COSPLAY LINE Welcome to COSPLAY LINE, the first Greek magazine about cosplay! Here, every month you will find the best Greek and international cosplayers, tutorials to learn all about the secrets of cosplay, photographers, events and everything that has to do with cosplay in general!
You can find the credits of all the photos in this magazine on page 61
Contents Page 3-4: Cosplay Line Page 5-6: Material of the month - Polymorph Page 7-12: Cosplay tutorial - Hylian Shield Page 13-14: Meet Art-Time Page 15-18: Make-up Tutorial – Venom Page 19-24: Interview with Calypsen Page 25-30: Interview with Pretzl Page 31-36: Interview with Ailiroy Page 37-40: Interview with EffieT Page 41-42: Event - Xbox Arena Page 43-44: Upcoming event - Pixelmania Page 45-48: Japan Expo by Cosplayers//Gr Page 49-54: Character Spotlight - 002 Page 55-58: Top 10 cosplay characters suggestions Page 59-60: Zodiac
In the previous issue: Interviews with:
- Smirka Cosplay - Darkenya Cosplay - Zak Viemon - Νικητές Gameathlon
Cosplay Tutorial: -How to make Katarina’s Blades
And much more... !
TO READ THIS ISSUE IN GREEK CLICK BELOW
GREEK VERSION 3
SADLY, THE PREVIOUS ISSUES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN GREEK!
YOU CAN NOW FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA! CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM!
Cosplay Line @cosplayline - ‘HOT’ interviews - Brand new tutorials - New materials - Cosplay Ideas
You? Will you miss it...?
ISSUE 4 4
Craft feature Material of the month
Polymorph Cosplay Line Magazine Polymorph is a revolutionary material that is suitable for many and different uses. It is a thermoplastic material which’s properties have made it quite fitting for cosplay because it can be used along with other famous cosplay materials to help make a costume or props. Let’s get into details now, polymorph is being sold in small white spheres which are inside a package depending on their weight. These spheres are hard like plastic, if they are exposed to 60 degrees celcium they become transparent and can be given any shape. We can achieve such temperatures using a heat gun or by simply putting them in boiling water. After some minutes polymorph gets hard again, turns white and becomes rigid. This has made it very loved by cosplayers because they can produce durable pieces with complex shapes with ease and in no time. Apart from that, polymorph can stick with worbla without the use of glue, because both are thermoplastic materials, which makes it perfect to create complex details on armour made of worbla. Also, polymorph is ecological which means we can use it on our body or even in the mouth and that’s why it’s being used to create things like teeth, fangs and claws. Regarding colouring polymorph, we can colour it when it’s hard using a primer first but also when it’s in hot water by using dust paint which will adhere to its surface. 5
Alternatively, if we are to make something that will be put inside the mouth, we can use colours used in confectionery. To sum it up, when polymorph is hard we can easily rub it with sandpaper, pierce it using a drill or curve it using a dremel. If, for some reason, we want to change it completely we can always put it in hot water and start all over again! Polymorph sure is a material that can give an edge to a costume. You can find it at Art-Time in Athens and Thessaloniki or online using their site www.arttime.gr , they deliver to all of Greece instantly and with some juicy prices. The only sure thing is that polymorph can provide solutions to difficult parts of every costume.
Photo by Ronny Von
www.arttime.gr https://www.facebook.com/arttimethess/
6
Tutorial
Cosplay Tutorial How to make:
Hylian Shield
Materials: ● Cardboard Sheets 300gr ● Fiberglass ● Polymer resin ● Acrylic Putty ● Pvc ● Wood ● Wooden craft sticks ● Acrylic paints ● Screws ● Leather ● All-purpose craft glue ● Foam Board ● Primer ● Sealing Varnish ● Masking tape Tools: ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 7
Scissors Cutter Plastic gloves Gas Mask Painting Brushes Plastic cups Spatula Sandpapers Jigsaw Heatgun Screwdriver Hot glue gun Sanding machine Tutorial by:
Hikari & Lorian Cosplay and Crafts
@hikari_lorian_cosplay
For this build we will use a 3D Pepakura model of the shield which we can download for free from the internet. We could make the patterns by freehand but the Pepakura model provides more precision. We adjust the model to our measurements and print the shield parts to our 300gr cardboard sheets. In order for our shield to be durable and steady we will build the front and back separately, reinforce them on the inside and then attach them together. We start by cutting all our pieces from the cardboard with the cutter, then fold the mountains and valleys as shown on the model and glue them together with our allpurpose adhesive glue. The front piece will remain on cardboard sheet but we will trace the pattern of our back part onto the foam board. After finishing with our cardboard front
8
Tutorial
and foam board back parts we proceed to the fiberglass and polyester resin application. (ATTENTION: These are toxic and dangerous materials). We put on our plastic gloves and gas mask and mix the polyester with the catalyst in a plastic cup. We apply one layer of polyester resin on the insides of our shield parts and on top of that we place pieces of fiberglass. When the whole area is covered with fiberglass we apply another layer of polyester resin soaking the fiberglass while being careful not to leave any dry spots or move the fiberglass leaving hollow spots. When we are done ,we let it dry (The time needed for our build to dry depends on the room temperature and moisture, the amount of catalyst mixed with the polyester and the general amount of polyester resin, and it can take from one night up to 3 days). While our main parts are drying we proceed by building the decorative parts for the front. For the bulge pieces we use the Pepakura method again from our model, but for the triforce and it’s enclosure we use freehand patterns and foam board. All our pieces must be reinforced with fiberglass and polyester. For the handle in the back we cut a piece of wood corresponding to our measurements and sand it down until it is round and smooth. Using a piece of pvc we cut the buckles for the leather strap. Before connecting the front and back of our shield we screw the handle and the strap in place and reinforce the walls of the front part with wooden craft sticks gluing them with hot glue. After that we connect our two main pieces together, 9
Tutorial
we add fibreglass ,and polyester resin in the seam so that our pieces stay together. Finally we glue on our decorative parts with hot glue. The next step is possibly the most important part for a nice result. We apply lots of layers of acrylic putty on the shield and sand every layer along the way. We start with a heavy duty sandpaper and finish with a more delegate one until we get a smooth and glassy finish. When we are satisfied with the result we apply our primer and paint the shield with blue acrylic spray. After masking the blue parts of the shield we proceed with the silver ones for the front and back (don’t forget to mask the handle and the strap). After the silver paint has ,dried we mask everything up and add the Hylian crest using the stencil method. The triforce ,and it’s enclosure will be painted by brush-on acrylics. Finally (optionally) we add battle damage and weathering and seal everything with our sealing varnish.
