Co to cosplay?

What is cosplay?

What is cosplay? Despite the fact that cosplay is not yet known by many Poles, it is developing at a very dynamic pace. This unusual dress-up game requires a relatively high commitment and above-average manual skills from us. Costumes can be presented to friends, family and even regularly organized competitions.

How to define cosplay? What types of cosplay can we distinguish? What should beginners know about cosplay? In order to obtain answers to these questions, we invite you to read the article below, which will certainly dispel any doubts of our readers.

How to define cosplay?

Cosplay is primarily associated with the need to prepare an attractive outfit and make-up. Our main task is to effectively reproduce the selected character, who is the hero in any film, game, comic book, series, cartoon, book. What is worth emphasizing – most often it has a strong connection with science fiction, anime and fantasy, however, it is not a rule. Beginners use commonly available accessories found in clothing stores. In the case of slightly greater skills, we are dealing with independent sewing – specialists take care of even the smallest details, which is characteristic of cosplay.

The more individual elements there are, the better for users. The issue of properly characterized hair and makeup is also extremely important. Sometimes the art of body painting is used, which is commonly known as body art. Experienced cosplayers do not forget about accessories such as jewelry and contact lenses. Participation in the competition involves the need to practice a few basic poses, ways of moving, gesticulation – this has a direct impact on the final result. As a curiosity, it is worth mentioning that in the case of Polish competitions, the costume must be sewn by hand.

What types of cosplay can we distinguish?

For some , cosplay is primarily a hobby, for others it is a way to break away from reality, while still others use it to earn money. In Poland, these amounts are not very high – this is directly related to the fact that the popularity of this art is only growing, while many people are still not familiar with this term. However, it is worth being aware of the types of cosplay we can distinguish. By far the most popular is anime or manga cosplay – in this case, copying characters is not difficult. The second type are dolls – they enable effective identification with the selected character.

Another type is the hero of popular games. Gaming enthusiasts become transformed into their favorite character. There are no framework restrictions in this case. It is also worth mentioning the full imitation of a given character. It’s not just about posing properly – the key to success is animating the whole scene, which could almost become the basis of the film – at least that’s how we should imagine it. The last type is J-rock cosplay. It is especially popular in Japan. True music fanatics decide on this type of cosplay. The most popular musicians are copied, while scenic photos are created.

What should beginners know about cosplay?

Now that we know what cosplay is and what types we can distinguish, it is now worth mentioning a few issues that can be crucial for beginners. First of all, we should not be afraid of this activity – starting it does not require great skills from us. Specialists say that in the first days what counts is commitment, passion and self-denial. We do not have to sew individual outfits ourselves – we may as well decide to buy elements in a used clothing store. Sometimes we may ask friends or parents for help. The hairstyle is also not complicated.

It is worth going to a professional or opting for the services of loved ones. However, you should be aware that developing this hobby is directly related to the need to learn the basics of sewing. Contrary to appearances, such an ability is not only a guarantee of creating wide opportunities, but also a kind of motivation and encouragement, after all, who doesn’t like to observe the progress of their actions? Before we start making the first costumes, it’s worth finding out about the prices of materials and accessories – it makes it easier to set a budget. If you do not have sufficient sewing skills, it is worth choosing easier projects, otherwise it may turn out to be a bit problematic.

Let us remember that the created costume is not only supposed to look interesting in terms of visuals, but above all it must be comfortable. Sometimes we spend a lot of time in it, so we need to be able to eat meals or sit down without major problems. Cosplay is great fun, but in the future it may turn out to be a way to earn a lot of money.

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