Lizard Beans Cosplay Showcase: Arwen's "Chase" Jacket

Well, it's time for the LOOONG overdo Cosplay Showcase for Lizard Beans! Hooray! And it's awesome. But before we get to that, let me quickly direct you to this update post that explains my long absence and what I will be doing with this blog in the future. So once you are done checking out Ms. Lizard Bean's epicness you can pop on over there and read that. But first!:

Cosplay Showcase

Arwen's "Chase" Jacket from The Fellowship of the Ring

Photo By Tim Boothby

Why did you choose this character/prop to make? Why did you choose it for the showcase?

I'd really been wanting to make a Lord of the Rings cosplay since it's my favorite series ever! And I really wanted to make a cosplay to wear to the midnight premiere of the first Hobbit movie to show off my Tolkien love. I really wanted to make something of Arwen's and this jacket was the only thing she wore that wasn't a dress. Dresses aren't really my thing, but warrior babes are :) And I've always loved the look of it, I just avoided it for a long time because it looked too hard. But I finally had the proper motivation to make me shut up and do it. 

I chose it for the showcase because it was a beast to make. I had to use pieces from 3 different patterns which I modified a bit and I had to make a few pattern pieces of my own. It was a labor of love as well as frustration and I am insanely happy with the final product. This isn't something you could just make in a weekend (unless you're some crazy wonder seamstress, which I am not). So I'd like to show off the construction process for you guys.

What was your construction process?

Research- I always start by finding pictures from every possible angle. I watched the scene from the movie and took snapshots on my computer so that I didn't miss any details. And I even found a site where someone had gotten to see the actual costume in person and made an in depth analysis of the costume.

Gather Materials- The analysis site said the actual jacket was made of dove grey suede, so I found a similar charcoal grey microsuede that worked. Then I found fabric for the underskirt and undersleeves pretty easily. The sashes were harder. I found some cheap chiffon but it was a light blue, so I had to dye them in a mixture of grey and purple dye to get them the right color. And I got really lucky and found some mesh fabric leftover from Halloween that looked similar to the mesh on her collar.

Patterns- I bought a pattern for a vest that had a rolled collar, but it had no princess seams. So I traced out the pattern, cut princess seams into the copy and then added seam allowances to the new seams. I used two different skirt pattern pieces for the bottom half of the jacket. And I had to make a pattern for the petal shaped sleeves. I just cut newspaper little by little until it looked the way I wanted it to.

Test- I bought a bunch of muslin fabric to make a test jacket. It's a good thing I did because my torso was longer than the vest pattern and I had to add 5 inches to the bottom. It also let me test out the petal sleeves to see how well they hung from the top part of the sleeves.

Cut and Assemble Pieces- Exactly what it sounds like. I followed the directions as much as I could and made up the rest. The design on the sleeves was drawn on with an oil based paint pen.

Accessorize- I found my leggings, elf ears (by Aradani Studios), and Evenstar on Amazon. I already had the boots. I made the brooch out of Sculpey based on a design I found on the analysis site. I threw the sword together at the last minute. I cut it out of 1/2 inch thick Sintra, shaved the edges and painted it. It's not great but it looks good in pictures.

Photo by Tim Boothby

The things you love about this cosplay/prop.

Like I said, Lord of the Rings is my favorite series ever. Books and movies. So I love that I can cosplay someone from my favorite series. It's also very easy to get in and out of, and I don't have to wear a lot of makeup for it. I feel very badass and beautiful. 

The things you hate.

I hate pulling off my elf ears when I'm done. I hold them on with spirit gum and it feels like I'm peeling my skin off with the ears.

A general closing statement and where one might find more pictures of this and other cosplays you’ve done.

I was very proud of myself when I was finished with it but I have gotten such a positive response from other people that it's turned into one of my favorite experiences with cosplay. I've come very far in the last couple of years and I hope to go further.

You can see more of me on my facebook cosplay page ^_^

Lizard Beans Cosplay

Photo by Tim Boothby

Woo!! Super awesome! I have seen this cosplay in person and it is simply lovely! Thank you Lizard Beans for sharing your process with us (and for your infinite patience waiting for this post.) You can read her interview here if you haven't already.

Ok! So I hope you all enjoyed reading about Lizard Beans! I also hope you all will head to this post to read up on where this blog is going in the future!


Until next time!



~Edward

Cosplayer Interview: Lizard Beans!

OK! Finally-- I have returned!

My goodness, it's been very hectic around here. But now everything has calmed down and I can get back to blogging! Yay! 

And this time, to get it restarted right, I'm doing a cosplayer interview! Lizard-Beans is a good friend of mine and a super-duper cosplayer! I hope you all enjoy reading about her!

