A Portrait Tip: Personality Angle

As a cosplayer, you're more than likely to have your picture taken, at cons you cannot control what the photographer does, but at a photoshoot, it's easy to know what to expect and you can help your photographer with guidance to how your character is supposed to be perceived.
*Do mind that everybody's face and body is different and my tips are not rules!

I got one example here, about how much a slight angle, can change your look.

In photo number one, the camera is pretty much right in front of my face, possibly a little higher up. This angle will make your head look bigger, and most of your facial features smaller, while your eyes gets bigger.
not just your face, but your torso also changes, since your neck appears to be shorter and your shoulder pulled up.
This angle is perfect for young characters and also the generic cute girl, and also if your character is more vulnerable, because the viewer has the dominant height.

In photo number two, the camera is obviously lower than my face, but not by much. This slight change makes an obvious impact, your head will appear smaller and proportionate to your body, therefore more adult and serious. Your neck looks longer and also taller.
This angle is good for adult characters, and if you're like me; a shorty, it will make you appear at least an inch or two taller. It is a more serious angle and not used often for cutesy pictures.


I hope this helps those of you who need it, it was very much a spur of the moment thing, but fun non-the-less

Tutorial: Child Make-up

Sheryl Nome: Shading a wig.

I've just finished shading my Sheryl wig, since the wig I got, I felt didn't really relate to Sheryl's hair, as much as I wanted it to. So I got cracking with the markers, which I borrowed from my lovely room-mate Nadia.

Putting streaks and shades into a wig, is really the easiest thing in the world, though very time-consuming.
If it's your first time, shading a wig, you should use a tone slightly darker than the wig's actual color, just to test it out, by doing some vertical stripes on a layer that isn't too visible.
Once you get a good technique working for you, continue with the rest of the wig, with the actual color you need. Though it's always a good idea to go lighter at first, and then layer the color if you must.

When I finished putting in the pink shades into the blonde part of the wig, I moved on to the solid pink, which looked fine underneath the shades blonde, but I wanted a more real look to it, so I used a marker, a few degrees darker than the actual color, and put in very few, very thin and separated streaks.

At last, remember... when using markers and other sorts of pens, which is used for paper... Know that the color most likely won't stick in water (some will though).
You are, in actuality, drawing on plastic, which most inks (unless designed for it), don't stick on.
Markers will stick better to a heat-resistant wig, because of the different texture, but I do not recommend doing shading, the night before the con.

Tutorials?

So, I've been asked if I wanted to do some wig tutorials for the danish CosMag.
I'm still unsure if I want to do it, since I'm pretty messy and random when I make wigs, I don't have much of a system. And also I wouldn't like for people to come down on my 'techniques', since what works for me, works for me.

But anyways!

If I choose to do these tutorials... what would you guys like to see? (cutting, styling, dye, the works)
And any examples for characters that would be interesting to see? It can also just be elements of the hair, not an overall look.

Making more natural roots on wigs.

I started on a new project today, and it involves a VERY OBVIOUS PARTING, so I figured... I'll snap a few pictures, and show you guys how I make wigs look more natural.

Firstly.
You need your wig of course XD
Some wigs have more color tones, so for those, this is rarely a must, but this wig is solid orange, and the 'crown' is very much visible, and looks very unnatural.







Secondly.
Magic sharpers (Using a brown one here), I know this isn't something that you don't really have around, unless you have more creative streaks (This one is happily borrowed from Zuumie xD)
the easiest way, is to use the light end, to softly stroke against the hair. Some sharpies doesn't 'stain' all that well, some does, so it's really about trying out what's best for the wig you're using.




*I'm pointing this, it's not flat on the wig!*


Thirdly.
You can see I've stained the roots in choppy patterns, and also the small cap, just to darken it all a little.
You should also remember to layer, so you dye roots that isn't visible just now, but will be with movement, this gives depth to the wig.







And here without a flash, in natural light.




As you can see, I've also dyed in streaks, but that's another tale for another time.

Hope this is of help to some of you, there's alot of different ways to go about this, so you gotta be patient, and make your own way :3