Interview de Margot aka Kurama (Belgium)

Voici l'interview de la jolie Margot (Kurama) de Belgique !

1. For how long have you been in cosplay ?

Since october 2011.

2. Cosplay is a time consuming hobby. how long does it take to craft your costumes ?

It depends on the costume. Not every cosplay is as complicated as the other. Also, I don't make everything myself (yet). I still have a lot to learn, though my goal is being able to craft special things myself. Most of my more recent costumes are mostly selfmade, at least partially. The first costume I made myself as Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy, and I got lovely feedback on it, even though it's really crappy. I decided to make it about a month before the convention. But since I really adore this costume, I'm going to improve it, and use it to participate in a contest for the very first time. Another cosplay I made myself is Erza from the anime series Fairy Tail. Even though it's a very easy one, I really love wearing it. That one was made in only a few days. For next year, I'm going to start a bigger project, an armored version of Erza, and I'm sure it'll take me a few months to finish it.

3. Any other hobby or passion besides cosplaying ?

I don't have a really big hobby besides cosplay, since cosplay on it's own is already quite time consuming, and I also have friends, family and a job. I do like to draw sometimes.

4. What materials are you using for cosplay crafting, worbla ? Foam ? Can you talk about that a little bit ? I've seen we have transparent worbla now...

Many of my costumes are made of scraps, the random materials I can find in the garage, lot's of cheap stuff, and sometimes the more 'professional' stuff such as foam and worbla. Basically: if it's possible to make things cheap while it's looking good, I go for cheap. Not always using the most obvious materials is also a challenge, and it makes it even more fun. My gamora jacket? I made it out of shammies. Dyed them, and gave them a leather look using shoe polish. I also made a mask out of paper maché. 

Ofcourse, in many cases, stuff like paper maché doesn't do the trick. I do love to work with worbla, just like many others. For armors, it's just amazing to use. I'm also really looking forward to use the transparent version. I really hope there's a way to dye it in a way it's still transparent. I would use it to make the wings from Ayato from the anime series Tokyo Ghoul.

5. Do you have any FAVORITE cosplayer ?

I like a lot of cosplayers, but my biggest role models are: Yaya Han, Kamui, Hushy Plushy cosplayer and Koralene cosplay.

6. Did you hurt yourself while making a cosplay or in a convention ?

I once burned myself with my glue gun, and also while my worbla was too hot. I suppose it happens to everyone.

7. Do you sell your old cosplays, or just keep it in a huge closet ?

Depends on the costume. Like, I easily sold the cosplays I bought. But some costumes just hold so many good memories. Two of my cosplays were birthday gifts from my amazing friends. I'll never sell those. The swords I made with my dad, and that dress I'm making with my grandmother. Never gonna sell those either. I usually cosplay characters that I (at least partially) recognise myself in. Some of them have a lot in common, and those cosplays are usually the ones I'd do over and over again.

8. Who teached you to craft your cosplays ? Your family ? By reading books or watching youtube tutorials ?

Other cosplayers, family, friends... Usually when I make something, there's a lot of trial and error. I rarely look up tutorials, unless it's really difficult. I really like the social part of cosplay crafting, So friends helping each other out is in my opinion the most fun way to learn. Last summer, my friends came to my garage a few times a week to work on cosplay props together.

9. Which conventions are you going to this year ?

I can't be sure yet, because right now I have an irregular job. But I hope to go to: Animecon (holland), Starcom (Belgium), Atsusacon (Belgium), Abunai (holland) and F.A.C.T.S. con (belgium)

10. What is your limit budget for a cosplay ?

It depends on the costume. For some things I'm just willing to pay more. Though I guess I can say my budget is a little bigger now. A few months ago I was still in college.

11. Any future super secret cosplay project in mind ?

Usually my costumes aren't kept a secret, the moment I'll do them often is though.

12. What are you doing in "real" life for a living ?

I work with people with disabilities. Basically, I take care of their daily living situation together with my colleagues.

13. You best experience from a convention ? And your worst ?

Best experiences: the compliments on my selfmade costumes, eating candy pie in the middle of the convention hall, meeting tons of new friends, getting confident. Worst experience: the crowds. Some Belgian cons really need crowd management.

14. Any advice for cosplay wannabees or beginners ?

Start cheap, and ask help from other cosplayers. Many are very happy to help, they actually feel honored when you ask for advice.

15. Do you have limits ? Some cosplays you will never make (too sexy, too hard, too heavy...) ?

I never say never, but when a character I like is wearing too little clothing, I sometimes alter the design to make myself fit in the costume better. One of my dream costumes is Mirajane's Satan Soul, but it just shows too much skin at the chest area. I don't have her body type, so altering the design makes the costume more do-able for me.

Sa page facebook officielle : https://www.facebook.com/KuramasCorner/

Sa page deviantart : http://inuyuusha.deviantart.com