick and self-adhesive for easy costume crafting and detailing. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get into cosplay or do an armoured costume, and there are tons of resources online through text and video that show you how to work with the material. I took to the material very quickly with my hunter cosplay, and the crafting part for cosplay is by far my favourite part of the cosplay journey.

Photography by Kevin Free Photography

CC Mag: Do you play any of the games that you’ve drawn your cosplay inspiration from? Which ones do you play frequently? Oshley: Definitely! I have played every game I’ve drawn artistic inspiration from, including Silent Hill and League of Legends, but my go-to game has always been World of Warcraft. I can’t seem to enjoy any other game as much! I’ve already dedicated so much time and emotion (and money) to perfecting my online experience that I don’t feel right playing anything else, haha. It’s a great escape from real world nonsense, and I don’t have a lot of time around university, work AND cosplay to try anything new, but I’m happy! CC Mag: What materials do you usually work with to build your armour sets? Any favourite materials? Oshley: So far, my favourite materials to work with are Worbla thermoplastic and craft or EVA foam. Using these materials together is a standard way to build an armoured cosplay these days since the Worbla adds durability and rigidity to your pieces and the foam gives the Worbla something substantial to wrap around.

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming projects? Oshley: I don’t have any definite plans right now because I want to survive this semester in university first, but maybe one day I’ll vie for at least one comfortable cosplay. However, I would like to explore materials outside of my comfort zone and I’ve always loved the effect of winged costumes! You can find more of Oshley Cosplay's work here: www.ashleyoneill.com www.fb.com/oshleycosplaydiary Photography by: Costographer / Al Lin www.fb.com/costographer Ryan Cooper of Vancouver Cosplay www.vancouvercosplay.com www.fb.com/vancosplay Kevin Free Photography www.fb.com/kevin.free.79 Jessie of Undiscovered Photography www.fb.com/undiscoveredphotography www.undiscoveredphotography.com undiscoveredphotography@gmail.com

Photography by Jessie of Undiscovered Photography SECOND EDITION

ANDY RAE COSPLAY 16

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Photography by ZRB Photography SECOND EDITION

Photography by WeNeals Photography and Retouching 18

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

ANDY RAE

K elo w na , B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Andy: My name is Andy Rae and I live in a small town in British Columbia in the heart of the Okanagan. I just graduated this past June from UBC-O (University of British Columbia Okanagan) with a Bachelors of Education specializing in Elementary School, and I hope to be a Kindergarten teacher someday. I am an avid snowboarder and gamer and when I’m not cosplaying you can find me in the powder up at Big White or on World of Warcraft gaming up a storm! CC Mag: How did you get into cosplay, and when did you start your first costume? Andy: I have always made my own costumes for Halloween, but I never knew there was a community that allowed you to dress up as your favourite characters more than once a year. Cosplay was an amazing outlet for my creative side and it gave me the ability to do what I love all year long. My first Cosplay was Lady Loki - the Marvel Comics version. I did it with a friend just for fun before I even really knew what cosplay was. My first serious cosplay was my Deathknight from World of Warcraft for Blizzcon 2013. That was the first time I really put my heart and soul into a cosplay and began experimenting with new techniques.

friends over the course of time and started realizing we all had the same interests in cosplay designs; making large armour builds based off of classic characters or fun twist ideas. We all just work really well together as a group and all have the same passion for cosplay. Most importantly, though, we have all become really amazing friends. It is so wonderful to find people in this community that make you laugh and who you can always go to for support and fun. The inspiration just comes from us talking all the time as a group and we just throw out ideas at each other. When we cosplay things they are based on group decisions, not just one person’s idea. We’re a team!

“Why keep cosplay a dream? Let's make it a reality!”

CC Mag: You’ve been part of some really great themed cosplay groups. Tell us a bit about how you became a part of those groups and where you all got your inspiration from? Andy: Well like so many cosplay friends, I met these amazing ladies through conventions. We just became

CC Mag: You’ve built a few cosplays now based off Gladzy’s design work. Any plans for more collaborations? Andy: Yes for sure! We have a few new group collaborations planned for 2015 but for right now we are all keeping tight-lipped on the exact designs. CC Mag: What materials do you usually work with to build your armour sets? Any favourite materials? Andy: Worbla, Worbla, Worbla!!! I tend to stick to armour construction and for me this is the material that seems to work best with my skills. I love it and use it in almost every project I build in one way or another. I personally find it the most forgiving and easy material to work with because of its 3D moulding capabilities and the fact that it sticks to itself, so extra products like glue are not necessary. Craft foam and insulation foam (pink foam) are other materials I use quite often as well. Craft foam is used as the core of all my armour pieces and insulation foam is what I shape all of my blades out of.

SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Do you have any upcoming travel plans? Any big conventions you are really looking forward to this next year? Andy: I just went to Blizzcon as my last convention of the 2014 con season and I had a blast! It is by far my favourite con to attend. Next year I hope to attend even more cons than this year and I am super looking forward to starting the con season off right and attending Wondercon in the spring! CC Mag: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming projects? Andy: I will try and tackle quite a few projects this winter, mostly just taking my time making a super big build. I am hoping to get started on a cosplay from the new game Blizzard just announced at Blizzcon and I also have a few group cosplays with the princesses that are planned for next spring. I also am considering taking on commissions this winter, too, since I have gotten several inquiries into the matter.

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: If time/money/other restrictions weren’t an issue, what would your dream cosplay be? Andy: I find that one a difficult question to answer because when I get an idea or design in my head I just feel like I have to make it or it will gnaw at me until I start it. I tend to make the cosplays I want no matter how complicated or time consuming. I feel like, why keep cosplay a dream? Let’s make it a reality! You can find more of Andy Rae’s work here: www.fb.com/andyraecosplay www.Instagram.com/andyraecosplay Photography by: Benjamin Sim Photography www.fb.com/bensimphotography WeNeals Photography and Retouching www.fb.com/weneals Zach Bujold of ZRB Photography

d n i f o t l u erf d at n h t o y w t i o n s mu m "It is o c s i u h o t y n i o h e l dw n a peop h g lau ort p u o p y u s e r fo mak o t o g ys a w l a can ." n u f d n a ae R y d n -A

Photography by Benjamin Sim Photography SECOND EDITION

Photography by ZRB Photography 22

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Photography by ZRB Photography SECOND EDITION

HENCHMEN PROPS 24

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

& COSPLAY Photography by Darshelle Stevens SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Deathstroke Photography by Eden M. Rodriguez Photography

HENCHMEN cal g ary, alberta

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Henchmen: Heya! My name is Jordan and I’m a Canadian prop maker and cosplayer working out of and living in Calgary, Alberta! I grew up playing the original Warcraft games and the Command & Conquer series on LAN with my two brothers - and gaming has been a big part of my life ever since! CC Mag: How did you come up with the name ‘Henchmen’? Henchmen: The name Henchmen came from a previous project I was working on, and without much thought to it I just used the same thing and kind of got stuck with it - not a very exciting story, haha! CC Mag: What made you interested in making props? When did you first get into it? Henchmen: For as long as I can remember I’ve loved building and painting models - cars and planes eventually turned into Tau & Space Marines from the Warhammer 40k universe. As time went on I started doing painting and sculpting commissions on the side for fun. When I discovered cosplay a few years ago, it was a quick and easy decision to start building things on a larger scale. A lot of the skills are very similar so it was a pretty quick and seamless transition for me. CC Mag: What came first for you – props or cosplay? Henchmen: Props! But just barely. When I found cosplay I immediately wanted to cosplay a psycho from Borderlands, which was the game I was playing most at the time. I was hesitant to start with the psycho mask as the first full scale sculpt I did, so I started out with sculpting Robin’s mask from the 1997 movie Batman and Robin. After sculpting and molding that project, I was confident I could tackle the psycho mask and jumped right into it! Soon after it was done I cosplayed for the first time at a local convention!

