This post is public out of necessity for the moment, I'm going to lock it later and the progress posts will be locked, FYI. Sorry for two posts in the same night, I need to share this with some people I am getting opinions from. This is going to be my SDCC masquerade costume this year, which is original; I couldn't pick something else that I wanted to do and since anime conventions don't allow original, I thought maybe it was better. However, SDCC was running behind on confirmations so I did not hear until *last week* that I was in, leaving me with a terrifyingly short amount of time to finalize my design and complete my costume. Going original may be my savior because I can make changes out of necessity that I couldn't if I was following someone else's design . . . but I'm still really hoping I don't explode.

( Queen Morpho (original): design breakdown )

Boring boring boring. I think I may have no imagination. x_x; I should not call them "costume breakdowns", that's inviting disaster XD; (I start every costume with a breakdown, and follow it with many more, lol.) Well, I guess if anyone artistic feels inspired to doodle something, or anyone has a "it'd be cool if..." type thought, throw it at me. I might not incorporate it, but who knows, maybe if someone says "I've always liked ____" . . . I'm sure people have seen more game designs than I have, more artists than I have; heck, I'm even jonesing for more inspiring music than I have because I have this weird feeling like I know what the costume should *sound* like but I don't have enough tracks.

I have been neglecting this journal because I haven't actually been making costumes. ^^; I only started again like . . . two weeks before Anime Central, and I haven't finished those new ones yet. But I will have some progress photos on those to share as soon as I have a chance to upload them. I also realized that there were comments from months ago I never replied to. D: I'm really sorry! I run my LJs from three separate browsers and it gets confusing. >_o I am, however, about to launch into my masquerade costume for SDCC this year, so except more epic angstwork for that at least.

I am hoping to finally do a proper shoot with Orlouge in a few weeks, fingers crossed that goes down, since I have to strongarm my brother into being my photographer. I *did* wear the costume at Anime Central, however (which I was hoping was for the video game group shoot but it got cancelled). A lot of people think the headpiece is really excruciating to wear because I don't move my head much, it's not very comfy (and it stays sore for a few days), but I mainly try to stay still so I don't forget that the horns stick out VERY far and take out someone's eye. ^^; I admit I haven't scoured the web for hallway photos, but for now you can have two silly ones my friends took. lol. Massively OOC FTW.
( UR DOIN IT WRONG )

Heaven help me I know people were snapping photos without the boots on, when I was making a fabulous statement with white socks and sneakers - it was several blocks from the Embassy Suites to the Hyatt and I couldn't get to anywhere to put the boots on. (There may also be "can you hear me now?" Orlouge on cell shots.) Hah. But I did also get to crab-walk past Stevenson High's prom goers on the way back to the hotel. :) MY PROM OUTFIT IS BETTER THAN YOURS.

This post is designed to be a final wrap-up for the Orlouge project. It will have some repetition for those of you who've been reading the journal, but the point is sort of to archive the costume and process in one post. I am still hoping to have a better photoshoot soon with this costume, on a day when it's not just rained however many inches. (I couldn't go outside, and my house ≠ Orlouge's castle.)

( Completed Orlouge being worn + links )

( Dressform photos and brief notes for each piece )

And now, it's time for the wrap-up, grade-school style.
( What Did We Learn? )

I should either be working or in bed, but my feet are really killing me from standing on the tile working on the longer wig (long story but it's getting a similar dye job to the headpiece wig) so I had to sit down for a couple minutes . . .

Yeah so . . . disaster kind of struck I guess. My emergency batch of Magic Smooth to finish the armor was defective. In hindsight, we've realized that the previous batch was probably also defective - I thought it seemed a little funny but assumed it was related to temperature/humidity. The stuff done with the FIRST batch, which was from a different supplier, is kind of night and day from the stuff done with the second batch; and the third batch? Not useable. No-doubt-about-it defective. And there is no way to order more in time; sanding nonstop for several days has availed little, even with the help of both my parents; and there is no time to mail order "Plan B" supplies. Two backup plans are shot down because of lack of drying time.

So I am facing up to the very real possibility of having to remake the armor in the next three days using a completely different method. Basically the resin may not be sanding well at all because it never fully cured - all the layers except the bottom-most may have faulty resin batch. Indents are too large for super glue, spackle doesn't get good finish; Orlouge probably doesn't shop at the Scratch-and-Dent Armory. My only other option is tomorrow morning to use the slightly dodgy 2-part resin from the hardware store. It sets up fine, but has the consistency of jar icing (hate that stuff, always use homemade) and may simply worsen the situation (lots of dodgy layers of resin does not equal one finished layer) . . .

