Welcome to the PAX Prime 2015 costume thread!
Yes, it has already begun!! Work on a new PAX costume starts as soon as the recovery from the last PAX is over!
What is everyone planning on doing for their costumes for 2015?
Any big ideas or even just concepts of what you might want to do?
Games or other things coming out or are already out that you might want to base a costume off of?
Got any questions about how to make something or need opinions and advice?
Want to show off your work and post pics?
Find more members for your costume group or talk about a costume contest?
You have found the right place, now post to your hearts content!
Can't wait to see everyone's awesome work this year!
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Please keep in mind this post will be updated as often as possible to provide current information.
FAQS:Are there really that many people that cosplay for PAX?
There are enough of us that you are reading this thread!
I'm not sure if I want to dress up, what do you think?
Dressing up is a personal choice. No one will judge you either way.
Does my costume have to be video game related?
Not at all! There are a wide variety of costumes from all themes in geek culture from Doctor Who to Power Rangers, anime to video games! If you want to wear a costume then do it!
I am a beginner at costume making, any advice?
Many people will have many different things to say about this. At the heart of it all is to stick to your comfort zone. Never sewn a thing in your life? Don't make a full Princess Peach gown. Start out with something simple enough that you can make it, and make it well enough for YOU to be proud of. Don't get intimidated by others. Many people who do the large scale things have been at this a while. Also, nothing wrong with taking some pieces from your own wardrobe or the store and using them.
I have a cool prop weapon, can I bring it!? (this is the biggest one of all so please read on carefully!)
Please refer to these rules first and use common sense.
If you ABSOLUTELY cannot find the answer to your question then please put them in a message to
AaronC who is the security manager of PAX.
Do not flood him with questions if your answer can be found here!!!PAX ATTENDEE COSTUME WEAPON POLICY
The official policy is as follows:
Weapons Check Policies
All prop weapons brought to the show
MUST be approved at the Info Booth (on the 4th floor by the large set of escalators) as soon as you arrive. We will be looking for the following criteria:
It cannot fire any sort of projectile. (Nerf guns are only allowed if they have been deactivated and cannot fire.)
It cannot be an airsoft weapon. (Yes, even if it’s deactivated.)
It cannot be sharp or pointy enough to cut or pierce someone with moderate pressure. This includes all real swords, daggers and knives. It also includes ceramic blades, needles, syringes and anything that can pierce (for example, a Little Sister syringe made of wood would not be allowed)
Upon approval, your weapon and badge will be tagged and cataloged.
What kind of restrictions on clothing are there?
As an attendee the only restriction is that your man or lady bits are not showing. For women your breasts should be covered as well. If you (as an attendee, not a paid employee of an exhibitor) want to wear the equivalent of a bikini, you can.
The restrictions for clothing apply to people working for Exhibitors (do not worry about these rules unless you are working for an Exhibitor, in that case, please refer to your employer).
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THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IF GOING IN COSTUME:
*See weapons policy and peace bonding sections above for prop weapons (this really can't be stressed enough!)
*You will want to wear comfortable shoes. Shoes are required at all times anyways. Even if they do not match this is a HUGE deal. If you don't think you can walk all day in them, then don't do it.
*You will most likely get stopped for photos (especially if your costume is good). If you don't feel like it then simply tell the person that you are not doing pictures right now but to come find you later, the main thing is to be polite. Keep in mind also that some people are fans of "ninja photos", they walk by and nonchalantly snap a photo of you while you are simply standing there or eating, or...anything really. Once again be polite and sometimes you may even offer to take a nice photo for them (without your mouth full of food!).
*When taking pictures try to move out of the crowd and off to the side where there is less traffic (I am sure the person wanting the picture will also understand).
*The convention center will be hot. Keep this in mind especially for costumes with layers. Fake layers (fake collars, half sleeves that are sewn into a shirt to make it look like layers etc.) are all neat tricks to saving you from sweating like crazy.
*Weight of a costume can be a big issue. Think about it practically. If you can't carry the weight of a costume on you for the time that you will be in the center then don't wear it. Try to lighten up the load with hollow structures and the like. Remember that costumes don't always have to be the exact proportions of the original to look good.
*Costume size can also be a problem. Keep in mind that you will be wearing this into a convention center full of tons of people. No one wants to get smacked in the face by your giant Jesse from Pokemon wig or by your Final Fantasy bigger than a person sword.
*Swag is a very common thing, try to have a plan of where you will keep all your awesome shirts, buttons, magnets, games, etc. Matching bags are always a popular option. Having a buddy to help carry your stuff is also another option. Please note, there is no coat check or spare room to keep stuff in for attendees. It all depends on personal preference but is something to keep in mind.
*Freshness can be a little lacking by the third day of being in costume (this is not meant to offend anyone but this should be addressed). Try to change at least any underlayers to your costume everyday. If this can't happen then try to hang up the costume in your room for the night so that it can at least air out (febreeze isn't a bad option either). Wear deodorant and any other freshening toiletries that you prefer and shower each day to keep yourself and your costume nice and fresh.
