Cosplay Spotlight: Leen Isabel

This week we have Leen Isabel as our shining star in, COSPLAY SPOTLIGHT!!!!!

Why do you cosplay?

I’ve admired cosplayers for a long time. When I was a kid, I used to read (the now defunct) Animerica magazine and wished I could start making my own cosplay outfits. Now that I’m older, I finally got around to it! For me, it’s fun embodying the characters you love so much and that’s what attracts me to to the hobby. I believe in cosplaying characters you admire or feel a connection to. So, it’s part craft and part homage to an awesome anime, video game or movie that’s touched me in some way.

What was your first cosplay?

Psylocke from X-Men! I debuted it in 2010 at San Diego Comic Con. It was very daring but very fun! Psylocke has always been my favorite Marvel character from when I was little. She’s elegant, strong, & feminine… and a ninja!

Do you make your own cosplay costumes, if so, which ones, and how long does an average costume take to make?

First and foremost, I work as an artist and illustrator so cosplaying does come in second for me. I admit to not always having time to work on my costumes 100% and at this stage of my n00bie status, I seek out friends or craftspeople who can help me fashion pieces or patterns for me.

I recently finished my Street Fighter Ibuki and that was a great experience! I finished the uwagi and zubon a year ago but put it off because I couldn’t figure out her hair. I had a crazy time trying to figure out her ponytails and I think I thought of a pretty good solution! In the end, I dyed long pheasant feathers used them as a base for long strands of wig to create a light-weight ponytail. I can walk or jump around and Ibuki’s hair seems to “bounce” like it does in the game! I’m really proud of that. So, in this case, that cosplay took me a year to finish!

For me, I find working on patterns tedious, but creating accessories, wigs and weapons is WAY more fun. To each their own!

What is your favorite character to play?

That’s a tough choice! I like to cosplay a type of character! I’m attracted to strong female characters which is why I look to video games or comic books for inspiration. I’m attracted to characters that are fighters and/or have a cunning and sexy personality.

Amongst animation, comics, movies, or video games, what is your biggest inspiration for cosplay?

Based on what I’ve finished, it seems like video games are my top choice, doesn’t it? I think anime, comic books and video games are my favorite places to look to. I can’t choose one over the other because there are stunning characters to choose from in each category. A good story always gets me! I have often loved the idea of working on something from Studio Ghibli because Miyazaki’s work is phenomenal. I’ll be doing a Sin City cosplay soon because Frank Miller is awesome! Sometimes you read or watch something that just makes you want to be a part of it. Cosplay helps bring you closer, I think!

I love seeing other cosplayers’ work -especially those who create armor. I think that’s really awesome and would love to tackle that someday.

Have you ever made any mistakes that you’d warn a first timer about?

Double check your wig and make sure it’s on securely! I learned this lesson well when I wore Ibuki and decided to climb trees and flip upside down. Those ponytails did not stay intact and fell right out! Also, I hear that Firm Grip spray is a good item to have if you have articles of clothing that need to “stick” to your skin. I could have used that advice when I was wearing my Psylocke outfit for the first time!

Are there certain characters that are easier to play than others?

I have found, in wearing cosplay, that so many of these uniforms and outfits are very strange in the real world! I find myself saying often, “How can she fight in this?” “How is this practical?” I think it’s hard to portray a female video game character’s personality when you’re wearing a uniform that is meant to be sexy rather than functional. (And of course in the game, it doesn’t bother her one bit!) I just have to suspend disbelief and keep having fun.