FFXIV NA Fan Fest 2016 Cosplayers Unite!

[NarikoStar]

Cosplaying or excited for this year's Fan Festival? Then this thread's for YOU!

Calling all seamstresses, tailors, crafters, glamour fiends, and costume enthusiasts who are excited to be apart of this years cosplay community! Whether your making your costume yourself, buying pieces to wear to the convention, or just attending in your casual wear- our goal is quite simple. We aim to unite the best gaming community around and share our love and support for Final Fantasy XIV through costuming!



So you want to get involved~ Kupo?

Why not start by introducing yourself! Tell us a little about yourself, what you plan on cosplaying this year or just say Hi- We'd love to hear it! Or maybe your a pro at this and want to give some tips or progress pictures! However you want to contribute in your own little way is great, we simply ask you be kind, constructive, and follow FINAL FANTASY XIV Forum Guidelines!


Want to show off your work and what you will be wearing this year? Let's get started!

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's amazing stuff and can't wait for October to get here but until then, you are more than welcome to post any and all of your Work in Progress pictures if you so desire! (Linking to an outside site source to showcase your work is fine too just make sure it is relevant please!) When posting Work in Progress images here- it is by no means required but recommended to give a short summary of what we're looking at and if you want to go the extra mile tell us a little bit about how it's constructed! If you are posting pictures of a costume you will be wearing to the convention but did not make yourself THAT IS MORE THAN WELCOME! We understand some players are more into battling content rather than crafting content hehe! I simply ask if the photo or WIP you are posting is not made by yourself to please at least credit the original artist so credit can be given where credit is due. Additionally, that way others who come here looking for advice will not receive misinformation and know exactly where to reference for amazing works!


Additional Links & Information:

• Costume Contest Submission Information -Deadline Aug 31, 2016, 11:59pm PST- [LINK]
• 2016 FFXIV Fan Fest Cosplay Facebook Page - [LINK]

Have any suggestions or any help links you want to suggest to make this thread better? Let me know! I will try to update this as much as possible to reflect all the posts we receive! Feel free to add any suggestions to this thread!

[Vastyne]

Astrologian here! Excited to see what everyone wears since XIV cosplay is pretty sparse at general cons in my area.

[NarikoStar]

Hey Vast! Awww that's a shame to hear! I was stunned by all the amazing cosplay's present in 2014, it really is a XIV'ers dream world when Eorzea comes to IRL! Highly recommend making sure you have a camera phone / camera because it's so memorable! Just make sure to ask before snapping those pictures XD But everyone I encountered was awfully nice and I was able to get ton of pics to remember! Hoping to this year being just as good if not better!

[Ryuko]

Cool thread!

Hi, my name is Ryuko Kanzeon. I attended the 2014 fan fest and entered the cosplay contest in SMN AFv2 gear. (I had the light-up relic book if anyone remembers me.) Although I was really, really proud of the costume because it was my first time making anything nearly that complex, I was disappointed with the quality of some pieces. It was admittedly rushed because I didn't start on it until a month before the convention.

This year, I am making the SMN esoteric (Caller's) gear. I've launched an Instagram page as a way to share my progress and keep track of it. You can take a look here: https://www.instagram.com/ryukocosplay. I am trying to be true to form with the outfit, but I am taking a little bit of creative license to give the pieces some original flare. I've really only started on the himation (toga) and arm/leg cuffs. There's a lot to do, so I'm glad I started many months early! We're still 2.5 months out and I am working on this almost every day. For this costume, I am using a combination of fabric, foam and thermoplastic. I've worked with Wonderflex in the past, but now I am also using Worbla for some of the most molded pieces. I've also decided that... if I can, and if I have time, and if I can travel with it... I want to make a Garuda-Egi. A summoner needs an egi, right?

For anyone who hasn't cosplayed at this event before... I highly recommend having a social media presence, whether it be an Instagram account, a Facebook page, or even a Twitter profile. The reason being that people who take your photo will want to tag you in the photos! This was one of my big mistakes at the 2014 event. I had no social media presence and probably missed out on seeing a lot of pictures as a result.

[NarikoStar]

Cool thread!

Hi, my name is Ryuko Kanzeon. I attended the 2014 fan fest and entered the cosplay contest in SMN AFv2 gear.

I REMEMBER YOU! (I was the Mage Coliseum Miqo'te!)

I've worked with Wonderflex in the past, but now I am also using Worbla for some of the most molded pieces.

I think we're nearly twinsies!
I used wonderflex for my first cosplay too, I have some left and will probably utilize some of it but I have worbla shipping to me currently to test out this time around! In your experience thus far how does it hold up in comparison to wonderflex? After using both what would you say is the most different thing about working with either? Does one have a significant pro or con versus the other? I've read a bit on their differences so I'm familiar but I'd love hearing from someone who's currently working on stuff that used both and their experiences with the differences!

