Noel Kreiss: Finishing sandals, belt & wig work.

*All pictures have bigger versions for your enjoyment

After my last entry, I continued with the shoes until they were finished, what can I say? I was on a roll.
So since I finished with that, I've kept on with the pleather work and started on the 'main' belt, cut the wig and made the first make-up try. /All the while I'm embroiding every day, so busy.

This time, I didn't take too many pictures though, I was in the zone and just snapped a few, whenever I remembered, so this entry might seem a bit choppy.


The outer "fold" of the shoes, I made with the same texture pleather, as I did the tip, and the result is definitely much better than than I expected it to be.
I attached it with hotglue, textile glue and stitching where my needle would pull through, don't want it falling off suddenly, now do we?


Now this was the part I dreaded the most, I did a few tries on scrap, but still I was very worried that the fabric would be ruined if the loops slipped. Thankfully it didn't and it ended up looking real neat.


So here's the finished result... well finished and finished, I need to measure the laces and cut them, also remove some glue from the edges of the sole.
There is some small changes from the original design, but that's purely for aesthetic and comfort reasons.



As said, I got my wig, it's been cut and I'm slowly figuring out how I want it to be styled, since I want it natural and without as much product as I usually use.
The make-up is pretty natural as well, but actually as close to his look as I could get this time around. It was pretty entertaining doing, because looking closely at the artwork, you can see the colors that've been used to shade around his eyes and lips, definitely a catering to the cosplayers, haha.
Also, the reason that the wigs looks lighter, is because it's layered with powder, to make it more natural looking. /of course it shines through on direct flash like this. + awkward smile for your enjoyment




And lastly, I'm working on his leather belt, and I have to thank my roomate, Nadia, for leaving me a lot of scrap-fabric, that inspired me to use the textures I'm using in the belt! In itself, the process is pretty boring, so no more pictures than this, I'm sure you can imagine the rest.


Ichito's 'flap' pt.3

Today my youngest cousin was here and I had to 'babysit' him or whatever, we played Nintendo DS and mom sewed him a cushion cover so he could make a coming mother's day present to his mom. So while he was painting on it I ran back and forth the house trying to work on my cosplay. He's 9 btw.

So today's progress.. well, first off I had to iron the flower designs to set it and then I went to cut out the lining pieces.

Lining cut out. (back piece)
Front piece lining. Edges are zigzaged.
 A while after I had zigzaged the pieces the little kid left with his dad and after that mom decided to take a nap while I continued sewing. But before I went and paid the sewing machine another visit I decided to take a photo...

Yeah, a face censor again... sexy me gusta.
Ignore the fact that I'm wearing my everyday clothing underneath, I don't have the kimonos or pants done yet as you know... oh, and the jacket's front derps because I lack the obi too.
After closing the side seams I was afraid that the 'flap' would get stuck half-way up my ass.. luckily it didn't and it seems roomy enough (it doesn't fall of when walking though) I will be able to wear that dark blue kimono and hakama under it.

After that I went to sew on the lining. I had a hard time figuring out how to attach it but after some help by mom I went and tested sewing it on...

afdsasghjs
I dunno how visible it is on this photo but one of the lining side seams didn't match up with the 'flap' side seam. So I had to take in around 2 centimeters of the lining to get the seams to be aligned... but...

Oh snap...
Turned out the rest of the lining was waaaay too short after that seam modification. Urgh, just as mom worried it would. I had to unstitch the whole thing. Back to start... not my day today.

After that I got stuck watching tv and celebrating Walpurgis...
Naruto Shippuden anime May 2012 schedule!

Naruto Shippuden anime May 2012 schedule!

Cover of the 1st volume of the second season r...

After we got screwed over in April with retro recap fillers, it seems we have the real thing this month with the war between Madara and the Alliance between all ninja villages!

Episode 261 "For My Friend" (友のために) May 3, 2012
Episode 262 "War Begins!" (開戦!) May 10, 2012
Episode 263 "Sai and Shin" (サイとシン) May 17, 2012
Episode 264 "The Secret of Reanimation" (穢土転生の秘密) May 24, 2012
Episode 265 "Reunion With an Old Enemy" (宿敵との再会) May 31, 2012
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'Marginal' author Hagio Moto awarded with the Purple Ribbon

'Marginal' author Hagio Moto awarded with the Purple Ribbon

Marginal (manga)

 Hagio will be the first female manga creator to receive it. (Composer and Studio Ghibli's frequent collaborator Joe Hisaishi received the honor in 2009, while Only Yesterday singer Harumi Miyako received it in 2010.)

The Japanese government announced on Saturday that it will award manga creator Moto Hagio with the Spring 2012 Medal With Purple Ribbon, which honors academic and artistic achievement.

