I'm no expert, but here is my list of factors from what I've seen around:
- Having the same body type as the character. If the anime character is skinny and you are fat, it won't make it look great.
- Doing some weathering to everthing so it doesn't look brand new. It just looks weird when there is no weathering at all.
- Maybe adjust the clothes to fit tightly your body. Whenever I see an outfit that is somewhat loose it doesn't look good.
- Must use a lot of make up. Using make-up to shape your face to fit the characters seems to help a lot from what I've seen.
What do you guys think?
The absolute best factor to me is looking like an actual real life version of the character. But that shit is hard to pull off, unless you happen to look like the character to begin with AND have a great outfit/wig/props/decent make-up. Live action (apart from the race bending ones) really do a well job at it too, and actually also better than most cosplayers since they have all the budget for high quality outfits, wigs, and actors/actresses that already look like the character (e.g. Gintama, Rurouni Kenshin, Sailor Moon, Detroit Metal City). For me the magic of cosplaying was always about bringing fictional characters into the real world in this sense. In that regards, the 'famous' Peter Griffin cosplayer is awesome too. Because despite it being 'lazy cosplay' he just looks so much like the character.
However, on the other side of that, is also the skill of making the outfit/wig/props. I have a lot of respect for the cosplayers that can really produce high quality replicas. Make-up and body enhancement are also skills to make you look like a character, if you happen not to look like them naturally. I also have respect for people who are good at that. And well, last factor is of course shoop, since you could also use shoop to clean up stuff, like Misa TW Cosplayer. A lot of people hate her guts, but I have respect for her photoshop skills desu.
So yeah tl;dr 1. looking like a real life version of the character, 2. skills
>>9285454
not shooping
Not gonna lie:
Base physical attractiveness is probably the most important factor.
The ability to take criticism and improve and enjoy what you do.
1) Does it look good, overall?
2) Does it look like the original character?
3) Nitpicks include stuff like, posing, voice, body language, height, costume material, etc..
Big boobs
>>9285648
anon, the shooped vs non-shooped face comparison doesn't work unless you put similar faces next to each other (e.g. both looking to the right with similar facial expressions).
the bottom two look really similar except she shooped her skin pure white and shooped her wrinkles out.
>>9285454
I'd have to disagree with "use a lot of makeup"
We've all see the bad makeup thread on here and let me tell you, covering your face in it isn't going to make your cosplay good. Minimal is better and more flattering
>>9285778
Let's not say "minimal" or "a lot" of makeup, but rather fitting makeup.
Like, if you're crossdressing (mtf for ftm) and want to look good, most of the time you'll have a TON of makeup on your face, but most of the time (especially ftm) it should look like there's not any.
On the other hand, there's also characters who have no or little visible makeup in source material who benefit from having a lot of visible makeup. Sheryl Nome (and other idols I guess) cosplayers are the first thing I thought of- she'll often be wearing gaudy OTT concert performance outfits in the show, and cosplayers look really bad if they pair that with natural subtle makeup because it's unbalanced and doesn't fit the situation, even if the accurate thing to do and art style looks like she isn't wearing any.
>>9285454
i'm gonna have to disagree with you on the body type thing. disclaimer: i don't agree with body positivity and haes is bullshit, but i don't care as much about accurate body type as much as i care about the costume being flattering. Obviously don't wear a revealing cosplay if you're gonna look like a stuffed sausage, but if you can look good (key word here is good) in a cosplay even without the body type, who cares?
-Construction for the actual costume itself
-Make-up
-Photography/production value
You can see make-up and construction in person and it'll definitely make someone stand out from the rest of the crowd, but a majority of what we see of cosplay is online, which is why the photography part is important. You could have a flawless costume and makeup, but if you don't put in the time and find a solid photog and location, no one's gonna see any of the hard work you put into the costume itself.
And when I mean photography, I mean location, lighting, composition, etc. Shooping will only get you so far.
>>9285648
>eye bags
>laugh lines
>normal skin
>wide face
>average nose
Lord it must hurt her self-esteem to look nothing like her online photos.
Attention to detail goes a long way, and is the difference between a good cosplay and a GREAT cosplay. Dont cut corners where you can, do lots of fittings as you work, serge your stuff, hem it smooth, pay extra attention to fabric choice not just in color but how it hangs and moves, and wigs can make or break you.
Like pic example, the wigs are fantastic, the fabric choice and fit are spot on, and small details like the boots having the correct cartoony shape instead of just basic black boots make it really stand out
>>9285998
I don't understand how do don't agree with body positivity- literally everything you just said was body positivity?
>>9285454
I've made this mistake when asking similar questions. There's lots of different types of cosplay out there and what's right for one might be wrong for another. Accuracy is a good starting point but sometimes you don't look like your favorite characters. A big bulky costume or frail costume that you can't sit down in works if your doing a photo shoot or a costume contest but doesn't work if you're spending all day at a local con and plan to attend panels.