CC Mag: What are some of your favourite pieces that you’ve made? Henchmen: Every project I work on has a special significance to me, but all the borderlands stuff I’ve done definitely has a special place in my heart! I’m proud of all my projects. One of my more recent projects that I’m really proud of is Reaper’s mask, as it was a very time consuming and precise build, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome! CC Mag: You’ve travelled quite a bit for your craft. Where are some of the more interesting places you’ve been able to travel to for your work? Henchmen: Oh man, I’ve travelled more in 2014 than the rest of my life combined. I’m blessed to be able to visit so many new places and meet so many amazing people! I definitely have a special fondness for California, as the weather is so nice! Every city is its own adventure, and I’m looking forward to seeing more in the future. One day I’d love to go over to Europe for a convention!

Reaper mask - tutorial page 32 SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CCMag: You’ve done a number of genderbent cosplays in the past. Can you tell us a bit about why you chose those characters, and what, if any, of the female traits did you keep? Did you ever face any criticism or difficulties when you presented your genderbent cosplays? Henchmen: Starting with the last question, I’ve been extremely blessed in the fact that I really haven’t faced much criticism or hate of any facet in the cosplay community. I’m extremely thankful to have awesome, supportive friends and followers. The best thing about being a cosplayer in my opinion is the amazing people you bump into and friends you make. The Princess Mononoke genderbend I did (which was based on Sakimi Chan’s artwork) actually got good reception. I find fans of the movie are often really passionate about it, and it seemed like everyone just appreciated seeing a fresh take on the character. I chose to cosplay the character for many reasons - on top of simply being a fan of the movie, the character is outwardly wild and feral, growing up with a wild pack of giant wolves.

Who wouldn’t want to live that life! On top of that, it was a genderbend I hadn’t seen anyone attempt before. I was also gearing up for an anime convention, and had zero anime costumes at the time, and this was always the first one I planned to do. Choosing Vi from League of Legends for my next genderbend was an obvious choice for me. I started playing League around the time she was released, and instantly fell in love with her artistically, as well as because of her attitude and personality. Her loading screen song is still my ring tone to this day! As a maker, oh man - those fists! I wanted to challenge myself and push my foam skills a little further, and that was the perfect opportunity to do that. Looking back on the project I wish I had taken more time and not set such a tight deadline for myself, as doing 90% of the construction in 3 sleepless non-stop days before New York Comiccon meant lots of corners were cut. In terms of portraying Vi as a character, well, she isn’t the most feminine character, so thankfully I didn’t have to worry too much in that regard. She just likes to run around punching things!

Genderbent VI, League of Legends Photography by Darshelle Stevens Journey Beyond Project SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Do you have any major travel or conventions planned for the year? Henchmen: I recently moved back to Calgary, Alberta and definitely look forward to being able to do more West Coast conventions! So far the conventions that are solid in my plans are Calgary Expo, Anime North, Edmonton Expo, Anime Revolution, Pax Prime, and Blizzcon. I may throw in another 1 or 2 trips spontaneously, but that’s what the year looks like for me so far! CC Mag: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming projects? Henchmen: I’ve recently finished up a couple projects that I’ve been really excited about (Nova/Ghost Goggles from Starcraft, Tracer’s goggles and Reaper’s mask from Overwatch) and I am diving into the building of Reaper’s Hellfire Shotguns to accompany the mask and full costume. I love everything about this character -

Photography by Kelvin Oh of Think.Nu Bodypaint by Roxy Lee GG 30

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

design, lore, and play style wise, so I’m having a lot of fun working on this project. Beyond that I really haven’t settled on what will be next. My projects are often self directed as I only take on commissions I’m really excited and passionate about, so we will see what excites me when my schedule opens up! CC Mag: If time or money wasn’t an issue, what would be your dream project to build? Henchmen: One of my dream projects is definitely to do a crazily detailed and intense Daemonic Illidan from the Warcraft universe. He is one of my favourite characters both lore and design wise, and so much about the character excited me from a creative perspective. Plus his Warglaives are just so beautiful! You can find more of Henchmen's work here: henchmenprops.wordpress.com www.fb.com/henchmenprops

Photography by: Darshelle Stevens www.darshellestevens.com www.fb.com/darshelle.stevens.photography Kelvin Oh of Think.Nu www.fb.com/think.nu.official

Eden M. Rodriguez Photography www.fb.com/pages/Eden-M-RodriguezPhotography/398699546868498 [Eden M. Rodriguez is an internationally published photographer from Mexico City. He lives in Lethbridge, Alberta taking care of his 4 kids.] Vicky Lau, aka Vivid Vision www.fb.com.vivivision

Kratos, God of War Photography by Vivid Vision SECOND EDITION

reaper

mas k tutorial by henchmen props & cosplay

“Like so many others who had a chance to play Overwatch at Blizzcon, I’m eagerly anticipating the next time I can jump into the game! For those that haven’t seen much about it, the game features simply amazing character design! It’s the kind of thing where a fabricator like myself will sit in character selection for half the match, simply enthralled by all the awesome things I want to make. I instantly fell in love with the style and outfit of Reaper, and I knew I wanted to make his mask. For many of my mask/helmet builds I

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

often opt to go the sculpting route, and the same held true for this project. I’ve used Monster Clay from the company Monster Makers for as long as I’ve been sculpting. It’s well priced, easy to use, and heat activated (which also means it’s completely re-usable!). The higher temperature the clay is the softer it is, which allowed me to quickly start blocking out the rough shape of the mask with warm clay. The following write-up is a walkthrough of my build – a behind the scenes look at my chosen processes and materials. I hope you enjoy!” - Henchmen

t u t o r i a l SECOND EDITION

1. Rough Sculpt (Picture A, left side of face)

After messily throwing clay on the head form, the next step was starting to refine the shapes and angles of the mask. For this I worked in stages, focusing on one side of the mask at a time. The eyes and brow were an area of special significance on this project, as Reaper’s mask has a very pronounced expression that I really wanted to capture. Some makers and sculptors like to put their own artistic spin on things and take creative freedoms here and there, but I really take pride in trying to attain perfection in relation to the source, making game assets really come to life!

2. face progress (picture a, right side of face)

The tedium of chasing symmetry was a large portion of the 100+ hours this project took from start to finish. To help keep things identically mirrored throughout the process, I periodically took photos and would throw a grid over it in Photoshop so I could measure proportions and angles. While timeconsuming, it was definitely worth it to get all the sleek curves and lines of the mask looking impeccable. After I’m happy with the shapes of the main portion of the mask, I moved on to the cheeks and made a quick pattern with painters tape so the cheek portions would continue the symmetry I’d been working hard to maintain. Rinse and repeat the same process of blocking out, refining and double + triple checking on the cheeks, and then it was time to move on to adding details and smoothing things out.

3. cheek patterning (picture C)

I measured everything out and marked off the detail placement with pin pricks to line everything up and make sure the distances and angles were correct. Then to get the indented seam lines in the mask I simply played connect-thedots with a small metal dowel, pressing it into the clay until all the lines were at an even depth. The rounded recessed areas were made using a small plastic tube, sharpening one end and again just pressing it into the clay. In the final stages of the sculpting process I will brush the clay with mineral spirits once or twice to help create a smooth surface.

4. end of sculpt (picture D)

Next up was making the first mold. I used Smooth-On’s Rebound 25 for this mold, brushing on 5-6 layers. Knowing I only wanted one cast from this mold, I made a cheap and dirty mother mold using plaster bandages and coated in resin. I used this method for many mother molds on my first few projects, and while it’s cheap and it works, if you’re planning to get a ton of casts out of your mold I recommend making a sturdier mother mold (like I did for the final master copy of the mask).

5. Rebound / Mother mold

D. 34

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

With the first mold done, I cast up a resin prototype, which I used for further refinement of the mask. As you can see from the cast, I could have done more work to smooth out the original clay sculpt, but knowing I would be making a second mold, I find it easier to smooth and refine a resin mask than the clay. What followed was a long process of sanding, Apoxie Sculpt, filler primer, and wet-sanding (with multiple rounds of each), but in the end I got that first cast nice and smooth. I also backed the eyes and open spaces with Sintra for the molding process – and etched ‘Henchmen Props’ and a few Reaper quotes into the Sintra just for fun, so it would be there in raw casts before prep work.

