Books and Corsets

Abandoned Amusement Park in New Orleans

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:19 -0400

Abandoned Amusement Park in New Orleans

Repair Her Armor: Clothes I'm forced to wear in the majority of MMORPGS

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:16:27 -0400

Repair Her Armor: Clothes I'm forced to wear in the majority of MMORPGS:

[Please take note that the commentary is just for fun. Bunch of sarcasm. Don’t take it too seriously. I am getting tired of these outfits, though.]

1. The classic Bikini Armor. If you’re lucky you might get an actual shoulder-pad! If the designers even bother doing something more than…

thumbcramps: hi guys! this is a comic i made for a final in my...

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:05:01 -0400

thumbcramps:

hi guys! this is a comic i made for a final in my comics in literature class. we had to do a research paper on a topic we’d discussed in class and then accompany it with a comic with a relevant subject. my paper was about hyper-sexualization of women in comic books, but i decided to broaden it out here as well as personalize it and make myself the subject and discuss something i’ve been subjected to in the convention circuit and on the internet as well as thousands of other women, as well as give a cue to thought about how the comic book industry as well as the video game industry and even just media in general (all of which are male dominated) push such ridiculous pressures onto girls and women.

also, it feels kind of silly to have to add this since i hope it’s obvious, but i am very aware that there are men that don’t subscribe to this attitude, and am incredibly grateful that these issues are brought to light to people other than the ones that are subjected to it.

anyway haha i have literally been staring at this for 9 hours i don’t even know which direction is up anymore. thanks for reading!!!

blua: What the city is missing: Thierry Cohen photographs...

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:53:11 -0400

San Francisco

Paris

Tokyo

Los Angeles

Hong Kong

Rio de Janeiro

New York City

blua:

What the city is missing: Thierry Cohen photographs cityscapes and then photographs deserts at night, combing the two to show us what our cities would look like with the lights off. The stars are not enhanced, they are actual photos from relative latitudes that would expose the same starry sky view if it weren’t for light pollution. Click on each photo to see which city it is.

Beautiful…. but I’m not sure if I like it dark. I saw this sky during Sandy over NYC and it freaked me out.

Photo

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:24:00 -0400

sashkash: I received a request on DevArt inquiring about a...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:26:55 -0400

sashkash:

I received a request on DevArt inquiring about a possible tutorial on how I draw Gatiss. Hope this helps.

Doctor Who in songs · Carry On Wayward Son

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:25:46 -0400

Doctor Who in songs · Carry On Wayward Son

Celebrity Story Time: George R. R. Martin, Part 1/3 Courtesy...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:20:34 -0400

Celebrity Story Time: George R. R. Martin, Part 1/3

Courtesy of Renee

Photo

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:54:49 -0400

popculturebrain: ‘Arrested Development’ Covers Entertainment...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:06:36 -0400

popculturebrain:

‘Arrested Development’ Covers Entertainment Weekly | EW

eeeeee

How The Face Changes With Shifting A Light Source

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:22:46 -0400

How The Face Changes With Shifting A Light Source

subitoallegra: Then, just when I thought I had her, the...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:03:58 -0400

subitoallegra:

Then, just when I thought I had her, the station’s core went critical. I barely made it back to my ship in time. I watched the station from a distance. I never saw her leave. And when that station blew… there was nothing left bigger than a turian’s right nut. So, I went back to the diplomat to give him the good news and collect my pay. But before I got halfway there… Aleena sent me a message.

“Better luck next time.”

Alyssa and I decided to put our Wrex and Aria costumes to good use and visually tell Wrex’s story about his epic showdown with the merc Aleena—who would later become Aria T’Loak. Here’s the final installment—hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!

We also wound up on io9 and Kotaku in the past day, which was an enormous surprise. I’m glad people have had as much fun with this as we all did :D

Wrex by Propped Up Creations - Predator by Thorsson & Associates Workshop
Aria by SubitoAllegra - Headpiece by the Mad Masker - Carnifex by Punished Props
Photos by Tiffany Chang

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

subitoallegra: For two days I chased her through that station....

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:03:38 -0400

subitoallegra:

For two days I chased her through that station. By the third day, the station was barely holding together. But I had her. She’d locked herself in the medlabs. She was trying to patch herself up. Damn tough, that one.

Alyssa and I decided to put our Wrex and Aria costumes to good use and visually tell Wrex’s story about his epic showdown with the merc Aleena—who would later become Aria T’Loak. Here’s Part 4; only one more to go!

