Need some help gulls. I want impressive cosplays that will help me win a Cosplay Comp for once
Your cosplay won't win anything unless your craftsmanship is up to par.
/thread
Sakizou
/thread
big and impressive doesn't always win, where i'm from there is a lot more focus on workmanship and detail work
Analyze your crafting abilities first, and choose a design that can best bring our your best qualities.
It depends on which comps you're attempting, since sometimes there's cosplays that can be really ornate and have a good design, but are complete shit up close because the costume was too much or too hard to nail right. If you pick an impressive design but don't deliver, you're kind of asking for too much.
I've seen some really unexpected cosplay choices that have won because of really tight craftsmanship and great presentation of people's skills. And if you're choosing to focus on performance, think of a design that meets what you're looking to get out of your skit.
To contribute to the thread, I've always been fond of seeing Granado Espada cosplays take the stage when really well made.
If you live in Florida Sakizou or NoFlutter will win.
I'm not here to evangelize, but I'll give you my recipe to picking out a costume.
Creativity: Has it been done before? An overdone costume is going to lose points no matter what, because it's not unique, even if you are a super accurate version of it. Think deadpools here.
Recognizability: Will people recognize your costume for what it is, or will you just be a generic wig wearing blob with a school uniform?
Feasibility: Are you technically capable of crafting such a costume? As much fun as it would be to make something crazy like a Jojo stand or a Gundam, those are a bit out of my range, so I stray away from them. They may not be beyond yours. Do you have a specific crafting technique that you're very good with, like sewing or making plate armor? Then use it.
Tl;dr think outside the box you shitter, your only limit is your imagination.
>>8925510
where are you from though
>>8925520
I call Granado Espada cosplays award bait. Sakizou and Amano designs are also big hits at competitions the winner of the C2E2 contest was a Sakizou design. Like other anons said it depends on the con and craftsmenship can easily trump big costumes.
Examples of good craftsmanship?
>>8925542
Please don't tell me people have competed and won in NoFlutter
>>8925699
I've seen several cosplayers win best in show with Noflutter.
>>8925689
if you don't know the difference between good and bad craftsmanship, there's no way you'll win a competition.
>>8925699
I know a group who won with NoFlutter designs. Not best in show, but a first place advance award. NoFlutter is actually judging a competition in my state next month I dont expect much
>>8925699
I guess if it is well-made, it's not necessarily being judged on costume choice but how well they've worked on it.
I really don't like the designs in general, but I wouldn't necessarily penalize them for it if their craftsmanship on it's pretty good.
>>8925542
How is fanart being allowed in competitions? It's not like they're from an anime or game. That's shady imo, just picking a design purely to win with, over actually celebrating a real character. Cosplayers are winning with "gijinkas" thanks to this shit.
>>8925904
I am creating a Sakizo at the moment because I want something to challenge my sewing skills. I feel like a lot of the characters I like are too simple. This is just my opinion on why people do Sakizo though.
If you want to win a competition you should ALWAYS read into the judging criteria of that particular contest first if there is any.
Some contests are like 70% based on stage performance others look at craftsmanship and clean work the most. Others are only based on the biggest size and impressiveness of the costume (add lots of LEDs for those!).
Always check if there is prejudging or not... if there is it is clear they want to check your craftsmanship quality so size won't help you here.
There are also contests which are just kind of random and merely depend on the taste of the judges but try to stay away from those.
>>8925505
>>8925510
>>8925768
>>8926004
I will never understand cgl.
There has been several threads over the years complaining and ripping to shreds really simple costumes that have won big competitions. No one even stops to think "it was probably perfect inside and out"
I had an argument recently over a (unfinished messy) giant ball gown placing below a (simple yet beautifully tailored) jacket.
Normal people just don't get it, cosplayers who buy their costumes don't get it, hell- even people who sew their own stuff get salty when something giant and glowing doesn't win - even when it's a mess.
sigh
Best in Show.
