Welcome to Meet the Cosplayer, where I introduce you to some of the fantastic, creative talent within the Rainbow Six: Siege community. This series is meant to showcase the amazing cosplayers no matter their skill level or experience.
I sat down and spoke with cosplayer SpiritusChaos about their history with cosplay, what got them into it, the challenges they faced and other things.
SpiritusChaos is a Slav who lives in the UK. They go by any pronouns, and are a small business owner & freelance artist.
What got you interested in cosplay?
“The possibility to transform myself into different characters. Sort of like shapeshifting, and who wouldn’t like to be able to do that?
Also, I like to challenge myself and seeing how much creativity and problem-solving goes into costumes always fascinated me. It’s like a fun puzzle that once solved is super satisfying.”
How long have you been cosplaying for?
“Slightly longer than a year. I’ve only done 2 cosplays so far, the first mostly consisting of items in my closet, and the second one being Thorn.”
What has been the most difficult part about cosplaying for you?
“Finding correct equipment and materials while shopping online. It’s quite difficult to judge the colours, textures, sizing, etc. I don’t even want to estimate how many hours me and my friends spent going through what feels like millions of different military pouches trying to pick the closest match.
Another big challenge is fighting my procrastination demons. My Thorn costume was pretty much made in the last week before Manchester Major even though I decided on the cosplay 3 months beforehand. During those few days, I learned how to make basic patters and sew (the costume holds and that’s the only thing that matters), work with EVA foam, and even how to do some 3D resin printing.”
When cosplaying, what have been three most important things for you to have with you?
“Industrial strength glue or fabric glue for those “whoops, my jacket is falling apart” moments. Any kind of drink to stay hydrated and cool in case the venue is hot. And a pack of plasters because you never know if your cosplay shoes will cause any issues.”
When you started cosplaying, what was an obstacle or challenge that you encountered?
“Overcoming the “it’s not good/correct/accurate enough” feeling about things I’ve crafted. Maybe my cosplays are not exact replicas, but I was having so much fun making and wearing them.”
What advice would you give to people wanting to start cosplay for the first time?
“Save random tutorials you come across if you intend on crafting things, as you never know what might come in handy. I’ve had a cosplay related Pinterest board for years now and it was a massive help. Also follow fellow cosplayers as they often share their own tricks, and provide a good motivation boost.”
SpiritusChaos can be found on your favourite social media channels here:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpiritusChaos
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/SpiritusChaos