The next question is what are you trying to achieve by wearing your cosplay? If you're trying to become internet famous, skimpy outfits are best and wear even less for your patreon supporters. Doesn't have to be accurate at all, many of them sexualize pokemons. If you're entering costume contests, judges tend to value craftsmanship over accuracy. Your closet cosplay of the 11th doctor may be completely accurate, but that guy who made an Ironman suit from scratch is probably going to beat you. If you just want a costume to fly your nerd banner at a con, just pick one from your favorite franchise that you want to do and put as much effort as you can into it while keeping it something that you'll be able to wear all day.
It's called cosPLAY. People need to stop trying to turn it into modeling.
>>9285454
Pretty people. The pretty person is an absolute canvas, without many flaws, they can be customized to many different looks. The best part is that they almost always look aesthetically pleasing but it's easier to add fake flaws for a character than to remove real flaws of the cosplayer.
If you are pretty then you can succeed at cosplaying almost anything you try.
>>9285648
on the contrary, I think having good shoop skills is an important part of good cosplay. Looking similar to the character is an important part of cosplay, photoshop helps achieve that
>>9285648
But then how does she still stay cute in her videos?
>>9286255
download meipai
>>9285454
I think the main things are
>be good at makeup
even if you're naturally attractive, you'll look washed out in costume without makeup skills.
>have the same body type/don't be fat
even if the character is fatter, it still looks better on a slimmer person and they'll get more attention. It's because of the face; "fat" characters still usually get drawn with faces that have thin features.
>costume fits well
self explanatory, you don't want to see a fatty bursting out of her clothes, just like you don't want to see a thin cosplayer wading in her dress and having to hold it up.
>be good at photoshop
it honestly just makes the photo better as a whole.
>be physically attractive
honestly this is the most important. it may sound shallow, but even if everything else is 10/10, if you're horribly disfigured or extremely ugly, you'll never be recognized as much as if you were conventionally attractive. Makeup and photoshop can only do so much.
>>9286256
Ohhh magic
Thanks anon!
>>9285648
I must be weird cause I think she still looks cute in the unshopped pics; then again, I find circles under eyes kind of cute.
>>9285677
Only legit post in this thread
Not being a land whale!
/thread
>>9286628
>/thread-ing your own post
>>9285677
Flat is justice. Your argument is invalid.
Are all Turkeys this ugly?
>>9288382
she looks just like a cartoon character? It's kind of freaking me out
>>9288391
anorexia
Some things that I think matter most:
-Effort in craftsmanship
-Passion for what you're making/wearing
-Attention to detail
-Personality in costumes and in photos
-Making something that fits you will is a plus because it shows that you want it to look flattering on your body.
At the end of the day, I just want to see people growing and learning while putting in the time to make something. I dislike lazy work and half-assed cosplay, (Moreso if your goal is to garner attention or fame for your work. If that's your plan, put in all of your effort, not some of it.)
Also, if you're having fun at the end of the day and minding your own, then my opinions on what make a good cosplay don't have to be taken to heart. Just do your best~
>>9288376
what's the deal with her legs in this pic??
>>9288437
her left leg is bend but lines up real well with her right, making it look crooked. But it's fine.
>>9288382
has she cosplayed the other mother from coraline yet
being a cute petite asian girl
>>9288391
It might be a Photoshop app thing? People on by fb have been using the one that makes you look like a crying cartoon and it's not dissimilar looking
> What makes a good cosplay?
Depends on how you define good cosplay. For me, a good cosplay is the costume, props, makeup etc being on point, but not physical attributes particular those that can't be helped or charged.
A good cosplayer, however, is someone who does all the costume and make up accurately etc and who also is physically like the character AND has their mannerisms and poses down too
Accurate and/or attractive hairstyling.
I have to admit, when I cosplay a black character, (being black myself) I get the most compliments.
>>9285648
Who is this?
>>9285654
I'm gonna have to say that you're wrong here; what if the character you are cosplaying isn't physically attractive? In that case, your base physical attractiveness actually *ruins* the cosplay.
>>9285677
I mean, if you're portraying a character that has big boobs, sure. But that isn't always the case.
>>9293377
Turkish girl called Anzu.
>>9293465
cool; thanks
>>9285454
Anzu is cute, CUTE!!!111oneoneone
Seriously though, fucking Akiman follows her. As an artist myself, I always enjoy her pictures, even if she puts a million filters, the end is really tasty to sketch.
>>9285454
>good cosplay
>that nose contour
please blend your fucking makeup
Accuracy to the original character design trumps all else
Exceptional costume design is obviously appreciated but even a simple costume that perfectly mimics the original character will be better received imo
>>9286017
I have to disagree about the wigs. I've always hated the idea of getting a wig to match an outrageous shape. I'd rather have her just have long, bright red hair.
>>9293872
Isn't it fucking impressive and a sign of good craftmanship to get a wig to match a shape like that?
>>9293465
>girl
>>9293874
Sure. I just don't like it in an aesthetic sense.
