Here is a really awesome cosplayer that we at  NERDSociety.com have gotten the chance to talk to…the lovely and creative Chelsey Cosplay.

NERDSOCIETY.COM:  What cosplay name do you go by and where are you from?

CHELSEY:  I usually go by Chelsey Cosplay:) I am from the Cincinnati, Ohio area.

NS:  How did you first get started in the world of cosplay?

CC:  I used to dress up as my favorite characters before I even knew what cosplaying was. When I found out that there were actually conventions you could dress up at, my mind was blown. It was pretty hard for me to fit in with others at school when I was a teenager, especially non-nerds.  At conventions, I feel like my true self.  I feel like I am among my own nerdy kind. I love it!

NS:  Who is your favorite character to portray? How did you get into him/her as a fan?

CC:  This is a hard question to answer, because I love portraying all of the characters I cosplay as.  I would probably have to say Link. Everyone loves Link, and I get such good reactions from other con-goers when I am in character.  Of course I got into the character by playing The Legend of Zelda as a child up until now:)

NS:  Tell us about your Starscream. Do you consider yourself a big Transformers fan? How did you put this detailed costume together?

CC:  Yes, I am a HUGE Transformers fan…haha.  This costume was quite a challenge for me.  It was the 2nd costume I made entirely by myself.  Though he has been upgraded and some parts have been remade over time, a lot of the parts are original to the first build. The Starscream costume you see now is what I call Mark II. It took about three months of hardcore planning before I actually began construction.

Also, it took lots of trial and error, there are so many things to take into consideration when building a mecha/mascot costume. Movement, visibility, breathing, and learning how to suit up the easiest way, takes a lot of thought.  The costume is made mostly from cardboard, covered in craft foam, and fabric:) It took about 2 months to complete the first time, and about a month for the upgraded pieces to be made (worked on the costume a few times a week while in school).

NS:  Our many anime fans want to know about your amazing Cloud Strife. How did you do this one, is it entirely hand made?

CC:  Everything is handmade except for a few items which I modified.  I heavily modified the sweater and pants (honestly, I didn’t feel like learning how to knit my ENTIRE SWEATER XD AIN`T NOBODY GOT TIME FO THAT!).  Back to”seriousness”…I sculpted the Wolf head on the shoulder armor by hand.  Made the boot covers from scratch, (no pattern needed), styled the wig myself, the sword is made from a cardboard base, craft foam and a pvc pipe.  All details are in 3D with craft foam on the fusion sword:) I think details are very important in a costume, and can add to the realistic features of your cosplay.

NS:  As a Batman enthusiast, I was very impressed by your Harley Quinn.  What got you into her? Are you also into female super-villains/heroines in general?

CC:  When I was younger I was a Batman fan, I always have been.  I first got into Harley Quinn while watching Batman the Animated Series of course! Believe it or not, when she first appeared she sort of got on my nerves! ….but eventually I began to like her more and more, and that turned into a LOVE:).  I am also very much into Catwoman! I have cosplayed as several versions of her as well in my first year or so of cosplaying.

NS:  Are you in any cosplay groups? Or do this with a friend or family member?

CC:  No, I am not in any official cosplay groups, but I do love cosplaying in groups with friends:).

NS:  What has been the most memorable moment and/or compliment at a con that you can recall?

CC:  I have had several very memorable moments in cosplay, but I would have to say that my number one moment would have to be when I was at Wizard World Ohio 2013.  As a cosplay guest of the convention I had a scheduled time for photo ops.   During my time on stage as Starscream, I noticed that there was a little boy dressed as Optimus Prime in the crowd of photographers.  I could tell that he wanted a picture with me, so I motioned for him to come on stage with me and gave him a fist bump while we took pictures together.  It totally made his day, and also mine.  I will never forget  it.  It is moments like that, that make cosplay such an AMAZING thing.

Another great moment was when I ran into a little girl dressed as Link, while I was Link.  Her parents had told me that she had forgotten her shield, so I let her borrow mine for some photos.   She was so happy to see me and really thought she was meeting Link!

NS:  Have you noticed changes in the cosplay community in recent years? If so, are they good or bad changes?

CC:  Yes, I have. I wouldn’t call them bad changes really. Though I haven`t been cosplaying very long myself (since 2010 at conventions) it has changed a LOT since I have begun.  I remember when cosplay pages were not a thing, it was more like you used your DeviantArt.  Also, cosplay seems to have really attracted the media…sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in a bad way.  It`s all about how the media chooses to depict the cosplay community.

NS:  How did you learn such skilled posing for your shots? How do you choose your photographers?

CC:  I usually try to mimic poses that my characters do, or poses I think suit the character.  Though, I am still learning how to better my poses, it`s honestly not a strong skill of mine ha ha.   To be honest, I rarely choose a photographer.   I will meet them at conventions randomly and they will offer to shoot me.  Which is not only flattering but AWESOME! I have met some AMAZING photographers because of this happening!

Photographers I love working with are Tk8919 Photography, Miss Mallo Photography, and the Portrait Dude.

NS:  What skills have you seen in other cosplayers that you might want to do?  And what are some tips that you would give a beginner?

CC:  I would really like to try out worbla or wonderflex, but until I get more funds I shall stick to craft foam and cardboard.

My advice to beginners:  Choose costumes that are at your skill level if you are a beginner, if you want more of a challenge than challenge yourself! I would not be where I am today if I wouldn`t have challenged myself  when it came to making costumes.  If you are unsure on how to  do something, there are plenty of tutorials online that you can turn to.  Most importantly, have fun and don’t take this too seriously! Though it is a passion for some, it is still a hobby.  Most of us do not get paid to do this, we put our time and love into it by choice.  🙂

NS:  Are you working on anything new right now?

CC:  Not at the moment, but I have PLENTY of ideas! I plan on beginning my Magic Armor build from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

NS:  Tell us about some of your interests  outside of cosplay.

CC:  Video games, playing the piano, drawing, collecting action figures from my favorite fandoms.

NS:  Where can we find you on the Web?

My DeviantArt: http://chelseycosplay.deviantart.com/

My Cosplay page: https://www.facebook.com/chelsey.cosplay

My tumblr:  http://chelseycosplay.tumblr.com/

Thank you so much for interviewing me!

We at NERDSociety.com would like to thank you for taking the time to  speak with us, Chelsey… you are SO upbeat and enthused about cosplay and the dedication you bring to creating your costumes is truly inspiring!

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