Cosplayer Interview: Lizard Beans

Your name or Cosplay Name:

My name is Liz, on my cosplay page I go by Lizard-Beans.

Lizard Beans

Age: 

27

How long have you been cosplaying/prop building?

On and off for 7 years. I was doing one costume/convention a year from 2006-2008, then I took a break for a few years due to jerks and drama. I made a few things in that time but it wasn't til 2011 that I came back with a vengeance. I just had to meet the right people to get me excited about it again.

What was your first cosplay/prop?

Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children. I met a girl in college who said she'd teach me how to sew and she helped me make it. It wasn't accurate by any means but it was recognizable and I felt like a total badass. After that my dad bought me a sewing machine and I started teaching myself to sew.

Do you make your cosplays, buy them pre-made online, or have them commissioned?

I make all of them. I'll buy things like shoes, some modern clothes from thrift shops and the occasional prop but it would really wound my pride if I had someone make my costume for me. This has nothing to do with cosplay snobbery, I just like to push myself to try new things. Sometimes that means pulling my hair out but it also means I can enjoy a well deserved victory dance.

Tarja Turunen: Jacket from the music video "Nemo" by Nightwish

Why do you cosplay?

So many reasons. First of all I've always loved wearing costumes, and being able to make my own is kind of a dream come true. And getting to wear costumes with other people who are wearing costumes is even better. I also love the creativity that goes into every cosplay. One of the best parts is talking to someone and having them tell you how they used a bike pedal or a soda bottle for a weirdly formed part on an anime gun.

What is you favorite part about cosplay?

The social interaction. Being thrown into social situations with strangers is just about the hardest thing possible. You look from face to face hoping to find someone you might have something in common with. Cosplay is a great icebreaker to take away some of that strain. You know something you can talk about right off the bat. And the community is the friendliest one I've ever been a part of.

What is your least favorite part?

I cannot abide bullies, and it pains me to hear about cosplay bullying. I know some cosplayers who have been cornered by people who made fun of their choice of cosplay or tore them down for their body type in relation to their cosplay choices. It really pisses me off. Cosplay is a very personal thing that's tied to our self esteem and our love for characters who have touched us in some way. Nobody should have to put up with that. If you don't like someone's cosplay, go far away and tell someone who doesn't give a crap and get over it. Don't be a jerk to someone to make yourself feel good. 

Who is your favorite character to cosplay?

Lady Sif from Thor. I love armor, and I love it when costume designers give women practical armor instead of tittie plates. So I get to walk around with cool armor and I feel tough while still feeling like a pretty lady. 

Lady Sif: Thor the Movie

What is your favorite cosplay/prop to wear?

The Courtesan: Fiora Cavazza from the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood multiplayer. It's so stinking comfortable to wear and the costume itself is a good mixture of elegant and sexy so I feel like I look really cute. And I get to take pictures of me assassinating people with my bladed fan. Mwa ha ha ha.

Fiora Cavazza: The Courtesan from the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood multiplayer

What is your least favorite cosplay/prop to wear?

Probably Nepeta from Homestuck. The costume is mostly modern clothing so it doesn't really feel like a cosplay to me. And one of the horns always snaps off and I have to superglue it back on.

What was the most complicated cosplay/prop youíve worked on?

Definitely Lady Sif. The costume part had several layers to it that I had to figure out and make. Then I had to make the armor, which I had to make twice. The first one was my first time making armor and I made it out of Wonderflex. The problem I found with Wonderflex is that it doesn't handle large curves too well, and if it gets too hot it loses its shape. I left mine in the car in August and it melted. So I had to remake her armor out of Sintra and it looks a whole lot better. Then I also had to make the shield which took a few tries, I tried cardboard and craft foam and those flopped, I eventually found EVA foam and learned how to work with it. It sucked! But I love the finished product.

What was the least complicated?

Nepeta from Homestuck. I was able to throw it together relatively quickly and bought most of the stuff for it from Wal-Mart. Throw on some face paint and bam. Easy peasy. 

What group cosplays have you been a part of?

My Little Pony as Twilight Sparkle, Madoka Magica as Homura, Monster High as Spectra, Homestuck as Nepeta, and we're working on a Once Upon a Time group where I'm Red Riding Hood.

Twilight Sparkle: My Little Pony Gijinka

What group cosplays would like to be part of?

I would love to have actual groups for my Dragon Age and Mass Effect cosplays that I'm working on. I have so many photo ideas it would be so much fun. And a large Skyrim group would be a blast. I'm scheming an Aela the Huntress cosplay. ^_^

Who are some characters/props you plan to make in the future?

