Cosplaying 101- Step 7: Making Extras and Props
Well, well, well, great job! You've made it pretty far. This is step 7 of the cosplaying 101 series, a beginner's guide to cosplay. In this step, we will go over making extras and props. I find that the more detail you have in a cosplay, the more people tend to like it. This step is optional and has a lot of the same information as the previous 6 steps. See below for a list of all the steps in this series and links to the blog posts for steps 1 through 6:
Cosplaying 101 Steps:
1. Selecting a Character
2. Research
3. Designing Your Cosplay/ Listing Materials
4. Reconnaissance/ Gathering Materials
5. Making Your Cosplay
6. Test Driving/ Revisions
7. Extras and Props
8. Posing
9. Wearing Your Cosplay
10. Cleaning and Storing Your Cosplays
When you decide to make a prop for your cosplay you will want to:
1. Decide what type of prop you want to make. Similar to the type of character you choose/ already chose, the type of prop you can make will depend on a few factors. How much time do you have to make the prop? What type of reasources do your have to make this prop? Can you use any left overs from your costume to construct it? How much money do you have to make this prop?
2. Do Research. This is very similar to step 2 of the cosplaying process. You can look up what prop your character typically carries. You can look at other cosplayer's props. You can also look up props similar characters carry (or characters from the same universe), or similar props. For example, for my Poison Ivy cosplay I wanted to carry some sort of weapon. When I looked up the character, I did not see her with an iconic weapon, but I remembered that she often had a plant that ate people. Well her man-eaters reminded me of a similar weapon/ plant, the piranha plants from Super Mario Brothers. That led me to the brilliant idea to carry a piranha plant coming out of a sewer pipe as a staff/ weapon, but I didn't have enough time.
Tip: For props it is really useful to print reference pictures for making calculations. You may need to figure out how big the prop is in relation to the character or how big you want the prop to be in relation to you. When doing calculations for the size of props compared to me, I like to do my measurements and conversion ratios right on the paper. This way I can have a measurement for the whole prop and then I can break the prop down into seperate pieces and figure the dimensions of each piece.
3. Design your prop and list out the materials you will need or vice versa. For props, sometimes I work a little backwards because one of my main goals is to make my cosplays cheaply. When deciding what my prop will look like, I begin by looking at what materials I have left over from my cosplay. Then I try to figure out what I can make with those materials (and sometimes some extra materials). My materials often times dictate what type of prop I will make.
4. Recon and buy your supplies. You may or may not need to recon/ gather information about your materials. You may still have information from your first recon trip, or you may have been to the store a few times and already have an idea of what is available at each store. If not, be sure to check out my previous blog that explains this step in detail and lists the type of information you want to gather when you recon.
5. Make your prop. There are tons of tutorials out there about making props that you can check out (these are particularly nice: ).One thing to look out for with props, is durability. Your prop will may be handled... a lot (espcially if you include it in your pose). Make sure you use materials that will hold up to being put into and out of holsters, being hoisted over a shoulder, and possibly being held by other people. Also make sure your prop is made out of materials that are light enough for you to carry for the duration of your cosplay. Lastly, be aware that other people may ask to hold your prop. If you allow them to do so, are you okay if they break it? If not, go ahead an figure out a way to politely tell them no (you can make it a part of your character's personality, for example if I were Harely Quinn, I could say, "This hammer was made for only one person puddin' and Joker would get awful mad if he knew." If that doesn't work you can also try, "Sorry, it's pretty delicate, and it would be really awkward between us if it broke while you were holding it.").
6. And test drive it if possible. But remember, be careful where you take objects and props that look like weapons. You might just want to test drive this one at home (espcially if you have guns).
Some ideas of props and extras you can add to your cosplay:
A weapon. Mace, staff, gun(s), mallet, lightsaber, etc.
A mask
Lights
Weathering (weathering is like my favorite thing to do, I go overboard with it though, but it's because I get so excited)
Extra amour pieces like guantlets, leg bracers, pauldrons
A sheild
Holster/ sheath for your prop
Something to visually display your character's power(s). i.e.- an energy ball, fire bending, sparks of some sort
Trim and rhinestones. I find that trim adds a feeling of luxury to your cosplay
Extra accessories- badges, jewelry, belts, belt buckles.
Tip: Think about things your character would typically carry. Are they a well-to-do character? They would have expensive looking accessories. Are they a street rat? Their clothes will probably be dirty and have holes in them.
Do you have any awesome ideas for props? What was your best idea for a prop (it doesn't have to be one that you have actually made)?
Questions? Comments? Leave it in the comments section below.
And thanks for reading!
