Actress, Model , Gamer and Cosplayer, “The Little One” tends to cosplay as not quite so well known characters, and I admit it, it was the Harley Quinn one that grabbed our attention!
Could you tell us a little about yourself?
I’ve been a model for 3 years and a cosplayer for about 7 so I’m interested in loads of different types of anime, sci-fi and games.
What or who inspired you to Cosplay?
I met one of my friends in secondary school, she introduced me to Vocaloid which we then decided to start cosplay as (Miku and Rin) for fun and then it just went from there.
Are there specific types of character that you particularly gravitate towards and why?
I normally try to less well know/over-looked characters as a lot of people don’t tend to do them as either their costume is to complex/doesn’t suit them or they would prefer to be recognised.
What for you have been the most challenging characters that you’ve cosplayed as, and which have been the most enjoyable?
Currently I’m trying to create the paper wings of Konan from Naruto which is mostly a trial and error project as I’ve never made wings before so I’m doing different scale models to hopefully find the right structure but it’s a very long process.
My most enjoyable cosplay was as Izumi Curtis, I spent 6 hours putting in fake dreads and made a mess of the shoes but in the end it was pretty good and it was really fun to make.
Could you take us through a little on how you made your outfits?
I’m a bit if a perfectionist so I try and make my own outfits from scratch but for example with Harley Quinn I bought a cheap cosplay online as it was cheaper than buying the fabric. I bought the suit in a bigger size, wore a corset underneath it and tailored it to fit. I do a day of makeup practice where I try different types of makeup and styles to get one that matched a reference picture and with purchased costumes I normally discard the accessories and make my own, I did this with the ruffle cuffs. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to make the shoes from scratch (I would have made them with material, shoe soles and fabric starch/stiffener) so bought a pair of lace up shoes removed the laces and painted them with model paint all in all its pretty decent but I will still be working on it to get it perfect.
First make up try and before tailoring and new cuffs (https://www.instagram.com/p/6eB2aIi6Kq/) and After (http://purpleport.com/portfolio/thelittleonelilicat/image/3170533/model/?type=album&album=71698)
Which Conventions have been the most enjoyable for you to attend and why?
The first Sheffield Film and Comic Con was great for me as due to it being in my home town I was able to work on my costume from home, it had really good stalls, amazing guests and cosplayers plus i was able to join up with my friends to cosplay together.
A question about photographers. Obviously cosplayers are a dream come true for photographers, great outfits and poses, does it ever get a bit tiring having to pose endlessly for them, and how do you prefer to be approached by a photographer?
Like I said previously I do a lot of lesser know characters so I have only been approached a handful of times which i find is great as I get to enjoy the event I’m at and get to admire and talk to other cosplayers but when I have been approached by a photographer I’ve always had a polite “is it ok if I take a photo of you please?” Which is good because not only does it make me more willing to pose but it also means that there is a good chance of getting the picture they took of you.
What impact has cosplaying had on your life?
I have to be careful as I could easily spend all my money on cosplay but I like doing it as it’s keeps me busy and it’s helped my confidence to grow.
Do you have any advice for anybody thinking of cosplaying?
I would suggest learning a few crafty skills (sewing, painting, etc.) and diy tricks (wig styling, accessory making,etc) as it helps make a costume. Also the first time I wear a cosplay I make a list of things to improve so I can evolve it and make it more comfortable so I would suggest doing that too.
Web Links:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelittleone_l/
Tumblr – http://thelittleone.tumblr.com/
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