Wrex by Propped Up Creations - Predator by Thorsson & Associates Workshop
Aria by SubitoAllegra - Headpiece by the Mad Masker - Carnifex by Punished Props
Photos by Tiffany Chang

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

subitoallegra: Anyway, when I told Aleena about the diplomat’s...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:26:26 -0400

subitoallegra:

Anyway, when I told Aleena about the diplomat’s contract, she and I had a good laugh out of it. I was going to lose the contract, but I respected Aleena. In the end, I let her pick the location. She picked an old salarian space station, overrun with mercs and smugglers. That way we didn’t have to worry about hurting any “innocent” bystanders. She always was a bit of a softy.

Alyssa and I decided to put our Wrex and Aria costumes to good use and visually tell Wrex’s story about his epic showdown with the merc Aleena—who would later become Aria T’Loak. Here’s Part 2!

Wrex by Propped Up Creations - Predator by Thorsson & Associates Workshop
Aria by SubitoAllegra - Headpiece by the Mad Masker - Carnifex by Punished Props
Photos by Tiffany Chang

Part 1 - Part 2

subitoallegra: Aleena and I were old friends. We met when we...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:26:04 -0400

subitoallegra:

Aleena and I were old friends. We met when we were contracted to kill the same Turian. Neither of us wanted to let the other get the Turian first. We spent more time trying to kill each other than track the turian.

Alyssa and I decided to put our Wrex and Aria costumes to good use and visually tell Wrex’s story about his epic showdown with the merc Aleena—who would later become Aria T’Loak. Here’s Part 2!

Wrex by Propped Up Creations - Predator by Thorsson & Associates Workshop
Aria by SubitoAllegra - Headpiece by the Mad Masker - Carnifex by Punished Props
Photos by Tiffany Chang

Part 1

proppedupcreations: subitoallegra: “I remember one time I was...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:25:46 -0400

proppedupcreations:

subitoallegra:

“I remember one time I was hired by a Volus diplomat. What an ass. He wanted me to erase his past; get rid of an old friend that knew too much. His old friend turned out to be an Asari commando.”

Alyssa and I decided to put our Wrex and Aria costumes to good use and visually tell Wrex’s story about his epic showdown with the merc Aleena—who would later become Aria T’Loak. Here’s Part 1!

Wrex by Propped Up Creations - Predator by Thorsson & Associates Workshop
Aria by SubitoAllegra - Headpiece by the Mad Masker - Carnifex by Punished Props
Photos by Tiffany Chang

It’s here! It’s here! Part 1 of the story is live.

meagan-marie: Why Do I Cosplay? Let Me Count The Ways. The...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:24:43 -0400

Warrior Wonder Woman WIP

Warrior Wonder Woman WIP

Warrior Wonder Woman WIP

Steampunk Lara Croft WIP

Steampunk Lara Croft WIP (With special appearance by Donut the cat)

Steampunk Lara Croft WIP

Princess Mononoke WIP

Princess Mononoke WIP

Princess Mononoke WIP

meagan-marie:

Why Do I Cosplay? Let Me Count The Ways.

The past couple of weeks have run the gamut from disheartening to encouraging, but predominantly enlightening. I’ve learned lessons about others, about myself, and about the industry and hobby I pour my heart into. I feel that I’m a stronger individual and professional coming out the other side.

Despite the turbulence, I’m incredibly happy with the caliber of discussions that ignited from my blog, as visibility is important to facilitating change in both the game industry and the enthusiast cosplay community. That being said, after a few initial bullet points the game industry aspect of my original post isn’t at the heart of what I’d like to tackle today.

[BUT FIRST…]
I’d like to quickly get a few follow-ups out of the way:

I am not a model. I am also not a professional cosplayer. I am a Community & Communications Manager at a game studio, and prior to that an Associate Editor at Game Informer magazine. I’ve worked in the game industry since graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Journalism & Mass Communications. Cosplay is a passion, not an occupation. And while I love the collaborative and creative nature of modeling, I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested in making money or a name for myself in that particular industry. My heart is, and will always be, in gaming.

On a related note, some of the backlash from my blog was due to an accusation that speaking out was a ploy to further my “cosplay or modeling career.” I can’t prevent this line of thinking from individuals who judge my worth exclusively upon a photo they pick that speaks to their agenda. In reality however, I have a personal policy against monetizing my cosplay endeavors, or imparting a competitive component to my hobby. Selling photos or charging for appearances could help recoup some of the massive costs associated with constructing costumes, but I fear that incentivizing cosplay with money could detract from the real reason I do what I do. I don’t take any issue with those who make money from their passion projects, but it’s not an approach I personally take.

Yes, I’ve openly admitted that cosplaying may to a degree adversely influence my professional career in the game industry. Happily, most professionals I meet enjoy that I cosplay, as it is often seen as an external representation of my fandom and passion for the gaming culture. Others find it harder to take me seriously when a Google search reveals my costumed capers. That being said, I made a conscious decision years ago to continue cosplaying, as it would be disingenuous to who I am to stop. I’ve written more in-depth about this decision here.