I've also decided that... if I can, and if I have time, and if I can travel with it... I want to make a Garuda-Egi. A summoner needs an egi, right?

Ooooo! Do you plan on making it plush like? Or something similar to the Sylph Doll we saw in 2014?

I highly recommend having a social media presence, whether it be an Instagram account, a Facebook page, or even a Twitter profile.

I wanted to retouch on this to anyone who may be attending this year. I had a few first cons I went to that I had photographers want to do a photo-shoot and when they asked for contact I sorta froze up and was like uh-well....Ops! You may end up not needing it but I'd rather be safe than sorry! Especially if you meet some really cool players it's always nice to keep in touch with other cosplayers who share similar interests / or like to share various crafting techniques. Its a great way to stay connected~!

[Ryuko]

Nariko: I know you've probably seen a bunch of comparisons between Wonderflex and Worbla, so I think the only thing I can personally add is that Wonderflex excels in situations that require both strength and flexibility. This is due to its fabric-like weave. It holds up well against itself, without any sort of sandwiching, and you can double/triple it to the desired rigidness. However, it isn't so great for fine details -- even worse than normal Worbla -- again due to the weave. Worbla, on the other hand, is more 'mold-able'. This also means it doesn't hold up well on its own and needs some sort of 'base', but that's not a super big deal because a thin foam sheet is more than enough for basic shapes, and it won't add much thickness that way. Worbla can also be heated up and rolled out to 'recycle' scraps. This is impossible with Wonderflex, so Worbla wins in the 'economical' category. Also worth noting -- black Worbla is smoother and takes details better, so many people prefer it because it's easier to prime/sand/paint. Wonderflex may be a little smoother than Worbla (regular) and easier to prime/paint, but I didn't do any sanding with my last costume (no time -- awful, I know), so I can't really give you a good comparison.

So really, it boils down to preference. A lot of people prefer one over the other. I personally think they both have their pros and cons when it comes to individual situations, but people can make the most of either material if they know how to use them.

I'm actually going to use a combination of both for my costume. For example, I'm going to use a Wonderflex base for the 'corset' belt thing, and possibly as a base for the horn because it needs to 'give' a little as it wraps around my head. But, I'm using Worbla for fine details and anything backed by foam, like the cuffs, gold details, wings, etc. It really just makes 'sense' to me... but again, a really skilled person could achieve really similar (if not identical) results with both.

For my Garuda-Egi: I was hoping to make something out of foam... but to make it 'true to size', I would have to find a way to disassemble it and fit into a suitcase. A plush thing would be cool, but I reaaaaaally want to make it as big as I possibly can.

I can relate regarding the photographer thing. One photographer in particular asked me to come take pictures right after prejudging, so we went outside and... he kind of expected me to have poses ready. I'm not a model. I'd never been asked to have my picture taken in a more 'professional' setting before (not hall shots). So I really only had my default 'hold up my book' pose. That was super awkward. And a lot of people asked for my Instagram or something, and when I didn't have one... they would just be like, "Oh." Lots of missed opportunities there. I know a lot of us aren't super established and don't have a following, so it can seem weird to get a social media account just for cosplay... but at this point, it's sort of expected for everyone to have one, if only to network properly and make sure your pictures are tagged well. You won't want to be giving out your personal profiles to every person who asks for it. XD

[yukaru]

Hello, and first off, great thread. thanks for starting it.

Ok, so I'm going as Yda with a lifesize Papalymo.

I can't wait for the fanfest, since this will be our first one. ( going with my twin sis) I've seen video's of the contest last time, and the costumes were great. you guys did a great job.

on a side note, nariko were you the one doing the golder saucer themed handouts and such that bayohne retweeted awhile ago? just curious since I thought that was a great idea, and pretty cool.

[NarikoStar]

Ok, so I'm going as Yda with a lifesize Papalymo.

Awww snap this is gonna be good~

on a side note, nariko were you the one doing the golder saucer themed handouts and such that bayohne retweeted awhile ago? just curious since I thought that was a great idea, and pretty cool.

Yuppers! That's me! I'll be attending as a Manderville Gold Saucer Bunny Chief and passing out these snazzy little playable cards day 0!


(These were my first proto-type batch so for final we should see improved quality! woo!)

[Verie]

Aaahh, I'm so excited that this forum is finally up!

Back in 2014 so many things went wrong with my costume that I wound up having to throw something else together last minute. I was a miqote with an Evenstar hat (at least that came together properly lol).

This year I've definitely learned my lesson... started my costume back in January. Making steady progress!

Really excited to see everyone's costumes, especially the SMN Eso gear! That's one of my favorite sets.

[Ryuko]

Really excited to see everyone's costumes, especially the SMN Eso gear! That's one of my favorite sets.

Aww, thanks! I'm really excited to see your costume too, but I won't mention it on the forums in case you want it to be a surprise. I didn't really love the SMN esoteric when it first came out, but it really 'grew' on me... I guess literally, too!