6. Cast / Primed / final smooth (PICTURE E)

I made a clay base to prop the mask up for easier molding, and set about on another Rebound 25 mold. Knowing I wanted to do a 2 part mother mold for the final mold, I added registration keys to keep the molds aligned when casting from them in the future. After the silicone mold was done, I made a quick cardboard divider, and filled in the seams with clay.

7. Silicone master mold (PICTURE F)

Before anything else, I sprayed the silicone mold and cardboard divider with mold release for easy release of the silicon and cardboard afterwards. For the mother mold I started with a base detail layer of EpoxAcoat GREY from Smooth-On, and followed up with 3 more layers with fiberglass mat for strength. On top of that I added a few coats of Plasti-Paste (again from Smooth-On) for further support and strength. I want this mold to last a long time! Once the first half is done, the cardboard and clay divider is removed, and the exposed silicone and raised part of the first mother mold half are sprayed with mold release, and the same mother mold process is repeated on the opposite side. After both halves are done setting, I drilled 5 holes in the raised areas through both sides of the mother mold, which are threaded with bolts and wingnuts to hold the mold firmly together while casting.

8. EpoxAcoat / Final mold

With the final master mold entirely done, it was time to cast up the first copy of Reaper’s mask! The widely used method for casting masks and helmets is slushcasting, which involves rotating the mold with resin inside so it thinly and evenly coats the inside of the mold. Smooth-On’s Smooth-Cast 65D Resin cures in a gradual and uniform manner, which makes it exceptional for rotational casting. Be sure to continue to rotate the mold until the resin begins to set, as stopping before then may

cause the resin to pool and result in much thicker areas in your cast. For these masks, I do about 6-7 thin coats of 65D for a strong and lightweight casting, and after the final layer is done the masks are left in the mold for at least 20-30 minutes to let the casting fully set and cool down before de-molding.

9. raw casts (PICTURE G)

After all that, it’s time to slap some paint on the cast – but that’s not the topic of this guide, so have fun and experiment!

G. SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

GLADZY KEI Photography by Vivid Vision SECOND EDITION

Gladzy Kei cal g ary, alberta

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Gladzy: I was born in the Philippines, but I currently live in Calgary, Alberta.

mood. I like to experiment with different materials such as paint, pastels, pencils, but as of now, I’m more inclined to use digital art because of its efficiency.

CC Mag: How did you first get into art and cosplay? Which came first? Gladzy: I’ve been drawing since I can remember. I really didn’t know anything about cosplay until 2009.

CC Mag: You’ve designed some incredible customdesigned cosplays. When/how did you first discover that your art and your cosplay could combine? Gladzy: A bunch of my classmates and I decided to do a Disney-inspired battle princess cosplay group just for fun about a year ago. Since all of us are illustrators anyway, we decided why not give it a try and design our own? We pretty much sketch everyday, so it was a lot of fun drawing something that wasn’t homework. My friend Caroline wanted to be Ariel, Megan as Megara, and Kristy as Belle.

CC Mag: Tell us about your illustrations. What is your favourite medium/program to use? Gladzy: I currently use Photoshop CS6 to paint my digital paintings. I use a Wacom Intuos tablet to draw directly to my Mac. However, my favourite medium depends on my

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Original Art by Gladzy Kei

Photography by Jessica Roh SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: You’ve worked with some amazing cosplayers who have cosplayed your designs. Tell us a bit about how that all started and what it’s like to see your creations come to life! Gladzy: It’s actually a pretty funny story, because the battle princess idea only started as a joke. None of us thought it would really take off like it did. What happened was I first met ‘Andy Rae Cosplay’ at the beginning of the year during Calgary Comic Expo. I was so mindblown by her Barbarian armour that it literally inspired me to pursue making armour made out of Worbla. Jessica Roh connected me with Andy as soon as the convention was done and we all started talking about collaborating for future group cosplays. When I told Andy about the battle princess group she was super excited and wanted to cosplay a design inspired by Snow White. Therefore, I designed Andy’s battle princess armour and finalized my design for an Arabian Battle Princess inspired by Princess Jasmine. I also did a sketch for an Elsa-inspired design because Jessica Roh wanted to cosplay her, but I never really finalized the design because we got super busy with work.

CC Mag: What material do you like to work with when building a cosplay or props? Gladzy: As of now my favourite medium is Worbla. However, I’ve grown fond of using Friendly Plastic for details, and Epoxy Sculpt as well. For props I like to use pink insulation foam as the core because it’s very light and easy to sand. I just add the Worbla on top to make it more durable.

“I never really thought that this would happen to me, and I’m very thankful to everyone who helped me get this far.”

Months after that, Jessica Nigri messaged me on my Facebook page asking if I’ll be finishing my Elsa sketch. At first I thought it was a prank, or a person pretending to be Nigri, haha. I mean come on, how would Jessica Nigri end up on my little page? Then she confirmed and said that she found me through Andy Rae, and that’s when I thought, “wow, this is legit!” Jessica Nigri wanted to cosplay my design for Elsa because she really loves her character. She was super passionate about making her armour that it was hard to say no. At that particular time, I was with Jessica Roh. I told her about it and she was okay with Nigri cosplaying the design because she hadn’t really started working on the armour yet. We decided then that Jessica Roh would cosplay Cinderella and Nigri would be Elsa. It was pretty amazing to witness Andy and Nigri bring my illustrations to life! I never really thought that this would happen to me, and I’m very thankful to everyone who helped me get this far. 40

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: What has been your favourite cosplay so far? Gladzy: My favourite cosplay so far is my Arabian Battle Princess. I also really like my battle version of Sailor Mercury, but I just felt that it was so rushed and that I could have done a better job with it. I finished it in three weeks, whereas it took me three months to build my Battle Princess.

CC Mag: What’s next up for you? Any big plans for 2015? Gladzy: I’ll be graduating this year, so that’s going to be nice! I plan on going on a trip across Canada and maybe the US to sell my art at conventions. I’d also love to cosplay more with my friends and create new designs of my favourite characters. You can find more of Gladzy's work here: www.fb.com/GladzyKei keikei11.deviantart.com Photography by: Vivid Vision www.fb.com/vivivision Jessica Roh www.fb.com/pompaycosplay Caroline Dawe www.fb.com/carolinedaweart The Will Box www.fb.com/thewillbox

Photography by Caroline Dawe Art & Cosplay Post-processing by Gladzy Kei SECOND EDITION

t u t o r i a l Original artwork by Gladzy Kei 42

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

a r fo ial e ag utorade p he ep t y m tle t n -St adz bat ur. r tu -by Gl ian mo r p b w Sten ho araess a o her inc pr Photography by The Will Box Post-processing by Gladzy Kei SECOND EDITION

by Gladzy Kei

Worbla ARMOUR TUTORIAL

MATERIALS weapon/prop

armour

necklace/ arm band

Materials: Rigid insulation foam 2mm craft foam Worbla Primer (Gesso) Paint

Materials: 2mm craft foam Worbla Primer (Gesso) Paint

Materials: Worbla scraps Primer (Gesso) Paint

Tools: Heat Gun Scissors Exacto blade Sand Paper

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Tools: Scissors Heat Gun Sand Paper

Tools: Heat Gun Pencil Sand Paper

MAKING THE BLADES step 1: Trace pattern

step 1: Trace the overall pattern for your sword onto a large piece of paper. Cut the pattern out along the outside edge, creating a stencil.

step 2: carve and sand the base

step 3: add detailing

step 2: Using your stencil, trace pattern onto pink rigid insulation foam, and cut out the overall shape using a sharp exacto blade. Once the overall shape of your blade is cut out, use sandpaper or a rotary tool to bevel the edges to achieve your desired look.

step 3: Cut out any detailing from 2mm craft foam, and glue onto base of weapon. This can be done using an exacto blade and contact cement or glue.

step 4: cover in Worbla

Final steps:

step 4: Cover the entire weapon with a layer of Worbla, and heat until the material folds around your newly formed prop. Gently push the Worbla into the cracks and smooth it around the edges until completely covered. Worbla may need to be reheated a few times. Add any smaller detailing using the roll method found on the next page.