Let me put it this way: a lot of Ancient Egyptian art shows men's clothes as loose-fitting (clear folds and slack and such) but a lot of women's clothes, specifically sheathe dresses, as tight (following sillhouette exactly). But archaeological evidence would say the opposite for the women - linen sheath dresses would be as loose as men's clothing. The only real explanation was they just painted it that way because they liked it (probably because tight dresses are hot).
Jessie's hair is long. It's stylized that way because it's anime. "Spiky" anime hair usually isn't spiky, that's just visual shorthand for generally tousled or messy. It's representative of something, unless it's Seymour from FF X or something, that shit's just ridic.
Basically, I feel the way I do about cosplay the way I do about language translation. There really isn't a lexicon of swearing in Japanese, mood and social context and the use of the "right" pronouns are the standards of politeness and rudeness. Sometimes having a character use slang or even curse is just the best way of getting across that they've said something improper, or are being blunt, or are rather informal, or are acting out of character please notice this. Just translating "bukkorose" into "I'm really going to kill you" or just putting "I'm going to kill you" in bold or all caps lacks the punch in English that "I'm going to fucking kill you" brings to the table.
>>9293907
The way I see it is that representing something that has been portrayed in an almost impossible way physically is fucking impressive.
When an anime character's hair is shown as impossibly spiky and someone mimics it in real life, that is more impressive than a realistic interpretation of that same character.
Likewise, someone like Jessie being shown with hair nearly identical to her hair in manga is infinitely more impressive than a more subdued take on her hair and clothes. Sure, it may not be more visually aesthetic to the majority of people, but to someone like me who's familiar with the source material and looking for something that looks similar, it fucking nails it and really blows me away.
>>9293915
>implying someone can't be familiar with the source material AND want a more realistic take on it
>>9293857
yeah idk why she does that lately, also overdrawing her lips
looks like shit
>>9293864
Accuracy is very important, yes. However it is trumped by the roleplay aspect.
>>9285454
The judging criteria for what makes a good cosplay is pretty straightforward:
25% Fidelity
25% Craftsmanship
50% Performance
I'd say a primary factor is detail work. There's always a "sufficient" cosplay, which assumedly covers the main body of the character, probably with an associated wig, maybe even their immediate weapons or tools or whatever. But anybody can do that.
As common as it would be on this board, getting your contacts the right color, getting your wig as absolutely close as physically possible to the right color, including very specific accessories which might not go noticed by plebs but will definitely be missed by fans, adherence to things that the character would/wouldn't/could/couldn't do (If your character has a pronounced fear/distaste of weapons, don't bring a fucking weapon), there are lots of tiny elements which bring a good cosplay together.
But MOST OF ALL, the general attitude. I hate seeing people cosplaying somber, dreary, gloomy characters and dancing about and happily prancing in every single shot of them. Alternatively, when they are cosplaying eccentric and exuberant characters, and they take every single shot in a serious, dramatic fashion. It honestly reflects on your cosplay as a whole when you can mark how the character feels, because characters are designed with a mindset/characteristic in mind before simple aesthetic details, and said aesthetic details reflect the character in question. For all of you thots cosplaying Junko, remember, she's unhinged and wild for a reason, and the clashing reds, whites, and blacks in her aesthetic, along with her pink-blonde hair all help deliver that image. Constantly taking Suicide Girls shots is tantamount to ignoring who you are supposed to be, which is bad cosplaying.
>>9297629
Not everyone that cosplays is walking around acting like the character 24/7. Like...they're people. I hate this idea that you have to be EXACTLY like the character you're cosplaying (anybody that tries to say 'costume and roleplay can gtfo). Cosplay is about the costume itself imo. I don't give a crap if you decide to take goofy photos so long as you put real effort into your costume.
>>9293872
a long flat wig on jesse looks awful.
Clothes that are well fitted
It's the difference of me seeing you as the character as opposed to just another random in clothes.
This is why most cosplayers who buy their clothes dont impress me as much, Despite the fact the outfits LOOKS close to the original, not many of them bother fitting the items right so they' just look unflattering
>>9297634
True you shouldn't be the character 24/7 but a bad pose or improper facial expressions can easily ruin a good outfit
>>9286125
I feel like this is pretty much why i never bother with any of my cosplay projects.
>>9301891
If you're ugly, why not cosplay a character that isn't beautiful? There are plenty of characters that are cool as shit that aren't conventionally attractive.
Or, are you just as shallow as the people you don't like for not wanting to cosplay an ugly character?
>>9301900
Funny enough most of my cosplays have been characters that fit my face and body type.
It's mostly cause i want to crossplay and i feel like my facial features are the complete opposite of what is needed for most characters that im interested in.
With anime cosplay, I feel like the overall look should have a 2D feel to it. I know some talk of 2.5D people and it's that kind of effect.
Anime characters you can't see the edges of a wig or the seams hanging out or anything else that counts as a mistake/defect in costume. Anime characters are a kind of perfection in that sense. The closer to that idea, the closer to the best cosplay can be you get.