>>8925445
You need to get a balance of different things and it will vary from con to con, and it could even help to look into the judges preferences if you know who will be doing it.
For example if you're in a more performance based comp the previous judges may have done a skit previously with an artistic flair and may not be for poorly done fighting skits or random 'dance off' skits.
The person judging may be a huge fan of CLAMP designs, which are also bait for awards and you can gush about them together and they are more likely to understand why you chose certain techniques to create a segment of the costume - use your brain,
Props help and getting stage presence down pat is also important and usually overlooked. If you walk on and just smile it's not going to be memorable. Use that prop, hide something inside the costume to be used at the right time like flower petals or what have you for the extra flourish.
All of that being said, none of this matters if the costume looks like a pile of shit. Don't rush it and dont be afraid to remake bits if it's not right. If it's not going to be done for the con, wait for the next one where everything is perfect.
>>8925550
Canada, Southern Ontario
Hasn't been mentioned but I'd like to put forward the following as an ex-judge (2010-2012):
If it has already placed at a bigger con, it won't win. I took the time to check recent con winners for repeat entrants, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who checks.
If the contestant is an ass at the prejudging or can't answer simple questions about construction techniques, they won't win.
If an entrant is super secretive and protective of their methods and techniques, it won't win.
If I have seen that exact costume for sale, it won't win.
Might be less so nowadays, but there is pressure from certain conventions to have the Best in Show winner be from an anime. That means no Disney, no Avatar/Korra, no Vidya, no Comics.
It also looks bad if best in show was a costume from certain IPs, like Deadpool, Homestuck, Hetalia, Steven Universe, and such. An exception is that while Death Note is an almost automatic loss, a competent Ryuuk or Rem will usually win something.
The best way to know if your con is like that is to look at the prior years winners and ask previous judges privately over social media.
Another Florida anon here.
Sakizou, NoFlutter, Worbla by Kamui, big ass wings. Anything ginormous that should qualify as a build instead of cosplay because it can't be worn more than 2 seconds. Wig and makeup is not important when your body in encased in a fuck ton of detailed construction for no reason.
Florida craftmanship sucks.
Seen this win in a few comps not in my area, but Wicked cosplays. Particularly Elphaba's Act II dress and Glinda's Bubble Dress.
>>8927032
Didn't somebody in a poorly constructed Sakizou costume win over one of Temjin's creations at AFO last year? It was Sakizou Emerald, I think, and it honestly wasn't that good.
I keep seeing it in this thread, but what is "NoFlutter?"
>>8927500
This shitty artist.
http://www.noflutter.deviantart.com/
>>8927504
Her art is shit, dang.
>>8927631
her entire gallery is so unfortunate
>>8927686
how not to use white highlighting 101
>>8927686
Its sad, she has technical skill, but fucks it up.
>>8927496
Korin won in a Sakizou as she wins everything else
>>8926054
This was the most infuriating part of being a cosplay contest judge. Even my fellow judges would want to pick big, shiny shit over something actually well made to the point that we'd fight over it, and the amount of bitching "so and so deserved it more, you only pick your friends, waaah" instead of recognizing that if it was simpler, it was probably beautifully made and therefore more deserving over something flashy but kind of shitty.
>>8927797
anon are you me?
This is my entire experience being a judge. Apparently there is always someone that should have deserved it more. You are always gonna make someone mad and then the salt will flow
OP at the end of the day, no matter what you choose to make, if you loose - don't be a salty cunt about it.
>>8925505
This. I've seen many people with giant, impressive costumes lose to really simple costumes because the judges only cared about who had the best craftmanship. A difficult costume has a bigger chance of being flawed so you'll be at a great disadvantage if it's something above your current skill level.
It still differs from con to con though. At certain competitions craftsmanship is important, at another one the difficulty of the costume might be of influence. I've even been to cons where they clearly picked winners based on how good/entertaining their act was.
