I have had the same talk with my daughter many times. It comes up once a year, like clockwork, since middle school started. See, Bug (that's what we call her) is a dancer, and an exceptionally good one. She works hard, keeps her head down, focuses on improving, and, unsurprisingly, her teachers notice her work ethic and skill, and she gets a lot of really good parts. She has been cast as the lead more than any other dancer in the department. Middle school being what it is (and middle school girls being what they are), this also means she gets a lot of grief from other students. They whisper about her, tell other kids how mean and horrible she is, and they've even gone so far as to cut ribbons off of her pointe shoes backstage before shows in order to try to sabotage her. It hurts, and she has wiped away tears moments before stepping on stage, but she never lets them have the satisfaction of seeing that. She never misses her entrance, never performs to a lower standard, and never slips up. 

She does, however, always ask me the same thing. How do we make this stop?

I always ask her the same questions. What are they doing when they are talking about you, and what are you doing? Her answer is always the same. They are standing around, gossiping, and she is stretching, or she is practicing turns, or she was in rehearsal. I don't have to say much more after that. She already knows what's coming.

If they worked half as hard as they ran their mouths and gossiped and schemed, they would probably be getting the attention and roles she has been getting, too. They're not going to stop. You can't make them stop. But they're also not going to matter. They are too busy wasting time hating you to ever be your competition.

The cosplay world is, in a lot of ways, like a middle school dance department.

People want to vilify cosplayers who are out there getting the attention and getting the guest spots, simply because it is easier to say that those people are bad and don't deserve it than it is to say that your work isn't up to par and you aren't doing enough and hustling enough to earn the attention and guest spots yourself. It may be harsh, but it's true. And until you can accept and internalize that, and make the changes you need to make to get better at your craft and at the business of cosplay, you will still be the little middle school girl spreading rumors and cutting pointe shoe ribbons, and you will never be center stage.

I often hear that this cosplayer thinks I'm mean, or that cosplayer doesn't like me, or any number of variations on the same theme. Want to know what I say every time? 

"Who?"

Seriously. I don't care. It isn't important to me. I have seen this same scenario play out over and over again, and I know how it ends.

See, while that person is trying to cut me down, I'm cutting patterns. While they're gossiping to their friends, I'm reaching out to new business contacts. While they're running their little game, I'm running seams. And at the end of it all, I end up with a fully booked calendar, and they're still talking on the sidelines. Am I supposed to be worried? What can they do to me? All that time they've spent hating, I've been working, and I am way too far ahead now. They can't take anything from me. They can't touch me. They can't even catch me. So why am I supposed to care what they think about me?

Cosplayers, this isn't middle school. Want to get ahead? Work on your craft. Want to be recognized? Work on your craft. Want a guest spot? WORK ON YOUR CRAFT. Seriously, shut your mouth and grab your heat gun. Get good. Earn the things you think you're entitled to. Find cosplay friends who focus on the work. My best cosplay friend and I actually don't talk a lot over messages. Why? We're both too busy working. And when we do talk? You better believe we talk about whatever project we're working on, and any problems we're having with it. We troubleshoot together. We support each other in failures and cheer each other on in victories, no matter how small. Gossiping doesn't improve our friendship, and it doesn't get our cosplays made. 

This middle school mentality has got to go. If you would work half as much as you run your mouth, you might actually get to the same level as the people you love to hate.

Tl:dr- Shut up and get good.

Tough love is still love, guys. It's time to grow up.

Now, excuse me. It's my lunch break at work and I have bodysuit fabric to pin and cut.  

I have a lot of questions about my Aria T'Loak makeup, specifically how long it takes and what products I use, so I figured I would put it all down here. Hopefully this helps all of you Asari, Twi'leks, Gems, Critters, and other painted characters out there!

If you are doing a character with body paint, be prepared! It is a lot of fun, and it makes a big impact, but it is time consuming to apply and it has to be maintained. A good setting spray will be your best friend, but plan on carrying an emergency repair kit for smudges and sweat drips. I live in the deep south, where it is always hot. Right now it is 8:00 am, and my weather app says it feels like it's 96°F out there! Sweat is a thing. It's better to prepare for it. 