Some of my upcoming projects are: Morrigan from Dragon Age, Ashley Williams from Mass Effect, Aela the Huntress from Skyrim, a fan art version of Wonder Woman. Hopefully I'll eventually find the rest of the fabric I need to finish Avatar Kyoshi. And someday Nariko from Heavenly Sword.

Homura Akemi: Madoka Magica

What crossplay characters have you done or would like to do?

I really want to make a cosplay of Raziel from Soul Reaver. But since that would involve a body suit I really need to work up my comfort level first. I also want to work on my armor making so I can make some armored badasses like Gabranth from Final Fantasy XII.

Who is a character people say you should cosplay (or prop you should make), but you aren't sure about?

Most anime characters. I just don't like to cosplay them very much unless I love them a certain amount, like Homura. But as for specific characters, the only one that comes to mind is Impa from Zelda. She's cool and all but I hate her Ocarina of Time design. And I'm just not a Zelda fan. I'll leave Zelda cosplays for those who love them to death.

What is your dream cosplay?

This is going to take some explaining. My dream cosplay is Xena Warrior Princess. Xena means more to me than any other fictional character. Yes, even more than Gandalf. My mom died when I was seven so I was left without a female role model in my life. We had a couple of step moms who taught me more about who I don't want to be than who I did want to be. And since we moved a lot I never had a lot of consistant positive influence in my childhood. But when I was 9 Xena started airing on tv. I watched it religiously every week and I learned so much from Xena. She taught me that no matter what anyone says, being a woman shouldn't hold me back from doing anything. She taught me to be strong and stand up for myself and others, even if it's hard or involves a fight. She was strong, intelligent and beautiful and everything I wanted to be. And everything I've worked on up until now has been building up my skills so I can one day make a costume worthy of Xena. I made one out of trash bags once and I used to cut out cardboard Chakrams and throw them around while doing the yell thing. My dad yelled at me to be quiet a lot. I think I could do a lot better now.

Ellen's Cloak of Twilight: Folklore

What is a cosplay/prop you would love to make, but don't feel you could pull off?

The answer to that question changes as my skill level improves. But I'm not very good at making props, so I'd have to say any intricate giant swords. I want to cosplay Nariko from Heavenly Sword but I am terrified of making the actual sword.

In your opinion, what makes a great cosplay/prop?

Small details, patterns, designs or attachments. I find them to be the hardest part of a project but detail work adds that extra bit of oomph to make you stand out and look spectacular. 

Spectra the Ghostly Gossip: Monster High

At which conventions are we likely to see you?

Fandemonium, Sakura Con, Tomodachi Fest, and hopefully I'll be able to go to some Comic Cons this year ^_^

Any advice to other cosplayers/prop makers?

Dream big, but start small. Don't make your dream cosplay your first cosplay unless you have a lot of crafting experience. Most of us don't so we start with something easy in order to learn more about materials and how to manipulate them. You get better as you go, but don't expect too much of yourself right off. I've also learned that make up really helps you when it comes to taking photos. They enhance your features and keep light from shining off of you where it shouldn't. And if you're new to conventions make sure you have a friend with you the first time. It's all about meeting people but that can be hard at first and it's easy to get overwhelmed in an environment with a lot of people coming and going.

Arwen 'Undomiel': Lord of the Rings

What are some other hobbies you have, other than cosplaying?

I consider myself a scholar, so I love to study history and read old texts like mythology and epic poetry. I also enjoy exercise, video games, music, tv shows and cute animal pictures (who doesn't?).

Favorite anime/tv shows?

Obviously Xena! Alias, Buffy, Supernatural, Princess Tutu, Madoka Magica, Cowboy Bebop, Star Trek, Mai Hime, Firefly, Avatar, Samurai Jack, Arrested Development, My Little Pony, Adventure Time.

Favorite movie?

The Fifth Element, Lord of the Rings, Avengers (I love Loki), Nightmare Before Christmas, The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Favorite books/manga?

Lord of the Rings, Kushiel's Dart, Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Paradise Lost, The Prose Edda, most books by Neil Gaiman, The Metamorphoses.

Favorite video games?

Soul Reaver, Folklore, Heavenly Sword, Assassin's Creed, Final Fantasy VII and X.

Favorite color?

Red, purple, black.

Favorite food?

Chocolate! Also fried rice. And garlic bread. Yum.

Favorite desert?

Chocolate

Favorite curse word?

Fuck. It's so fucking versitile. Fuck yeah fuckers.

What are some websites where we can see more of you?

Facebook  and Tumblr.

Yay! She's awesome! I love how deep cosplay goes for some folks. It's not always just dress up. And I think that's sweet. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! I'll hopefully be posting every week, but we shall see how busy I get--what with now being part of the work force and all. Not that I was real consistent when I wasn't part of the work force...


Until next time!

~Edward