Looking up the past winners of the compo should give you an idea of what kinds of costumes the judges prefer. If possible, asking the judges directly what they kinds of things they focus on while judging a costume would be extremely helpfull.
>>8926054
I found these two (not my picture but still same con and year) and heard they won a cosplay competition. Simple, but well done. Looks even better in person. People even say I should enter when really I don't do much.
Personally, I think it should be about the craftsmanship, not a light show.
>>8926054
This is a big part of why I've never bothered with cosplay competitions. More often than not some flashy hot mess* will win a cosplay competition over something that is impeccably tailored and fitted inside and out. I started in regular tailoring and later switched to cosplay, so what I'm impressed by and what I aspire to are very different than what wins awards on a cosplay stage.
(*excluding armor costumes. I don't know anything about that kind of stuff, I'm speaking just of sewn versus sewn.)
>>8927686
Why her style reminds me so much to Moster High
>>8927915
Alternatively the flashy hot mess looks amazing to the audience but the judges who saw it up close and are awarding for craftsmanship don't even place them and the audience is like whaaaat?!
>>8927907
i didn't know cosplay could be so... so CLEAN.
A little off topic, but for cosplays that focus on the clothing and less on say a weapon or bigger prop, what makes a good stage performance if you're not doing a skit? The cons I go to don't offer a walk-on entries, and I don't want to be standing there like a lemon with one or two poses, but I'm pulling a blank on what on earth to do.
Does anyone have any good examples of non-cringey, but also not boring stage performance?
Sorry if this is a dumb question phrased badly.
>>8927907
>simple and well done
I think you mean 'won because one had her tits hanging out'. Simple and well-done doesn't really work on something so mind-numbingly simple it's nearly impossible to fuck it up to begin with, on top of being a standard T&A attention whore cosplay.
>>8927790
Why can't any of these fucking Sakizou cosplayers get the hair right? This one has rubbish proportions on the updo, and the one that won C2E2 last weekend was like "welp, the rest of the costume looks amazing, guess I'll just skip the fact that fact that the character's got long hair, GOOD ENOUGH!"
I'm sure the artist is annoyed.
>>8928055
Simple means that you have to be impeccable. On costumes with tons of details and shit all over them you can fudge a little and get away with it. On something like this you absolutely have to be 100% on point.
Also need to factor in where it won. Did it win a major award at a show like Anime Expo or did it win a judges award at a 1000 person con? People usually save their massive elaborate costumes for bigger conventions.
>>8928073
But she did have long hair anon.
>>8925904
No flutter IS just fan art, but Sazikou's work is published art so it's different
>>8928521
Where? All she had was the beehive
>>8926362
>It also looks bad if best in show was a costume from certain IPs, like Deadpool, Homestuck, Hetalia, Steven Universe, and such. An exception is that while Death Note is an almost automatic loss, a competent Ryuuk or Rem will usually win something.
okay but that's fucking bullshit. even hetalia has some amazing outfits outside of the typical uniform shit, and even those can look impressive when done right. i've seen the same with homestuck and steven universe even if i fucking hate those fandoms.
>no Disney
fucking that too, what the fucking hell?
>>8927992
so clean....right
>that wrinkling in the thigh highs
>would easily be solved by pulling them up and using SOCK GLUE
>>8931663
Do you want some chips with your salt?
>>8929557
It's behind her...and pretty fucking obvious if you actually watched any videos of the comp.
be pretty and thin
Giant mech costumer here. Having a big costume should not be and most often is not a guarantee for a win. Ive seen lots of large builds that while their size was impressive the construction was sub-par, paintjob was lacking, finish was rough etc. Anyone can build something big with enough time and materials. Making it clean and functional is the real watershed mark.
Ive also seen A LOT of mech costumers get super salty over losing to complex dresses. They get so bitter about losing but instead they might want to consider improving their craft before running all over the internet claiming foul and spouting off about contests being rigged or judges being biased. As a mech costumer that kind of attitude makes me sick, and I’m annoyed that some of these people come to me to complain about losing to dresses expecting sympathy.
