Hi Readers
It’s time for another cosplay interview this time we meet Lady Halestorm. So far we’ve featured cosplayers from Australia, America and Peurto Rico, now it’s time to meet a British one. Lady Halestorm is a cosplay veteran and we even frequent the same con’s so chances are we’ve ran into each other in the past! Lets find out some more about Lady Halestorm
1) How did you get into cosplaying?
I always loved to dress up as a kid and even as a teen, I’d convince people to have fancy dress parties just so I had another excuse to get a new costume. I never actually knew cosplaying was a real thing until I discovered Jessica Nigri! Once I found out about cosplaying, I went to my first con and was totally blown away by the talent that some people demonstrated. Before this, I’d buy a costume and wear it as it came, but these people made their costumes by hand and spent months doing so! It was then that I decided to give it a go, and I haven’t stopped since.
2) Where do you get your inspiration and ideas to cosplay from? Is it from programs you watch now or childhood programs or both?
I get most of my cosplay ideas from films and TV shows I watch as an adult. I’ll be watching TV and I’ll become obsessed with a character’s outfit to the point where I won’t rest until I have the same one! It’s the same when reading a comic book or playing an xbox game. I’ll see a costume that I love and I’ll spend the next few days planning how I can make it and if it’s a male character, I’ll see how I can gender-bend it. I’m a page model for @itsthenerdylife on Instagram and I sometimes scroll through their page to get inspiration too – the content on there is amazing.
3) How do you put your outfits together are they 100% from scratch and if so what’s been your trickiest part to date?
Unfortunately, due to me not having a sewing machine that works, I haven’t been able to make any costumes entirely from scratch (it’s something I’m saving up for!). I’ve tried to make a few things by hand stitching them, but they never turn into something I’m happy with. Rather than buying a fancy dress costume from a shop, what I usually do is buy some base materials and put them together and tweak until it’s perfect. I have bought a few cosplay pieces in the past, but it works out cheaper to make them myself. There was one costume I made from scratch which was Scarecrow from the Batman game “Arkham Asylum”. It took me three months to make the mask and glove and is still to this date, the most challenging thing I’ve ever had to do because I had to layer the base mask to give it the right expression. I do however, make most of my props from scratch. If I have a limited amount of time to get a cosplay finished then I’ll buy them, but I generally make all my props.
4) What’s your favourite cosplay to date?
I’d have to say my Lara Croft: Rise of the Tomb Raider cosplay. It was the first cosplay I actually took on a photo shoot and had loads of fun becoming the character. I hand painted the pistol and spent weeks practicing the make-up – it was my first big project. I got a lot of positive feedback from lots of different cosplayers including SuperMaryFace!
5) If you’ve cosplayed at a convention what was the experience like?
Every con I’ve been to, I’ve cosplayed as something. There’s no feeling like someone appreciating the hard work you’ve put into a cosplay and wanting to take pictures. It’s such a friendly community at conventions and each year just gets better.
6) Can we expect to see you at any conventions this year?
YES! I will be at LFCC on Saturday 30th July 2016 and London MCM on Saturday 29 th October 2016.
7) If you could cosplay as anyone and budget wasn’t an issue who would it be?
Definitely Amber’s Bunny Mech from Sucker Punch!
8) Do you have any words of advice for up and coming cosplayers?
First and most importantly, do it for you! Cosplay is all about expressing yourself and if you’re doing it just to get compliments or ‘likes’ you will soon lose your passion for it. There are famous cosplayers and yes they make a lot of money for what they do, but don’t aim for that. Do it because you love it, not because you want to be famous. Also, it is important to keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, your cosplays aren’t likely to be the standard of Jessica Nigri, and that’s ok! In the words of Jake the Dog “sucking at something is the first step to becoming sort of good at something”. It is a very expensive and time-consuming hobby. And lastly, HAVE FUN! It’s always satisfying when your cosplay looks super legit and as if it has been pulled out of a game/comic/film but it’s more fun to put your own twists on them. I personally love to think to myself “what would I look like as this character?” and create cosplays based on that. It makes it more personal and lets you express your creativity. Go take the cosplay world by storm!
9) Where can we find you online?
At the moment I’m only on Instagram as @lady_halestorm but I will be setting up a facebook page soon. I’ll announce when this happens so keep an eye out on my Instagram page for updates!
- Instagram – Lady_Halestorm
There you go readers Lady Halestorm! Don’t be shy go say hi and say ‘Skatronixxx sent me!’
“Give no attention, to the man behind the curtain, he’s just a brainless heartless coward…”
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