10
Cosplay Line Magazine
Extra progress photos
11
12
Welcome to the world of ART-TIME! In ART-TIME- you will find the biggest collection of painting, hobby, crafting, religious art and drawing supplies. Brushes, colours, frames, varnishes, clays, papers, decoupage materials, cosplay materials, wires, candles, soaps, books, arts and crafts knick knacks, drawing, painting and sketching materials, religious art supplies‌you will find all that and more here at our shops! With over 20.000 unique products at our physical stores, we keep adding new, specialized materials for professionals and hobbyists. Who are we, though? Founded on 1991, ART-TIME in a very brief time frame has managed to become one of the leads in the art material market. Imports, exports, dealerships, new products, new techniques, but mainly the love our workers have for painting and the Arts, has managed to make ART-TIME a meeting point of artists and art enthusiasts. Since our founding, we continue to operate with the same passion, and with customer satisfaction, specialization and good price/quality balance as our goals! With 3 physical shops for painting, religious art, drawing and hobby supplies, one at the center of Athens and two at the center of Thessaloniki, we serve hundreds of friendly customers in Greece and the Balkans! We can now be found operating online too! www.arttime.gr! Browse our pages to observe our products, learn our news and do your shopping through our online shop. We can guarantee you the best prices, immediate service and quick delivery to your place of choice! Happy creations!
13
Who are you? Art-Time is the biggest Greek retail company specializing in Art, Design, Hobby and Cosplay materials!
with the best prices, with no transport fees for orders over 50 €, up to 3kg in weight or in size! And the delivery time being… 1-2 days!
Where can we find you? In Thessaloniki at the center of town at 3 and 5 Georgiou Stavrou street (pedestrian crossing passing over Agia Sofia street) and at our NEW shop at the center of Athens, at 5 Ipeirou street, straight across the National Archeological Museum and the Universities!
Indeed…That all sounds very nice… We have good service too! And serve you coffee if time allows ;) Though we can’t read your coffee grounds…yet! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!? We want to come visit! DO SO!
How did your business start? We were founded in 1991. Since then, and for 27 consecutive years we continue doing what we love.
Time for Art then? What do you say??
What does… Art-Time mean for you, after 27 years? Everything. It is our daily lives, our thoughts, our love of materials, the friendships we have made with the people that visit us every day to experiment with new techniques. But most of all, that sweet passion we have about our artistic creations and the fine arts in general! What can we find in your shops? Thousands of different materials, more than 20.000 unique product names, such us art brushes, colours, worbla, EVA Foam, Polymorph, varnishes, markers, sprays, hot glue guns, pencils, materials for models and maquettes, decoupage materials, materials for candle and soap making, wires, airbrushes, wooden knick knacks for decorating, polystyrene… pretty much everything! Or, we try at least. Why should one shop from your store? Apart from the great variety we carry, our goal is to offer our materials at the best prices of the market! Just one visit will show you we are worth it! How about an e-shop? You can visit www.arttime.gr to shop from your P/C,
ART-TIME, www.arttime.gr And of course over at Facebook : www.facebook/arttimethess https://tinyurl.com/facebook-hobby Georgiou Stavrou 3 and 5, Center of Thessaloniki (Tel. 2312202525) Ipeirou 5, Center of Athens (Tel. 2122133762) Email: info.arttime.gr, sales@arttime.gr 14
Tutorial
Make-Up Tutorial by Maria Pol
Tutorial by: Eve Estenzia
Since the new Venom movie is coming out later this year, we thought we would show you how you can recreate your favourite character, by simply using bodypaint! 15
Maria Pol @mariapoool Maria Pol 16
1 1) The first thing you can do is sketch out were you would like everything to go. It is not a necessity, but it will definitely help you out if you do so.
2
3
6) Use black bodypaint to fill in the rest of the mouth and cast a shadow of the teeth on the tongue. Make sure to paint the gums as an outline of the mouth.