>>8927496
>>8927790
For the record I agree that with the AFO judges on this one. As much as I liked that Hyaku-Shiki mech suit it wasn’t my best work. It’s the first suit Ive ever made in the Ms-girl style and the first time I ever made anything intended for another person to wear.
Korin probably has some of the best construction I’ve seen in Florida and that costume was no joke up close. If anyone deserved to win at that contest it was her. I don’t hold any animosity at all about it. I actually hope I can compete against or even with her someday.
desu craftsmanship is obviously super important, but picking something current/popular will elicit a response from the crowd which has an effect on the judges.
i've seen people win contests with subpar/even shoddily made cosplays over genuinely well crafted cosplays because they were more well known characters and got a response from the audience. I mean, that would probably differ from con to con and also depend on the judges and how the audience reactions effect their opinions, but i think it's a big point.
Pick a cosplay that's popular at the time of the contest OR something that holds up the test of time and always impresses/excites people.
>>8934104
Yeah because we care enough to actually find con videos. Point is most sakizou girls focus so much on the outift that their hair or makeup is shit.
>>8927790
>>8928073
Korin actually makes pretty incredible wigs on the regular so it's pretty hilarious that you're bitching about that. It's just one frumpy picture with a shit quality camera.
>>8934326
Korin and Temjin are the best and coolest cosplayers we have in Florida desu.
>>8934334
Someday I will come down from Frosty Moe Land and meet Temjin...
;-;
>>8925689
My first thought was the Edward Elric who won Eurocosplay a year or two back.
>>8928003
Safe bets are referencing or parodying well known media, solo skits I've seen winning include a mess of a akit that culminated in a performance of Dance Magic from Labyrinth, Disney song parodies, and musical song medleys. The audience still needs to be entertained even if they don't know the character or show.
>>8930981
Also curious to know about this. I've seen Hamsteak win a few things locally (namely judges award for closest resemblance, and sketches) but in bigger American cons I've only ever seen one or two hamsteaks even competing?
>>8928073
>>8928521
>>8929557
>>8934104
>>8934326
Now that we have a clean picture courtesy of Korin or any of her kohais.... I don't see the long hair that was behind her supposedly...
Back on topic tho- most Sakizou cosplays are not clean, like the NoFlutters, but judges who dont get up to feel and see or dont know their shit dont catch mistakes and they win from just frills alone. So def know how prejudging works. Ive had 2 minutes to explain, they didnt look at my book and they never got up and omg what a surprise a bought ballgown won
>>8934326
The thing that gets me about Sakizou is that people can get so many details wrong and nobody notices. I feel like accuracy is being pushed out for "I spent 1000 hours affixing beads and crystals to this".
I don't think anyone uses reference photos during judging anymore.
>>8930981
> okay but that's fucking bullshit. even hetalia has some amazing outfits...
It's like the Oscars. No Black nominees. Does that mean the nominees this year were not deserving?
It's not bullshit to snub even legit Homestuck/Hetalia cosplays unless something completely undeserving wins.
As for Disney... It's not anime. Most anime conventions make it a point to celebrate anime and Japanese culture. That's not hard to understand.
>>8934717
>Likening Hetalia/HS to black people
>Saying that disqualifying [black people] on account of [them] being [black people] is completely fair
>mfw
>>8934655
You weren't talking about Korin, you were talking about the winner of C2E2.
>>8927790
>>8928073
>>8929557
>>8934326
The character doesn't have long hair, she only has an updo so it's accurate
>>8928073
They... do? Korin's is correct and plenty of the good Sakizou cosplayers get the hair just fine. Plenty of Sakizou cosplayers also don't know how to add fucking boning to their corsets, so I'm not saying there's not a bunch out there with garbage wigs but it's not an all-or-nothing thing.
>>8934974
I was talking about pic related, not Emerald.
