Happy Friday! Here is your Cosplayer of the week!
This week we hear from Electrick Elegance, or Dancing Lighting, or just Laura. Laura is a cosplayer for the Northern Virginia area who mostly makes costumes from video games (but has been known to dabble in anime related cosplay). Laura has great attention to detail, everything she makes looks clean and professional. She is also an amazing prop maker, making all of her props and making them look awesome. Let’s hear from Laura.
When did you start cosplaying and what was your first costume?
I first officially started cosplaying in summer of 2009. I was going to be attending my first ever anime convention (Otakon 2009). My first cosplay ever was Zelda from Ocarina of time. Since I didn’t know how to sew at the time, I bought all the pieces and assembled them together. So it wasn’t very good to say the least.
What is the main draw of cosplaying for you?
I love to cosplay because it’s a way to escape, fantasize and to be another person for a day. I mean who wouldn’t want to be a fantasy character for a day, right? I also LOVE video games, anime, comics, and sci-fi so this hobby just came to me before I actually knew it was a worldwide community.
Cosplay personally, has given me so much more self-esteem at a very low self-esteem period in my life. I’m also a very introverted & timid person, so cosplay has helped me significantly in social/socializing aspect. I feel much more capable and not as timid in making friends as a result. Personally I feel so much more confident and proud to wear my creations that I’ve worked so hard on.
Favorite costume that you’ve done?
My favorite costume would have to be at the moment my “Tied” by Noa Ikou. I love it because it was such a challenge of
a costume and it made me improve in all my weak areas in sewing and through the process I picked up a few more extra skills. I also instantly fell in love with the piece, the artist (who I got to meet in her design) is just so talented. It was also my first art inspired original fan art cosplay! I hope to make many more of Noa’s designs in the future! Her art is truly inspiring! I also learned through that process that I freaking love to work with taffeta.
Favorite part of cosplaying?
My favorite aspect of cosplay would have to be someone totally regular one minute and to transform into something magical the next. It amazing how someone so ordinary can transform into something to detailed and beautiful and how anyone from any walk of life cosplays. Also to cosplay in groups with friends! To have worked on your creations and to bring them to life, it always such an exquisite feeling!
What is your cosplaying speciality?
My speciality in cosplay, many may not know this but I’m pretty good at making props, I made my guns for my Noel Vermillion cosplay with the simplest things laying around, my gunblade and basic swords. I haven’t made any props in a while but am currently working on a few for some up coming projects.
Advice to people who want to cosplay?
My advice for people who want to cosplay, cosplay for the fun and not the for the wrong things. If you are no longer having fun making cosplay then take a break. Ignore and stay away from negative and instigators. Compliment others around you for their work, be kind, don’t be rude and insult other cosplayer’s hard work. Also don’t be afraid to ask for advise, this is a huge community with many people who love to help and give advise. After all we are all just adults running around in costumes so have fun!
Most important advise set a BUDGET, make list of all the materials you will need prior to creating anything. USE COUPONS, be thrifty and be patient. Cosplay can be a very expensive hobby, and can also be affordable so long as you have the right methods in place.
Best cosplay experience?
My best cosplay experience would have to of been Otakon 2010. It was my 2nd Otakon and I was actually cosplaying Lightning from FFXIII. I would have never have guessed at how much attention I would have attracted for Lightning, but it was very flattering and so humbling! It was also my first time working with youtuber Acksonl, and it was his first American con so to have been one of the first american cosplayers he’s ever worked with is pretty cool, haha I’m one of the “originals” he once told me before his thousands of subscribers. I also met a majority of the people who I am still really good friends with me at this con and it is just a con I will never forget.
Worst cosplay experience?
Worst cosplay experince would have to of been not really horrible convention but just weather Otakon 2012. I decided for some genius reason I was going to make Lightning armor from XIII-2. It had a great reception but OMG….. I was melting, warping and dying fromt the 100+ degree weather. I also had on 5″ wedged boots… I only wore the cosplay for 5 hours until I debated calling my roomates to pick me up because I couldn’t walk. My feet were numb for 3 weeks. Never wearing that cosplay again.
Was there moment where you decided to be really serious about cosplay?
In all honesty, serious cosplayer would have to be defined for me. As a professional cosplayer no. Why? because to me this hobby is simply an escape from my everyday world, if this were a no longer a hobby, I know I wouldn’t enjoy it. However, I feel I have gotten much more serious on my craftsmanship and look my work with a whole new approach in how to improve my skill with every new project I start with. But for now this simply strictly a hobby for my enjoyment.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Cosplay can mean many different things for such an amazing community and you just need to find what it means to you. Have fun with cosplay and don’t take it to seriously.
You can follow Laura and her awesome work on her Tumblr
Checkout last week’s Cosplayer of the Week, Dustbunny!
(photo credit: Tied- Donna Lleces (Donna L Photography), Noel Vermillion- Donna Lleces (Donna L Photography), Lightning XIII- Joseph Chi Lin Photography, Lightning XIII-2 Paul Karpey)