2) Mix red and brown bodypaint to get the 7) Fill in the eyes with white bodypaint. base color for the tongue as well as the gums. 3) Before you start giving depth to your bodypaint, you need to have the source of light in mind. For example in this particular look the light is coming from the left side. Therefore all shading and highlighting should be done accordingly. You apply dark shades to make the surface seem deeper and light shades to seem higher. Use black and brown eyeshadows (they blend easier) for the shadows and white bodypaint (we need a more solid color) for the highlights. Do take your time in this step, it needs a lot of going back and forth to get the desired look. 4) Use white bodypaint to fill all the teeth in. 5) Do not leave them as they are though! Venom is not supposed to have pearly white teeth! Use a super light coral eyeshadow to dirty them up and add some brown eyeshadow on each tooth, depending on where the light is coming from. Do not forget to outline them with black bodypaint.
7 17
4
5
6
8) The most satisfying part of the look is clearing everything up with black bodypaint, so go ahead and do that! 9) Last but definitely not least is the salivation - It is Venom after all! Mix white and green bodypaint and make it look as if it is dripping from all around the mouth!
8
9 18
International Cosplayer
Calypsen cosplay
Cosplay Line Magazine Calypsen, you are an internationally recognized cosplayer with invites to a lot of conventions. What is the most important thing that led you to this kind of success?
Calypsen is a cosplayer from Poland, she is known for her spot-on costumes of strong female characters from games, TV series, movies and comics. Her cosplay career had brought her to Greece for the Athenscon convention of 2016 and we had a chance to meet her in person! She is often travelling to conventions around the world and she is considered as one of the top cosplay figures of Europe.
Calypsen Cosplay @calypsencosplay 19
I wouldn’t really use the word “success” but I feel like being invited to a convention is very important because we not only represent cosplay from a different country but we show it to new people and maybe inspire them from time to time that’s why it’s so important and we need to treat is as a serious job but at the same time have fun. Of course every convention is different but the things that are the most important for me,and I hope they help me to go to many cons are: speaking English, which is really important when it comes to communication, panels and judging the cosplay contests. I am not saying everyone has to speak perfectly, we all have different accents so just if it’s understandable that’s the most important. I also use all my Social Media in English, because it’s universal. Another thing I noticed is that more and more conventions are family-friendly therefore I keep creating costumes that I hopeare not vulgar or offensive. Another thing is that I treat the judging of a cosplay contest really seriously. I will try to know as much as possible about the work of a contes-
tant and I pay attention to the details. I also always try to ask, read about the rules of the cosplay contest first so it helps to be a good judge. Maybe the fact that 90% of my costumes are handmade by me also helps because I can speak to other cosplayers about making them. But to be honest I will never know what the reason I am blessed to be invited is. I believe it’s about being true and doing the right job. What got you into cosplay in the first place? Haha, that’s a question I get quite often. 5 years ago I was playing League of Legends a lot... I was
‘‘ Sometimes being vulgar doesn’t fit to the character at all. And that means it’s no longer a cosplay. ’’ following their championships and then I saw a video with some cosplayers so I thought if these people can dress as their favorite characters for fun I could try to as well! How do you choose the characters that you cosplay? There are few criteria I have. One is the love for the character, sometimes the design doesn’t matter, it can even be a boy, for example I love LOTR so I did Frodo and enjoyed it so much. I love strong female characters and leaders but at the same time very feminine (Wonder Woman, Daenerys). Second is the design, I like big armors, big pauldrons, blonde or white hair, big weapons but also cute dresses. Sometimes all these things are in one, and if so there is a high possibility that I would make that costume. What do you use to keep in touch with cosplay?
it’s all social media I have so up to? Facebook and Instagram but I also love watching cosplay tutorials I follow Lightning Cosplay from Germany for 4 years or more, I am from streams or just YouTube. amazed how her work is getting better and better every year and You have visited Greece in the it’s definitely a cosplayer I admire. past. What is your opinion on I also love Kamui Cosplay for Greek conventions, Greek cosher positivity and great tutorials. players and the country in And also Kinpatsu whom I finally general? met last year after many years of As a child I was at Crete and it following her. I will also mention was wonderful, sunny, warm and the waters were beautiful. When I came to Athens recently I fell in love with the city, truly beautiful with monuments and big markets. AthensCon was one of the best conventions I’ve visited, full of people with many interesting stands, happy people who were so friendly and positive I felt like I am with good friends. Greek cosplayers were also really nice, I met a few and it was amazing when they came to my booth and we were able to chat a little. I think Greece is quite new to cosplay but I see it growing and the community becomes bigger.
The channel where I look at the work of other cosplayers? Usually Who are the cosplayers you look
20
‘‘Maybe the best way to avoid drama is to calmly and politely tell the truth and explain the situation.’’ my Russian friends Narga and Aoki Have you ever experienced cosand also a very talented French play drama and how do you think cosplayer NightCold Creations. it can be avoided? Often times characters from games, comics and movies appear sexy. Do you think that being sexy in some costumes is something important to a cosplayer?
