An inspirational guide to sewing cosplay Boldly enter the world of cosplay and gain the confidence to design the costume of your dreams! Award-winning cosplayer Amanda Haas helps you translate your ideas from fiction to reality as you research costumes, shop for fabrics, mash-up patterns, and present your cosplay at a competition. A gorgeous photo gallery will have you frantic to join the cosplay community, while the author’s seasoned advice will give you the courage to take the first step. Bonus project: Sew a bum bag to carry your keys and other essentials to a con. Learn the art of making and wearing designer-quality costumes that will transform your persona. Turn fiction into fashion! A step-by-step guide to designing your own cosplay Dive into the fun world of cosplay with the author’s trusted advice Step up your cosplay costumes with inspirational photos, techniques, and more

Expand your costume-making skills and go from beginner to confident maker! Picking up where Creative Cosplay left off, this new volume prepares costume enthusiasts to create out-of-this-world effects from head to toe! Cosplayers of all experience levels have much to gain from Amanda’s expertise as a national cosplay competition winner and judge. Learn the basics of making an original costume pattern, using prosthetics and latex, and customizing fabric through dyeing and painting. Transform yourself into the character of your choice with Special Effects (SFX) makeup. SFX makeup uses prosthetics and smaller on-skin materials to create illusions — such as wounds, scars, deformities, or supernatural features — directly on the skin. Get the scoop on sergers, embroidery machines, and using a digital cutter Pick up industry secrets on the basics of LED work, body painting, and SFX makeup Create a DIY costume repair kit for conventions, and market yourself in the cosplay world

If you think only Hollywood and Broadway costume designers can do spectacular, think again! A gallery of stunning and inspiring cosplay photography. 1000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas provides a broad and detailed glimpse into the ingenious artistry and attention to detail behind some of the most fabulous costumes you’ll find anywhere . . . and most of them are designed by just regular folks who have a passion for the character they’re looking to emulate. From clothing to makeup to accessories, these costumes are like nothing you’ve seen before. Featuring costumes from popular convention-goers to professional craftsmen, this stunning, photo-filled book by Joey Marsocci and Allison DeBlasio of Dr. Grymm Laboratories and Yaya Han walks you through scads of favorite characters as imagined and created by fans. Use it as inspiration for your next costume creation!

Entrepreneurial Cosplay takes a comprehensive and insightful look at the business of cosplay, exploring the ways that artists and fans engage in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial practices to gain personal and professional success. Centered around the concept of entrepreneurship and the newly emerging concept of intrapreneurship – using entrepreneurial principles to enhance or further an existing concept, organization or product – the book showcases the ways in which cosplayers create new ideas, new ways of working and new ways of doing things, exploiting their knowledge to create new opportunities. By analyzing the numerous motivations driving cosplay behavior (self-expression, external recognition and financial gain), this volume provides a unique view of current cosplay practice and its relationship to economic activity. Offering important insight into this emerging area, this book will be of interest to scholars seeking to learn how entrepreneurial and economic models may be used to understand the emerging field of cosplay studies, as well as students and scholars working in the fields of Entrepreneurship, Business, Fan Studies, Visual Art Studies and Gender Studies.

Reflect your personality through larger-than-life cosplay that pairs fashion and function. Wellington-based costume designer Sanit Klamchanuan, a contractor with Weta Workshop, teaches you to build cosplay from scratch or remix popular characters. Follow Sanit’s complete design process through five original cosplays—from planning to problem-solving to execution. Learn how every costume can be made more comfortable, easier to pack for shows, and more impressive to behold! Find inspiration and personalize your build for a striking finished product that’s truly your own.

In The Art of Cosplay and Creative Makeup, body painter extraordinaire Rainbowskinz show you the fundamental techniques he uses to create an infinite number of extraordinary looks.