. . . I love cosplay. I'm not actually sure why I'm not panicking. I suppose I shouldn't question that.

( Train/skirt: 100%; Jacket, 100% )

( Cumberbund armor, advice wanted. )

Tomorrow night you should get headpiece progress, hopefully consisting of "Headpiece: 100%" (maybe that's too optimistic?). The armor progress is not currently interesting, since it consists of "sand sand sand . . . prime . . . lament lack of smoothness . . . sand sand sand" . . . and the boot top progress consists mostly of me swearing at them XD;

( Horns: 100% (x5) )

( Jacket armor: 100% (x1) )

Ongoing very heavy work on the shoulder armor and the piece that's going to hold the whole shebang up, in addition to trying to get to the final sand on the remaining two headpiece sections (no photos of those).
( armor progress x2 )

I got in my order of extension hair today, I came up with an evil plan to (hopefully) easily set some extensions in the lower wig. I didn't want to dye it to get color streaks/blends like the top wig because it's against way too much white fabric for my comfort. I also finally caved and decided I'm remaking the tassels for the jacket (I know, I know); there was a dyeing incident which completely defies logic and physics and I'm just not wiling to settle after having worked on this for so long. (At least tassels are a no-brainer.)

I'm not even sure if I want to think about what isn't done yet *shoulderarmoromfg*, so I'm going to share what IS done, or is in the process of getting done.

The train and white skirt are in fact nearly 100% (both need waistbands put on, some decorative stuff), but I don't have photos today.

( Tunic - 100% )

( Boot tips - 100% )

( Shoulder armor x3 . . . ergh )

( Headpiece progress x3 )

Some pretty for sitting through all that (or best I can do.)
( game shots x2 )

Trying to get back into the swing of working now that I'm a) home and b) don't need to work on something else. I sent in my registration for the San Diego Comic-con masquerade. @_@ I haven't gotten any sort of confirmation yet, though, so I don't know if I'm in, or waitlisted, or what.

So . . . what am I up to?
~ Re-dyeing the stupid tassels. Can't get the color/gradation how I want.
~ Did the Magic Smooth on the inside of the armor pieces. Also, somehow I failed to notice one of the pieces got distorted; it will have to be redone. Doh. But I am very very close to being done with the Magic Smooth (and ready to spend the rest of my life sanding).
~ Putting some bling subtle decorative sequins on the train.
~ Lamenting my inability to use a rolled hem foot.

( gayest claws ever )

( sidebar: brass etching )

( jacket and sleeve poufs )

( sleeve poufs )

( tunic designs x2 )

( tassels x1 )

Rest of sewing . . . the skirts still need to be hemmed and I've been having no luck using a rolled hem foot. Not sure what the solution is there; doing it by hand, or faking a rolled hem with the machine (fold it, sew, fold again, sew again). The cumberbund is done. Still haven't cut out the pants but that's not a time-consuming project to make.

As far as the "hardscape" goes, the non-Magic Smooth pieces are done and painted, will put pics up latler. I've got another 5 pound kit of Magic Smooth in now. But I'm no longer planning to be at 100% for ACen, because I just don't think I have enough time to get the pieces properly sanded. Dunno.

Please note that you are only getting two photos with me in them because ryuk_in_progres will probably beat me about the head with a dead carp if I don't post them.

( pictors )

I placed my last order for this costume tonight (unless I decide to order more Magic Smooth, which I'm thinking I will). But anyway I have makeup on the way; you have to have very pessimistic lead time on any ordering you're doing for a costume, which is why I'm worrying about makeup now. I wanted a somewhat unusual color for eyeshadow that I was able to find at and I also wanted very pale foundation and a white loose powder.

I had two largely unproductive days when I had no clue if I was having to leave town or not (meaning I was unsure what I should work on) and my dog was sick. Today I had my first day of mostly sewing. Tomorrow, ryuk_inprogres is coming out again so there should be lots more random photos soon. Especially since most of what I'm working on has moved forward but I forgot to take photos of it, lol. I was going to post a photo of the tassels but I think I will wait until I have some photos of how I'm making them for your reference.

( headpiece stuff x5 )

( boot bits x2 )

( shoulder armor x4 )

( jacket x2 )

Fear the too-much-information. Don't worry, though, there are photos. I don't know offhand of cosplayers doing silk painting with dyes, so I figured it was better to write up too much information than not enough. You will note I've gone public with all the entries. Sorry if you friended it just to see them. ^^; I needed to give my advisors access.

