Be it werewolf suit or anime outfit, teen workshops put ‘play’ in art of costuming
For many teens, dressing up as a character from a favorite movie, video game or book is not simply a pastime relegated to Halloween. For some, the costume is a piece of art.
And now, youth who are missing a piece to complete the perfect costume — say, a pair of foam cat ears — can head to the Indian Creek Library. A new multi-session cosplay workshop program recently kicked off in the branch’s MakerSpace.
As a live action role play and cosplay (short for costume play) enthusiast, MakerSpace attendant Sorrel Coble is very comfortable running the workshop with fellow worker and cosplayer Berkley Cyman.
Coble, who once made an entire werewolf suit, knows how to craft with fake fur and tried to pass on this skill to a group of local teens during the first workshop.
The group learned some simple costuming skills, such as cutting out material with a pattern, putting in fabric darts and dying the end product to make it the right color. Future workshops will address things like soldering and installing LED lights.
“I was kind of wanting to focus on basic techniques that people can take back and do on their own projects. Obviously with cosplay, a lot of things are super specific, so it’s hard to cover everybody. I was hoping to get things like covering foam in fabric, basic foam crafting and using alcohol-based ink to color to color synthetics,” Coble said.
Ultimately, Coble hopes the teens are getting the skills to be able to craft whatever costume piece they might need in the future for a convention, Halloween or just for fun.
“I build lessons based on the assumption people have never touched it and try to figure out something that people can use, using existing skills they maybe haven’t associated with cosplay,” Coble said.
Sometimes, it’s just showing people that they have the ability to do a craft with small amount of guidance in a controlled environment. The MakerSpace has all kinds of equipment that can be helpful in fabricating costume pieces.
“Basic hooking up battery and LEDs is not very difficult, but it’s intimidating,” Coble said.
Although most of the attendees of the first workshop were anime fans, the craft skills they’re learning can apply to costumes for any genre or fandom.
“My hope is that people come in and they either realize how to solve a problem they didn’t think they could get around or that it inspires a love of building props and they go on and do bigger and better things,” Coble said.
That might mean getting involved in activities like cosplay that might have been intimidating, Coble said. It’s fine to come into the workshop with no experience making any costumes or props.
“We definitely want to make sure that people who come into it know it’s OK to be on the ground level,” Coble said. “Everybody starts somewhere. The only place to go from there is up. It’s a safe place to come and learn things and make stuff and improve your skills and have fun.”
For the group making their first sets of foam cat ears, the workshop was a good experience.
“It is fun and messy, and I’m going to get hair everywhere,” said Eli Impastato, 15, who plans to use any skills he learns in the workshops to make My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist costumes.
Most of the teens already had an interest in the subject, with varying degrees of experience.
“I enjoy cosplaying. I just like to make art of my favorite game characters and story characters,” said Mabel Stump, 13.
To sign up for future workshops (the next one is July 11), go to olathelibrary.librarycalendar.com.