Cosplay, short for "costume play", has grown from its origins at fan conventions into a billion-dollar global dress phenomenon. Costuming Cosplay takes us from elaborately crafted DIY costumes to online fandoms, examining how the practice of portraying fictional characters from popular culture through dress and performance has become a creative means of expressing and playing with different identities. With an approach that ranges from admiration and role-play to gender performance, this is the first book to fully examine the subculture and costume of the Cosplay phenomenon. Drawing on extensive first-hand research at conventions across North America and Asia, Therèsa M. Winge invites us to explore how Cosplay functions as a meritocracy of creativity, escapism, and disguise, and offers a creative realm in which fantasy and new forms of socializing carry as much importance as costume. Illustrated with color photographs of both celebrity and amateur Cosplayers, Costuming Cosplay is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion and costume, popular culture, anthropology, gender, and media studies, as well as global players and fans of Cosplay.

1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas provides a broad and detailed glimpse into the ingenious artistry and attention to detail behind some of the most fabulous costumes you can find. Featuring costumes from popular convention-goers to professional craftsman, this stunning, photo-filled book by Joey Marsocci and Allison DeBlasio of Dr. Grymm Laboratories walks you through scads of your favorite characters as imagined and created by fans.

**The Ultimate Cosplay Guide** Unleash your inner hero and bring your favorite RPG characters to life with *The Ultimate Cosplay Guide*! This comprehensive eBook is your definitive resource for diving into the dynamic world of RPG cosplay, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned cosplayer looking to enhance your skills. **Master the Art of Character Selection** Start your cosplay journey by understanding the allure of RPG characters. Learn how to research and choose the perfect character that fits your skill level and personal style. From iconic characters to hidden gems, this guide has you covered. **Design and Planning From Dreams to Reality** Transform your ideas into reality with expert advice on costume planning and reference image analysis. Develop a meticulous project schedule to ensure you hit every deadline and detail. **Materials, Tools, and Techniques** Navigate the world of fabrics, essential tools, and specialty materials with ease. Whether sewing by hand or machine, employing advanced techniques, or simply getting started, this guide provides step-by-step instructions for every skill level. **Armor Crafting, Prop Making, Wig Styling, and More** Create show-stopping armor and props with insider techniques on material selection, painting, and weathering. Discover how to select the perfect wig, style it to perfection, and add captivating accessories. **Makeup, Prosthetics, and Photography** Achieve breathtaking transformations with tips on basic makeup, special effects, and prosthetic application. Plan your photoshoot, work seamlessly with photographers, and master photo editing to showcase your work. **Conventions, Fitness, and Troubleshooting** Prepare for conventions with confidence, navigate competitions, and connect with the cosplay community. Maintain cosplay fitness, manage stress, and troubleshoot common issues like costume malfunctions and prop breakages. **Budgeting, Time Management, and Building Your Brand** Keep your projects on track with detailed budgeting and time management strategies. Learn to craft a personal brand, expand your network, and create a captivating cosplay portfolio. **Advanced Techniques and Future Trends** Push the boundaries of your creativity with advanced techniques like LED lighting, animatronics, and 3D printing. Stay ahead of the curve by exploring emerging trends and technological advancements in the cosplay world. Immerse yourself in the ultimate guide to cosplay and unlock the potential to create, inspire, and elevate your passion to new heights. Get ready to transform your RPG cosplay dreams into a stunning reality!

In recent years, cosplay, which is the act of dressing up as one's favorite character from TV, movies, comic books, video games, or really just about any pop culture media, has grown significantly from a niche community to a massive society of costume enthusiasts creating a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. For some, cosplaying is a hobby, while for others, it's a lifestyle. In The Art of Cosplay, every day cosplayers are transformed into the subject of their own fan art, making them the main character in their own story. Along with being filled with unique character art, this book is filled with interviews, stories and insights from real cosplayers, providing a narrative as to what cosplay means to them. Lavishly illustrated in full color, The Art of Cosplay is a book that celebrates real cosplayers and their craft by featuring them in unique and character specific pieces of art. The images in this book are uniquely specific to the individual, giving life to the character they portray and to showcase the costume they spent so much time and effort creating. Featuring numerous cosplayers from all over the world, The Art of Cosplay is sure to give you a new and exciting look at real cosplayers, their fashion and their passion!