 |
| Photo by Amie E |
Struck First gives you a first look at a cosplay just as it's been debuted/had its first photoshoot. Cosplayers have been kind enough to let me have a first crack at analyzing the cosplay by providing me with brand new pictures.
You're both looking at the post title and opening image correctly. Not only is my bestie Mink the Satyr an AMAZING seamstress, but she's also a pun master. I was actually a witness to this creation as when WeepinBelle passed through her lips, she had this beaming face screaming "I KNOW WHAT I MUST DO NOW!" So yea, Pokemon mash up with Beauty and the Beast, bet you haven't seen anything like this before. The cosplay as a whole is massive as I can only imagine what it was like creating it. Disney Princess outfits on this scale always amaze me, how the folds on the lower section of the dress were made for example. HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE?
Lucky for you readers, this is another wonderful collaboration between Mink and I as she'll take reins in writing this post. I'm also gonna have it kick in after the break so I hope you all are ready. BlizzCon is this weekend and so we'll ease into the eventual dread and despair of Ebon Blade with some grade A humor <3. Without further ado, TAKE IT AWAY MINK!
For this project, I started with my Bellsprout "wilted rose". He's made from galvanized steel wire that I duct taped together to make a wire frame. I balled up tinfoil to form the head, then covered it in model magic air drying clay to provide the details. Model magic never REALLY "dries" to a firm, hard texture, so I covered it in black worbla
I moved on to the Pokeball roses next. I used copic marker to color 1/2 of the petals red. Then I used black copic marker to draw the black "band" around the Pokeball. To make the petticoat, I used 50 yards of organza. If you squint, you can see peeks of the petticoat when I move.
While I had intended to make a less structured bodice for the top, I ultimately decided to make a fully supported corset. I used plastic boning rather than steel though. For my Victreebel "chipped cup" headpiece, I used a plastic champagne flute as a base. I cut the mouth at a better angle and added worbla to the original shape.
Styling the wig was important. I made my own hair "bump its" and sewed them into the wig base. I used hot glue and hair ties to achieve that princess coif. I also modified my shoes. I had bought white heels and some leather paint. I painted the back half of each shoe red and put that signature Pokeball stripe in black as well. I added some satin bows and a flat back pearls.
The top skirt is a circle skirt divided into 10 pieces. I put a channel in along the seam of each piece and looped a ribbon through that channel. This is what makes that very pretty gathering. The scalloped edge you see on the skirt is also created by one of my favorite tricks. I used a zig-zag stitch to sew elastic along the bottom edge of each piece. The key is to pull the elastic tightly while you sew. When the elastic returns to its normal state, it gathers the fabric with it. This helps really sell that beautifully draped scalloped edge of the top skirt.
The eyes of WeepinBelle are one of my favorite moments in this cosplay. They aren't actually black circles. They're actually 5 embroidered silhouettes of Weepinbells in a circle pointing inward.
