Getting started with cosplay can be extremely daunting (trust me, I know), and it might sometimes feel impossible to know where to begin. But cosplay doesn’t need to be an overwhelming experience, whether you’re buying a costume online or making it yourself from scratch. Now that I’ve been learning how to 3D print cosplay props, I might finally take another shot at cosplay after dabbling in it for several years.
But what is cosplay? It’s difficult to define. Some people might describe cosplay (dressing up as a character) as a creative hobby, but in a lot of ways, it’s an art. Technically, the word cosplay is derived from a blend of the words ‘costume’ and ‘play’, with somewhat juvenile connotations.
But that couldn’t be further from what cosplay is, at least in my opinion, and the amount of hard work, effort, financial investment, and dedication that goes into cosplay crafting is truly phenomenal (see my guide to the 5 ways you can use a 3D pen for cosplay). I’m not the best qualified to offer advice when it comes to getting started with cosplay, but thankfully, I know someone who is.
Abi Le Guilcher, otherwise known as Opal Ink Cosplay, is set to represent the UK next month at the upcoming ECG (Extreme Cosplay Gathering) international cosplay competition in Paris. This is a HUGE deal, and showcases the best cosplayers on a worldwide scale. I asked Abi all about her cosplay journey, dating back to 2014, and what advice she has to offer for anyone looking to get more acquainted with cosplay.
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Abi Le Guilcher
Abi works as a Marketing Specialist for Future Friends Games, but in her spare time, you’ll find her Twitch streaming, content creating, and cosplaying as some of your favourite characters.
Abi is pretty much family to us here on Creative Bloq, as our former ecommerce writer before passing the torch on to me. While we miss her dearly, it’s been incredible to follow her cosplay journey over the last few years – from becoming the official Atreus cosplayer for Santa Monica Studios, to producing a fan-made short film as part of the collaborative group, Project Spores. To say we’re proud is an understatement.
When did you first start taking an interest in cosplay?
I first started back in around 2014, where I did a very niche cosplay of 2D from the band Gorillaz, and a character from the anime Attack on Titan. I’ve come so far since then and would love to recreate the Gorillaz cosplay as it’s such a fun one that you can easily put your own twist on (which is my favourite kind of costume to work on!). I’ve learnt so much since these first costumes when it comes to crafting and makeup, and I’m super proud of that process as it’s one that I’ve really taken the time to develop and I could never imagine how far I would’ve come back then.
How did you transition into creating your own cosplays and costumes?
During my very first convention back in 2014, I attended on the Saturday, and saw all of the amazing handmade costumes. I went back home and made a (very poor!) version of Link from the Legend of Zelda that same night to wear to con on the Sunday, and I haven’t looked back since!
I have no formal training in anything like sewing or textiles, so it’s a constant learning curve with every new project, utilising things like YouTube tutorials and other cosplayers as my main resource. However, before this, I was always a creative person who loved crafting my own stuff – I guess that comes from my very artsy mum, who has always been a lover of all things creative.
Do you have any general advice for newcomers to cosplay?
Engage with your fandoms and the fellow cosplay community! You have a literal gold mine of experience and information on social media, so never be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
Don’t stress about making everything yourself – you can easily put together an awesome cosplay through Charity Shops and Vinted, which also makes cosplay a lot more sustainable. Also, cosplay is meant to be fun – skills will come with time and practice, so just go at your own pace and don’t compare yourself to others
Cosplay as a community
The cosplay community is a pretty amazing one, and from my own experience in attending CosXpo, Secret Con (TFP cosplay shoots), and plenty of local conventions, it brings people together in such a special way. Cosplaying can be viewed as showing admiration for a specific character or franchise, but it can also be a love letter to a fandom community too. Abi understands the level of support you can receive from a cosplay community better than anyone.
How did Spores Productions come about?
Following the Covid lockdown and the release of The Last of Us Part 2, I was invited to be a part of a Last of Us photoshoot. As we were all pretty starved of conventions and socialising, we all jumped at the chance despite none of us knowing each other. Our group all got on like a house on fire, and we got some really good content that made us want to make something bigger.
Fast forward a year later, and we made a 26 minute fan film about The Last of Us franchise – with over 50 people involved, having raised over £1k for various charities such as supporting Trans Youth and those with PTSD, and we haven’t looked back.
Three of us decided to make a small production company (Spores Productions) and we have worked on a multitude of independent fan projects about our favourite media since then, and worked with countless incredible creatives. We are so proud of what we have done so far and can’t wait to carry on in the future!
Are there any specific cosplayers who inspire you?