To be honest I never really was part of any big drama, I am more of a person that will read about this all on the internet, because I am a woman and I am curious (hahah) but I usually always try to solve problems immediately I will always say that people can and I go to said person and talk. do whatever they want, even porn Maybe the best way to avoid in costumes. The definition of cos- drama is to calmly and politely tell play is not only wearing a costume the truth and explain the situation. but also being “in character” so the role play is important. If the What are your next cosplay costume fits to the character and plans? their personality I think we can call it surely cosplay. But it’s good to I am just finishing Dolores from remember that vulgar costumes Westworld, I also want to do will surely meet the critics and that Lagertha from Vikings and I hope sometimes being vulgar doesn’t Maleficent. fit to the character at all. And that means it’s no longer a cosplay. It’s safer to call it a sexy costume or themed photoshoot. And replying to the question I think for each person cosplay has something different to offer. For some people it’s the social part at a convention, for some of them it’s the crafting part and for others is to feel more sexy in a costume which is totally fine, just please remember if you call it a cosplay don’t do anything that the character wouldn’t do - like smoking a cigarette in a Disney Princess costume, some kids can take a bad example seeing their favorite hero doing it. 21
22
23
24
International Cosplayer
Cosplay Line Magazine
Pretzl is a cosplayer from the Netherlands. She is known for her extremely detailed cosplays of majestic creatures and characters from games, movies, comics, etc. Apart from costumes she also has her own line of cosplay oriented merchandise such as hoodies, caps and many more. She also writes cosplay educational books about her costumes and creates original drawings for cosplay costumes herself. She is a big inspiration to many cosplayers worldwide.
Pretzl Cosplay @pretzlcosplay 25
Pretzl, what is the most import- sometimes I just feel like it’s not ant thing you have acquired the right time for that character. from being a cosplayer? Mainly because of the seasons though. Because I always love Cosplaying gives me more to make winter costumes, but confidence. I wasn’t one of the it’s summer now over here. So popular kids in class when I summery costumes are a better grew up, so I never had a lot idea at this moment. Oh and of of confidence. With cosplay, I course, I can only do one thing found that I can make amazing at a time. So, a lot of those costhings, and on top of that, I can tumes are just still on the waitinspire others to do that too and ing list. even teach them. It’s such a rewarding feeling and makes me What is your favorite part of cotrust that I can do even more. splay? How do you choose the charac- My absolute favorite part is ters you cosplay? crafting and sewing, so the actual making of the costume. So Whenever I see something or much creativity goes into it and some character that inspires me, I just love that. I also love the I put it on my list. The list seems never-ending because I find new ideas for cosplays all the time! I don’t always choose characters to make accurate replica’s off, but I also love to create my own take on a character. For example, a Pokémon or a pony from My Little Pony. Really, with cosplay your creativity is the limit! Tell us about a costume that you love but haven’t made yet, and why haven’t you done it so far. All the costumes that are still on that list. I haven’t made them because of different reasons. Sometimes I just like another character better at that time, or
‘‘Cosplaying gives me confidence. (...) With cosplay, I found that I can make amazing things, and (...) I can inspire others to do that too ’’
feeling to finally put on a costume and wear full make up with it and then go out to a con or do a photoshoot. Seeing the photos afterwards is always SO AMAZING! And also meeting other people at cons who love that character too and chatting about it and taking selfies together is also the best feeling. It always surprises me how many people love the same things that I love! Who are the cosplayers you look up to? There are so many! It’s hard to choose but I will just name one that inspired me for so long. I must say, Kamui Cosplay is the cosplay duo I have been following for the longest. Their tutorial books have been so helpful for learning new techniques and they are just super awesome and nice people.
that happen?
Well, cosplay itself is not really my business, but it is a part of it. My work consists mostly of making commissions for hats, hoodies and onesies and I have a Patreon page where I write detailed tutorial books every month about the cosplays I make. I also digitalize my patterns and send them out as Patreon rewards. These E-books You have turned cosplay into and patterns also end up in my a business and you have your Etsy shop later so everyone can own line of cosplay oriented get a hold on them eventually. merchandise. How did you made I didn’t quit my job to be able to
start my own business. When I was still working at the landscape architect (yep I’m an ecologist) I already made some kitty eared fleece hats and also did some freelance tattoo designing work. It was OK, but I couldn’t do that fulltime. Then, when I lost my job due to the economical crisis I decided to try and go to a few conventions with my handmade hats and see how well I could sell them. At the same time, I was looking for a new job in the ecology sector, but it was so hard to find one. Then, after a few cons, 26
Cosplay Line Magazine
Pretzl
‘‘ Sometimes I try to raise awareness for some concers in the ‘cosplay scene’ like body shaming, unwanted attention ’’ it went really well, and I decided to keep doing it. So, I made more different colours and styles of hats and kept going to conventions. This was four years ago. I also started to work more on cosplay and expand my crafting and sewing skills. I had been crafting and sewing since I was little, so I already had some experience points under my belt. Then, in 2017 I took the scary step to start a Patreon page to offer paid cosplay tutorials and people actually pledged (who would have thought that??). So now I’m doing both; I work for my Etsy shop and I make cosplay tutorials and I even guest at conventions sometimes. I love it!
Have you ever experienced any kind of cosplay drama? Oh yes, I think we all have. I’m not the kind that wants to make drama so I mainly just listen and walk away slowly. Sometimes I try to raise awareness for some concerns in the ‘cosplay scene’ like body shaming, unwanted attention, etc. What are your next plans?
