Wig: Saya Takagi

Today my Saya Takagi wig, Highschool of the Dead, arrived. And I have to admit that I was really nervous about this wig, because pink is one of the harder shades to find, where it doesn't look too synthetic, and also the package was waaaay smaller than the ones I usually get twintails in.
BUT my lover on the side, Lady Luck, had a good day, and the wig is thick and pretty.

I tried to take pictures through-out the styling process, but my DSLR ran out of battery and the smaller one has the worst automatic focus. So here's just the before and after:

As always it's a more natural interpretation, just because that's how I like wearing my wigs, and I've also used slightly more hair for the bangs, since I've seen the more screen accurate look been done on a wig and I didn't care too much for it.

I still haven't worked one the twintails, they need a little more layering at the base and some volume, just so they don't look like extra attachments.

Noel Kreiss: Finishing sandals, belt & wig work.

*All pictures have bigger versions for your enjoyment

After my last entry, I continued with the shoes until they were finished, what can I say? I was on a roll.
So since I finished with that, I've kept on with the pleather work and started on the 'main' belt, cut the wig and made the first make-up try. /All the while I'm embroiding every day, so busy.

This time, I didn't take too many pictures though, I was in the zone and just snapped a few, whenever I remembered, so this entry might seem a bit choppy.

The outer "fold" of the shoes, I made with the same texture pleather, as I did the tip, and the result is definitely much better than than I expected it to be.
I attached it with hotglue, textile glue and stitching where my needle would pull through, don't want it falling off suddenly, now do we?

Now this was the part I dreaded the most, I did a few tries on scrap, but still I was very worried that the fabric would be ruined if the loops slipped. Thankfully it didn't and it ended up looking real neat.

So here's the finished result... well finished and finished, I need to measure the laces and cut them, also remove some glue from the edges of the sole.
There is some small changes from the original design, but that's purely for aesthetic and comfort reasons.

As said, I got my wig, it's been cut and I'm slowly figuring out how I want it to be styled, since I want it natural and without as much product as I usually use.
The make-up is pretty natural as well, but actually as close to his look as I could get this time around. It was pretty entertaining doing, because looking closely at the artwork, you can see the colors that've been used to shade around his eyes and lips, definitely a catering to the cosplayers, haha.
Also, the reason that the wigs looks lighter, is because it's layered with powder, to make it more natural looking. /of course it shines through on direct flash like this. + awkward smile for your enjoyment

And lastly, I'm working on his leather belt, and I have to thank my roomate, Nadia, for leaving me a lot of scrap-fabric, that inspired me to use the textures I'm using in the belt! In itself, the process is pretty boring, so no more pictures than this, I'm sure you can imagine the rest.

SDotP: Customizing a wig and torso armor

Thursday the wigs finally arrived, and of course.. the wig-craze that I am, I had to start styling it up as fast as possible.

The blue wig I had gotten, is long by itself, but not long enough to have the ponytail that Kaito has as the demon, alas; sewing on extensions.
The wig itself is heat resistant, and the extensions I got wasn't, so I was very lucky that the color matched up as well as it did. I got myself five single-strands of clip-on extensions, removed the clip and have sown them on were I thought would look the best in layering.
Since I'll removed them again at some point, I used black thread, so it'd be easier to spot.

 

The wig, inside out on a Styrofoam head, so it's easier to work with.

Today, I helped my lovely cosplay partner, with her torso armor.
Since she wanted something body tight, that would fit properly, we had to make it directly on her body, and so we wrapped her like a turkey (her words), and got cooking /see what I did there? 8D
We only added one layer of paper-maché, since it'll also be covered with chicken wire, and other very fun stuff, so it'll be sturdy for the stage.

As I've already said on this dA Journal, I've started scripting a few CMV's, and right now I'm working on a major one, with Ao No Exorcist, I've written down a few scenes that'd I'd like to use, but that it thus far, needs more time.

Frickin' artistic picture, because you're not allowed to know what'll happen 8D

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.

Space and Wigs

So I'm really bad at updating, huh?

Cosplay stuff is happening in my life, but I don't really get around to take pictures of a lot of it, also because it's pretty boring for you all to watch, but here's some stuff.

A week ago, I was out with a friend to buy groceries, and I stumbled upon this portable closet, and was like.. I NEED THIS UGLY THING IN MY LIFE, since my cosplays have been pretty much packed down, whenever I haven't been using them. /big no no

All of those. In that small suitcase, can you even believe it?

