Tomb Raider: The 10,000 Immortals as told by Twitter

8:22 pm HelenLJohnson 2 Comments

(http://ipodger.tumblr.com/)

Let me set the scene.

On a dark October night, I came home from work to find a familiar Amazon parcel nestled into the end of the sofa. I knew then what it was, it was the Tomb Raider book I had ordered many months ago. Shaking off the horrors of 'The Amulet of Power', I looked forward to finally understanding what had happened to Lara since Yamatai. I never quite realised as I began to read the novel on the train to work, how ironic that would be. 

Then I took to Twitter...

So take a deep breath, a sip of water and enjoy one Tomb Raider fan's descent into despair and British irony. I thank those who joined me on the journey. It was a long road, but we did it...because we are Crofts.   

(Tombraiders.net)

Is the Golden Age of Cosplay over?

8:05 pm HelenLJohnson 0 Comments

MCM London, May 2013

 While I was on my way home yesterday, I came across an article that suggested that the ‘Golden Age’ of cosplay is over. This sentiment apparently came from one of the loudest voices in the community, Ms Yaya Han. After reading through the article, and a reaction piece from Kamui Cosplay (one of the most skilled amour cosplayers in the world) I wondered myself what exactly is a ‘golden age’ and has cosplay reached it’s peak?

First of all, I’d like to note that the article is riddled with clickbait. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if the so called interview was edited beyond recognition so that passing comments were took out of context. You can read it here, be warned if you use Ghostery, you will need to deactivate it as the add on flags the whole site as an advertisement.   

I’m a relatively new member to the cosplay and convention club, starting at the end of 2012 with my Tomb Raider Reborn costume. However I have sewn and made things since I was little and took textiles/fashion up to A-Level. So I had at least a good grounding to start from. I had trouble finding a job and needed something to focus my mind on. I had also began to get back into gaming and my love for Lara came back with a vengeance. I was fairly sure I could hear the little seven year old in me jump with glee when she realised she could finally have the Lara costume she always wanted. 

MCM London, May 2013

 I had seen cosplayers over the internet for a few years before then. I loved the idea, but I knew no-one who liked that side of pop culture and I became too absorbed in my studies to even try to find these people. I thought conventions were an American and Japanese thing. When I came across MCM London mid 2012, firstly I was curious and then amazed that all of this had been going on under my nose. After a bit of Googling I found many more conventions, including some that were on my own doorstep. From there I was hooked and found great comfort and pride with my Reborn Lara. By simply making the costume, I was exposed to other cosplayers, Youtube channels, blogs, websites and forums where ideas were shared. I know there is a darker side to the hobby, which undoubtedly comes with it’s high visibility online as a community. Yet all my positive experiences outweigh the bad and I know many cosplayers who feel similar.
 

When we look at a ‘Golden Age’ we can assume it is the pinnacle of something. That what came before it, laid foundations and what came after it could never quite match what came during that golden period. It doesn’t always mean that an artform or ideology dies out or stops becoming profitable, but critically or otherwise it just simply ‘is not the same’.  It is very contextual and lives within a period of history. The 'Golden Age' of comics set the standard for what could be called the stereotypical superhero while the golden age of Science Fiction lived in a time where we, as a population, were unsure of new technologies as people rethought their world views after World War II and the Cold War.

Let’s apply this theory to cosplay. We can assume that the ‘Golden Age’ of cosplay is one where people feel more comfortable displaying their fandom on their sleeve. The rise of blockbuster films from Marvel and DC meant that it was okay to like Ironman and if you were able to make that suit? Serious brownie points for you sir.

The ‘Golden Age’ of cosplay could mean that boundaries were crossed and skillsets increased. Youtube took off around 2008 which resulted in a steady growth of not only specific cosplay related channels but also a platform where potential cosplayers could cherry pick techniques from make up artists, photographers, crafters and stylists to apply to their own visions. The video format makes it a lot easier to understand tricky applications such as French seaming organza.



Today, cosplay as a hobby is a lot easier to pick up...in theory. I say this because although relevant knowledge is easier to access. The money that can be spent on costuming is increasing by the year as new products enter the market and cosplayers want to make even grander designs. Perhaps it is getting to the stage where convention attendees expect film-ready costumes at every event; subsequently pushing out lower skilled or off-the-peg cosplayers. Maybe this is what Yaya means; the ‘Golden Age’ of cosplay was when you had extreme levels of trial and error on costumes as you had no idea how to make something unless you picked up tips at a convention or sporadically on the internet.

A quick YouTube search shows the variety of skills that are shown my fellow crafters and cosplayers

As a community, a percentage has become obsessed by the social brand aspect. We give ourselves aliases and create another life on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This is a recent phenomenon, something I will touch on again in a later posts; but does this increased celebrification of a hobby mean that the ‘Golden Age’ is over?


I would say no.


