Cosplay...part 3!

If there's anything I've learned from being the new Editor-elect of TVG, it's that our fellow vet students love cosplay!  Here's another INCREDIBLE submission by Jilian Athey of Texas A&M!  Congratulations on your Life as a Vet Student Award!!!

   I make and compete costumes, so this is my most elaborate, intricate, and well done set thus far! I am the pink-haired girl, and with this set we managed to take home Second Place in the Intermediate division. It encompassed prop-making (yes I made all of the fake guns, the gauntlets, the armor, goggles, and jewelry), sewing, wiring LEDs, wig styling and make-up, and a million other things. It took me a little less than a year to finish making all of the components, but I had a blast doing it!

So, my costuming hobby, more commonly known as "cosplaying," has taught me a bunch of practical (and maybe not-so practical skills). I've gotten skilled enough at sewing to actually make wearable garments; I've learned a ton about construction, tool types, drill bits, and all that jazz; I've perfected the basics of hair and make-up; I've taught myself how to wire LEDs; and finally, I've learned a bunch of sculpting, forming, priming, and all around crafting techniques. I really enjoy doing this because it combines your stereotypical art class with creativity, foresight, and planning to execute a successful costume. I think this hobby is so addicting because, you go to a Comic-convention dressed as Batman and you get treated like a celebrity for a day! People stop to ask for your photo, others will ask for hugs, and kids will even stare in wonder as they walk by. But, don't get me wrong. I don't do it for the attention, I do it because I love crafting, I love challenges, and I love being able to dress up and "be" a character for a day. It's like Halloween! 

I've attached some progress shots and then the final product of a costume based off of a character, Rengar, from the popular computer game, League of Legends. He is actually a lion, so it was fun to try and figure out how to maintain the feline elements without having a mascot suit. I managed to make heel-less cat feet, gloves, a tail, cat ears, and to top it all off I even had fake teeth! In retrospect, it was definitely NOT the most comfortable thing to wear, but people loved it! 

From Forging Horseshoes to Knives

In her spare time, Alaine Kringen from Iowa State is taking forging lessons and learning to make some pretty neat stuff.  Below is a sampling of photos from two knives she made and inserted into deer antlers for handles!  Congratulations on your Life as a Vet Student Award!

Bowyer

Submitted by Paul Champion from Purdue

I study the craft of primitive archery, where everything from the bowstring to some of the tools I use are made from natural materials.   Four years ago I made my first self-bow out of a single hickory log.  Since then I have completed a number of bows, learned to fletch my own arrows, and created leather equipment such as quivers and finger tabs.  

Starting with a log from a felled tree, I split the log using an axe and wedges until I have a workable plank to make a stave.  Using hand saws and wood scrapers, I work the stave down to a thick, block-like bow structure.  It is at this stage that I determine what type of bow (length, draw strength, style) that I can get out of the stave.  I run calculations based on the properties of the wood in order to get an estimated desired thickness for the limbs at any point along the bow and start tillering to that point.  With a known bow length, I create a bow string out of sinew or milkweed fibers and constantly check the bend of the limbs and overall draw weight of the bow until I reach the goal.  Depending on the style and strength of the wood, I may add a rawhide or snakeskin backing to reinforce the bow.

A single bow may take over a year to complete to allow the wood to weather and dry to the correct water concentration.  Attempting to tiller and heat treat wood that has not properly dried or is too dry will likely compromise the strength of the bow, often resulting in the wood breaking.  My first bow only lasted a few weeks before the wood cracked, but by learning from my mistakes I can create good quality archery equipment.

 

The Art of Building Costumes

Walker Roberts, University of Florida Class of 2018

Life as a Vet Student Category Winner

The Art of Building Costumes

My unique, strange, and down-right crazy hobby is costume making. Not just small character builds or thrift store stops, but full on creature and armor builds. The world of costume making for a hobby didn’t reach popularity until anime and gaming conventions began to arise around the nation from Comic Con in San Diego, California to Dragoncon in Atlanta, Georgia. While many costume makers (also known as cosplayers) build and wear their costumes for the fun of gathering with friends and meeting new ones, I build costumes to compete nationally in costume competitions from Ohio to Florida.

Photo collage of my costumes including (from left to right) Impa from Skyward Sword, the Black Knight from Dark Souls, and an original character. Photography by Cerulean and Iconiq Photography.

My hobby didn’t start until I was at the end of my sophomore year in College. I had not taken an art class since elementary school and I had never sewn before. And yet my first costume, Impa from the video game Skyward Sword, was a raging success at the local convention and it swept through the internet. I was hooked. However, I did not start competing until I made my second costume, Commander Shepard from the video game Mass Effect, and competed in a low key convention local to Morgantown, West Virginia. I won first place, and it gave me confidence to compete in bigger conventions (which meant a bigger draw for more talented costume makers). Until finally, I became who I am today. I have been cosplaying for three years and I average two or three competitions a year. I have placed seven times in competitions of which four of them are first place.