*Finally, it is a good idea to carry a few safety pins (or your costume equivalent) with you to make on the fly repairs while at the convention center. Accidents happen, especially the more people you add to a situation. It would be a shame for someone to step on the hem of Kaylee's Fluffy Layer Cake Dress and have it rip and leave you exposed.
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GROUPS:
If you have a group page that you would like to have posted here then please PM me!
Keep in mind that most groups make a Facebook page to connect and organize through since things can get lost easily on this thread.
Mass Effect
(This is a closed Facebook group, if you would like membership then please make sure that you either message me (arwen_doll16_LOTR) here on the PA forums, or make your albums with your Mass Effect costume progress public so that an admin will approve you.)
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GROUP MEETUP TIMES AND LOCATIONS:
TBA
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CONTESTS:
S2 Games is running a cosplay contest at PAX Prime 2014.
There will be a masquerade walk Saturday, August 30 @ 12pm.
S2 Games will also be host to a Cosplay Competition at PAX Prime hosted Saturday, August 30th @ 2pm
The details for the competition can be found
Here
Check the link for further details as the event gets closer and to sign up!
Posts
Edit (After SB49): Nothing doing. The real Carl was undefeated in Stone Cold Locks for the Super Bowl until tonight... Let me just quote Cowboy Bebop's Radio Free Mars and say "No sponsors, no commercials, and no guarantees, kids. These are the only rules." So, Bill Bellicheat won... "Any given Sunday." No guarantees.
"Fantasy football still counts as fantasy." -DnD Greg
http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SchoolGirlGoodness/library/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/VeronatheMad
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I am contemplating doing some N7 armor but that isn't 100% yet
And then most likely a burial at sea elizabeth
There's definitely online resources for 'buying' Corvo's outfit/mask. But I am torn on the idea simply buying it or making the costume myself.
For example here is a picture of a mask someone has made:
[Link] (via DeviantArt) (This is 3D, sorry, but a good reference)
As for his outfit, buying it would be the simple thing. I may just make a few parts of it myself as some of the sites that sell it have great suits and such, but the 'accessories' look a little flimsy and I would prefer the belts/buttons/etc. look authentic and not like really thin pieces of fake leather.
Just a nerd into anything Nintendo, anime, MCU, Star Wars, and board games/card games.
Also a computer scientist and a streamer.
For the rest of the days I'm thinking of doing Bigby Wolf and I'm torn between Ratchet or crossplaying Lightning, I really want to make the gunblade xD
And i really hope they have an official cosplay contest this year, that way they can use one of the theaters and more people will be able to join in and watch, instead of a bunch of people crowding around a booth in the middle of the showfloor.
While I have no information on what is being planned, I will say anyone can submit a panel to use one of the theaters. It doesn't have to be an actual panel, you could organize and submit a costume contest or show yourselves. The theater room content is mostly built from community submissions.
Along with my old Vox Populi costume.
This let's me repurpose my combat boots and use cargo pants for carrying things, and hopefully I won't sweat out a Hawaiian shirt. Plus since I've been weight lifting in prep for next year's Duke Nukem cosplay I have a weird mix of muscle and belly fat (no need to cut till the zeroth hour) that should work perfectly.
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I just did Amethyst for Sakuracon and have a ton of body paint left over so I'll likely do her again. But I may not actually use the body paint as a body suit would be more convenient and take less time (body paint took an extra 1.5-2 hours each morning I did her) so I may not actually use up the paint like I want. Besides the paint the rest of her was easy to make and would just need a wash. I'd probably make her whip so I have a nice prop this time though, and I'd need to think of a better way to attach her gem than just using gross amounts of spirit gum, it started to get itchy later in the day.
I currently don't have any other plans though I do have plenty of older costumes I can recycle from TF2 or Pokémon. I'll have to see if my boyfriend has anything in mind for a couple cosplay (which I love doing) or if he'll be doing his own thing. And after cosplaying for Sakuracon I think he's a little burned out at the moment so that may take a while...
If the bow can shoot an arrow, i.e. has a good spring potential, it's probably not safe. That being said I think we're supposed to ask these questions on Zerzhul's official Pax Prime 2015 Q&A thread.
Lot's of people have bows, there are two things we will ask you to do, please don't bring a bow that has a string under tension that can be used to shoot a real arrow. If you have a real bow, then mock up a string or something that can't be drawn back.
You can bring arrows, just make sure they do not have a sharp or pointy tip. Most people bring fake arrows that may stay in a quiver or have blunted tips.
The goal is so that we don't have a bunch of threads that have titles like "What time does PAX open?" or "How do I get to the WSCC from Pike Place Market?" that can be answered with one post and will clutter up the forum.
There's also nothing /wrong/ with asking ANY question in the FAQ thread! If a cosplay question gets asked there, I'll probably just refer that poster to this thread
Jubilee & Cyclops - 90's X-Men
Debonair jayce & Debonair vi (both gender bent) - LoL
Expatriette & setback (broken city) - sentinels tactics boardgame
We've already started on the weapons. I've made foam guns for expatriette but they still need to be detailed. He's got foam structures for vi's gauntlets. I've measured and drawn most of the hammer head for Jayce and have a foam structures for the butt of the hammer.