Yesterday I got the wig that I've been commissioned for, Bára wanted a wig for her Ace Crash cosplay. So I got working on that, as soon as I got up.
I spend almost exactly two hours on this wig, I could probably spend more time, but it's not easy when it isn't a wig for the average head.

I can't wait to see how it fits her, omigosh!! /and yes, it's a mustalicious foam head.


And lastly, I just purchased these two wigs, for very cheap on eBay. Since the last place I ordered my Sheryl wig, didn't turn out too great.
And since I will be doing Klein sometime in the future, I thought I might aswell get that one too.

Roxas and different wigs.

Pressure is on for finishing for Desucon.
Two days ago, I went out with Nadia & Killing to get some fabric in Roskilde.
And I found most of the stuff I needed, less than I expected actually, we like that. Today I got some stuff for my shoes with mustachefriend.

And just to make it a little interesting, here's some wigs that I've fixed up.

Simple games

I just wanted to wear a little on my brown wig, and I figured Sora would be a good way to go about it.

Keep in mind, the wig hasn't been cut at all, and it really just is a 'play around' thing, and the get-up is just to see how it'd look with the character (Thank you Zuum for letting me borrow it)



The one I made for my DeviantArt



A better view of the overall wig



and just a picture I liked XD

If I really should make a Sora wig, it'd probably not look like this at all, I'd stick more to the actual spiking that he got, not with the waved ends, but oh well. Gotta try different things, cha know?

From Italy to America

If you know me.. and how I get around with doing my cosplays.
You know that I need about 2-3 projects outside the main ones.

I've done a little 'wigswap' thing, with Zuum's and got this orange wig. And I was browsing around for characters with orange hair, unfortunately.... there's not alot that I actually like, or just want to cosplay XD
So I settled for Italy, of Hetalia. He's portrayed mostly with brown hair, but on alot of photoes it's very lightbrown orange-ish, so I'm putting in brown streaks all over the wig.
So still VIP.




Also not making the 'official' outfit, but the Italian school uniform XD <3 (which means I'll make his hair more femme, due to him looking like a girl when he was younger XD)


 And also I'm playing around with how I want my wig, when I make Jake Long of American Dragon, it's a show I watched when I was a little younger and had Cartoon Network. Hayes pushed me over the edge to actually say "I'm gonna do this." So yeah XD



I'm probably going to buy a new black wig, and then some green extensions, cut them up and then Hairspray them onto the ends of the spikes, to get that green effect that he also have, I think it's an important point of his hair.



I've never noticed I get that twirl thing, when I smirk .__.

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

Dark and Krad wig commissions

Here we go, proper pictures of the Dark and Krad wigs I made for Lea and Zuumie.
This was my first time at doing wigs that had to be able to get rustled on stage, without going out of style.
Also they wanted a more "realistic anime esque" look, not too natural and not too anime (hardcore spiking)





The Dark wig was borrowed, therefore it was very limited as to how much I was allowed to play with layers, and really perfect it. It had alot of fly-away leftovers (cut off the ones I could get away with), and the neck was too straight, and the sides too uneven, but all in all. I think it turned out good still.
But definite need of improvement on the next one that Zuum's ordered (can't wait), especially more layering on the top (Hello single spike, doesn't anyone like you?)




Krad's wig was pretty easy and I finished it alot quicker than I thought I would.
There was alot of hair on this wigbase, so I had alot of hair to work with, and it was easy to move around, (can't say the same about the ponytail though x__x)
The long part of the fringe is one of the things I'm most satisfied with, it turned out really good, and it actually looks like it've been there all along, when it's actually a glued on strand :D
Also I love the bottom back part, since I had to make a little "Faggot tail", for the larger one to cling too, the net was VERY visable, so I had to pull small strands into the back, to cover it, and also it gives a really good texture effect.




The wigs together (Here you can see alot of Darks flyaways x_x;;)
Since Dark and Krad are mirror images of eachother, I felt it was very important to give them a very definite likeness, and I think I've pulled it off pretty well. (look at top fringe 'spike')


But that's actually all I have to say about that. Sorry for the watermarks ^^;
I'm excited for upcoming projects, hooo yea~

(Btw... should I do this for every wig that has a little more advancement in it? you guys wanna see that? huh?)