Recent Photoshoot

I done a recent photoshoot last Saturday with Susan Photography and Pade Beauty whom I met on the Dublin Models Facebook page.

We done the shoot along a back alley along the outskirts of Dublin city. The photos came out amazing! We had such a fun day.

Photography by - https://www.facebook.com/JusanPhotography
Make Up Artist - Pade Beauty - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pade-beauty/314804165321343?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

I am delighted with the photos! Love Pade Beauty make up skills so flawless.

All is Full of Love

I never really had time for Bjork but recently I have been listening to some of her tunes. She is fantastic and has an amazing voice. This song and video is just beautiful like anime. It is art.



#Latenightblogging#, #inspired#

Summer Cosplay and Events Diary in Summary

In plainer and in bullet points;

• July 20th - Will be attending the Celtic Cosplay picnic in the Iveagh Gardens. Will hopefully be attending the Nom-Con Beach party which is on the same day.
• July 27th - Cosplaying for Dublin Comic Convention for a promotional event. Will be wearing my Babydoll cosplay and representing Cosplay Ireland.
• August 10th-11th - Will be cosplaying at Dublin Comic Convention representing Cosplay Ireland. I will be Babydoll and maybe go as Juliet Starling as Rei from Highschool of the Dead.
• August 30th-September 1st - Will be cosplaying at Nomcon and will be giving a Cosplay Ireland panel. I am looking at bringing back my Mari Makinami Illustrious cosplay as Monica Rial who voices Mari is one of the guests! :D I am also looking at doing another cosplay which I like to keep a secret. It could be doable. 

So It is Con Season!

This week sure flew in! Last week I was preparing for the St. Mochta Family picnic Funday in Clonsilla Dublin. I cosplayed as Rei Miyamoto from High School of the Dead  and we cosplayed with Star Wars costuming group 501st Ireland. It was a fun day!

The three of us had to explain to the audience what cosplay is and encourage people at the event to give it a go. It was quite scary talking on the stage to people who are unfamiliar with cosplay but it was a joy to present it. I will blog about this event another day along with the Bloom Festival.

 So moving along... Getting on to Con season or convention season ta season to be going to conventions. Same with the States and everywhere else, here in Ireland we have caught up with the rest of the world having a few conventions on over the summer. Attending these conventions is like going to a music festival or ritual which takes me back to my Cultural Event Management postgraduate Diploma course, our lecture speaks of how cultural events and festivals bring a deep meaning to attendees. Conventions are a big part of my life and love seeing old friends and catching up!

This weekend I will be cosplaying at Arcadecon a large mixed medium convention held in the Ballbridge Hotel in Dublin. Video footage of last year below! See can you spot my Babydoll. :p



Also here is a video of me being interviewed.



My cosplay this year, giving budget is low will be simply be Juliet Starling from Lolipop Chainsaw alternative outfit, cosplaying as Rei Miyamoto. I had the costume all ready therefore I just needed a wig, lolipop and a chainsaw. My chainsaw is being made by Cosplay-Props Eire. I am was going to do Nick's head with help from a friend but it turned out it was too difficult and again low on money and resources. Maybe will do it in the future. Well in the beginning of the game Starling doesn't have Nick's head so...

The game really is class and enjoy playing it so much! It brought my faith back into gaming. Also Juliet would be a fun character to act out and pose as she is crazy. :p I am tempted to cosplay in her other alternative outfits. Watch the trailer! :D



I am delighted with my wig as it looks the part and I can wear it for other shoots and cosplays! I am literally dying to photoshoot as Juliet in this cosplay! I am only attending the Saturday and will be organising a Cosplay Ireland meet up for 16:00 in the back lounge , behind the tradehall, just a meet and greet if anyone would like to come along. We will be taking some group shots for our site!

I think the next convention I will be attending won't be until August for Dublin Comic Con. I look forward to taking part in the Promotional event in Belfast on the 20th of July. I will be cosplaying as Babydoll and the Predators will be there. More info later to come!