Have yet to get our hands on a sewing machine but we should have one at the end of this week. We both are pretty much newbs at sewing too haha.
Elise de la Serre from "Assassin's Creed: Unity," Hilda from Rooster Teeth's "X-Ray and Vav," Squirtle Squad with a couple of friends, and my Hero from "Sunset Overdrive."
Holy cosplay, Batman!
PAX Prime Attendee: '10, '12, '13, '14
Prime 2015 Cosplay: Hilda, Female Sunset City Hero, Squirtle Squad url="http://www.facebook.com/steleus"]X[/url
Currently I am leaning towards PAX makeup (unrelated to PAX prime. weird that it's the same acronym). I mostly got the idea from this review.
I need to try it out, but if anyone has any other suggestions, I would love to hear them and I could try a couple options. It needs to be makeup that can cover my entire body for the 4 days of PAX (reapplying some to clean it up a bit in the mornings).
I don't know much about body paint, but I do know PAX is hot, you will sweat, and you will need to take a shower. Not to mention your body paint could stain whatever you're sleeping on, and if it's hotel sheets you're gonna end up having to pay for them.
Looking at a full body paint job is daunting though, and super time-intensive. My usual recommendation (especially after my personal experience with how long it took just to do my top for Amethyst [probably 1.5-2 hours each morning]) is if you're looking at something that's going to cover that much of you, look into getting a body suit and painting the pattern on that. From a distance it'll look the same, maybe better since it'll be more consistently covered, and then you don't have to worry about redoing it again the next day, just put the suit back on. I mean if you're a pro feel free, but for someone who may be doing it for the first time, the body suit will solve so many problems before they even start.
Body suit sounds great for cnepoy but please no latex suits. I was so careful last year asking but somehow I missed on and I had a really bad allergic reaction all other my right arm from the latex. It makes me really off, I want pictures with my fellow cosplayers but I run risks because sometimes they don't even realize there is latex in the material. I do paint body suits, if I get healthy enough I will be painting a mech arm for my borserlands mechromancer costume.
http://s774.photobucket.com/user/SchoolGirlGoodness/library/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/VeronatheMad
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I have tested it a little. I covered my left hand and made it entirely white and slept on it. It began to peel the next day, though, which may be because I didn't use enough Pros-Aide (PAX makeup is just Prose-Aide adhesive and acrylic paint).
I appreciate the suggestion and for some cosplays in the future, I may totally do that, but it just doesn't seem fitting for Kratos to me. This is something I am totally willing to put a lot of time (and money:P) into. I want it to be something that looks really good close up (as you are often close to people at pax). I don't know what it entails to be a pro, but I would like my costume to be indistinguishable from a professional one.
I'm growing facial hair, will be shaving my head, waxing my body (for sake of makeup), and am currently working out every day and carefully monitoring what I eat to really go all out on this cosplay. I graduate in June and my job doesn't start until the end of September, so I've made this cosplay part of my "occupation" for this summer, lol. I don't foresee myself having another opportunity in my life to just go crazy on a cosplay like this. I don't want to mess any of it up because of not being able to find an adequate way to make my skin pale and red.
I just want to know what the best possible body paint is out there and from I have read online, it sounds like that is PAX paint. I would like to know, though, if anyone has any experience with it or anything else that they have tried to color their body.
Thanks again for the replies, WolfmanASTN and Scunosi
Go all out and have fun. Don't let the naysayers get you down, but listen to the cautionary tales to make your outfit better. You will have so much fun. Go big and you will enjoy it and so will everyone else.
I'm really hoping to get Gray Fox completed, but it's turning into a lot of work. I will press on, though!
I found one online that I think will work: partycity.com/product/animated+chainsaw.do.
QUESTION: Before I buy the one above, I want to be certain that as long as I register it immediately at the weapons booth that I'll be allowed to carry it around. The only modification I plan on doing is painting the base (haven't decided on painting the 'blade').
For reference:
Character (wiki): http://hotlinemiami.wikia.com/wiki/Alex_Davis
Photo (art): orig11.deviantart.net/707a/f/2015/096/3/8/hotline_miami_ii_alex_and_ash_by_brianbrianski-d8onglv.jpg
Photo (game footage):rockpapershotgun.com/images/14/apr/hlm2.jpg
If I am asking this question in the wrong forum, apologies in advance.
PSN: L00nyEclip
Steam: Loony Eclipse
Twitter: @Loonyeclipse
That depends. Is it Max Payne 3 Max with his glorious beard and Hawaiian shirt?
PSN: L00nyEclip
Steam: Loony Eclipse
Twitter: @Loonyeclipse
Then I say go for it.
PAX. PAX. PAX. Boom.
It depends on how sharp the and pointy the plastic on the blade is. We can't give you a 100% answer without checking it out in person. As the policy says if it could "cut or pierce someone with moderate pressure" then we would not allow it in the show. Its plastic sure, but as anyone that has cut themselves from trying to open plastic packaging knows plastic can still be sharp.
http://prime.paxsite.com/safety-and-security#weapons-check-policies