Once the overall weapon is complete, you can go on to prime and paint it. Instructions are on the following pages. SECOND EDITION

MAKING THE NECKLACE (Rolled Worbla Technique)

step 1: Trace pattern

step 2: form Worbla

step 3: curve to body

step 4: prime Worbla

Trace the pattern out on a flat surface to facilitate forming the Worbla rolls.

Roll thin bands of Worbla by heating cut strips of Worbla (or pieces of scraps from other projects) and carefully rolling the Worbla into worm-like bands with you hands or a ruler. Be careful not to burn yourself! Lay the bands out on the table, following the pattern.

Once the overall form is complete, lightly reheat the piece with a heat gun until only slightly pliable, and gently bend around the form of your neck. You can use a manqeuin for this, if you like. Allow to cool before removing, to ensure the shape will hold.

Using either wood glue or gesso (as seen here), layer primer on the Worbla surfaces. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next. 4-8 coats may be needed, depending on thickness of application. Once fully dried, sand the gesso until a smooth finish is achieved. You are now ready to paint! (Wood glue does not require sanding).

Tip: In the following step, heated Worbla pieces will stick to one another so no glue is needed.

MAKING THE ARMOUR (Worbla Sandwich Technique) step 1: Worbla sandwich

step 2: details - trace

step 3: details - apply

There are many tutorials out there for creating patterns, fastening systems, and how to make a Worbla sandwich (1 layer of craft foam sandwiched between two layers of Worbla) such as Kamui Cosplayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing tutorial books - so I will skip these parts, and allow you to look them up online. :) Essentially, create the base shape of your armour with a Worbla sandwich, and move on to the next step.

Once the base shape is finished, trace out the details from your design onto a sheet of Worbla. It helps if you trace out the overall shape of your Worbla sandwich to ensure your detailing will fit well on your armour. Cut the detail shapes out of a single ply piece of Worbla (or for thicker details, use double ply heat sealed together), and set aside.

Once the details are cut out of the Worbla, it will help the application process if you sketch out the location of the details directly onto your Worbla sandwich base. Gently heat the Worbla detailing with a heat gun, but be careful not to overheat them or the detail will become too pliable and lose its shape. Apply each heated detail individually to the Worbla sandwich. Now, you can follow steps 3 and 4 above (from the necklace tutorial) to form the Worbla to your body!

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

PAINTING THE ARMOUR (This applies to the weapons and props, too!)

step 1: metallic base

step 2: midtone colour

step 3: (dark) shadows

step 4: (light) highlights

Once the Worbla has been primed and sanded, it is time to apply the base layer of metallic paint. Evenly spray metallic paint in light coats, until the piece is fully covered. Allow to dry completely between coats, and before moving on to the next step.

Chose the main colour of the non-metallic part of the armour. Using acrylic paint, carefully paint the areas that will feature the midtone colour. Once an even layer of the midtone paint colour is applied, allow to dry.

Shadows help make the armour look realistic, and is an important step in painting any piece of armour. Using a mix of black and the midtone colour, carefully trace the edges of the midtone area with a small paint brush, and blend into the midton colour. You can use a paintbrush of small cloth to blend the colours.

Highlighting really makes the colours pop, and is an important step in bringing your cosplays to life. Carefully trace around the edges of all raised detailing (in this case, the metallic parts) with light stokes of white acrylic paint. Blend slightly, to achieve a highlighted look.

SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

VIVID VISION

Photography by W.Tsen Photography SECOND EDITION

VIVID VISION edmonton , alberta

CC Mag: Can you tell us a bit about yourself? VV: My name is Vicky Lau. CC Mag: How long have you been cosplaying? VV: I have been cosplaying for about 10 years now. My first cosplay was Rinoa from Final Fantasy 8! CC Mag: What came first for you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cosplay or photography? VV: Cosplay did! I started photography about 2.5 years ago.

CC Mag: What are your most memorable experiences as a cosplayer and as a photographer? VV: My most memorable recent cosplay experience as a cosplayer was being able to craft my first armour and weapon out of Worbla and foam! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been sewing for 10 years but never tackled armour or prop making. To be able to create epic armour and props from scratch is definitely an amazing and memorable experience! My most memorable experience as a photographer was a year ago when I planned my first concept photo shoot to commemorate my first year as being a photographer! It took me about a month to pull this concept together with prepping and arranging people. The theme was Seven Deadly Sins where I incorportated a bit of my fantasy/ cosplay designs into it. I designed and sewed all the outfits, created the backdrops, partnered with 26 other local talents (including photographers, videographers, hair stylists, makeup artists, designers, models, etc) to pull this concept together! CC Mag: If you could choose one dream cosplayer to photograph, who would it be? VV: Oh, the one person I would love to photograph would be Alodia or Liui Aquino. They are both very talented Asian cosplayers! CC Mag: Your photographs are often very rich in colour and dream-like. Would you say you have a certain style? If so, how would you explain your style to someone? VV: I love magical and fantasy styles. I like to make things dreamy, soft, fluffy and sparkly. <3

7 Deadly Sins, Pride. Model: Michelle Houle Photography by Vivid Vision 50

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: What is your favourite convention? why? VV: Anime Expo in LA! I have been going to it for the past 6 years! At Anime Expo you get to meet so many different people from around the world. Cosplayers are super nice and you get to see some amazing talented people. Plus I love the food and weather there!

Photography by W.Tsen Photography SECOND EDITION

Photography by Benjamin Sim Photography 52

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: What cosplays do you have planned for the future? VV: Oh, my. I have such a huge list of cosplays (around 15) that I am planning on working on this year! But they are all top secret. ^_~ You can find more of Vicky's work at: www.fb.com/vivivision Instagram: lau_vicky Twitter: @Vickylau22

Photography by: W.Tsen Photography www.fb.com/wtsenphotography Benjamin Sim Photography www.fb.com/bensimphotography

Photography by Benjamin Sim Photography SECOND EDITION

NIQ COSPLAY 54

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Genderbent mermaid, design inspired by Sakimi Chan. Shell Pendant made by Indie Red Cosplay Photography by Pixel Adel Photography SECOND EDITION

NIQ COSPLAY O T TAW A , O N TA R I O

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Niq: I am from Ottawa, Ontario and I grew up here but have lived in both Montreal and Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am the hands, brains, heart (and everything else) of Niq Cosplay (formerly Detailed-Illusion Cosplay and Design). I create cosplays for myself and others as well as fashion inspired by geeky things. Art and performing have always been big parts of my life. I started dancing when I was seven, which I continued until I injured my knee, after which I took up theater where I developed my interest in costume design. I worked professionally on theatre and film sets as a costume designer before briefly taking up study in fashion school. Due to my history with cosplay and costume design, I did not find myself challenged in sewing and realized I learned faster teaching myself without the school’s program limitations imposed upon me. I also was not fond of the fashion industry and I didn’t like that it tried to actively hold people prisoner to the “industry’s” idea of beauty. I hope as a cosplayer and designer of “geeky couture” to be able to branch out and create fashion that is more inspired and about empowering people to enjoy their own ideals of what is attractive.

Toronto, and I think Ottawa plays a big part in unifying those communities. Whenever I am having issues with a costume, I get tons of support from local cosplayers. They keep me strong in those hard nights trying to get a costume done before a con. CC Mag: How did you get into cosplay, and when did you start your first costume? Niq: I got into cosplay because I was going to a convention and I was told it was mandatory to dress up. After that, I was hooked. My first cosplay was Fai D. Flowright (from Tsubasa Chronicle) in his waiter outfit. Although I didn’t sew (instead I thrifted it), I had so much fun that I was inspired to try and make something that looked less like a normal outfit. So I got out the old sewing machine and with help from my Mom I made Fai’s main jacket from the series.