The award is given twice a year, and 674 individuals and 20 organisations are receiving it this spring, including actor Kōji Yakusho (Shall We Dance?).

 As part of the award, Hagio and other recipients will hear comments from the Japanese Emperor. A number of titles by Hagio have been or will be released in English, such as the Fantagraphics editions of Heart of Thomas (Thomas no Shinzō) and A Drunken Dream and Other Stories.

source: ANN
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One Piece Z teaser 2

Another teaser trailer has sufficed, featuring Zeto, the character created by Eichiro Oda himself.
Tatsuya Nagamine is directing the film with Eiichiro Oda executive producing. The movie will hit Japanese theaters on December 15.

Ichito's 'flap' pt.2

Today after dinner I decided to hand-paint the design on that 'flap' thingy. So first of I needed to have a reference picture of Ichito at hand and I also happen to know what those designs actually are supposed to be - higanbana - aka spiderlily.

Lycoris Radiata
Ichito reference
 So knowing what I'm actually trying to paint is a little bonus. But I drew mostly according to the character reference and some artistic freedom.. because it would have peen a major pain in the ass to draw every damn flower and line exactly the same.
I did iron the fabric prior to painting so it was wrinkle-free. So yeah, here is today's progress photos and please excuse the crappy lighting again, the colors get a bit fucked up.

Sketched some "base flowers" on the fabric.
Started painting...
Painted some more...
Started doing the lines...
More lines. Half of it done pretty much.
Other half done and started painting the bottom "rings"...
Finished!
I didn't count the time but I think it took me around 4-5 hours to finish. Urgh. I'm sick of drawing lines now. XD Now I just need to sew together the front and back piece at the sides and fix the edges and probably add a lining to the front's backside.
Ah... now I've earned myself some chips and a bottle of påskmust. lol

Ichito's 'flap' pt.1

Pff, today mom got my depressed ass to do something instead of being a half-dead angsty sausage in front of the computer all day. Yeah, I had a shitty day today, didn't go to school etc...
So with her help I started working on Ichito's 'flap' thingy late during the evening instead of completely wasting the day.

Sorry again for the bad lighting but here's a few photos of today's progress.

Fabric cut out. Pattern still attached.
I zigzaged all around the 'flap' so the edges won't fray while I'm painting it later...
The fabric paint I will use. Slate blue.
Testing paint on scrap fabric.
To the right is only solid blue color and to the left is blue with some white blended in at the tips. I think I prefer the blended version so I will do the 'flap' that way, it looks better... not as boring, at least I think so.

Tomorrow hopefully I will paint the real thing, it's too late already and my eyes are going afdfghsgfh on me. *yawns* So tomorrow it is.

Uppcon is green!

Today I got my Uppcon ticket! So now I'm coming! 8D (even though bad date, rush after school ends~)
I will be sleeping at my father's place a bit outside Stockholm and my twin Jäätynyt Enkeli will keep me company at the con. Dad might drive us every morning or otherwise we'll take the train, haven't planned yet how we'll get to Uppsala.

My cosplay plans aren't set yet, but this is what I had in my mind:

Friday - Gin Ichimaru (Bleach)


Saturday - Ichito (Asaki, Yumemishi)


Sunday - Toshizo Hijikata (Hakuouki: Shinsengumi Kitan)


I might change Hijikata for Okita, not sure yet.. it depends. And Ichito is not 100% sure either, but I want to do a BOOM unique/cool cosplay for Saturday. XD Yeah.. we'll see but this is what my plans look like at the moment.

Under my umbrella ~

Sorry this update isn't 100% cosplay related don't kill me but I figured it's okay to post anyway because I will be using these at cons.

I went and picked up these things from the post office today after school. I bought them from eBay from a Japanese seller.

Because normal umbrellas are overrated.
 Whoever guesses right exactly what 'designs' those umbrellas actually are gets a virtual cookie~

So well, I've never really had my own umbrella and last year at Finncon-Animecon I learned the hard way that you should always have one with you, just in case it rains, because
rain + cosplay = not cool combo
Especially not a white costume and pouring rain and dirty streets.. needless to say a part of my costume got badly stained. Luckily I managed, together with a friend, to save it from being completely unusable but I still, to this day, regret that idiot mistake.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Here's the (true) story in rage comic version: Umbrella

Oh well, lesson learnt from that:
1) Always carry with you an umbrella. Especially if you are two persons (in cosplays) and only one umbrella and the other one have to go back to the hotel half-ways and when they return they are soaked and mad at you.. for the rest of the con day.
2) Don't wear white costume parts even if you have an umbrella when going outside. The water on the streets will kill it every time you take a step. Put it in a bag and first when you arrive at the con, hopefully inside, put it on.

So yeah. Now I'm prepared with a cool umbrella to cons. Hopefully no more shitty con mistakes like that will happen in the future...