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!