I’m currently working on Astrid Hofferson from ‘How to train your dragon 3’. I’m so excited about the new movie! I just had to start this project even if I don’t know how some parts of her outfit look… Well, I will just take some artistic freedom for those parts. Do you think that being a cosplay- After that I want to make a beauer can be a lifelong profession? tiful elven dress and also my That’s a hard question! Since original design for Gnar from cosplay is still a relatively new ‘League of Legends’. hobby I don’t know a lot of examples of ‘old’ cosplayers. Maybe, when I grow older and don’t want to wear costumes anymore I could switch to making cosplay commissions. Then, I can keep doing this for as long as my body will be able to craft and sew. But, this will be different for everyone. It’s a personal opinion.
27
28
29
30
Greek Cosplayer Feature
Cosplay Line Magazine Ailiroy, you have been an active cosplayer for several years now. What is it that made you start cosplay and what is it that keeps you on it?
Evangelia Zormpa is a Greek cosplayer known as Ailiroy. She is one of the first and most recognizable figures of the Greek cosplay scene and she has participated as a contestant, a presenter or a judge in many Greek conventions and events. Her costumes revolve mostly around sewing but she uses a big variety of materials and techniques.
Ailiroy @Ailiroy 31
way. Of course, this also requires knowing the universe from which they come from (having played the game having seen the movie / series, for example). So I adapt elements of the character to my Yes, I am old in this scene now! own reality. Having a beautiful Since I was a kid I always had a and easily customizable design love: to wear costumes and to do also helps. some kind of performance. I am not gonna lie, when I first learned You have attended Fotocon in about cosplay I got jealous and Poland twice. Tell us about your I wanted to do it too, although experience. not very successfully at the beginning. The thing that keeps I did not expect it the first time me in cosplay is the “childish� to tell you the truth. I was excited pleasure of acting like the and I was frightened at the same characters I love, while at the time. What costumes should I same time I learn something new do? Would photographers want to work with me? Where am I which is added to my skillset. going? Thankfully I was lucky By what criteria do you choose enough to share this trip with the characters that you cos- SpirosK photography who was invited at Fotocon, and that is play? how I learned about it as well. I The main one, so far, is to worked with many photographers identify as the character in some and I met many cosplayers and
‘‘ Cosplays that do not base their sexy appearance on the original design but on clothing removal, belong to the category of fetish rather than anything else ’’
photographers alike. The second time, I was more prepared for Fotocon, I did lots of photoshoots and I met even more people. All of this experience showed me how much alike are the problems of photographers and cosplayers in every country. The only thing that changes is the language and the background.
crew has raised my standards of what I am asking from such a project, and what requirements do I now have from myself. As from abroad my favorite was the group photoshoot of Witcher, with many photographers and many cosplayers. We laughed, we sang and we had a great time. My best collaboration with a cosplayer so far has been with Plane shifting Art, who is no longer in Greece.
What is your favorite photoshoot and with which cosplayer have you made the best collaboration? Who are your 5 favorite cosplayers? They are so many so I will tell you about one in Greece and one from I follow J. Heart Design for years, abroad. In Greece I would say that I’m watching December Wynn’s my favorite photoshoot was that of projects, my old favorite is Enaythe Dark Elf Gatekeeper, in 2015, la Cosplay, I like Ferasha Cosplay, with SpirosK photography. It was Alchemical Cosplay is one of my the first photoshoots that was very favorite and I would go on done just as I had imagined, and but we have already reached 5. my collaboration with the whole I will not mention Greek cosplayers
since I watch almost all of them with the same interest and enthusiasm. We are used in seeing you in some very sexy characters. Is that an important criterion for you? How do you feel in your live performances? I don’t do just sexy characters, it just so happens that they have more… reach. The truth is that I haven’t thought of it as a criterion, but rather as the similarities I have with these characters part of which happens to be their sexuality and the challenge of the difficulty of them in being natural and comfortable both in movement and behavior. To be honest when I get in costume and go on stage I care for nothing apart from 32
giving the audience the feel they ing removal, are something behad when they first saw the char- yond the cosplay concept I know. acter in the source material. It’s different, for example, to cosplay a succubus from Witcher, You have done photoshoots of which has a specific behavior and characters in swimsuits and design, and very different to coslingerie as well assome original play Kindred with sexy lingerie. I sexy characters. What is your personally think that the second opinion on sexy cosplays and the belongs to the category of fetish rather than anything else. As boudoir cosplay category? much as I like such photoshoots, I think sexy cosplays and boudoir I cannot categorize them as coscosplays, cosplays that do not play. base their sexy appearance on their original design but on cloth- You have been a part of many 33
Greek events and ma” is something frequently. Where we owe that and fight it?
“cosplay drathat pops up do you think how can we
In every “village” there are misunderstandings. Either from mistakes made by someone, or by subliminal jealousy, or by personal disappointment that is expressed in the wrong way. There are always people ready to feel insulted, as close or far as they are from the person they speak, metaphorically
and literally. The only thing we can do is to improve awareness. As this is purely personal, there is no external factor that helps. What are your future plans? For now, to just finish school and rest my hands that do not work the same way anymore. Then I hope to make some costumes that have been in my mind for years.
34
35
36
Photographer of the month
Cosplay Line Magazine
Effie is a Greek photographer known as Effie T. Photography. She has only recently started working on cosplay photos but she has already worked with most Greek cosplayers. She prefers outdoor photoshoots that fit the character and she will do anything to achieve the best photo.
Effie T. Photography @effietphotography 37
What made you go into photography?
cosplay photography in particular?