The first step of getting this makeup look right is the step that is most often overlooked. You have to moisturize! The night before I get into Aria, I always make a point to moisturize with a fairly heavy moisturizer. I like Lush Charity Pot for this! I've tried a lot of things, but Charity Pot seems to work best for me. Apply liberally to any skin that is being painted, and go to sleep, because you are getting up early in the morning. This is a pretty involved makeup, after all! Plan on being in front of a mirror for 2-4 hours. I have managed to get my time down to about 2 hours, but that's with a good bit of practice. My trial run took closer to 5 hours!

Ok, awake and alert now? Awesome! Wash your face! You're going to want clean skin with no oils or residue in order to get your headpiece to adhere well. I recommend a cotton headband or sweatband under your headpiece, to help absorb the sweat that will inevitably happen. My headpiece is latex, and most likely yours will be, too. Make it or buy it, that's up to you, and we can do a whole other post on that subject, but, for now, let's assume you have it in your hand. The first thing you're going to do is apply your adhesive to the headpiece. I like Prosaide II adhesive a lot. Wait until the adhesive is tacky before you attempt to adhere your headpiece to your head. Once it is tacky and sticky to the touch, put the cap on and start placing the edges down so the cap is positioned the way you want it. Mine covers about 1/3 of my forehead. Once your edges are stuck down, you're going to want to cover the seam as best as you can. I use liquid latex from Mehron for this. Paint it down over the edge, making sure to fill the seam, and smooth it to make a seamless transition from headpiece to skin. This may take more than one layer of liquid latex, and that's ok. Just make sure to let the latex dry between layers.

While your latex is drying, you can start working on your face. I moisturize (yes, again) with Charity Pot. This has replaced my usual primer, but some people prefer to use a primer on top of moisturizer. It really just depends on your skin. My usual primer is NYX Angel Veil. After moisturizing, I start the process of getting rid of my eyebrows. Apparently eyebrows are an Earth thing? Aliens rarely seem to have them. I use the classic drag queen trick to "erase" my eyebrows: Elmer's glue stick (make sure it's the purple one), and a layer of powder (I like NYX SFX Setting Powder), dry, and repeat, until all smooth. There are a ton of tutorials for this on YouTube! Once Eyebrows are set and latex is all dry, you are ready to paint. I use Mehron Paradise AQ in Violet for Aria. Add a little water to the pot to activate the color. You don't want too much water though! Just enough to make the paint smooth but not runny. I apply the first layer with a medium sized flat paint brush. Subsequent layers are patted on with a wet makeup sponge. You want to work slowly and methodically! I start with my nose and work out to the edges of the cap. For my body, I start with the center of the chest and then work out. Make sure you aren't leaving streaks, as they become more obvious as the makeup dries. Do not wipe with the sponge. This is the #1 mistake I see people make. You want to use a dabbing motion. This process will take some time! Don't rush yourself. You will be so much more happy with a smooth, even paint job. Take the time to do it right.

Once the color is on, it's time to apply the makeup. WUUUUUUTTTTTTTT??? Yup. You heard me. Think of it this way. the body paint is like foundation. You still have a full face of makeup to apply! One thing I have noticed is bright body paint erases the definition on your face. You're going to want to go back and add that lost bone structure back in. I use eyeshadow palettes for this! They have lots of colors that work for any color of body paint you are using. Just make sure that the shadows are matte. For Aria, I use an old palette I've had forever, but this one from LA Colors is close. Use the darker shades under cheekbones, around your jawline, at the temples, under your collarbone, and on the sides and under the tip of your nose, then come in with the lighter colors across the brow, bridge and tip of nose, tops of cheekbones, chin, and top of collarbone. Check out highlight and contour how to's on YouTube if you are unsure how to contour your face. Once your highlights and contours are in, you can do any eye makeup you like. I usually just do a smoky eye with the same eyeshadow palette and add a small winged eyeliner (I love NYX Super Fat Eye Marker because it is super easy to control), then top with my daily use mascara. Blush is optional (I usually skip it), but your day to day wear blush will work for most things, if you choose to use that. For lips, I have used a number of lipsticks, depending on what is available at the local drug store (it's the #1 thing I forget to pack!) or just what I like. You are looking for a color that is slightly darker than the paint color, but not too dark, if you are going for a no-makeup look. I definitely recommend checking out drugstore brands for an inexpensive lippy! You aren't likely to use it unless you are wearing this particular costume, so there really is no need to spend more. 