>>8928073
>>8935029
I was sure I saw the C2E2 cosplayer with long hair so I went looking. Not all photos seem to show it but it definitely looks like there's long hair there.
>>8935076
She does have the long hair but it's really thin and hidden by the back of the costume most of the time. IMO she really should have added more hair or volume since you can barely see it at all, but then again her headdress in general seems really oversized.
>>8928055
How do gulls always manage to find something minimally wrong about a costume or something that slipped the cosplayers mind for a second and turn it into the biggest design flaw in history and deem the whole costume as shit.
Do you get a kick out of being negative and finding something to worry about?
>>8935076
She could use some work on her makeup.
I ran a cosplay contest for three years at a local con (which actually had a pretty decent draw) and man... the stories I could tell. As for advice, I could share a few things.
The most important thing I can tell you is to choose a costume which showcases multiple types of work. For example, something with sewn pieces, armor, resin casting, a styled wig, and prosthetic work would probably win out over an impressive armor build or a nicely sewn dress. It just shows your breadth as a costumer. Even something as small as sewing your own custom zentai suit to go under your mech build can go a long way. That being said, only stick to the areas you know well (obviously) so you can put your best foot forward and all that.
Also, it's been said before, but be polite. This is so important. I've seen a lot of contestants act like they're expecting to win, and the judges are generally put off by that behavior. When speaking to the judges, be concise, show your knowledge, and don't boast or talk down to them. Also, PLEASE don't share sob stories in the judging room, holy shit. They don't care how much you spent or how your life suffered for the sake of the costume.
The only sneaky backdoor advice I can give is to play to the interests of the judges. While most judges probably wouldn't be more likely to give a prize to a cosplayer who's chosen a character from a game they like, they are sometimes easily swayed by certain types of costuming. For example, we had a judge who specialized in historical costuming, and tended to favor costumes with historical elements (especially if the cosplayers knew their shit).
Anyway, hope that helps someone.
>>8925508
This is pretty much fact in Florida, Sakizou has taken several of the big $1000 contests here
>>8925704
wtf why, it's the same garbage design and really the most some of her has is a ton of ruffle which isn't a technique which would merit best in show. uggh
>>8934139
Temejin, you're my fucking idol. I hope to one day build something worthy of your praise.
Sorry for offtopic
>>8926362
I wonder, could you win with some of the tight vocaloid stuff?
I think generally, though, you should take LOTS of pictures of your process and be knowledgable about what you have done. I suggest promoting your special skills and talents. For example:
>sexy body
Sexy character
>you look exactly like a character
There ya go
>good at sewing
Make something pretty with excellent fabrics
>good with props/armor
Make something prop focused, possibly include LEDs, moving parts, etc
>you have a good creative friend group
Group cosplay if it's cohesive and organized
>practical/other skills
Leatherwork, chain maille, metal work, wig styling, carving, stilts, makeup, puppetry, etc
>>8927686
She drew the art for one if FL's cons last year. The mascot looked like a crack addict. It was awful and they put it on everything.
>>8935112
i think with the amount of detail on this costume and just the sheer weight/enormity of it, hair any thicker would have gotten snagged on the back piece/dress and ended up tangled.
I'm competing in my first serious comp in a few months in quite a large costume and i'm nervous, I'm not doing a skit so what in a walk on is likely to capture the audiences and judges attention and imaginations? what kind of things are important to avoid when it comes to being on stage?
>>8939653
Pics?
>>8940875
What bothers me the most about her art are the dead eyes. There are a few pieces I would have bought if not for that.
Blizzard cosplays are usually a good bet
You want to do something that has a lot of different elements. Casting, armour, seeing, etc. let us know if you win anything soon
Anything from a 90s anime
Anything with tits
>>8945997
I think that's the beauty of her work. You have creative power. It's good to work from her stuff if you're new to sewing and cosplay!
>>8927686
Those nub feet.