Comparison of my costume to the in-game character, Impa, from the videogame Skyward Sword. Best Sci-Fi costume at Shockacon 2013. Photography is by Cerulean Photography.

In general, the rules of the competition and judging vary based on the convention. For admission rules, some conventions only allow costumes from Asian culture. The main points of judging, however, are mostly always the same. You are judged on craftsmanship, complexity, functionality, and accuracy. Craftsmanship is how well you make your costume. Do you have any glue showing? It is falling apart right at the judge’s table? How clean are the seams? How smooth is the armor? Complexity is how detailed is your costume. Does your costume have lights? Does it have movable wings? Does it make sounds? Functionality refers to how well you can move and wear your costume. If you have stilts, how well can you move? How well can you see? Do you require people to help you move around? Lastly, accuracy refers to how close your costume matches the actual character. Did you spend that extra week weathering and detailing? All of this is judged in a matter of minutes and your overall score competes with the other fifty plus contestants.

Comparison of my Valka Haddock costume to the in-movie character from How To Train Your Dragon 2. First Place in the Western Culture division at Colossalcon 2014. Second Place at Swampcon 2014. First Place at ALTcon 2014. Photography is by Joe Rondone at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Let’s discuss the making of a costume. It took me a couple of years, but I have finally learned that you never know what you are doing or how exactly to make a certain piece of the costume. You learn to have confidence in your skills and your knowledge of the materials. You set out on an adventure every time you make something and every time I learn a new technique or a new approach to an old one.

Photo collage of my Black Knight from the video game Dark Souls. Awards include Judge’s Award at WVpopcon 2013 and Honorable Mention at Tsubasacon 2013. Photography by Iconiq Photography.

The first step to building a costume is to choose the outfit. You need to consider the rules of the competition. Some people choose their costumes based on complexity, connection with the character, or for simplicity in a time crunch. I choose my costumes based off how visual stunning it is. For example, my latest costume is the Songbird from the video game Bioshock Infinite. Its introduction to the main protagonist and the detail work is what made me decide to build the character.

An in-game picture of the character Songbird from Bioshock Infinite.

The next step is to find reference photos to the character in order to ensure exact details. If this is a character from a relatively older show or game, then there is a good chance someone else has already done the work for you. However, if you are building a character from something very recent, then it is time to watch the same trailer or the same cut scenes at least a hundred times and try to capture every angle of the costume. There are also times when there just isn’t enough detail in game/movie that you have to find another method like the Songbird. I needed to purchase the official statue from the company as a reference. Finally, it usually helps to draw out the details so you don’t miss anything.

Picture of the Songbird statue and some of my notes breaking down the costume build.

The third step is actually making the costume. When working with new materials or techniques, this step can be even more frustrating because you need to add more time to your schedule to research how to use them. What I have learned over the years is to forego the tutorials, learn the basics, and just mess with the materials. It is a constant process of building on top of the last layer. You are never truly done since there is always that ONE little additional detail or weathering, but the deadline of the competition stops your work. The Songbird is still a work in progress, but with the stilts, foam base, and leather, it has taken me close to a year to get this far. It is also the most expensive step. It is far cheaper just to buy the costume, but making a character from scratch helps to give me peace of mind and is definitely worth the money, sweat, and tears. 

My skills in costuming have grown a lot in the past three years from Impa to the Songbird. There is still work to be done and techniques to master. This hobby is crazy and stressful both emotionally and physically. Most of the competitions don’t even offer prizes other than certificates or goody bags. However, I have made great friends at these gatherings and the moment you walk out onto stage with hundreds of people cheering, it all becomes worth it. I will continue to make bigger and better costumes until I believe I am ready to compete with the professionals at the largest competitions in the nation.

A photo of what I have completed so far with the Songbird costume. I still need to finish the wings, detail, and weather.

You can see more of my work and tutorials at facebook.com/swiftforge 

Mervet Student

by Chelsea Highfill from Oklahoma State

"Life as a Vet Student" Category Award Winner

My unconventional hobby is that I'm a mermaid. I primary am hired for little kids birthday parties, however I also participate in the Muskogee Renaissance fair every may. It takes a bit of training in both core and endurance so it requires some time spent at the Gym. I have had the privilege of swimming in the waters of; Belize, Mexico, Honduras, France, Florida, California, and the Trevi fountain in Rome Italy. I love being a mermaid because I bringing such joy and amazement to children I meet.