( the silk painting saga! )
So . . . conclusions? Silk painting = definitely a fine art. But it's also very approachable; the basics are easy, it's the finesse that's hard. The same could be said of most things, but I think that silk painting is probably a particularly good thing to dabble in if it comes to textile arts. It's easier than tie-dye, imho, and certainly a more versatile technique. If it comes to dye versus paint, dye wins hands-down for results and ease. Fabric paint is great too, and it depends on what you're doing. But if I could do Yuuko's (xxxHolic) kimono again, I would not use paint. Ironically, it would have been easier and cheaper to do silk and dye - buying silk yardage should definitely not be much of a deciding factor, as it's cheaper than most fabrics!

Part two, I figured the wig dyeing should be its own post. Lots of miscellaneous progress photos and some discussion of working with the Magic Smooth. It's brilliant stuff, but I think it should be renamed Magic Mess. >_o

( lotso progress photos )

Feel free to skip to the pics on this one; I need to keep notes on process so that I have it for when I do my write-up at the end since this is for school also.

( overly long description of process )

( wig coloring photos )

My art supplies order came today, with my Fuzzform, the aluminum wire (so I can finally make the frames to start the springbok horns), and the Magic Smooth. I covered the ram horns with Magic Smooth tonight; so more on that tomorrow when I've seen it cured. You'll also be getting the Adventures in Wig Dyeing story tomorrow probably.

( progress photos )

Tomorrow is going to be my last day for a bit with weather suitable for spraying. The boot caps just need a light sand and they'll be ready for paint, although I'm still having some issue as to whether to put some small gems near the tip (and when to put those on so I don't have problems with paint). The other Wonderflex pieces are still in the Mod Podge stage, but I can hopefully get them primed by the end of tomorrow as well. It would be nice to get the paint on, but we'll see.

I haven't really figured out how I'm going to set up to do the silk painting for the the train once those supplies arrive. They were supposed to come today but didn't. As far as what I'll do pending better weather, I've got the horns, the silk painting, and the actual sewing. >_o So I guess I shouldn't worry about keeping busy, anyway.

Almost done with supplies. I put in an order today with Douglas and Sturgess, where I finally managed to find everything I wanted from one place - Magic Smooth for finishing the horns, cheaper aluminum wire (for framework), and Fosshape. It's not Fosshape - it's actually Fuzzform, which is a much better name imho. ;P But it appears to be the same thing; they also carry Varaform, which is the higher-end version of Wonderflex (I don't know if its properties are different).

( fabric/trim test )

Finished up the tests on finishing the Wonderflex today. Problem: finding material(s) to do detailing and cover the texture of the Wonderflex that will still bend (and therefore not crack).

( armor finishing test pics )

Second part of the costume breakdown, MUCH shorter! Covering the "hardscape": headpiece and armor pieces. Also featuring some progress pictures! I will be posting again later tonight with some more photos from ryuk_inprogres's visit.

( Costume Breakdown: Part 2 )

Character: Orlouge
Source: SaGa Frontier (Video Game/RPG)
Orlouge is not a playable character. He appears as a major character/plot point in Asellus' quest. I will admit that I normally choose cosplays on the basis of the character. This one is primarily for the art. This is schoolwork, and I needed a design that would conform to what I wanted to accomplish with the "course". Orlouge met all my requirements. I still feel it's important to me to know as much as I can, regardless of what piques my interest, though. To say much about his character, I would have to regurgitate what I've read online; I haven't beaten Asellus' quest yet! Rest assured that I will before I wear the costume (I'll do whatever it takes!).

( reference images x3 )

This entry is covering only the sewing and basic accessories, not any of the "hardscape" (? what shall I call it?) elements - the shoe caps, shoulder armor, headpiece, and horns. It's long enough as it is :P
( really long analysis/breakdown of costume elements )

I'm finishing my bachelor's degree at the DePaul School for New Learning. They have an unusual requirements structure unique to the SNL program. One of those is called "externship". In one required course we were required to fill out a sort of survey to determine our preferred learning style. Apparently I'm "Abstract Conceptualization", which means that my weak area is in "hands-on" learning. As far as the school is concerned, the challenge is to do something outside your "learning comfort zone". I don't fully agree with the form's assessment (it claims I like lectures) about my learning style. But for me, this is going to be about learning to not get scared off by areas I have little prior knowledge about, and to learn by trying things out. It's also a challenge about dealing with ambiguity (in cases where I am not in control of the original design).

(If anyone is interested, I will post my proposal - the form is not very long.)



I'll be using this journal quite regularly to help me formulate weekly updates to my advisors. So, it will have design sketches, progress photos, and give me a place to ponder issues.

I'm not sure yet how much of this journal will constitute the "learning journal" I am required to do for the course. But I may include comments, so please be aware. I will protect your anonymity, however (you can pick your own fake name if you like).