“Have fun, make a costume you are proud of, wear it with pride, be empowered by it, and don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

CC Mag: What is the cosplay scene like in Ottawa? Niq: Cosplayers in Ottawa are all very close, as we started as a small community. Though we are now larger in numbers, I think we have retained a warm and welcoming environment. We are also quite close with Montreal and

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: Who or what has been your biggest inspiration for your cosplays? Niq: Is it OK if I get a little artsy with you? I love art in all its forms, and I think the capacity to create fantasy is one of humanity’s greatest gifts. When we cosplay, we are taking art someone dreamt up and bringing it into the real world. It is kind of magical when you think about it, turning fantasy into reality, and it can also be incredibly empowering: adorning one’s self in the epicness of a fictional character lends you a bit of their confidence that, I think, stays with you even after you take the costume off.

CC Mag: What are some of your favourite costumes that you’ve made? Niq: I think my personal favourite will always be my Elsa-inspired cosplay and Fai. Fai has been my favourite character since I was thirteen, when I really started embracing and identifying as a geek. Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle was very much a gateway for me into the community. I may sound crazy, but the character Fai feels like an old friend. As I’m sure many can relate to during high school years, I often felt like no one really “got me”, and being able to associate with someone (even if he was fictional) made me feel a little less alone. Elsa is a new love, and Frozen had a huge influence on me both artistically and emotionally. I actually cried during ‘Let It Go’, because I knew the feelings exactly and had

felt them before. I used those feelings (along with lots of historical research) to create my genderbent design, and reinventing Elsa through myself was a very gratifying artistic process. CC Mag: You’ve done a lot of great genderbend cosplays – what is your process when redesigning a female character into a male character? How much of the original persona do you try and maintain? Niq: So this may sound boring, but the first thing I look at is the time period and the source material, and I research the hell out of the source of inspiration for the character and the world they live in. Using those parameters, I then look into the essence of that character’s personality, which for me is not associated with sex. I don’t try to

Elf King Photography by Miss Messy Mia SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Ice King Photography by Miss Messy Mia

make the character “manly”, but instead I figure out how the personality could translate into men’s wear. This is where I draw on my experience working as a costume designer, having studied things like shape, colours, form, and how it relates to emotion. I then make sure I include any important plot or relevant symbolism within the story. For example, Elsa’s collar is the one thing that totally vanishes in her transformation, so it felt important that I did not have one on my costume. Finally, I always keep one thing the same, and then add one aspect that is totally new and not trying to replicate any aspect of the female character - something I feel fits the character and adds to their representation. CC Mag: As an experienced cosplayer, you’ve been invited to judge a number of cosplay contests. Tell us a bit about what you look for in a costume when judging. Niq: It really depends on the level of the entrant. In early levels (novice/journeyman) I look hard at the effort put in, as well as the part of the costume they are most proud of. I understand most of them don’t have sewing experience, but I try to judge what they have managed to teach themselves. At the higher levels I am a lot tougher. Finished seams are a big deal for me, as well as proper fitting, limited top stitching, and hand sewing where it is needed. In terms of armour, there is more variety of technique than with sewing, so instead I look at the finished product. If they have managed to make the material resemble leather or metal (or the material it is supposed to resemble) and if it is well supported (I don’t see Velcro or straps) then that strikes points for armour work. The bigger part about submitting a costume for judging in the higher levels is the consistency of workmanship present in the entire costume. The people who win awards from me have shown they were able to execute every aspect of their costume with thought and care.

CC Mag: What cosplays will you be wearing there? Niq: Because we really want to blow them away in Japan and show them Canada is ready for WCS, Mia and I have some amazing cosplays planned. We will of course be fixing up and re-wearing Sakura and Fai, but we are also expected to create two more costumes: one for an interview and one for the parade. We have been keeping our costumes a secret, but because I love Cos Culture Magazine, I will give you a couple hints: One will be a hero and villain from a very classic Final Fantasy game, and the second will be from a very new game that is taking the mobile gaming world by storm.

CC Mag: Can you tell us about the World Cosplay Summit and your role in representing Canada? Niq: World Cosplay Summit (WCS) is an international competition and cosplay event held in Japan once a year. Countries from all over the world choose representatives through a preliminary competition and send them to Japan to represent their country. As this is Canada’s first year, we will not be competing, but observing. However, they will also be observing us. They want to see that Canada is ready to compete and be involved and if Miss Messy Mia and I do well, they will allow Canada to compete in the future.

CC Mag: Sounds exciting! Can you tell us about some of your other upcoming projects? Niq: Aside from WCS, I am mainly working on developing myself as a business entity with my geek-inspired fashion. This is a new challenge for me but it really feels like a definite next step. Cosplay is growing, and being a geek is something people are no longer ashamed of. In fact, being part of a community that lives partially in fantasy is empowering. I want to create fashion that extends the essence of cosplay from the convention into everyday life. I actually finished my first line, inspired by Sailor Moon, and am thinking I will be doing a line of jackets next.

Concept sketch, Niq Cosplay

SECOND EDITION

I am also excited to announce that this year I have the pleasure of working on a new costume design project, for Frozen Scales Production, as we tackle the Batman Universe for “The Legend of the Dark Knight”. It will be a three season web series followed by a movie trilogy. We are looking to take stories and characters that have never made it into Batman films before and bring them to life in a way that will impress the diehard fans as well as bring new people into the world of Batman. This project is a huge labour of love and the group is filled with passionate, inspired people. I am so happy to get to be a part of the creative process. Nikko Marie Cosplay and I will be redesigning the clothing of the Batman universe, keeping true obviously to each character’s roots, but adapting their looks to fit the more realistic film media and give our series its own unique style. I don’t want to spill too much, but I think viewers will be happy to see a very sleek and sexy Gotham more true to the comics than the recent bulky armour renditions recently seen in video games and movies.

Photography by Pixel Adel Photography 60

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: Do you have any advice for new cosplayers? Niq: Have fun, make a costume you are proud of, wear it with pride, be empowered by it, and don’t let anyone take that away from you. CC Mag: Gender stereotypes is something we’ve been discussing in this issue. Do you have anything to say on the topic? Niq: I think the cosplay community is revolutionary in a lot of ways, one of which is how cosplayers tackle gender stereotypes. Genderbending is a recent trend in the community and I think it is fabulous that people are taking to it. I love that I can find a female character I associate with, who I may not feel like I can crossplay (though the community is also very accepting of crossplaying, and I have done it before as well) and instead I get to reinvent that character through myself, and be empowered by her femininity and her other qualities as I am designing her outfit for myself. I think the whole process forces us to

look at a character instead of a gender and realize that who we are doesn’t have to be bound to some “ideal” form of masculine and feminine. I love, LOVE, wearing heels. I am already six-foot, so getting to tower that much more especially in a crowd is fun. My genderbent Elsa has higher heels than the original design, partially because men had heels at the time, but mainly because Elsa’s ice queen costume made her feel powerful, so I wanted shoes that made me feel the same way. You can find more of Niq Cosplay’s work here: www.fb.com/detailedillusioncosplay Photography by: Pixel Adel Photography www.fb.com/pixeladelphotography Miss Messy Mia www.fb.com/pages/Miss-Messy-Mia

Photography by Miss Messy Mia SECOND EDITION

SUKI COSPLAY

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Kakashi Photography by Sasu Cosplay + Photography SECOND EDITION

ANBU Kakashi Photography by Sasu Cosplay + Photography 64

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

SUKI COSPLAY montreal , q uebec

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself ? Suki: J’ai présentement 27 ans, j’habite à Montréal et je travaille dans le domaine de la sécurité, ce qui n’a pas vraiment de lien avec mon hobby. J’ai toujours été quelqu’un avec un côté artistique développé, mais aussi un côté très terre-à-terre, ce que mon emploi me donne. Par contre, une grande partie de ma vie est consacré au cosplay, qui est devenu plus qu’un simple hobby. J’ai en effet fait un cours professionnel en couture pour me perfectionner. Ainsi, depuis quelques annéés, j’ai une boutique en ligne où je vends plusieurs produits et prints. En plus de la fabrication de mes propres costumes, mon poste d’ambassadeur chez Crunchyroll, mes nombreuses conventions où je suis souvent juge et/ou invitée, ainsi que mes autres passe-temps tels que les sports, le gym, jeux vidéos et bien sûr anime…mon horaire est extrêmement chargé. - Translation I’m currently 27 years old, and live in Montreal, Canada. I work in security, which really doesn’t have much to do with my hobby. I’ve always had a strong artistic side, but am also quite pragmatic, which is a trait my employment gives me. A huge part of my life is dedicated to cosplay, which has become more than a simple hobby for me. I’ve even taken a professional couture class to help perfect my craft. For the past few years I’ve also developed my own line of boutique items, which I sell online along with my cosplay prints. In addition to the fabrication of my own costumes, my position as Crunchyroll Ambassador and the numerous conventions that I attend as a cosplay guest or judge, I have many other pass-times such as going to the gym, playing sports and video games, and of course watching anime. As such, my schedule is extremely demanding, as you can imagine!