I have a few favourite creatives on social media that I’ve discovered in the last few years that have pushed me forward with their content inspiration, most notably Lightning Cosplay for her amazing cosplays and Mei Pang for her wonderful makeup work.
Any advice on dealing with the stress of con crunch and getting ready for big events?
I’d like to advise you not to con crunch if possible… But I am always a victim of it, haha! Try to plan out your costumes ahead of time, and set a realistic goal of what you can achieve in that time frame.
My biggest advice is to factor in time to try the whole costume on with full makeup – sometimes you never know what the full thing will look like and (speaking from experience) there’s no worse feeling than putting on a full costume for the first time on a morning of a convention and hating the look because there’s things you want to change. But mainly; we’re adults playing dress up. If you’re stressed and not enjoying the process of getting a costume finished in a short time frame – don’t do it! Wear something else, and prioritise your mental health.
What can cosplay lead to?
Plenty of creatives have made successful careers from cosplay, and Abi is no exception, having secured some amazing brand partnerships through cosplay. She recently worked with PlayStation and Santa Monica Studio on a promotional campaign for the release of God of War Ragnarök, and has been honoured as the official Atreus cosplayer for Santa Monica Studio.
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How did it feel to be honoured as the official Atreus cosplayer for Santa Monica Studio?
Truly life changing. It was the biggest honour to get to work alongside the incredible creatives of this game to bring the main character to life and be an official representative for the community. Getting flown over to LA by PlayStation and meeting the devs who I had looked up to for years was an experience I will never forget, especially with how excited they were to see my work in person. It was just so humbling, and I am forever thankful for everything that came from that.
Have you taken on any game promos or collabs since this one?
Funny you should ask.. I’m actually currently working on my first official partnership with a big game company since Atreus, and I couldn’t be more excited! Whilst it’s definitely a smaller project, it’s still super exciting to have been asked to bring a rather iconic franchise to life… But I can’t talk about what it is quite yet.
I’ve had a few similar opportunities pop up in the last few years, but sadly, none have ever actually come to fruition for reasons out of my control. It’s a goal of mine to work with more companies over the next year – and hopefully tick off a cosplay bucket list item of getting to represent a game at Gamescom as an official cosplayer for a game!
In terms of a dream cosplay collaboration, I would love to work with either Nintendo or Naughty Dog on a project in the future. I grew up playing games from these 2 studios, so getting to represent them and a community I love so much would be the greatest honour. Still waiting with bated breath on that new Jak and Daxter game, if you need a cosplayer, Naughty Dog! But I would also absolutely love to work with the Santa Monica Studio team on another project in the future, as I just had the best time, and I couldn’t ask for better creatives to collab with.
Do you have any advice for scoring brand partnerships through cosplay?
There honestly isn’t a surefire way to get these kinds of opportunities, so this is a hard question! My biggest advice is to actively engage with the communities/fandoms of the brands you love, and try to make connections where possible. I was a hugely active member of the God of War fandom before I got my Atreus opportunity, constantly starting conversations with fans and doing projects with other creatives on the site formerly known as Twitter.
Actively and regularly posting content is super important, as is making an easy-to-reach media kit for companies to quickly reference. Also, never be afraid to reach out to companies offering to cover their products for gifted items! I have reached out to numerous makeup slash gaming brands and received free things from them as a result. Don’t ask, don’t get!
Is there a cosplay that you’re most proud of?
Lots! Probably most notably, my Atreus costume from the God of War franchise, as that costume realised a lifelong dream of officially working for a game company, making a cosplay.
I learnt so much on that costume, and to this day I continue to improve it with new skills as I learn them – from leather tooling to hand-ventilating a wig, it’s got a bit of everything! It’s also the costume that most recently allowed me to qualify to represent the UK at an international cosplay competition, so it’s just one that continues to be very important to me and has brought me so many wonderful connections and friendships across the world.
Where do you see your cosplay (and your talent) taking you in the next 10 years?
I would love to create content full-time and regularly work with gaming companies on bringing their projects to life. I’m working hard to get there and just hope one day it’s a regular deal where I don’t need to balance a full-time day job with trying to create high-quality costumes alongside all of the events I attend. I want my content to resonate and excite people, so continuing to work on tutorials and interactive content is also high on my priority list, which I hope I can someday be self-sustainable with. The dream!
You can find more of Abi’s work over at @opal.ink.cosplay on Instagram, or check out her amazing cosplay videos on TikTok over at @opalinkcos. For some cosplay tutorials, take a look at my recent guide on how to measure your head for cosplay.
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