I’ve been working on photography since my childhood, since the first time I got a camera in my hands for the first time to be precise. Slowly, as I grew up, my love for photography grew as well. Although my studies in cinema helped me a lot in the technical part, I always try to explore and develop my own abilities and aesthetics. I believe that personal development and passion are very important to a photographer (and an artist in general), even if there is no possibility for specialized studies and / or the best equipment of the market.
As any other child that likes cinema, I love the idea of bringing some of my favorite characters to life. The search of the ideal location, the ability to use a character’s strengths to the fullest or even place him in unusual for him situations (for example to put Legolas at a burgerhouse) are all parts of a creativity game that I love.
What is the thing you like in
You have worked with a lot of Greek cosplayers. Do you think they can stand next to cosplayers from abroad as equals? Certainly, there are some Greek cosplayers talented enough
‘‘ There are some Greek cosplayers talented enough (...) although the country does not make it easy for them ’’ who could compete with foreign cosplayers. Although the country does not make it easy for them, mainly due to the state of mind but also other issues (for example not to be able to book locations for shooting due to bureaucracy) they try and do their best and I respect them for that.
something like that would be awesome too! Which foreign cosplayer would you like to work with? Apollo Cosplay, Ferasha Cosplay, and Santatory are some of my favorite!
What are the most common Which one is your favorite peculiarities of a cosplay photo? cosplay photoshoot so far? What do you watch out for the I really love photoshoots in inter- most? esting and special locations so In a cosplay photoshoot I always the shoot we had with Horo von try to highlight the cosplayer’s Kaida, and her Judgement Uther work (his crafting, make-up and costume, at a half-buried medieval expressiveness) but mostly the monastery is one of my favorites! character they portray. In general, I maintain a cinematic style in my Which costume would you like to photos with strong elements of shoot in the future? atmosphericity and movement. Definitely something from Game That is why I love outdoor locations, of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. because the cosplayer can move Although, right now I am hooked around and interact with the to Detroid: Become Human and environment. its aesthetics (I love sci-fi), so
38
39
40
Events
Once again, the world of gaming came together for a spectacular event with the name of Xbox Arena Festival 3. It was held on 23 and 24 of June at Gazi Music Hall in Athens and left the audience and gamers absolutely amazed. At the event, besides the audience having surpassed 8,000 people, many celebrities from the sports and esports scenes attended such as the NBA Ambassador for Greece, Eftimis Rentzias, the silver Olympic champion at Tae Kwon Do, Alexandros Nicolaides, the Pole Jump World Champion (U18), Manolis Karalis, European champion in Long Jump (U20), Miltos Tentoglou, World Cycling Champion on track, Christos Volikakis, 3,000m Steeplechase Champion athlete, Athena Koinis, 3,000m Steeplechase Champion,
41
Zoi Andrikopoulou, Greek champion at 10,000 meters, Christos Kallias, the world champion in Tae Kwon Do (U 21), Evgenia Sarri and others, while the event was presented by George Mavridis. Of course, such an event could not be missed by the cosplayers who gave it a special taste with their costumes. The event did not host a cosplay contest but had a rich cosplay parade in which all participants left with gift packages up to a total of 120 â‚Ź worth while attendees had the chance to see cosplays from Overwatch, Lineage, League of Legends, Final Fantasy, Witcher, Diablo and more. In total, the event gave away prizes and gifts totaling 20,000 â‚Ź .
42
Upcoming Event
Pixelmania @pixelmaniaevent Pixelmania is an event that is being organized with that name for the very first time. It is not unknown to the public though because until last year it was known as Fotocon. For some reasons that only the organizers know, Fotocon was split into 2 different conventions, the first being Pixelmania which retains Fotocon’s characteristics such as the dates, the location and the way it was being set up and the second being Fotocon which keeps the same name but the location and the dates along with details for the whole convention have not yet been announced. The event is very special since the guests consist exclusively of cosplayers and photographers and their only goal is to collaborate to create the best photos possible. In the span of 3 days, cosplayers and photographers do photoshooting sessions contiuously and they bring their best costumes for them to shoot in the magical locations of North Poland. Pixelmania begins in the first days of August, specifically on 10 and lasts till the 12th of the same month. It takes place in Wlen which is a very small village in Northern
43
Poland, the reasons behind the amazing photoshoots are all the locations surrounding the village such as: the lake in the near vicinity, the river with his waterfalls, the ruins of the Opera house, the green hills and last but not least, the castle. You read that right, Wlen has its own castle which is used for photoshoots! Apart from the aforementioned one more remarkable thing is the use of fire in photoshoots which happens every night and the photoshoots in the studio which is set up inside the elementary school of Wlen, the base of the whole convention. Pixelmania is loved by many and has been very successful. In 2016 there were 90 cosplayers and 79 photographers and over 900 photoshoots took place in total, in 2017 there were 137 cosplayers along with 119 photographers while the total photoshoots exceeded 1400! In this year’s event there will be 103 cosplayers and 82 photographers coming from 27 countries in which apart from the European countries are Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada, the USA, Mexico and Brazil. Panagiotis Anastasiadis, mostly known as Ventus Cosplay,will be attending this year’s Pixelmania and is the only Greek cosplayer among the guests!
