Cosplayer Interview: Azura Cosplay!
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| Photo by Sweet Sensation Photography |
I fully admit, Azura Cosplay's beauty drew me into her work at the start, but I certainly never imagined forming the kind of friendship I have with her now so quickly! There's a decent chance you've seen Azura's work via her Ghost Dire Wolf gijinka from Game of Thrones. Inspired by WoW's design of course! Anywho, Azura was incredibly kind in doing this Interview for you all today! While it's not video, I can assure you she worked SUPER HARD on these answers and I can't believe the thoroughness she put in them <3. Azura to my surprise is relatively local to where I live being in the New England area. Some snippets from the questions, she was pretty much born into the geek lifestyle. Drawing dragons at the age of 2 and still loving them to this day is what set everything off. Officially cosplaying since 2008, she's been in this hobby for just about a decade, or at least is coming up on that anniversary. Meeting this gorgeous gal was one of many highlights at last month's Katsucon and she looked as fuzzy in person as she did in the photos of Ghost.
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| Photo by Sweet Sensation Photography |
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What got you into cosplay and how long have you been doing it?
So, long story short, I’ve been making costumes since I was a little kid, and I ended up making a cosplay before I even realized what cosplay was! When I was 13, I was obsessed with Avatar: The Last Airbender, and desperately wanted to go as Zuko for Halloween. I ended up making the entire costume with faux leather, cotton, grommets, and pieces of plastic folders I cut up and used for the base of the armor. I only started deliberately cosplaying once I was in college, since I ended up as vice president of my university’s anime club, but I guess you can say that technically I’ve been cosplaying for 14 years now.
Which cosplay was the first you ever created?
Zuko! The first cosplay I consciously made, knowing what cosplay was, was Pain from Naruto. I ended up hand-dying, cutting, and styling the wig, and the nose piercings hilariously were tips from #2 pencils that I chopped off, painted with black nail polish, and spirit-gummed to my face.
Zuko! The first cosplay I consciously made, knowing what cosplay was, was Pain from Naruto. I ended up hand-dying, cutting, and styling the wig, and the nose piercings hilariously were tips from #2 pencils that I chopped off, painted with black nail polish, and spirit-gummed to my face.
Thinking back to the last convention you were at,
did you enjoy it?
The last con I attended was Katsucon—this year, unfortunately, was an exception to the rule in terms of how enjoyable cons were, but that’s primarily my fault. I ended up pulling overnighters at the con itself to finish my armor, and barely got any time out on the floor. The one thing that saved the experience from being entirely crappy, though, was seeing a number of beloved friends I don’t get to see often. They were easily the highlight of my con.
The last con I attended was Katsucon—this year, unfortunately, was an exception to the rule in terms of how enjoyable cons were, but that’s primarily my fault. I ended up pulling overnighters at the con itself to finish my armor, and barely got any time out on the floor. The one thing that saved the experience from being entirely crappy, though, was seeing a number of beloved friends I don’t get to see often. They were easily the highlight of my con.
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| Photo by P Karpey Photography |
What cosplay(s) did you bring to this convention?
I brought my World-of-Warcraft Void Elf Heritage Armor (which still needs to be completed! *screams*) and my WoW-inspired Ghost Direwolf cosplay, from Game of Thrones.
I brought my World-of-Warcraft Void Elf Heritage Armor (which still needs to be completed! *screams*) and my WoW-inspired Ghost Direwolf cosplay, from Game of Thrones.
What is your favorite cosplay you’ve made so far?
Hmmmm. This is a tough one. Favorite as in “most proud of”, I’d probably my Void Elf cosplay. As for favorite in terms of enjoying making it, it’d be a tie between Ghost and Valkyrie from Thor. Valkyrie was smooth sailing from the start, and it was fun to sculpt the little dragon head onto the sword I made for her.What got you into being a geek?
Hmmmm. This is a tough one. Favorite as in “most proud of”, I’d probably my Void Elf cosplay. As for favorite in terms of enjoying making it, it’d be a tie between Ghost and Valkyrie from Thor. Valkyrie was smooth sailing from the start, and it was fun to sculpt the little dragon head onto the sword I made for her.What got you into being a geek?