CC Mag: How did you get into cosplay, and when did you start your first costume? Suki: Je dois dire que je me considère encore assez jeune dans le monde du cosplay. Je n’ai commencé qu’en 2010 avec ma première convention à Montréal: Otakuthon. J’ai découvert l’univers des anime en début 2010 grâce à un ami, et par le fait même j’ai entendu parler du cosplay. Ne connaissant absolument rien de cet univers ou de la communauté, j’ai fabriqué mon premier costume pour l’occasion. Kakashi Jounin a été mon premier cosplay et il m’a pris tout mon été à assembler! - Translation I must say I still consider myself quite new to the world of cosplay. I only started in 2010 with my first convention in Montreal: Otakuthon. I had just discovered the anime universe at the beginning of that year thanks to a friend, and through similar circumstances I discovered cosplay. Not knowing much at the time about the cosplay community, I created my very first costume for that convention. My first cosplay was Kakashi Jounin, and it took me an entire summer to create! CC Mag: What are some of your most memorable cosplay experiences? Suki: J’ai tellement de beaux souvenirs et d’expériences, c’est vraiment difficile de choisir! Chaque convention a été unique avec ses lots de mésaventures et de rencontres. Par contre, ma première convention a été le point tournant de ma passion et le déclenchement de tout. Je ne m’attendais à rien, ne sachant pas ce qui m’attendait. J’ai été incroyablement bien accueilli et reçu dans la communauté. J’ai rencontré des centaines de personnes en quelques temps, et j’ai plongé dans cet univers de passion et je n’en suis jamais sorti. Les gens m’ont supporté dès le début dans mes projets, ce qui m’a donné extrêmement de motivation, et j’avais le sentiment que j’avais trouvé une place spéciale où mon côté artistique se retrouvait parfaitement. SECOND EDITION

Plusieurs autres conventions ont marqué ma carrière si je peux dire. Par exemple, lorsque j’ai rencontré la personne qui est maintenant ma manager chez Crunchyroll, ou certaines conventions où j’ai rencontré des personnes influentes ou responsables de l’organisation des conventions. Tout ça m’a permis d’être plus impliqué dans la communauté! Tous les mascarades que j’ai faites, toutes mes prestations sur scène et le travail que j’ai mis dans mes costumes, sont toutes de beaux souvenirs. Je n’ai pas toujours gagné, mais je suis devenue « Master » en une année, et maintenant c’est moi qui juge les participants quand j’en ai la chance (rires). Je pourrais en parler pendant des heures, j’ai beaucoup trop de moments marquants, je dois dire… - Translation I have so many great memories and experiences, it’s difficult to choose. Each convention has its own unique adventures and experiences. However, the first convention I attended was the turning point for my passion and has fuelled my whole cosplay hobby. I had no expectations, because I had never been to a con before. It was amazing how welcomed I was into the community. I met hundreds of people in such a short period of time, and I immediately fully immersed myself into this new passion, and I haven’t stopped since! Everyone was so supportive of my projects at the beginning, that it gave me so much motivation and I felt that I finally found a niche where my artistic abilities truly fit in. There are many other conventions that I consider to be crutial to the progression of my ‘career’, you could say. For example, I met the person who is now my Crunchyroll manager at a certain convention, and at others I have met people who have been influential in my life and/ or responsible for organizing the conventions. All of these people have helped me be more involved in the community. All the masquerades and appearances that I’ve done, and all the work I’ve put into my costumes are all such great memories to me. I haven’t always succeeded, but I became a master-level cosplayer in one year, and now I’m the one judging the costume contests when I have the chance. (laughs) 66

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

I could speak for hours about all the good memories I have, and I have way too many memorable moments to mention... CC Mag: You’re well known for your renditions of Kakashi – tell us a bit about why you’re so fond of this character and why you chose to cosplay him. Suki: C’est probablement la question que je reçois le plus! Naruto a été mon premier anime, et j’ai toute suite accroché sur Kakashi. C’est certainement lui qui m’a donné le coup de foudre pour cette série, rien de moins. J’ai eu toute suite une connexion particulière avec ce personnage. Je me vois beaucoup en lui, de son tempérament à sa façon de penser et voir la vie, ses valeurs, et, malheureusement peut-être, mais aussi à son passé. I can feel him so much, every step of his life, I feel it with him. Lorsque j’ai choisi mon premier cosplay, il n’y avait aucun doute que je –devais- faire Kakashi! Je me disais «j’ai la grandeur parfaite, il porte un masque... je peux passer un homme!» Du moins, je me disais que j’allais faire de mon mieux… Comme j’ai dis, j’ai passé des mois à recréer son uniforme avec les moindres détails et accessoires. Je ne suis certainement pas la seule à avoir une passion énorme pour Kakashi, mais ma façon à moi de l’exprimer est à travers mon art qui est le cosplay, pour le rendre vivant aux yeux de tous ses fans. Et cette passion pour lui n’a cessé d’augmenté avec les années, puisque j’apprenais à le connaître de plus en plus. L’amour que je (Kakashi) recevais durant mes conventions et maintenant à travers des médias sociaux, me surprenant toujours autant. C’est un personnage extrêmement aimé, mais aussi respecté de tous. Il mérite amplement toutes ces heures de travail et souffrance (rires) que je lui accorde, car j’ai le privilège de recevoir cet amour en retour. Je voulais faire quelque chose d’unique en le rendant vivant, mais aussi d’en faire plus que quiconque avant moi, et de reproduire toutes les versions possibles. Je suis contente de ce que j’ai accompli jusqu’à maintenant, mais je suis loin d’avoir terminé! Pour moi, cela ne s’arrête pas seulement au niveau de la ressemblance physique et du costume, mais aussi de sa personnalité. Je veux faire ressortir les mêmes sentiments à travers mes photos que lorsque l’on regarde l’anime. Et lorsque je reçois des commentaires dans ce sens, c’est la plus belle récompense que je peux avoir. Les gens me disent qu’ils pensent à moi lorsqu’ils voient Kakashi, qu’ils ressentent les émotions, «you two share one spirit». Je ne peux demander mieux et c’est extrêmement touchant pour moi.

Kakashi a été et est toujours un role model pour moi. Il a été une influence sur certaines décisions de ma vie, même au niveau personnel. Il m’a fait découvrir un côté de moi que j’avais oublié… et toute cette aventure à commencé grâce à ma passion pour lui! - Translation This is probably the question I get asked the most. Naruto was the first anime I watched, and I immediately connected with Kakashi. He’s definitely the one who ignited my passion for the series, and I immediately felt a connection to his character. I see a lot of myself in him, from his personality to his way of looking at life, his values, and, unfortunately maybe, but also at his passing. I can feel him so much, every step of his life, I feel it with him.

