Hillary hasn't been up to too much since the writing of this interview, least I don't think she has been. Cosplay related she's made Dizzy from Guilty Gear and attended conventions over the summer such as Anime Expo and various others. I hope you guys enjoy this interview!!
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Photo by Eurobeat Kasumi Photography
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Cold Candle is one of my personal favorite cosplayers I
follow. Not only is she extremely cute but she’s also as sweet as people can
get. She’s mostly known for her gijinka outfits of Sonic the Hedgehog and
Tails. Not to mention she has a ridiculous love for Sonic and the franchise
itself. Here she tells us about herself, how she got into cosplay, and more
interesting facts about herself!
1. What is your name?
My name is Hillary Stump, otherwise known
as my cosplay alias: Cold Candle!
2. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in New Orleans,
Louisiana. I currently reside in Southern Mississippi where I attend college
for my associate’s degree in nursing.
3. How long have you been
cosplaying?
While I have always enjoyed wearing
dramatic costumes for theater productions and parties, I started cosplaying
during my free time around early 2010. It’s been these past few years that I
have met some amazing people in this community who have inspired me to continue.
4. What is your favorite
cosplay you’ve made so far?
My favorite cosplay that I’ve made so far
would have to be… Sonic the Hedgehog. I know it’s not really one of the best
costumes ever (especially for a ripped up plaid shirt and some fleece ears), but
it holds some great memories. And it’s comfy too!
5. Are there any upcoming
outfits that you are able to share/tell?
Oh, plenty! I am very excited to present a
few new costumes for this summer. I am hoping to cosplay Noel Vermillion from
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, Kyoko from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and so much
more. The one costume I am looking forward to the most is Dizzy from the Guilty
Gear series. This has always been a dream costume of mine, and I’m more than
eager to finish this cosplay before Anime Expo 2013.
6. How did you get into
cosplay?
I got into cosplay with the help of a few
friends I knew in high school. They had told about conventions where people
would dress up as characters from television shows and cartoons, and I thought
that was really awesome. My curiosity got the best of me, and before I knew it
I started planning a costume to wear for myself.
7. Who’s your favorite video
game character?
My favorite video game character would
definitely be Miles ‘Tails’ Prower from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. One of
the first games I ever played as a child was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega
Genesis, which I would play alongside my big brother. I always liked being
second player because I was able to control Tails without the disadvantage of
running out of rings or drowning.
Over the years, my appreciation for Miles
never faded. Between his characteristics as an individual and the unique
appearance of his complexion, Tails will always be one of my favorite video
game characters.
8. Who’s your favorite comic
book character?
Although I don’t read too many comic books,
I would have to say my favorite character is Rorschach from the classic limited
series, Watchmen. The graphic novel was easily one of the best stories I have
ever read, and I found the half-insane anti-hero as one of the most interesting
of characters. His zero tolerance for moral deviance and extreme moral code
really drove the story through this gritty and visually striking novel.
9. What was a memorable con moment?
Worst con moment?
My most memorable convention moment(s) was
during Anime Expo 2011. I had the most fantastic time ever; especially with how
many awesome people I met and got to hang out with. I can’t just choose one
moment! Between meeting some of my favorite cosplayers and working with some of
the most talented photographers, I felt grateful to be in the presence of all
these fantastic people.
I haven’t actually had a really horrible
convention moment, but I suppose the worst thing that has ever happened
involving an event was when my biggest cosplay project for Anime Expo 2012
ended up being a huge bust a day before the convention. While I felt awful
about not being able to attend the event with a costume I hoped to wear a year
in advance, I’ve learned so much from the experience. It really helped kick my
motivation to start on costumes months in advance now.
10. Do you have a favorite
convention you go to/been to?
If you haven’t noticed already, Anime Expo
is one of my favorite conventions to attend! This is the convention that I plan
months in advance for. When it comes to what costumes I’m going to wear and
what panels I want to attend, I already have an itinerary of almost everything
that I want to do written months before the convention. The reason I love this
convention so much is because I get to see so many of my friends from out of
state. Even if it’s only for five minutes, a greeting and a hug means so much
to me from someone that I admire online. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe the people
you meet during a convention definitely make the weekend worthwhile!
11. What advice would you offer
to those that want to get into cosplay?
Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!
Cosplay is all about learning. Between using the appropriate stitching
technique and how to pose in your costume, you only get better through trial
and error. And of course, don’t forget to have fun! I can’t emphasize
this enough. Whether your reason for cosplaying is to work with sewing/prop
making, expressing your love for a character, or just modeling in general,
don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself.
12. What is your favorite part
of cosplaying as a character?
My favorite part of cosplaying a character
is portraying that individual through a real-life picture. The reason I love
cosplay so much is because of the art you can create through just one single
photo. I think it’s absolutely amazing to bring a fictional character to life,
especially a character that you truly adore and love.
Picture:
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| Photo by John Lynn |
How did you make this outfit?
I actually bought this costume from
somebody on the Cosplay.com forums! It was never worn due to the large size,
but I was able to adjust the suit to my body adequately. Although the suit and
the major accessories had pretty much already been tailored, I was able to
improve a few of the items such as the gloves and the goggles to fit and look
more appropriate for the character. While I didn’t make this costume, I had so
much fun wearing it!
How long did it take to make?
Because I didn’t actually sew the costume
and there were only a few items I needed to fix, it only took less than a week
to finish. There is definitely much more that I am hoping to add over time to
improve this cosplay. I am hoping to get pictures of the revisions very soon!
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| Photo by Eurobeat Kasumi Photography |
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| Photo by JWaiDesign Photography |
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| Photo by John Lynn |
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| Photo by FiveRings Photography |
Conclusion:
Hillary is
definitely looking forward to sharing her future outfits with everyone and I
can’t wait to see them debut! She really deserves a lot more fans to appreciate
her work, if you want to follow her cosplay work check out her Facebook Page!