44
Events
Japan Expo 2018, the 2nd biggest Japanese Culture event worldwide, took place for the 19th year in row, on 5-8 July, reaching an attendance of more than 250.000 people. Taking place at Parc des Expositions de Villepinte in Paris, France, 700 exhibitors were present, including many from Japan and other countries, covering a wide range of tastes. 140.000+ square meters full of Japanese merchandise, exhibits, shows, concerts, presentations, screenings, workshops, signings, videogames, sports, tourism, arts, cosplays, food and anything else imaginable. Around 80 guests honored the event. Anime artists, scenario writers, directors and producers. Japanese singers and bands. Videogame producers and composers. Japanese themed theatrical, visual arts and sports groups. Despite the venue’s huge size, Cosplayers were
45
present everywhere, reaching many thousands in total. During the 1st and 2nd day, two Cosplay Shows took place, consisting of Cosplayers who had already applied before the event. Four big foreign guest Cosplayers where present, Drefan, Gladzy Kei, Its Raining Neon and Mogu, with all of them except the 4th also acting as jury members at the European Cosplay Gathering Finals. The European Cosplay Gathering is the 2nd biggest european Cosplay Competition, supported by 14 countries, having taken place for the 8th year in a row on the biggest european Cosplay stage, during the event’s 3rd day. Every country participates with 1 solo entry and 2 or 3 group entries. Next year’s French European Cosplay Gathering representatives were chosen during the 4th day.
46
All of the above require pre-scripted minute long theatrical sketches, with the corresponding musical and voice clips playing along, since they aren’t just presentational Cosplay Shows. However Cosplayers had constantly the choice to use a specific stage whenever they liked, to present anything they wanted, however it suited them, with no stress and pressure whatsoever, in front of a constant audience passing by. Everyone visiting the event in the future will have an unforgettable experience, with nothing similar in Greece ever hoping to happen.
Japan Expo
47
@japanexpo_fr
Japan Expo
Japan Expo www.japan-expo-paris.com
Article by
48
Character Spotlight There are some characters who are loved by cosplayers instantly. Sometimes they come from something new and fresh and sometimes they come from something classic and loved by many. The common feature they all share is that they have all been cosplayed by many cosplayers around the world, sometimes in more than one versions!
Ays Cosplay 49
@mk_ays
Zero two (002) από το anime “Darling in the Franxx” Darling in the Franxx is one of the most successful anime of this season. One of the main reasons for that success is due to one of the main female leads, Zero two. The character is so loved that we saw a huge number of cosplays from around the world even before the end of the anime’s first half.
Yashafluff
@yashafluff
Horo Von Kaida Cosplay @horovonkaida
@lady.melamori
@kalinkafox 50
Character CharacterSpotlight Spotlight
Marcelline Cosplay
@marcelline.cosplay
KaYa
51
@kaya_cosplayer
CharacterSpotlight Spotlight Character
Photographer
@_rooboo Rosson Photography
Helen Stifler Cosplay
Ely Cosplay
@eeelyeee
@helenstifler
52
Character CharacterSpotlight Spotlight
Photographer
jessykip
Vivid Vision
53
@vivid_vision
Don Dolce Photography
AngieV Cosplay Photographer
@angiev_cosplay Chris Kon Photo
CharacterSpotlight Spotlight Character
Mifancha
@mifancha
LittleJem
@littlejem
54
10
top10
TOP COSPLAY
SUGGESTIONS Cosplay Line
OF JULY
Are you full on cosplay-mania mode and can’t decide what to cosplay? Everything is ok now because we are here(!) with our top 10 cosplay suggestions of July!
10
Inkling - Splatoon
Splatoon, Nintendo’s shooter game, is not only extremely fun but it also has some of the cutest character which can easily become very successful summer cosplays!
55
8
top10
Bishamon - Noragami
8
9
Noragami is a very nice anime which introduces us to a very strong and prideful character, Bishamon who also serves as an ideal summer cosplay. Her costume is easy and impressive and the only certain thing is that you won’t feel hot in it!
Alleria - WoW Alleria will surely undergo some changes in the new expansion of World of Warcraft but before that we can take a moment to appreciate one of the most iconic and beautiful costumes of this game, with the bright green color and her gorgeous bow. It is definitely going to be a timeless cosplay no matter the changes on Alleria.
7
Lightfury How to train your dragon 3
The movie might have been postponed for almost a year since its original airing date but the hype is already getting built up. All the characters have new costumes but all eyes are on Lightfury, the female white dragon. We will most likely see many cosplays from her in both human and dragon forms! 56
top10
Venom - Venom
6
Venom is getting his own movie and that opens the way for some epic cosplays. Be it from latex or simply a bodysuit, Venom cosplays come in a lot of different versions and the only certain thing is that they will all attract the attention of the public!
5
Neliel - Bleach It is no secret that sometimes the cosplays that get the most attention are a little bit more revealing than most. Nel is a strong character from Bleach with a very revealing costume which makes sure that you will capture the people’s attention and you will not be hot during the difficult summer months!
Pool Party Miss Fortune League of Legends
4
Riot has never let us down when it comes to skins and the Pool Party ones are amongst the most loved ones in League of Legends. One of the best ones is Miss Fortune’s who wears her stunning swimsuit and is ready to win every fight with her water guns! 57
Miss Marvel - Marvel Comics
3
top10
Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel but before that she was known with many different names and costumes. The first one is Miss Marvel with the iconic black leotard costume, so if you think it is still too hot or too soon to bring Captain Marvel to life start from the beginning with a Miss Marvel cosplay!