I was born? Haha. The first thing I ever drew was a dragon, when I was 2 years
old. My mother was worried I’d eat the pen or at the very least slobber on it,
but my dad, who’s creative, told her to just wait and see what I did with it.
And, yes, I still love dragons. I’ve pretty much always been into geeky things.
I’m a huge nerd, too, regarding science and music.
Do you have any other members of your family who
are into what you enjoy? Or are you at present the only “geek” in the family?
While I’m absolutely my dad’s child (he’s the creative, messy one out of the two of my parents), I’m very obviously the black sheep in my family. Luckily, my parents are supportive, even if they don’t quite understand, and stick by the mentality that as long as I’m supporting myself financially, not doing anything harmful or unsafe to myself or others, and keeping myself mentally sound, I can keep on being a weirdo for all they care.
While I’m absolutely my dad’s child (he’s the creative, messy one out of the two of my parents), I’m very obviously the black sheep in my family. Luckily, my parents are supportive, even if they don’t quite understand, and stick by the mentality that as long as I’m supporting myself financially, not doing anything harmful or unsafe to myself or others, and keeping myself mentally sound, I can keep on being a weirdo for all they care.
Do you have a preferred geeky area to cosplay
from?
Yes! Fantasy. I say this as an umbrella term to encompass pretty much everything I enjoy cosplaying from, including TV shows/books like Game of Thrones, all the way through videogames, and into anime. Generally, my main preference is to go after more visually complex characters or designs that I can take a lot of creative liberties with.
Yes! Fantasy. I say this as an umbrella term to encompass pretty much everything I enjoy cosplaying from, including TV shows/books like Game of Thrones, all the way through videogames, and into anime. Generally, my main preference is to go after more visually complex characters or designs that I can take a lot of creative liberties with.
So of course, I found you through your incredibly
cute Ghost gijinka from Game of Thrones. What made you want to cosplay as a
Dire Wolf? How was the cosplay construction for this outfit?
So, a couple different things went into my ultimate decision to design and cosplay Ghost. I’m an illustrator and crafter by trade, and I really enjoy being able to take a concept and make it my own. I also make and sell realistic animal ears, and I figured that this would be a great opportunity to make something I’ve always wanted to make, knowing that I had the skill set and experience to really bang it out of the park. I also have an enormous passion for wildlife/zoology/animal psychology, especially regarding wolves. What prompted the actual construction was last year’s Halloween, and my boyfriend made a Skyrim-inspired Jon Snow. I couldn’t miss out on an opportunity to do a couple’s cosplay that people don’t usually think of when they hear “Game of Thrones”!
So, a couple different things went into my ultimate decision to design and cosplay Ghost. I’m an illustrator and crafter by trade, and I really enjoy being able to take a concept and make it my own. I also make and sell realistic animal ears, and I figured that this would be a great opportunity to make something I’ve always wanted to make, knowing that I had the skill set and experience to really bang it out of the park. I also have an enormous passion for wildlife/zoology/animal psychology, especially regarding wolves. What prompted the actual construction was last year’s Halloween, and my boyfriend made a Skyrim-inspired Jon Snow. I couldn’t miss out on an opportunity to do a couple’s cosplay that people don’t usually think of when they hear “Game of Thrones”!
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| Photo by P Karpey Photography |
You seem to have many outfits stemming from
several years ago! Do you ever get the thought of revisiting an old cosplay and
redoing it with the new skills you’ve learned? Which outfit if so?
I usually don’t look back too much regarding
remaking or touching up old cosplays, but it’s only because there is SO MUCH
OUT THERE that I want to create. If I did decide to dust off an old cosplay and
redesign, it’d be Valkyrie, since I’d love to really go wild with her armor and
bodysuit.
Your Kirin Faun cosplay is superbly beautiful!
How did that idea come about and what was it like creating her?