When choosing my first cosplay, I had no doubt that I had to chose Kakashi! I thought to myself that I had the correct height, and he wears a mask... so I could pass as a man! At least, I promised myself I would try my best. Like I said, I spent months recreating his outfit down to each detail and accessory. I’m definitely not the only one with a huge passion for Kakashi, but my own way of expressing myself through my cosplay has allowed me to bring the character to life. This passion for him has never wavered, and I feel like I get to know the character more and more every day. The love I receive as Kakashi during conventions, and now through social media, constantly surprises me. His character is extremely loved, but also respected. He deserves every hour of work and suffering (laughs) that I’ve put into him, and I’m privileged to receive that love in return. I wanted to do something unique in

Photography by Don Dolce Photography SECOND EDITION

Kakashi has been and always will be a role model for me. He has been an influence in many decisions I’ve made in my life, even on a personal level. He has allowed me to discover a side of myself that I had forgotten... and this whole adventure started due to my passion for him! CC Mag: We love that you’re such a versatile cosplayer, and that you don’t let gender stereotypes get in your way. What are some of your favourite male and female characters you’ve done, and what are some that you would really like to do? Suki: Obviously Kakashi is my ultimate favourite as a character. Though, I really love my Sanji cosplay. They are probably my two favourite male characters to be. For my female character, I’d say Uranus from Sailor moon has been very enjoyable to cosplay, since she’s pretty much me as an anime character. I loved being Erza from Fairy Tail as well, though I don’t have the “features” at all, which makes me uncomfortable. So now I’m doing her “boyfriend” Jellal (laughs). Then again, I’m very picky on the characters I choose. I have to like the character, know the character well enough, but I also have to physically look like the character, by his facial features, height, etc. That’s why I’m at ease with all of them.

Photography by Martie B. Photography Edited by Sasu Cosplay bringing his character to life, but also to do more than anyone before me and to create every possible version of his character. I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished up until now, but I’m still far from done! For me, it doesn’t end only with the physical resemblance and the costume, but also with his personality. I want to portray the same emotions through my photographs that we see in the anime. When I receive compliments on this aspect of his character portrayal, to me that is the highest compliment I could receive. People tell me they think of me as they think of Kakashi, and they tell me “you two share one spirit”. I couldn’t ask for more, and it’s extremely touching for me.

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

I really want to do Obito, which I will do this year. I’m really interested in making a Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, or even Legolas from Lord of The Rings! CC Mag: We feel that there should be no boundaries when choosing which character to cosplay, but there are certainly people out there who instil negativity on those who chose to do cross-gender cosplays. Have you ever had a bad experience with your choice of cosplay? Do you have any advice for males/females wanting to cosplay another gender? Suki: I can’t say I ever had super bad experiences... at least, not live at conventions. The biggest issues I have is the fact that some people don’t accept that a girl can cosplay a male character they love and they respect, like Kakashi. It’s like a betrayal for them, and I did get threatened - even life threatened - since I didn’t want to stop, obviously. Most of them are shocked also since they always thought I was a man and suddenly they realize I’m not. Fortunately for me, nothing like that ever happened at a convention. I have always ever received exciting and surprising reactions, which make me smile all the time.

Other than that, I have gotten bad comments and insults... though, in my case it’s not even about crossplay. Some people are so convinced I’m a man that when they see me as a girl, they think I am crossplaying! I don’t let this affect me at all. As much as this is not acceptable, my reputation is through crossplay, so I’m aware things like that could happen, and I accept it. In terms of cosplay advice, I would say makeup is magic! I’ve seen so many super girly girls become handsome men, and the opposite is also true, just by using makeup in a good way. Knowing where to put shadows to literally sculpt your face the way you want, adding eyeliner to

completely change your eye shape, drawing eyebrows, etc. All these points together can transform your face. Any girl can become handsome, trust me. The head (and that includes the wig) is what people focus on the most when they first see you, especially when you don’t have big armour or an impressive piece of clothing. Make sure you know how and where to apply makeup according to your facial structure, and pay special attention on your wig styling. And most of all, have self confidence! Self confidence will make you be in character and be very convincing no matter what!

Photography by Sasu Cosplay + Photography SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming projects? Suki: 2015 est l’année de célébration pour Naruto. Je travaille donc sur de nouvelles versions de Kakashi, notamment celles du dernier film. Par contre, en dehors de Naruto, je travaille sur un cosplay de Legolas de LORT, qui est plus pour des Comiccon et aussi Howl de Howl’s Moving Castle qui a toujours été sur ma liste. Plusieurs autres personnages d’anime sont aussi sur la table pour 2015, mais je n’en dirai pas plus! ;) - Translation 2015 is the year of Naruto! I’m working on new versions of Kakashi, particularly from the latest film. Besides Natuto, I’m working on a Legolas cosplay from Lord of the Rings, which will mainly be for conventions, and also Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, which has always been on my list. There are many other anime characters on the table as cosplays for 2015, but I won’t say anything more than that. ;) CC Mag: You’re the official Kakashi of Crunchyroll and an ambassador for the website. What is Crunchyroll and how did you get involved? Suki: Crunchyroll is an American website and international online community focused on streaming East-Asian media, including anime, manga, drama, etc. I met Victoria Holden at Anime Boston in 2012. She is the social media manager at Crunchyroll, and now also my manager at Crunchyroll. They started the ambassador program and they needed cosplayers to be part of the team. Since I was already focusing on Naruto, they named me official Kakashi and their Naruto representative, which means I’m more focused and involved than other ambassadors on anything Naruto related. I am, for example, one of the admins of the only official Naruto page on Facebook. I’m involved as much as possible outside, but also during conventions.

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: What’s the best part of being a Crunchyroll Ambassador? Suki: I’m part of a community that shares the same love as me. I have an opportunity to learn from awesome engaged people, but most of all I’m proud to support the anime industry. I’m engaged in the amazing community in many ways, but one of them is to promote a company that hosts only content to which it has legitimate distribution rights. In encouraging people to support the anime industry as well, I feel like I’m maybe making a tiny difference - but still a difference! CC Mag: Any big plans for 2015 – cosplay or otherwise? Suki: Aside from cosplay projects, I’m speaking with quite a few conventions around the world that are interested in having me as a guest. I’ve been a guest around here in Canada mostly, but never internationally. So hopefully 2015-2016 will make me travel! You can find more of Suki Cosplay’s work here: www.fb.com/cosplaysuki suki-cosplay.deviantart.com instagram.com/suki_cosplay twitter.com/sukicosplay suki-cosplay.tumblr.com J’essaie de rester à jour partout, mais le principal est sans hésitation ma page Facebook ! Phtography by: Sasu Cosplay & Photography www.fb.com/cosplaysasu Martie B. Photography www.fb.com/martiebphotography Don Dolce Photography www.dondolce.com www.fb.com/dondolcephotography

Photography by Martie B. Photography SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

NATHAN DELUCA Shaun Simpson Photography SECOND EDITION

Nathan DeLuca halifa x , nova scotia

CC Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Nathan: My name is Nathan, I live in Nova Scotia (though I seem to be travelling more time than I’m actually there). I like rabbits and cookie dough. But not together. CC Mag: Is there much of a cosplay scene out in the Maritimes? Nathan: There’s a bit! It’s small but talented. Sadly there’s not very many conventions. There’s Hal-Con in the fall as well as a few smaller cons in New Brunswick, but there’s not very much opportunity to cosplay compared to other big cities in Canada. CC Mag: What are some of your favourite Canadian cosplay events or conventions that you’ve been to? Nathan: I would have to say Montreal Comic Con has been one of my favourite events! Hal-Con is good, but also much smaller and has a different atmosphere. To be honest, I haven’t been to many conventions in Canada, having only done this for a little while.

The second would have to be the Spartan III build I did a few months after that, using pepakura and fibreglass. This was my first and last experience with fibreglass. It took so long and so much money that I swore it off entirely (also, moving into a new condo with inadequate ventilation, sanding space, etc. was an issue). The main problems were that my work space was inadequate for sanding, and I had no heated areas to store the fibreglassed pieces, which in winter would not cure unless room temperature or higher. Combined with the fact I really don’t like sanding and was using inadequately thick cardstock (whoops), the entire build looked pretty cool, but was a complete mess internally. Never again!

“People are as nice as you are to them- try and help folks out and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone starts somewhere.”

CC Mag: How did you get into cosplay, and when did you start your first cosplay? Nathan: I had my wisdom teeth pulled and was sitting at home, surfing the Internet, under the influence of hospital medications when I came across a picture of the Bioweapons N7 armour set. I decided to look at the tutorial, decided I could try it out, bought some foam and got started. I was decidedly unsuccessful, but it started a chain of life decisions and an addiction that has pretty much led me to what you see now.

