Words of Wisdom from a Sister of Battle Cosplay Judge
From the Comicpalooza 2023’s cosplay competition judging panel comes the experience and wisdom of the ages from Sparrowhawk Cosplay.
Each year in Houston, Texas, cosplayers flock to the convention floor of Comicpalooza to show off their best creations. From Comicpalooza 2023 we have a whole new, exciting set of interviews and images for you to enjoy!
Our first Comicpalooza 2023 interview comes from Sparrowhawk Cosplay, a local cosplayer and Comicpalooza 2023 judge with a passion for game characters. From Warhammer 40k to Elden Ring, Last of Us and beyond, she’s constantly upping her game as she dives deeper into the world of cosplay. Her images are by @j.a.vilches, and we’ve sat down to pick her brain about her cosplay experiences. Enjoy!
Comicpalooza 2023 Cosplay Interview with permission by Sparrowhawk Cosplay
What was your first cosplay? Where did you wear it and how did you choose that character?
My first time cosplaying was in 2014 at Comicpalooza. This was around the time one of my all-time favorite video games came out, The Last of Us. The game absolutely hooked me visually and emotionally. The main character, Ellie, really captured my heart. Her personality and story resonated with me on an incredibly deep level. I bought different elements of her outfit to create her look. At the time I didn’t know anything about wigs so I rocked my natural hair and added a little weathering to the clothing I bought to make it look apocalyptic.
Which other cosplayers inspire you?
I absolutely love Lightning Cosplay, Annie Graves Cosplay, Willow Creative, Bald Guy Cosplay, Stitch Crimes, Maul Cosplay Team, Rumple Stilt Seam, Lutavia Cosplay and Xephyr Studios. There are so many more people that I am inspired by, too many to name that I enjoy learning from. The cosplay community is filled with so many amazing craftsmen and the ingenuity and brilliance behind each person’s brain is something I want to pick at. The knowledge each person holds is a privilege to be able to listen to. I can only aspire to be on the level these people are and their art always keeps me working towards my goals.
What is your strongest construction skill? What construction materials still give you a hard time?
I have been working with foam and blueprint construction for about 5 plus years now. I love working with this medium and being able to have full creative control with it. Took me awhile to understand, but now that I am confident with it I would love to learn a new skill. Sewing is something I want to master. I have been studying everything I can to learn how to be better at it. A lot of people seem to think it is easy, but I can ensure you the artistry and thought that goes into each people professional sewists creative, is nothing but seer talent.
Does your culture, identity, or personality inspire your cosplay? If so, how?
I never really noticed how my personality effected my choices in costumes until I saw a pattern of characters I kept choosing. Most are strong female characters with red hair. They have goals they are willing to fight for and have strong convictions usually paired with a lot of attitude. I don’t know if this says something about how I perceive myself or if this is just how I want to be perceived.
What project are you working on now? What is the biggest cosplay on your Bucket List?
I am working on Sorceress Sellen from Elden Ring and Arwen and Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. As you can tell I love high fantasy. The designs are always detailed and timeless. A project I would call my finale or my magnum opus is Lady Haera from Necromunda. It’s a regal design with a level of intricacy I am dying to figure out.
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What’s the funniest/most disastrous cosplay malfunction you’ve ever experienced/survived?
Recently I had an incident in which the velcro to my chest plate busted open. Nothing was showing, but thankfully my friend was there to help me fix the issue. As embarrassed as I was, I took this as a learning lesson to put more thought into armor attachments and rigging to make sure nothing like this happens again.
What’s one piece of valuable advice you have for cosplayers, competitive or otherwise?
Cosplay what you love and never let someone else bring you down about it. Cosplay is about having fun. You do not need experience, fancy tools or professional skills to cosplay. If you want to buy a costume, do it! Commission an artist! If you want to make it, do it! If you want to compete or you just want to cosplay casually, do it! Believe in yourself, take breaks when you need to and remember safety first! No matter what just make sure YOU are doing something you love and having a blast while doing it.
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~Join us next week for more Cosplay Coverage~
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