I think we are perhaps only just coming into the peak of cosplay. As mentioned previously, the community is growing and people are able to tailor the hobby to suit themselves and opportunities with cosplay are becoming more commonplace. The hobby is becoming layered as many pastimes do. For example, some people paint watercolours. Within that there will be some who use cheaper materials as they simply enjoy partaking in the activity, some will take classes and go to museums to improve their own work, while a few discover their paintings open new doors for them, whether that be a local gallery exhibition or a career painting portraits.

Perhaps some of our behavior as cosplayers and consumers of cosplay art need reviewing. For me, this indicates that we are not quite there yet and I struggle to accept that a ‘Golden Age’, as a set historical time, is even a thing as it automatically assumes everything after is in decline. From comic book to Science Fiction to Hollywood, I think it is safe to assume that there are plenty of examples of fantastic works beyond the so called ‘Golden Age’. All we are observing is cultural evolution and a ‘Golden Age’ is nothing more than a significant number of people suggesting something is good. Which, let’s face it, is subjective in it’s own right.

     

Tips for a Thrifty Cosplay Experience (Episode I)

9:41 pm HelenLJohnson 0 Comments

Cosplay, like many hobbies can become very expensive, very quickly! Whether that be a whole costume bought from a commissioner or a costume made from scratch, you will find that your fantastic new hobby can make you bank account weep.

We don't want that do we?

However if you think ahead a little, cosplay can be much more affordable as you continue to grow your new skill set. This list will predominately feature tips that involve making your own costume, as often this will be the cheapest way to cosplay. Actually there is tip number one!

Tip #1: Make rather than buy your cosplay

I would advice if you have the skills and time available to sew a costume and/or make your own props, then certainly do that. Not only is this very rewarding when everything comes together, but it also saves a lot of money and doubts on online ordering. It might mean quite a bit of googling and a few scraps of fabric/foamboard/make up et cetra going to waste as you try things out, but you will be learning skills that could help you save money on later cosplays. This is especially true in regards to props as a lot of time and effort goes into commissioned prop work. 

However if you really don't have the time or available skill set to make your desired cosplay, then prioritise elements of the costume and research how much each would be to buy. List up what you may be able to make in time and buy pieces to compliment it. This may mean buying a dress to modify and then buying a hand crafted sword from a commissioner. Leading on nicely to my next money savvy cosplay tip...

Tip #2: Choose your character carefully

Take a step back and breath. A nice deep, long gulp of air. Done? Now think, who do I want to cosplay? Who would I like to transform into, whose personality do I admire? Hell, whose outfit do I bloody adore? This is your starting point. If you invest on a personal level in a character then you are much more likely to continue your cosplay even if things get tough; and you are much more likely to wear it multiple times. So even if you do spend quite a bit of money making it, you will end up saving money in the long term rather than making a new costume for each convention. It wouldn't be thrown together, instead it would truly represent your interests on your newly hemmed sleeve.

What if your dream cosplay is, lets say Carmilla from Vampire Hunter D: Blood Lust?

Cosplayer: Yaya Han

Cosplayer: Ryoko

This costume could easily be made from a plain navy blue dress (£3 in Primark) and a long white teeshirt (£3) that is maybe two sizes up from your own to get that baggy appearance. Faux fur can be quite expensive, on average £14 per metre, however you could scourer charity shops and eBay for an old coat and cut as needed. I've seen a faux fur coat being sold in a charity shop for as little as £7 and you would get much more fabric for your money.

The arm and head bands can easily be made with either elastic or scraps of fabric and the necklace could be made out of fimo clay with some cotton cord. For the boots, you could wear some slipper boots (yes Primark has them!) or even socks! 

Make up wise, you could use red lipstick for the facial decoration and simple make up for the rest. No SFX needed! Even if you have long hair and don't want to buy a wig, you could roll your hair up using the false bob technique. 

For the dagger, this can easily be made from foamboard. I paid £2.50 for an A3 sheet at my local art store, so this would leave plenty of room for trial and error. The whole costume could be put together for as little as £20-£25.


 Something like The Last of Us is a perfect for a closet cosplay. You may already have a red teeshirt in the back of your wardrobe that you could paint a pattern on and distress; and almost everyone has a pair of jeans!

Same goes for Joel's outfit. Very simple, but when put together with some care it can be just as effective on the con floor as on your bank balance.


So that is it for this first episode in Thrifty Cosplay, next time we will move onto shopping. Where, when and how to buy. Hopefully you'll have found something interesting and join me again in another post :).
 

 

Welcome to Tangled Wires

6:16 pm HelenLJohnson 0 Comments

If you have found this blog, well hello to you! I started last year with every intention to write a blog that focused on video games. However, life took over and here I am a year later with only one post. A blogging sin for sure.

So what now?

Well Tangled Wires is now going to be more than games as it is going to be a cosplay blog too, focusing predominately on UK cosplay. I didn't want to create a new blog as I love the name, Tangled Wires, and I also still enjoy the first post I made. I suppose you could say TW will become a little menagerie of things, comics, films, opinion pieces, with gaming and cosplay as the overarching theme. I have a few post planned out so I would be great if you could join me in the upcoming months.

Until then, go and sort out those wires behind the TV.

(Image courtesy of irishhips)