>>8934622
Ed used to be an automatic win at some cons and that fact still makes me wanna puke.
Glad FMA is basically dead now.
Has anyone ever tried making a cosplay of Palutena?
>>8946155
It wasn't a judges-are-part-of-fandom thing tho. The person who made it had her judging documentation available online, she did a lot of work to make it like a historical recreation costume. And again, the key is demonstrating a lot of different skills on one project: hers involved tailoring, leatherworking, armormaking, embroidery, and lacefronting a wig.
>>8946181
Oh I wasn't referring to your example in particular, just the idea that for a while badly executed Eds won because they picked Ed.
Someone I knew won at the same con twice in a row with their Ed cosplay and the second year it wasn't nearly as good as someone's Howl's Moving Castle transformation cosplay.
I guess some judges don't keep track of who they've already picked.
>>8925445
It's hard to really say which costume can win or not. Like other anon's have said it's about construction and just use of skill. If you have a jacket, make sure it's line and your lines are straight. Have a ball gown? Make every bit of it including the hoop skirt and bustle. Props? Make them clean and if possible, having a moving part or make them function to some degree.
>>8925445
Make sure your shit doesn'the fall apart. Some KLK girl's scissor blade broke In half during the contest at sakura con 2014 and I still remember that shit.
>>8946181
Link to this cosplay?
>>8946163
Yes but they are worse than an idians pubes
>>8939595
If it's vocaloid it better have at minimum lights and speakers that play music built in.
Also judges can spot China bought Vocaloid a mile away.
>>8927686
Wow, so I too can become a popular cospaly inspiring artist by ripping off other, better artists' designs and aestethics, throw in some lazy digital painting and as much details as possible and call it a day? I admit, my jimmies are slightly rustled.
>>8951931
How does she copy? I want to cosplay a lot of her stuff but would prefer to go to the original source
>>8951951
Sakizou. Actual historical references that arent shit. Etc.
>>8951951
I didn't mean she copies the exact same drawings, but it is very obvious where she gets her inspiration from. Don't get me wrong, this is not bad thing in general! But to me it just loos like she cherry-picks the details she likes (from Sakizo, Lolita, general Steampunk, the MHD/EA designs) and mashes them together without much originality.
She doesn't really have any original poses, or facial designs/expressions. She also repeats the same designs over and over again with little to no variation (the underbust corset for example is in almost all of her designs; same with bloomers peeking out and huge tits). Add a character from a well known series, some white highlights and generic steampunk details, voila.
I don't think she's terrible, I just don't really see that much appeal in her artwork.
>>8935151
So which one of those 2 girls is you?
>>8952332
The blonde one. Why?
>>8927907
The bangs on the left though....are they supposed to have blunt cuts?
>>8928055
Most con judges are women so this logic doesn't hold up well. At my college con there was one guy who's judge award was always for "best assets" but it was just a fun extra award it didn't ever come with any extra prize besides a small derpy trophy.
OP if you're still here keep in mind most cosplay awards come with crap prizes that aren't worth it. Cons that actually have good prizes, which are rare, will attract the toughest competition. Even then cons change all the time. One year I got a $75 Joanns gift card and then a tiny Mario plush the next year for the same prize tier. A big con like Otakon just gave gift bags full of old Otakon merch so size doesn't matter either. In fact some small cons are better because they have less budget for guests so they put more into making the cosplay event a big attraction.
>>8953830
I wouldn't say blunt cuts, but I can kind of see the style the cosplayer was going for. The wig needs a little work, but I'm impressed at how clean their outfits look
>>8942631
We wish. Oscar, we wish.
>>8946653
Not doing a good job hiding your vendetta there.
>>8954086
Helena's hair certainly has shrunk down from DOA4, but it's clear they were going for her oldschool look. I don't even think DOA5 was out when I saw her.
>>8946653
You used an ugly grainy hall shot, vendetta much??
>>8959979
The staff looks wonderful but the gold accessories don't look that great.