In regards to the unfortunately common “stop playing sexy dress up time if you want men to treat you as a person” line of thinking, I fundamentally disagree with this perspective. How one dresses shouldn’t determine the degree of dignity and respect you impart on them. Period. That being said, I want to clarify that I don’t often mix my career and cosplay. All the aforementioned instances of harassment from my blog took place at professional game industry events, where I dress in a professional manner. So to those who implied that my bare midriff inspired the CEO to express his interest in impregnating me - it was covered. I don’t make a habit of wearing risque clothing to work. But even if I had made a decision to show a bit of skin, the comment wouldn’t have been more deserved, or less repugnant.

The above line of thinking directly ties into the root of this blog, which is a means of rebutting one of the most common sentiments expressed in response to my original post. Ready for it?

Cosplayers dress up for the singular purpose of attracting and satisfying the male gaze.

There seems to be an impression from those external to the cosplay community that the hobby is sexual at its core. Can cosplay be sexy? Absolutely. To assume that sexy is the endgame for all who participate, though, is very misguided. Drilling deeper, the belief I’m seeing echoed is that we craft costumes with the ultimate goal of being objectified by male strangers. This line of thinking is reductive in the most basic sense, as it boils the pool of participants down to heterosexual females or homosexual men. In reality the motivations for cosplaying are as diverse as cosplayers themselves.

[WHY I COSPLAY]
I cosplay for many reasons, none of which are to attract sexual attention. So what motivates me to dress as fictional characters for fun?

I’m a Fan. I love video games. I adore comics. I’m getting drawn deeper into the world of anime and manga on a daily basis. I live in reality. I want to play in worlds where airships exist and magic is real and superheroes take to the sky to save the day. Game developers and comic publishers give me this opportunity. They create incredible playgrounds in which I can let my imagination run wild. The triumphs, tribulations, weaknesses and strengths of their characters turn a mirror to myself and inspire me to be a better person. Specific to video games, I think our industry is a convergent type of entertainment that litterally has the ability to change the world. With this in mind it’s no wonder that their work stirs something inside me. It’s no surprise I want to pay tribute to their creativity. Stepping into the shoes of a character I admire is empowering. It’s an incredible feeling to manifest fantasy into reality. This fandom is also why I run Game Informer’s Cosblog and Croft Couture. I want to celebrate the work of others as much as I want to participate. Cosplayers make my world a more vivid, colorful, and fantastical place. I expect many of my peers feel the same.

I’m Creative. If I’m behind a desk for too long I’ll start to get antsy. I need to keep my artistic tank from running low or I go nutty. Sometimes I draw or paint. Sometimes I take photographs. Sometimes I weld. Sometimes I make jewelry. Sometimes I model. Sometimes I customize toys. Most of the time, however, I make costumes. Why? Because much like gaming is the convergence of so many entertainment mediums, cosplay is the convergence of so many artistic mediums. Those who imply cosplay is merely about attention look at the hobby as a destination, and not a journey. I’ve highlighted a few of my creative triumphs in the photos above. Though cosplay I’ve learned to make armor from thermoplastics. I’ve tackled leatherworking by cutting, dying, stamping, and finishing raw animal hides. I’ve experimented with wig styling and special effects makeup. I’ve leveled up my meager sewing skills. I’ve worked with foam and wood and metal and even carbon fiber. I’ve dyed fabric and distressed props and nearly perfected my battle damage techniques. That being said, I still have so much to learn. I want to try vacuum forming. I want to successfully cast objects from a custom mold. I want to try out 3D printing and finally master sewing a freaking zipper on straight. By constructing costumes I’ve expanded my artistic horizons further than I could have ever imagined. The creativity and craft applications in cosplay are only limited by your imagination, and I’m nowhere near tapping out.

I’m social. Not surprising considering my current vocation, right? Cosplay allows me to be social on multiple fronts. I enjoy collaborating on costumes with friends and taking lessons from artisans in order to improve my craft. I love meeting up with cosplayers from across the world as we converge on the same city for a convention. And I love chatting with fellow fans on the show floor about our shared interests. That’s what’s so great about cosplay. You are literally wearing your fandom on your sleeve. Cosplay is an instant icebreaker. Mutual adoration of a character or a franchise gives you something in common with people you’ve never even met. I’ve made incredibly fulfilling friendships through chance encounters while in costume, and am a better person for having those individuals in my life.

I enjoy the attention. Yes, I do appreciate the attention that my cosplay exploits bring, but not in the nefarious way some try to frame it. Attention isn’t the ultimate goal, but rather a really nice windfall. When I invest over a grand and several months of my life in constructing a costume, I swell with pride when others notice my hard work. It makes me feel wonderful to be told that I’ve successfully paid tribute to a universe I love. The attention from franchise fans, fellow cosplayers, and especially creators is incredible. I devolved into fits and giggles more than once when a creator retweeted a piece of my work. When Paul Dini noticed my Lady Two-Face? Died. Notice that sexually charged attention isn’t a motivation for why I cosplay. I understand that it may be a byproduct, and as long as conduct remains respectful I take it in stride. It certainly isn’t a conscious goal on my end though.

[SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP SEXY…]
In response to my previous blog, I was quizzed repeatedly on how I feel when I do get sexual attention from men or women while in costume. The line of questioning was especially aggressive from those who asserted that I was asking for lewd behavior by dressing a specific way.

To be totally frank. I didn’t much mind sexual attention when I first started cosplaying eight or so years ago. I was also much younger then, and hadn’t faced some of the challenges I’d later come across in my professional career. I’ve become less comfortable with this sort of attention over the years, and as a result have begun to gravitate towards strong rather than traditionally sexy characters.

I’m fairly certain cosplaying as Mad Moxxi is what turned the tide. Borderlands is one of my favorite games of this generation. Dressing up as Moxxi seemed the perfect tribute to showcase my fandom. Not to mention, the idea of stepping into the stilettos of a psychopath seemed like fun. I modified a bit of Moxxi’s design for modesty sake, commissioned part of the costume, and made the rest. When I debuted the costume at SDCC 2010 I had an absolute blast prancing about in it. However, when my photos were showcased on a popular blog the comment section devolved into a discussion about my breast size in relation to the character. We’re talking over a hundred comments. It felt really gross. I wasn’t a person. I was a specimen.

So while wearing Moxxi was fun, it helped me establish my comfort zone. While I still enjoy leggy ensembles or a v-neck top from time to time, I much prefer badass to suggestive characters. I’d rather be complemented on my craftsmanship than my cleavage. If someone does find something I wear sexy (a totally subjective term, as I’ve been called sexy while dressed as Lady Two-Face) I still expect common decency and respect in our exchanges. If I catch someone stealing a glance, I’m not going to make a fuss. It’s when the scenario becomes degrading and dehumanizing that I take issue, and when I have resolved to take a stand.

Let me be perfectly clear. This isn’t an attack on sexy. I actually appreciate both men and women in this capacity. This is rather my personal cosplay mantra, forged from both my unique personality and life experiences. But just as cosplayers participate in the hobby for a variety of reasons, we all have our own comfort zones. Respect should be the rule, not the exception. I hold this equally true for conservatively dressed fans on a show floor as I do for cosplayers who earn cash taking off costumes via paid websites or burlesque performances. A mutual, mature exchange between consenting adults is fine in my book, as long as the aforementioned respect remains intact.

[SO WHAT UNITES US?]
So yes, cosplay can be sexy. I feel strongly that “sexy” isn’t the thread that unites us, however. I don’t pretend to speak for all cosplayers, but throughout the years I’ve been made privy to many motivations.

Some consider cosplay little more than a hobby. Others have transformed their passion into a career and make a living off merchandise, commissions, or paid convention appearances.

Some cosplayers invest thousands and thousands of dollars into their costumes. Others craft outfits out of cardboard.

Some cosplayers collaborate with groups, each playing to their strengths and achieving incredible results. Other prefer to work alone, fabricating each and every part of their ensembles.

Some cosplayers dress up for the love of the character. Others dress up for the challenge of the costume.

Some cosplayers take on personas that echo their own. Others use dressing up as a chance to step into the role of a polar opposite.

Some cosplayers won’t leave the hotel unless they are covered head to toe. Other cosplayers show skin whenever possible.

So what unites us? In the eight years I’ve spent a part of this community, I’ve found that passion, fandom, and courage are the bonds we share.

Ultimately, the above illustrates my primary objective in writing this blog. Cosplayers are complex. People are complex. While I understand that snap judgments come to us unsolicited at times, what marks you as a better person is making the choice not to act on them. To treat individuals as just that. If you decide to dismiss an entire fandom based on misguided notions like the above, you’re the one poorer for it.

Everything Meagan Marie said here? PERFECT.

vmgifs: Last Words from Kristen: 24 Hours to Go (x) UPDATE:...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:05:02 -0400

vmgifs:

Last Words from Kristen: 24 Hours to Go (x)

UPDATE: With 8 hours to go, we are now 700 backers away from making this record! If you’re from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, or the USA — DONATE! The campaign is almost over and you will no longer have the opportunity to receive upcoming updates and awesome merchandise offered!

87000? SCREW THAT. Let’s make it 90,909

(x)

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:26:44 -0400

(x)

sailorpizza: open-ended-insanity: This is what people see as...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:21:39 -0400

sailorpizza:

open-ended-insanity:

This is what people see as they commute to work in Philly.

Hollaback Philly is absolutely doing it right.

this is fucking beautiful

yes perfect