CC Mag: You make a lot of bad ass full armour costumes – which one was the most difficult/complex? Nathan: This one’s a hard one! I’d have to say it’s a tie between three things: the first being my Kaidan, which is relatively simple but was my first, so I walked into it completely inexperienced and new. It took two months and was incredibly fragile. The rigging was poorly done and I had taken the long, inefficient route to do EVERYTHING.

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

The third is hard. After those two experiences, I stuck with costumes that were more in my comfort zone and slowly got better at foam work. I’d have to say, for most complex, I’d have to go with Edge of Tomorrow. It has a metal, Worbla and PVC frame keeping everything bolted together - it essentially had to become an actual exoskeleton, so it took a large degree of engineering trial and error for it to work properly within a deadline of only two weeks.

CC Mag: What materials do you usually work with to build your armour sets? Any favourite materials? Nathan: 99% of what I make is with EVA foam mats! I generally use 1/2in and 1/4in in tandem. I find it very easy to work with, it’s cost effective and is a dream to heatform and smooth (being harder to heatform than say, Worbla, but incredibly easy to smooth into a sheen). I use Rosco’s Flexbond to seal the foam, giving one to three watereddown layers, and try to heatseal everything before using it.

CC Mag: You’ve managed to turn cosplay and propbuilding into a full time career. At what point did you decide that cosplay was going to be a full time job for you? Nathan: Honestly, it just sort of eased in! I don’t know where the tipping point was, but I didn’t realize it was consciously a career until my job at the time gave me a two week gap in hours (and therefore, income) so I opened up commissions. I found myself relatively successful, and I just sort of never went back to working 9-5. It’s a decision I don’t regret.

Shaun Simpson Photography SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Do you have any advice for people just breaking into the cosplay industry? Nathan: Pretty much, don’t be a dick. People are as nice as you are to them! Try and help folks out and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone starts somewhere. After that, everything is time management, persistence and motivation. One last thing. Don’t go out of your way for fame! It comes off as petty, focusing on ‘likes’ instead of making friends and your craft just leads people to lose sight of the positive aspects of the community. CC Mag: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming projects? Nathan: Too many to list! In the near future I’d like to complete an armour version of every Robin. I’m halfway there, with only Red Hood and Red Robin left. I’ve done Red Hood once in the past, but it’s not quite as cool as I’d like it to be. Everything will be an original redesign of some sort, I think.

Shaun Simpson Photography 76

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Then, there’s Fenris from Dragon Age, Gabriel from Last Man Standing (complete redo), and perhaps a Green Lantern. A Tuxedo Mask/Bucky Barnes crossover is also in the near future. CC Mag: Where will we be seeing you in the next year? Nathan: Katsucon, Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Sydney Supanova and DragonCon. I can’t wait! Feel free to say hi if you see me! You can find more of Nathan’s work here: www.fb.com/nathandelucacosplay Photography by: Shaun Simpson Photography www.shaunsimpson.ca www.fb.com/shaunsimpsonphotographer Instagram/Twitter/Tumblr: @ShaunTheShooter

Shaun Simpson Photography SECOND EDITION

LEXA ONE

PHOTOGRAPHIE Having worked with some of the world’s best known cosplayers, Lexa One Photographie is surely making a name for herself in the cosplay photography industry. Her photographs capture the essence of a character through composition, colour and attitude, and she is fast becoming one of the most sought-after photographers in North America. Her style ranges from soft and dreamy to bold and dramatic, always capturing the edge and uniqueness of each of her clients and their cosplays.

Yaya Han Arcade miss fortune, League of Legends Photography by Lexa One Photographie 78

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

The diversity in her work is stunning, largely due to her dedication and commitment to portraying each character both authentically and creatively, bringing out the best qualities in both the character and the cosplayer. We’re excited to be able to feature a great selection from Lexa’s cosplay photography portfolio, and we hope you enjoy the following interview.

SECOND EDITION

CC Mag: Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been a photographer? Lexa: I had my first camera in 2008, and I started by using my cats and some friends as models. CC Mag: Where do you live/work? Do you ever travel for your photography? Lexa: For the moment I live on the south-shore of Montreal, Canada. I have my studio at home and I’m leaving the country to attend more conventions for the first time this year. CC Mag: How would you describe your photography style, if you have one? Lexa: I’d say that for cosplay I play a lot with colours and light to create a surreal or cinematic kind of feel. CC Mag: What type of cameras and equipment do you shoot with? Lexa: At the moment I use a Nikon D700. I started with a Nikon D60 but the upgrade to a Full Frame camera was worth it. I use prime lenses because I love the sharpness and bokeh they can give. Of course lighting is very important, so I have a few Einstein studio flashes from Paul C. Buff with a battery pack and a few mods of different sizes. I also have a couple Yongnuo strobes that I love to use with colour gels. CC Mag: Can you tell us a bit about how you first got into cosplay photography? What drew you towards taking pictures of cosplay? Lexa: The first time I got to shoot some cosplayers was at a MCP (Montreal Cosplay Photoshoot) organised via Facebook. I was interested to shoot new subjects and since I was always drawn to anime and video games, I loved the idea of my favourite characters coming alive. After the MCP I was asked by a friend of mine who was an organiser of Otakuthon in Montreal to shoot for their convention’s photobooth with all equipment included. At the time I didn’t know how to use flashes so I kind of learned on the spot, but it was fun!

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: What are some of the most memorable photos you have taken? Can you tell us a bit about your experience creating those photographs? Lexa: Hmm, I have so many. Everyone is special to me and I love to meet new people who share the same geeky interests as me. Maybe one that is popping in my head now is a shoot I did with Karumen Chan as Zero from Drakengard (page 87). She sacrificed her cosplay for me during Otakuthon 2014. We started with some casual shots in Montreal’s Old Port and eventually we decided to cover her all up in fake blood that I had prepared specifically for this shoot. I was so excited to be the one that she chose to do this with because when somebody wants to sacrifice something or when cosplayers are fearless it’s really exciting to me and the result is always so worth it!

“Jump on every occasion you get and be fearless!” CC Mag: How much of the cosplay character do you try to get to know before taking the photo? Do you try to be authentic to the character, or do you prefer to create your own mood/setting when creating images? Lexa: I always try to be authentic to the character and to recreate the world it comes from. Sometimes, like in a convention, I don’t always know the character in advance of the shooting but I always ask the cosplayer if it’s more of a dark ambiance that is needed or more light and colourful, so that will affect how I use my flashes. Before starting the editing process I always do some research on the character to be sure that everything makes sense.

Narcissistic Puppet Photography by Lexa One Photographie SECOND EDITION

Cosplay by Arcana Imperia Cosplay Photography by Lexa One Photographie 82

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

CC Mag: Are there any characters you would really like to shoot? Who would be your dream cosplayer/ model? Lexa: Ohlala, that’s a tough one! I shot so many awesome and talented cosplayers already and more to come, I don’t have that kind of goal. I’m more into making people happy with my work!

CC Mag: Have you ever cosplayed yourself? Or are you strictly behind the camera? Lexa: Yes, my first cosplay was in 2014. I did Cornelia Li Britania from Code Geass. The heels were so horrible to wear, the suffering was real but it was worth it! Everytime someone recognized the character it made me so happy and proud. I’m planning a second cosplay for 2015 ! :)

CC Mag: Do you have any advice for people wanting to break into cosplay photography? Lexa: Jump on every occasion you get and be fearless!

You can find more of Lexa One Photographie’s work here: www.fb.com/pages/Lexa-OnePhotographie/148984075119239 e-mail: photolexaone@gmail.com

Cosplay by Mathy Cosplay Photography by Lexa One Photographie SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Dark Elf Sorceress. by Captain Izzy Cosplay Photography by Lexa One Photographie

Demon Hunter by Stephanie van Rijn Photography by Lexa One Photographie

SECOND EDITION

COS CULTURE MAGAZINE

Okita Souji, Hakuouk by Narcissistic Puppet Photography by Lexa One Photographie

Zero, Drakengard 3 by Karameru Photography by Lexa One Photographie SECOND EDITION

second EDITION C OS C ULTURE M AGAZINE