First up is May 2014, featuring the lovely Ani-Mia as Zatanna and a photograph by Ron Gejon:
Next is June 2014, starring Abby Dark-Star as Jim Balent’s Catwoman and photography by Benn Robbins:
For the month of July, I thought JUSTICE would featuring something patriotic – and there’s nothing more patriotic than Ivy Doomkitty as Wonder Woman. Photography by Geri Kramer:
JUSTICE is obviously based in the DC realm, but I don’t think that would stop them from occaisionally showcasing characters from Marvel. For August 2014, JUSTICE features Kristen Hughey as Felicia/Black Cat and photography by Jay Hooker:
And finally, for September 2014, JUSTICE features myself as the redesigned Magpie from ‘Beware The Batman.’ Photography by Geri Kramer:
And that’s all for now Ninjas! Please check out the links to all of the wonderful cosplayers and photographers who inspired these covers, as well as ARTGERM on DeviantArt! And, if you want to repost these images, please make sure to include credits <3 <3 <3
XOXO,
C.
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Looking around the internet, I feel like there is sometimes a high barrier to entry when it comes to cosplay. People are always posting about the complexity of BLAH BLAH BLAH. Cosplay isn’t something that only professional seamstresses can do…it’s not something that only professional SFX/makeup artists can do. Literally ANYONE can cosplay. Without sewing. Without professional training.
Silent Hill is an iconic game, and the Silent Hill Nurse is an iconic ‘character.’ Here are steps to follow to make one:
This isn’t really a step-by-step tutorial, as the process I use to make these breast plates is pretty straightforward (molding Worbla directly over my dress form). This is mostly just a collection of WIP photos I’ve taken while making these breast plates. NOTE: I’m usually working under pretty tight time restrictions (all of these costumes were made in under 7 days) and quite frankly I think certain pieces could have been done better, done with more detail, or done with more dimension and depth.
Here are some of the costumes I’ve made with Worbla: in chronological order from left to right – Dr. Doom, Athena, Skyrim, Skeletor. To see these actual costumes, visit my COSTUME PAGE.
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When I first started making cosplay outfits, armor always seemed like a very difficult thing to make. It requires materials other than fabric and, in a way, making armor requires a different mindset than sewing clothing. But, what I want people to understand with this tutorial, is that armor ISN’T something that you should be intimidated by! It’s 100% possible for even novice costumers to make armor! Worbla is also a material that I don’t think people should be scared of. With a bit of practice, there’s absolutely nothing you won’t be able to make. You are limited only by your imagination!
And when it comes to cosplay, it isn’t about the having the most expensive materials or tools, or have extensive experience with costume-making. The most important component of any costume is PATIENCE and the determination to get it done! A lot of people might look at this tutorial and think – Ugh, your costume is shit. Maybe it is, I’m new to this whole armor thing and I certainly still have a lot to learn. But I’m a firm believer that costumes are more than just the sum of their parts. I’m not a professional – often I have to use creative methods to get stuff done. What makes a cosplay good is that it looks cleanly constructed and well-put together once the whole thing is on your body. I also made this costume in FOUR DAYS. If I can do this in four days, anyone can make armor costumes!
I think it’s really important for cosplayers to share their experiences with others. We all start somewhere and I really admire the cosplayers out there who take the time to document their work and make tutorials that help other people learn. With that, here is an annoyingly detailed look at how I made my Skeletor costume! <3
First up, legendary Hong Kong director TSUI HARK, the man responsible for films like ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA and FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE. I was super nervous for this interview, because Tsui Hark is an extremely influential and prolific director who creates absolutely beautiful wuxia films. CLICK HERE for the interview!
Next is classical music superstar Anne Akiko Meyers. One of the world’s premier concert violinists, Anne is hands down one of the most talented and elegant people I have ever had the chance to speak with! CLICK HERE for the interview!
Stay tuned for more interviews over at JapanCinema.net!
Kurosawa Kiyoshi should be considered his own genre. While primarily known for his horror films in the West, he got his start with pinku eiga movies (like many other Japanese directors) then moved into yakuza territory before making the switch to horror. Highly skilled, Kurosawa can successfully move between genres but every film he has made is distinctly and undeniably his. He uses unorthodox techniques and favors convoluted storylines with intense thematic complexity. He likes playing with experimental techniques; in his work you will find everything from disorienting shot placement, to musical numbers, to short silent films. There are a few things, however, that he uses with regularity and have become part of his style – ambiguous narratives, the use of both static and tracking cameras that form exceedingly long takes, the tendency to film his characters from a distance, the use of reflection and light, illogical editing, extremely deliberate pacing. He also has very important things to say about Japanese society – social alienation, the gap between generations, the modern family and workplace, morality. But what makes his films so special is that he does these things while scaring the hell out of the audience.
RETRIBUTION (2006, Japanese title Sakebi, ‘scream’) isn’t the best Kurosawa movie and it isn’t the scariest, but it is a great example of what Kurosawa does. The film opens with a static shot of a murder, viewed from Kurosawa’s recognizably distant vantage point. A man in a black trench coat is holding a woman in a blazingly red dress face down in a muddy puddle. The scene is completely silent; when the man finishes his task he walks away. Detective Yoshioka (played by Kurosawa’s cinematic alter-ego Yakusho Koji) is tasked with investigating the murder. However, he begins to wonder if he is the murderer, as he uncovers evidence that seems to point to him and is haunted by images of the ghost in red. As he attempts to discover her identity, a series of similar killings take place in the area – seemingly random people are all drowning loved ones in seawater.
ADRENALINE DRIVE is one of the first movies I watched when I was initially getting into Japanese film. Back in 2000, VHS still reigned supreme and it was pretty difficult to get your hands on Japanese movies in Colorado. Upon realizing that I had exhausted most of the sci-fi movie selection at the local Hollywood Video (remember when people used to RENT movies from STORES???), I stumbled upon a VHS copy of ADRENALINE DRIVE. Up to that point, I had really only watched jidai-geki style samurai movies, so my 12 year old brain was pretty interested in seeing a ‘normal’ Japanese movie. Though I bought it on a whim, ADRENALINE DRIVE turned out to be a ridiculously fun parody of yakuza caper films.The movie opens with Suzuki (Ando Masanobu), a spineless rental car clerk, accidentally rear ending a car full of yakuza. Always ready to exploit the situation, the yakuza force Suzuki to visit their office and settle the debt. After an uncomfortable moment with the yakuza leader Kuroiwa (Matsushige Yutaka), Suzuki is let off the hook when a gas explosion destroys the office. Hearing the blast, an off-duty nurse Shizuko (Ishida Hikari) rushes into the building to help. Seeing the dead yakuza, Suzuki and Shizuko leave with a case full of blood-soaked cash. However, a badly injured Kuroiwa knows their identities and, now bed-ridden in the hospital, sends a group of low-level chinpira after them to retrieve the stolen money. Now on the run from the yakuza, ADRENALINE DRIVE is about the bizarre misadventures the unlikely pair experience.
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