The Kirin Faun was actually designed for Katsucon! I was so inspired by Katsu’s vegetation-filled atrium when I first saw it a couple years back that I wanted to design a costume that looked like it belonged there. I already really wanted to try my hand at making realistic hooves (they came out exactly how I wanted, but dear god they were painful) and a headdress with real antlers and handcrafted ears. Pretty much just wanted another excuse to turn myself into a wild animal, haha (I’m not a furry, I swear! Not that there’s anything wrong at all with furries, of course).
The Kirin Faun was actually designed for Katsucon! I was so inspired by Katsu’s vegetation-filled atrium when I first saw it a couple years back that I wanted to design a costume that looked like it belonged there. I already really wanted to try my hand at making realistic hooves (they came out exactly how I wanted, but dear god they were painful) and a headdress with real antlers and handcrafted ears. Pretty much just wanted another excuse to turn myself into a wild animal, haha (I’m not a furry, I swear! Not that there’s anything wrong at all with furries, of course).
What do you think about cosplay as it is now
hitting the mainstream?
This is a controversial question given that, like anything becoming mainstream, there are pros and cons to what happens to a community as it becomes more and more public. I officially became a part of the scene in 2008, and one of the things I loved most about it was that it really was for the geeks and weirdos and outcasts of mainstream society; it provided a refuge where people could really indulge in their interests without fear of being judged, at least from within the community. In the past years, the community fragmented down the middle to become the con-going community and the social media community, most likely because of the internet and things like sex and business being brought more into the mix. The two worlds are very different animals—the con community is still about having fun and having and giving support, and the online community generally is much more judgmental and definitely not as ‘family-friendly’. The one thing I definitely say in support of the online community is that it has helped cosplay become a lot more accepted as a whole, and a lot of money has been brought in that has resulted in better equipment, and even real careers, for people. Again, pros and cons. I could probably write an entire thesis on this topic. At the end of the day, I’d say I have mixed feelings for both objective and biased, professional and personal reasons.
This is a controversial question given that, like anything becoming mainstream, there are pros and cons to what happens to a community as it becomes more and more public. I officially became a part of the scene in 2008, and one of the things I loved most about it was that it really was for the geeks and weirdos and outcasts of mainstream society; it provided a refuge where people could really indulge in their interests without fear of being judged, at least from within the community. In the past years, the community fragmented down the middle to become the con-going community and the social media community, most likely because of the internet and things like sex and business being brought more into the mix. The two worlds are very different animals—the con community is still about having fun and having and giving support, and the online community generally is much more judgmental and definitely not as ‘family-friendly’. The one thing I definitely say in support of the online community is that it has helped cosplay become a lot more accepted as a whole, and a lot of money has been brought in that has resulted in better equipment, and even real careers, for people. Again, pros and cons. I could probably write an entire thesis on this topic. At the end of the day, I’d say I have mixed feelings for both objective and biased, professional and personal reasons.
Do you have any upcoming cosplays for this year
that you’re able to share?
I have one big build that I can’t quite let on just yet, BUT I can definitely say
that I’m working slowly but surely on a Lightforged Draenei cosplay. The hooves
are already done, and I’m reworking the armor from scratch!
Do you imagine cosplaying being a part of your
life within the next 5 years and do you hope to evolve your skill set?
I would love over time to develop enough of a business through cosplay and crafting (including still selling ears and whatnot) to support myself career-wise! It’s definitely not easy or 100% fun and games, but that’s something I really find fulfillment in. And I absolutely plan on developing my skill set, including on the marketing/design side of things. It helps that (fun fact alert!) I was a child prodigy in art and music, so I take on new challenges enthusiastically, knowing that I pick up new skills and progress very quickly when I have the time and ambition (and money, of course, haha) to dedicate to my work. I like to think of it as incentive to really see how far I can go regardless of financial or time limitations.
I would love over time to develop enough of a business through cosplay and crafting (including still selling ears and whatnot) to support myself career-wise! It’s definitely not easy or 100% fun and games, but that’s something I really find fulfillment in. And I absolutely plan on developing my skill set, including on the marketing/design side of things. It helps that (fun fact alert!) I was a child prodigy in art and music, so I take on new challenges enthusiastically, knowing that I pick up new skills and progress very quickly when I have the time and ambition (and money, of course, haha) to dedicate to my work. I like to think of it as incentive to really see how far I can go regardless of financial or time limitations.
