My big step back into a world of creating and crafting...

Never, and I mean never, have I ever thought I would be back to creating since my fashion design days. Yes, I studied fashion design and adored designing and making outfits and basking in the cheers of a crowd when your design goes down a runway. Although technically it wasn't my choice to do as a career (at that point my ideals had changed) as I had my heart completely set on becoming a graphic designer, my father however, had a mindset that a fashion designer is what I will be. Please forgive my mini vent and ramblings on about way back when and what could have been, I do not regret the choice made for me. I have learned many lessons that I will and have helped me throughout my life. I can draw ( not pro standards but pretty good), I can make patterns, sew and alter clothes and I am great with my hands. No, not what you are thinking, dirty mind!

I have not being doing cosplay for very long in fact it has only been a few months. Why start a blog you ask? I thought it would be enlightening to grow with my followers and even share crafting tips and tricks as there are many people who love cosplay out there but find it hard to create on their own. We need to be able to help each other whether it be hardcore cosplayers or mom's creating costumes for their little ones. Now forgive me as being new to blogging I'm basically winging it. I know I still have much to learn and hope you all will be supportive in helping this blog become a great way to express our inner artists. Yes making cosplay is an art no matter what anyone says.

Ok with that said let me give you a glimpse of a project I am working on.

This is the beginning of a Warhammer 40K Ork mask. I Have downloaded a programme called Pepakura : http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

This helped me download and print papercraft images. I then found a lifesize (was a bit bigger than lifesize as this can fit on my husbands head) human skull. I then put it together and reshaped and cut away until I got my Ork face shape.  After that I made the nose and using old toilet rolls proceeded to create brow arches and lips and made face creases with rubber sealing strips.

When I was done with all the fiddly bits and happy at the shape I had created I then used paper- mache^ to cover the mask and harden the modifications I had made.  Was really fun making a mess and being a big kid again tee hee. Only buzzkill was having to clean it up afterwards but I was happy with the results so far so I left it in the sun to dry for the day. Bare in mind I had to do a few fittings when it was dry to reshape the inside to be more comfortable when on my husbands head and to make sure he can look around without a problem.

With fittings and reshaping done I decided to give the WAARRGH Bringer a coat of white craft paint which made it easier for me to see where I needed to alter and reshape on the outside. I did reshape the mouth and also made the brow much bigger as well as give him a bit more gum for the teeth/tusks I would be adding later.    As you can see, in the last two pictures, I made the first set of teeth also out of paper then if you see in the picture of my lovely model (husband) I did alter them but have not permanently set the teeth. I still need to use plaster cloth on both the mask and teeth to make it more durable. once set I can then sand them smooth and ad details like scars etc by carving into the plaster. There shall be future blogs showing everything I am doing and have been doing to help you with your cosplay so keep an eye on this blog or my Youtube channel!                          

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndT2M2HBZyw