Ryea : I came know more about YuuriC's cosplay was through her tutorial link on Lighting Costume.
Been following the progress till it's done
It's really superb to have this chracter for first time making amour.
Cosplay is always about taking challege - I agree!
She and her twin sister , Yuuri-K cosplayed as Lighting and Sera in Otakon2011
which both characters are also sisters .. cute! ~ =D
Lighting [FFXIII-2] by YuuriC
Ryea: What is cosplay to you ?
YC: To me cosplay is a hobby where you have fun portraying your favorite characters/series and having fun with other cosplayers. It's also a family thing; both of my sisters enjoy anime, games, Japanese culture in general.
Ryea: What attracts you to cosplay Lighting from Final Fantasy XIII-2 ?
YC: At first I cosplayed Serah from FFXIII, because I found her so cute! Once I saw the new Lightning design from FFXIII-2, I immediately fell in love with it. I also began to like that badass character of her. So far, I enjoyed cosplaying her more than Serah.
Ryea: From the Lighting's overall costume, which is the most challenging part?
YC: It was my first time making an armor cosplay so it was a challenge. The hardest part was the pauldron and lower leg armor. In the end I made the pauldrons a bit too heavy. I had trouble getting the shape right. The method I used to make the lower leg armors was a pain to wear, I remade it twice and I still had trouble getting in them.
Ryea: and what will be the most favorite part?
YC: My favorite part was making the props. I didn't have much trouble with them.
It was actually really fun!
Ryea: How long does it take to complete the whole costume?
YC: I started early February after I completely sketched out the armor designs.
It took me about 6 months of on and off work to complete the entire costume.
Ryea: Any good/funny/memorable experience when you cosplay Lighting?
YC: My first debut was at Otakon ’11 and I thought it would be my last after I endured so much pain.
The high heels shoes I used were a disaster and the heat during Otakon '11 was terrible (100+ degrees Fahrenheit)! Though with all that pain and heat, I had fun and I won't forget the memories. My first step down the stairs of my hotel made me crash to the sliding doors. My gunblade broke, I was upset and I was late to my shoot.
I laughed about it after. When walking to the convention I was basically laughing to ignore my pain.
I was so happy that I had many lovely FFXIII cosplayers take pictures with me.
The best moments were when I left people astonished that I used craft foam. It's nice to hear the positive comments from everyone, I won't forget them!
Ryea: I see that you used craft foam as the main material for Lighting armor.
Do you think that craft foam is the best material to work on for armour? or is there better alternatives?
YC: I haven't tried other materials yet, I found craft foam easy to use. My problem was the creases it made when wearing it. I've been searching on what to use to help it not give in. So far, I'm thinking of using fiberglass resin (epoxy) on top of the craft foam.
Ryea: How and what have you think you've improved from since you started cosplay?
YC: It all takes lots of practice. I think I've improved in many aspects since I started. I'm much faster at sewing and making props. I've also have become somewhat less shy with photographers and meeting other cosplayers. I'm still learning many new things, so there's a lot of space for improvement.
Ryea: Any tips to share?
YC: It takes patience, creativity, and maybe months or years of practice to make cosplays. But most of all motivation! Nothing is perfect, so nobody should stress themselves too much. Everyone should have fun with cosplay and stay with the right crowd that enjoys cosplaying. Never give up!