What’s a day in the life of Azura Cosplay?
I will fully admit that I’m pretty damn boring these days, by my standards: wake up, wish I could sleep in, go to work and design things, go train Muay Thai, go home, pet my forever-needy, bowtie-wearing cat-child (his name’s Luca, for the record, and he loooooves to watch intensely when I craft...I think he thinks he’s learning how to human), watch TV, sketch or practice some music, go to sleep, repeat. I do still make time for watching documentaries or listening to podcasts, hunting around for costume ideas, reading up on new materials or techniques for painting or crafting, laughing at horrendously inappropriate memes (I adore memes. My favorite comments from people who support my work are memes…*hint hint hint*), watching trailers for games I will most likely never play (because of time, not because I don’t love games)
I will fully admit that I’m pretty damn boring these days, by my standards: wake up, wish I could sleep in, go to work and design things, go train Muay Thai, go home, pet my forever-needy, bowtie-wearing cat-child (his name’s Luca, for the record, and he loooooves to watch intensely when I craft...I think he thinks he’s learning how to human), watch TV, sketch or practice some music, go to sleep, repeat. I do still make time for watching documentaries or listening to podcasts, hunting around for costume ideas, reading up on new materials or techniques for painting or crafting, laughing at horrendously inappropriate memes (I adore memes. My favorite comments from people who support my work are memes…*hint hint hint*), watching trailers for games I will most likely never play (because of time, not because I don’t love games)
What’s something unusual that you could share
about yourself that not a lot of people are aware of?
I was a child prodigy at the violin, actually! I’m no longer actively performing, but I’ve played in Carnegie Hall (9 times, no joke) and even went to music school on the weekend for 6 years, did solo performance as well as orchestral and chamber, was a trained concertmaster...all that jazz (no pun intended, even though I really didn’t do much jazz, haha). It’s a long story, but...it absolutely plays a huge part in who I am. (And yes, I can play anything...anything. People love to ask if I can play the Harry Potter or Star Wars soundtrack for some reason...and those are easy in comparison to most classical music!)
I was a child prodigy at the violin, actually! I’m no longer actively performing, but I’ve played in Carnegie Hall (9 times, no joke) and even went to music school on the weekend for 6 years, did solo performance as well as orchestral and chamber, was a trained concertmaster...all that jazz (no pun intended, even though I really didn’t do much jazz, haha). It’s a long story, but...it absolutely plays a huge part in who I am. (And yes, I can play anything...anything. People love to ask if I can play the Harry Potter or Star Wars soundtrack for some reason...and those are easy in comparison to most classical music!)
Do you have a favorite convention?
Katsucon
has, overall, been my favorite, but I’ve also really enjoyed some smaller
conventions like Supermegafest and Arisia (both Boston local). AnimeBoston was
my favorite until they got rid of the rave.
If you could place yourself in a geeky
world to live in for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?Oooooooooh. That’s a tough one. I’m actually not sure I have a
specific world I’d want to live in that’s well-known, but whatever it was, it’d
have to have dragons and magic (but just not be so violent as places like The
Known World/Westeros and Middle-Earth, since...well, I don’t want to die
easily, haha.) Azeroth could potentially be really cool, though. I think the
real answer to my question is “Selendgard”, which is the world that I created
for a series of fantasy novels I was religiously working on for years. Pretty
much has everything I could ever want, right in it. But that’s all I’m telling
you for now, just in case I ever finished the series!
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| Photo by P Karpey Photography |
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Azura is such an incredibly passionate individual person when it comes to cosplay. Stating that it's what fulfills her, I have no doubt she'll accomplish her dream of wanting to do this full time. She's already become a wonderful friend and I cannot wait to see the kinds of things she'll be able to make in the future. I highly HIGHLY recommend checking Azura out at the following pages below. I can't thank her enough for doing this with me. Love you tons girl! :D. Hope you enjoyed this post everyone!
