This ‘Witcher’ Anna Henrietta Cosplayer Cannot Abide Your Impertinence
Her enlightened ladyship Enayla cosplay is truly the master of sumptuous cosplay fabric and detail-rich cosplays!
Enayla Cosplay is an artist who creates projects of incredible detail and realism. Her cosplays look like they just strolled right off the silver screen, paying attention to rendering details in a manner that is of quality, rivaling the best costume designers. From her breathtaking Anna Henrietta cosplay from The Witcher to her robotic GLaDOS from Portal, each project she undertakes is truly a work of art. This week, we’re taking a peek behind the artist’s canvas!
How Did You Get Your Start in Cosplay?
I’d always been a gamer and generally into nerd culture. It was actually my parents who indirectly introduced me to cosplay. My mother is an artist, and my father is a comic book fan, so we decided a trip to San Diego Comic-Con would make a great family vacation. I was blown away by the amazing costumes. Just seeing characters that I loved walking around in real life inspired me. I tackled my first cosplay soon after. It’s been about eleven years now… I’m still driven to keep recreating my favorite characters out of appreciation for the source material.
What Type of Cosplay Work Do You Specialize in?
The majority of my experience lies in sewing, so that’s definitely my strength. I draft nearly all of my patterns from scratch and enjoy working with finicky fabrics. I try to be fairly well-rounded. My favorite projects have been ones where I’ve used a variety of techniques (sewing, armor making, resin casting, painting, structure-building, electronics, etc.).
What Is Your Favorite Type of Cosplay to Work On?
One of the most compelling things about cosplay for me is figuring out how to bring a 2D character into the real world. I really enjoy building oversized or engineering-heavy costumes. They’re a challenge, but it’s always so gratifying to come up with a technique or design that actually works.
What Are Your Favorite Completed Cosplays?
My favorite two costumes are Cullen from Dragon Age and GLaDOS from Portal 2. They were both extensive year-long projects and challenging labors of love. Cullen was my first semi-custom design, in that I created my own genderbent look for the cosplay. I had the best time designing and implementing a gown covered in detail while still maintaining the general vibe of his look. For GLaDOS, a robot that hangs from the ceiling, I built a 6’x6’x4′ structure. (Complete with vines, graffiti, and rubble to match the game environment). I suspended myself upside down from a custom harness in armor as accurately a match to GLaDOS’s body as possible for someone with human proportions. She’s one of those characters that always seemed impossible to cosplay, and I’m proud that I managed to do so.
What Crafting Material is Your Favorite?
I’ve dabbled in everything from thermoplastic armor to resin casting, but I always seem to go back to fabric! While I enjoy picking up new materials, it’s nice to fall back into techniques that I’m completely comfortable with. That said, there are endless textile techniques that I’m still learning about.
What are Your Favorite Fandoms and Characters?
I’m first and foremost a gamer, so many of my cosplays come from that medium. I love anything fantasy or sci-fi. My favorites are open-world PC RPGs like Dragon Age, Guild Wars, and The Witcher. My all-time favorite character is GLaDOS from Portal, who I adore for her snarky one-liners and interesting backstory.
What Types of Games Do You Play? Videogames, Tabletop, Wargames?
I’ve done a little bit of tabletop and D&D, but I lean primarily toward video games. I’m a sucker for anything with a compelling story and immersive game world. I’ll take a break from my virtual worlds every so often and go for a puzzle or platformer game.
Who are Your Cosplay Inspirations? Whose Work Do You Aspire to?
I follow so many cosplayers and am constantly inspired to push my own work further because of them. Kamui Cosplay and Lightning Cosplay are the two that really influenced me to try new materials, particularly for armor. They both continue to produce spectacular work. On the sewing side of things, I’m always drooling over December Cosplay‘s gorgeous fabric painting and applique.
What are Your Favorite Movies/Shows to Consume While You Craft?
I always have something playing in the background while I work. Sometimes it’s an audiobook (favorites are Game of Thrones, Eragon), a podcast (A Storm of Spoilers), or a TV show. My main crafting distraction is Project Runway. Both because of the contestants’ inspirational work and the feeling of camaraderie with a group of people desperately trying to sew something in an impossible time limit!
What Message Do You Have For People Wanting to Break Into Cosplay?
For new cosplayers, the first thing I’d always say is to go for it! Every part of the process is so much fun, and the community is such a wonderfully inclusive, helpful group of people. For those just starting out, I’d suggest tackling a simpler project at first and giving yourself plenty of time to finish it. Try to find a more experienced cosplayer as a mentor. Most of us are more than happy to give advice or point you to a helpful tutorial. One of the biggest lessons (that I’m still trying to master) is to remember that cosplay doesn’t need to be taken too seriously. In the end, we’re all just nerds dressing up as fictional characters!
Enayla Cosplay Photographer Credits
Photographer Credits
Enayla_1-3, 9: Al Lin
Enayla_4, 7: Enayla (self-portrait)
Enayla_5: Vancosplay Photography
Enayla_6: Elite Cosplay
Enayla_8: Roger Lee
All Asura/Golem shots (progress and final): Enayla (self-portrait)
~Join us next week for more cosplay coverage~
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