I am looking forward to Nomcon which is on the 30th of August to the-1st of September. Nomcon is a nice cosy, warm convention dedicated Anime, Manga and Japanese culture. I will be presenting a Cosplay Ireland talk and look forward to showing how far Cosplay Ireland has become. I will also like to talk about the rise of Japanese pop culture in Ireland and beyond as I have alot of experience there.

Let the fun commence! :D

Being an anime fan - My collectibles

On Saturday, I just done an interview with Laura and James. Laura is doing her Master thesis on Anime and Cosplaying and was looking for relevant people to interview.

They came to my house and interviewed me in my room. I really enjoyed the interview and taking part! The documentary should be up on youtube in August and I will be sure to share it! I done the interview in my Rei Miyamoto cosplay. After the interview Laura and James took photos of my fingurines and cosplays. Then when they left I took photos of my otaku or just room to share in my blog, to expres that these all mean alot to me. :)

My room and cosplays

Wigs

My cosplays feauring in papers over the years. That is me in my Ero-Lolita Rei cosplay with my old dark Rei wig. I was in my first magazine "Totally Dublin" the article titled "Costumes and Exercise" That was back in 2007.

In the Sunday Times.

One of my close friends made me that tall somewhat "topless" Rei Ayanami in Unit 1 figure for a present. He done an amazing job on the painting and putting Rei together.

My Rei Ayanami image by David Kennedy in the book "1000 Incredible Costume & Cosplay Ideas"
You will also see some of the Anime academic books I read such as "The Beautiful Fighting Girl" and "Fandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected World"

 My DVD collection.

My C.C. photo by Stephen Hedley in "1000 Incrediable Costume & Cosplay Ideas" It really is a fabulous book with very creative cosplays and photography.

 My Evangelion manga which I am really enjoying.

 More Evangelion figures. :)

I don't just read manga. :P

Yes I like World War 2 and that Catherine book is a book of Japanese character designers from anime and games. I think it is an excellent book for costume design ideas and for cosplays.

I tend to collect alot of figurienes of characters I cosplay as, as a reminder and for memories. Collecting figurines is all personal to me and I do think they are art.

Finally my work station. I can see the next few months while I get very busy and need to multitask, my desktop will be full of notes, to do lists and events's dates for my diary plastered on my wall. I will also like to have a note up of my goals and what do I want to achieve this summer.

After doing the interview about being an Anime fan, I felt proud and I felt I was really myself. It can be very difficult to be open about your beliefs and about something you are really into as you would be quick to be labelled obsessive ect. To be honest before I done the interview I was quite nervous incase I may have come across as preachy, obsessed or judged but I felt good sharing something that is a big part of me with people who were unfamiliar and were interested. I feel the exact same way sharing my passion and being myself on the internet and with cosplaying. Of interest I spoke of how I see myself as a cosplayer and artist in my Cosplay blog here.

I deeply feel if you are passionate about something you should express it and share it as you don't know where it will lead you. Not only that, there is nothing better in this world to be your true self and express it. I really have come along way since staffing at Eirtakon in 2006, working for a large cultural festival Experience Japan, being on television, setting up Cosplay Ireland recieving media exposure and completed my Events Internship. Anime and cosplay has really changed my life and made into the woman I am today.

C.C. Photoshoot I did

Here are the photos I done with Roberto Forte Photography
Make Up Artist: Laura Larkin

 

My TV Appearance

I appeared on TV3 in my C.C. cosplay with Fiona cosplaying as Bad Girl from No More Heroes and Melissa cosplaying as Sakura-Hime from the Tsubasa Chronicles series, who both have also played a big role in promoting cosplay in my country. We are just briefly chatting about cosplaying on Irish nationwide TV. I have said some stupid things but that was down to nerves. I know better next time! It was such an honor and achievement to talk about something you are passionate about on TV.

While I was google searching "Cosplay Ireland" I found this youtube video, thanks to John Snow.

 

Hopefully more will come.