2
Deku - Boku no Hero Academia
The hype still stands strong for Boku no Hero Academia and Deku is one of the characters most loved by cosplayers. With his regular costume or the female variation with the skirt the only certain thing is that this cosplay will be loved by all!
Wasp - Ant-man 2
1
The Ant Man 2 movie introduces us to another female superhero from the Marvel universe, the Wasp. Her costume brings together modern parts and vintage elements such as her helmet along with the faint yellow color and of course the transparent wings! It is a cosplay that is definitely worth the while!
58
odiac Ζ August 2018
ARIES (Mar. 21 - Apr.19) This month you will experience a wave of creativity. Loosen your rhythms and look back to what you have done so far. How many costumes did you make? How many of them were a challenge to your skills? Now is the time to start the most complicated and detailed cosplay you have ever done. TAURUS (Apr. 20 - May 20) Finally you have a clear mind! Now you focus on what you really love and enjoy, cosplay! It is also a great time to sort out any differences you have with your close friends and family. GEMINI (May 21 - June 20) Human relations have started choking you. Although stable and serious relationships are not your forte, lately you couldn’t have dropped deeper in them. That’s bad because they keep you away from your cosplay projects! CANCER (June 21 - July 22) You experience a sudden sense of independence and selfcontrol. New acquaintances full of perspectives come and give inspiration. The conditions for a new creative cosplay project could not have been better. LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) The month you really shine! You stand out from the crowd with your big smile. You have choices everywhere and you are asked to answer the questions: Do I enjoy what I do? Does it express me? If the answer to both these questions is «Yes» then there is no doubt about what to do. Yes, this big project you’ve been thinking about is undoubtedly the best choice. VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) Your perfectionism doesn’t let you enjoy anything. Nothing is good enough and you feel that nothing is done properly. This is wrong thinking, especially now that you have the potential to turn everything you touch to gold! Become a little bit selfish and give energy to what you love. The next cosplay project will be big, that’s the only thing that’s for sure! 59
Art by Meagolicious
LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) Now is the time that everything becomes more clear as to what is important to you and what’s not. Spoiler alert: it’s the thing you love and only that! How you spend your energy should be on that… and cosplay! SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) After months of preparation and effort, you have more selfconfidence and control, both in your relationships and in your work. Now you can feel comfortable that every decision you make is the right one. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) This is a tough month for you, because you like the big picture and your skills are tailored to it. But now you have to stand in the small details and this is a difficult challenge. Do not be afraid, though. No one felt less proud doing a complicated and detailed cosplay. Your finances may not help you much, but I’m not afraid of your ingenuity. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) It is difficult with your disciplined and formal behavior, but for a while you do not have to treat everything as another obligation. It’s a time of relaxation. Lose yourself and maybe feel better and let your batteries charge faster. After the summer there are a bunch of cons and you need energy for your new cosplay. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) Turning your attention to your relationships, cosplay may take second place at this time. It does not matter, as there is always room for new cosplayers, because you will of course do cosplay together! Now if you are asked to choose between your favorite hobby and your loved one, I believe you will make the right choice and drive your beloved person to the front door! PISCES (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20) Now is a good time to keep in touch with the people around you. As a classic fish, it’s hard to keep in touch when your attention is split into many pieces, like your new projects. But you should not forget your friends because they can help you, both emotionally and practically. Be careful, not to give more than you get though.
Meagolicious http://meagolicious.com/
60
Photo credits of this issue: Cover by: Studio Zahora Back Cover by Pretzl Cosplay Page 7: SpirosK Photography Page 8-11: Hikari & Lorian Cosplay and Crafts Page 12: SpirosK Photography Page 13-14: Art-Time Page 15-18: MariaPol Page 19: Pacific Rim by Siradze Photo, Wonder Woman by Maks Tobbi Page 20: Hippolyta and Mercy by Dobrochna Page 21: Pacific Rim by Siradze Photo Page 22-24: Nova by Studio Zahora Page 25-30: Pretzl Cosplay Page 31-32: SpirosK Photography Page 33: CreatiVe Wolves Page 34: SpirosK Photography (top photo), Klaudia Clieplinska (bottom photo) Page 35-36: SpirosK Photography Page 37-40: Efiie T. Photography Page41: IGN Greece Page 42: Chris Kon Photo Page 43: Snowgrimm, Kok Leng Jang Photographe (botom photo) Page 44: Reaper by Studio Zahora, Merida and Raven by Steeve Li Photography, Rydia by A.Z.Production Cosplay Photography, Rendom Fotografu (bottom photo) Page 45-48: Cosplayers//Gr Sources for 002 arts: Page 49: https://imgur.com/gallery/Chd6zEd Page 51: https://avatars.alphacoders.com/avatars/view/125081 Page 52: http://kvnai.tumblr.com/post/171841545469 Page54: https://www.reddit.com/r/DarlingInTheFranxx/comments/83uc1s/white_ swimsuit_xpost_rzerotwo/
COSPLAY LINE Project Manager: Horo von Kaida Project Coordinator/ Article Writer: Alex “The Pirate” Lampardis Editor in Chief: AngieV Creative Director/Proofreader: Marios Dal Zodiac: Ailiroy
Sponsored by
Thank you for reading!
COSPLAY LINE Till next time...