Aela the Huntress Cosplay Information/Tutorial

I chose to make this costume about a month ago, while playing through Skyrim. I just loved Aela's outfit, especially the back of it, and thought it would be a challenge for my not-so-awesome sewing skills. At first, I was hesitant because she was dressed very scantily, but as my fiance worked on his Nightingale costume (also from Skyrim), I thought about how cool we would look together and decided to go for it.

I first went out and bought the most perfect suede fabric for both the top, skirt, and arm pieces. I then made a duct tape mold of my body so that I could "build" the intricate top more easily. Here's a quick tutorial on how to make your own duct tape mold:

Tip #1: Try not to look like such a dork while you make it!

Tutorial: Duct Tape Mold
You need:
- Duct tape
- Old shirt
- Scissors
- Someone to help you

1. Put on the old shirt and begin wrapping it in duct tape. I started at the base and worked up to below my bust line. I then went from the top of my chest down to the rest of the duct tape.
2. Once it's covered in duct tape, cut the shirt up the side (under an armpit) so that you can take it off
3. Tape over the cut and the form will retain it's shape.
4. Optional: You can stuff it with what ever if you'd like it to be more durable.

I began by creating a pattern using paper taped together on my duct tape form. I then pinned the paper to the fabric, cut it out, and sewed it all together. It took me quite a while to sew everything, and I had a few problems with the revealing nature of the top, which meant I had to tweak the design a bit to fit my body and to be a little more modest than her version. I used about 2 yards of brown suede fabric and 1 yard of green suede for the arm bands.

Don't worry, I'll do a write up for the Nightingale soon!

I got my boots from macy's, instead of making boot covers because I'll actually wear the boots again. However, making boot covers is pretty simple if you don't want to spend the extra $$ on boots, just be sure to get more of your brown suede fabric.

I made the armor plates, shoulder pads and belt buckle from cardboard. I cut it out, then hot glued twine to create the swirly designs. I then used fiberglass resin to harden the carboard, and bondo to smooth out the edges. I spray-painted the armor with a textured silver and distressed it with black and brown acrylic paint. I actually attached real rabbit fur to the shoulder pads and shin pads, even though Aela doesn't have that, but I felt it added to the huntress look. It also made the pieces pop against the brown outfit. I attached the armor to my outfit with velcro so that I could transport the costume easier.

For my hair and makeup, I simply straightened my hair - as my hair color is very similar to hers. I used black and red eyeshadow to create a smokey eye and used black face-paint to draw on the lines across my face.

For more images of the cosplay, please check out my DeviantArt page. I'll also be doing a writeup for the Gears of War armor that I created and for the Nightingale costume in the upcoming weeks.

As always,
LadySnip3r

Lara Croft Cosplay Tutorial/Information

I thought I might do a costume information/tutorial article for my Lara Croft cosplay from the 2012 Tomb Raider game. Please let me know if this sort of thing is helpful, and I'll definitely do some more! Also, if you're awesome at costume-making and have any suggestions for ways to improve or better ways of doing something, please share - this is a learning environment!

The Decision
I chose to cosplay as Lara Croft from the new Tomb Raider game because she's the first Lara Croft I actually feel like I connect to, both on a character and design level. She retains the best qualities of the previous Lara's (strong, independent, intelligent), and adds a more realistic element to the famous lady through her more "natural" looks and vulnerability. I whole-heartedly support the movement the designers are doing with her new look and wanted to design a costume around the new Lara.

The Materials
I used quite a lot of store bought things in this costume, as most was just clothing. I bought quite a few pairs of cargo pants before deciding on the pair I did because I couldn't find a suitable color. I also had some difficulty finding pants because I'm super tall. I'm 5"10 so finding pants is extremely difficult. The pants I chose are actually way too short for me, hence I added the tall wool socks. They hold down the pants, while adding a more hiker look. After I bought the pants, I used sandpaper to rough up the knees so they looked worn. I also ran it through the washer and dryer a few times to loosen it up.

I used boots that I already owned to cut some costs. I wish they were brown, but I used sandpaper to rough them up just like the pants so that they didn't look shiny. Luckily, I wore the boots to PAX East last year, so they got tons of wear and tear walking around all day - perfect for my survival look.

I purchased the tank top in, what I think, is the most perfect color ever. I looked so hard for that perfect shade of blue-gray. I actually found that particular tank top at Ann Taylor Loft for the very affordable price of $10. I used a white tank top that I already owned underneath, to add a layered look.

As much as I love the costume, I have struggled with the leather holster. I made a makeshift holster for NYCC out of pleather, but I think it stands out from the costume in a bad way. I'm hoping to improve this costume over time, since leather is expensive, so I will add more information as the costume changes.

I made the necklace out of clay and leather. It was fairly simple to do, but very fragile. I also made the bandages out of ripped linen fabric. I wanted them to look like something Lara would actually use in a tight fix for bandages. 

The Tutorial
Or How To Fake A Dirty Look

My lovely fiance actually did my makeup for Lara Croft and I think he did a fantastic job. Here's a quick tutorial of how to achieve the same thing:

Supplies:
- Brown Hairspray dye (Available at Halloween Costume stores)
- Brown Facepaint
- Blood capsules
- Charcoal (ground up)

1. Make sure your skin and outfit is clean and oil-free so that they makeup will stick better.
2. Apply brown hairspray onto paper towel or sponge and lightly sweep on areas you want light dirt. Focus on areas that would get dirty if you were actually the character.
3. Use brown facepaint on your fingers to streak areas that you want to look like mud-like dirt. We used lots of this to accent the lighter dirt.
4. Break blood capsule and drip onto areas that you want realistic blood look. Let it drip to where you want, and lightly dab or use a hairdryer to dry the blood. Now, the blood had to be reapplied a few times during the day because it faded into my skin, so keep this in mind for conventions.
5. Use ground up charcoal to smudge over blood, dirt, etc. This will darken everything up and really give it a realistic overtone.

Notes:
- Remember to make everything pretty evenly dirty. If you dirty up your face and shirt but skip your chest or arms, it's going to stand out against the dirt.
- Bring lots of those makeup removal wipes as the face paint and hairspray takes a heavy washing to come out.

I hope this article was helpful for any of you future cosplayers - Feel free to comment with any questions and I'll be happy to answer. I'll be wearing this costume at PAX East 2012 on Sunday and I hope to see you in Boston!

As always,
LadySnip3r