We're almost there, kids! Two more steps! That sweet sweet face tattoo is done with Mehron Liquid Makeup. I use a mix of blue and red to get a dark aubergine color I like, and then apply it with an angled brush. I could use a stencil, but honestly, I just freehand it on. If you trust your artistic abilities, go for it, but I do recommend not being like me, and taking the time to make a stencil. Once all of your makeup is on and you are happy with the results, SET IT. I use my setting powder again, and then go over the top of that with Kryolan Dermacolor Fixing Spray. This is quite possibly the most important step! This stuff will keep your makeup from budging. Do not skip it!

Alright, my little colorful friend, you are ready to go out there and wow them! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if I missed something. Or, heck, show me your makeup! I love seeing what you guys use! And yeah, all of those product links help me out, so if you are thinking of trying any of this stuff and want to click products from my blog, that would be awesome and I would love you forever. 

Aria T'Loak photo credit- Vaughn Photography, Nashville, TN

Hey guys! Update time. My schedule is still shifting around, and sometimes that means I can't be in two places at once, and something has to give.

Change is inevitable in life, and doubly so in cosplay. Last year, I couldn't go to one of my favorite conventions, because I was booked at another convention in another state. While I missed my Atlanta friends, I met a lot of new people and had an amazing time at ContraFlow, a con I had never gone to before. 

Now, I am skipping another con next month that I have attended for the past few years in favor of one that, I feel, will benefit me more as a cosplayer. Again, I will miss my friends, but I am really looking forward to Kami-Con! I think it will be a great experience. And I am excited to compete! It's been a very long time since I've thought about competing, but I think it's time to get back into it. It is a great learning experience, and a way to meet lots of really talented makers, and I have heard amazing things about their competition and am looking forward to it.

In April, I will have to miss Jordan Con. I loved the con last year, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Wheel of Time series, or are fans of fantasy literature in general. This year, I was asked to be a guest at another convention taking place that same weekend, and I am really looking forward to working with the group that runs the show! That announcement will be coming soon. 

Hope everyone's con schedules are working themselves out, and I hope to see you all at con some day!

XOXO,

Red

Hey guys! Here's where you can see me in 2019! I will be adding more to this schedule, but these are locked in.

Make sure to check them out! Websites are linked. Tell them I sent you! 

Wizard World New Orleans - January 4-6 New Orleans, LA (Saturday only)
Kami-Con - February 22-24 Birmingham, AL
Mississippi Anime Festival - March 9 Jackson, MS
Louisiana Comic Con - March 16-17 Lafayette, LA
Savannah Animazing - March 30-31 Savannah, GA
CyphaCon - April 12-14 Lake Charles, LA
JordanCon - April 26-28 Atlanta, GA
Mobicon - May 24-26 Mobile, AL
Magic City Con - June 21-23 Birmingham, AL
AkaiCon - July 26-28 Nashville, TN
Florida Anime Festival - August 2-4 Fort Walton Beach, FL
DragonCon - August 29- September 2 Atlanta, GA
Anime Weekend Atlanta - Oct 31- Nov 3 Atlanta, GA
Conjuration - November 15-17 - Atlanta, GA

With the unreliability of social media, I thought it was time to make a more permanent home for myself online. This is all still a work in progress, so let's just see how it goes, shall we?

Don't forget to join the mailing list! And pardon our progress. This is definitely not the final product! Like everything else in cosplay, this is a process, and we are just starting. 

Let me know what you would like to see here! Hit me up in that comment section, yeah?

Thank you so much for all of the love and support, and for following me on my journey. Love you guys. Seriously. 

XOXO,

​Red