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[JasonTerror]

Originally Posted by ichigo_m.

First off, I love your wig! That's the color I wanted!! xD
I hope to see you at Sakuracon! I'll be another KBO Asuna. (:

Dang, so many SC attendees on this forum lol

HaiYessiChu, I actually like the color of yours over all of them..It looks really good. I'll want a pic with ya (even though I won't be SAO version, but still lol

[ichigo_m.]

I finished Asuna today and I'm thinking of making her Cooking outfit right now (I'm bored and putting off my commishs xD)

[JasonTerror]

Speaking of finishing, If weather permits, I'll be painting my sword on monday. Being in Wa (like the freakin majority of this thread lol) we all know how the weather is here ^_^ But yea, after that, COMPLETE!!!!

[HaiYessiChu]

Thank you, everyone! You all seem to put my worries to rest with the wig. ^^ Although I just now noticed there was a SAO thread in the Sakura Con forum, maybe I should have posted there. Haha.

Anyways, you all have some amazing cosplays! ^^ I'll look through the progress photos and now I am getting nervous- I'm still a beginner at cosplaying. I can't wait to see everyone who is going to Sakura Con (which seems to be a lot in this thread).

[JasonTerror]

You mean the ones on Sakuracon.org? yea That's a nice long as crap thread lol You don't have to post there unless it's something specifically for that con. This thread is for everyone so....

Don't worry, you picked a good beginning cosplay. Unline me, who decided to do a super hard cosplay for the first one lol Yea....I think like 95% of this thread will be there lol

[HaiYessiChu]

Oh, no! Not the one on the Sakura Con website, the one on here haha.

What was your first cosplay? Just curious.

[JasonTerror]

Oh lol you can still post there..lol In fact let others that haven't seen this thread know what you're going as. They may wanna take pics cuz yours is less cosplayed then the other versions..Anyway, mine was Cloud Strife in his Advent Children outfit. WAY too much money spent on that lol

[ichigo_m.]

So I went out and took some photos of my Asuna cosplay today... Let's just say I don't really like it. I either gained or lost weight since I made the top so the fit is horrible and the little red things that come off of it don't let me move and my spirit gum didn't hold up my stockings...
So I'm gonna get some sock glue and I'm gonna remake my top... Yay..
Anyway here's how it looks for now (minus the breast plate).

[KOTSProps]

I'm planning on taking Kirito (and my girlfriend as Asuna) to Otakon this August. Needless to say I'm very picky about my work, so progress has been slow.

I chose to start with Elucidator (about 50% done with the blade itself, 40% if you add the scabbard), then work on Dark Repulser and Lambent Light as I get closer to needing paints. To me, these are actually the more complicated parts of the whole cosplay, especially for Kirito. Asuna's outfit is a good bit more involved than Kirito's, which is essentially a modified duster coat, but I'm more confident it'll come out right than the rapier.

I'm using poplar as a base, sintra for smaller parts, resin castings for stuff I can't make from sintra. I modeled the blade based on the dimensions listed on the SAO wiki (120 cm total) and tapered it similarly to most actual long swords (about 0.25" over the length of the blade). The only thing bugging me is back carried swords are extremely impractical to draw quickly with only one hand unless they're shorter than your arm (about gladius length).

I've worked out a solution: Cut the side of the scabbard that faces the inside of your back open, but only the length you need for the sword to leverage itself over the throat of the solid (bottom) side. I'm going to get this working before I work on hiding it, but a welted slit in a leather/vinyl wrapping should hide it well. Or at least make it look less stupid.

I'll start posting pics once I'm comfortable with it. I have kept some WIP stuff on Facebook if you're interested, but so far there's a lot of mistakes. I've cut Elucidator's blade 5 times now, the hilt parts 3 times, the handle twice...it's been a learning experience.

[JasonTerror]

KOTSProps, You are completely correct that it's not possible to get the swords out of the sheaths..I hate that fact..But hey that's anime for you..

I like your idea and I might do it myself when I do a cosplay that needs that kind of sword (like Link). However, with MY Kirito cosplay (Spriggam ALO Avatar) it will be impossible no matter what I do lol

[StarsCASSiOPEiA]

The sword sheaths have been driving me nuts too-- I'm definitely going for wings on ALO Kirito, so trying to fit the sheathes around that is gonna be a nightmare.

Also guys, does anyone have experience working with Arda's lacefront wigs? I'm looking at either the Cady or the Marty for ALO Kirito, but I haven't seen much in terms of how well they spike.

[KOTSProps]

Originally Posted by StarsCASSiOPEiA

The sword sheaths have been driving me nuts too-- I'm definitely going for wings on ALO Kirito, so trying to fit the sheathes around that is gonna be a nightmare.

Also guys, does anyone have experience working with Arda's lacefront wigs? I'm looking at either the Cady or the Marty for ALO Kirito, but I haven't seen much in terms of how well they spike.

For most of the ALO arc he uses a great-sword. The game would count it as a two-handed weapon but he wields it as one-handed. The only time he needs a second sword in ALO (up thru the Caliber side story which is after GGO...not even there in the anime yet), he just pilfers Lyfa/Suguha's katana for a few minutes. Unless we're talking about the last scene. Then that's a 1h made by Lisbeth...

As for scabbards for the Black Iron Greatsword...it's not really a scabbard at all. It's more of a leather frog that holds the point and a strap holding it in. I can think of a way to make the strap more like a hanger, but needing something rigid by your knee....eh, anime. Besides, it'd be more of a "just get it off my back" solution than an over-the-shoulder draw.

1h scabbard reference (not final, a bit short. This was more me playing with my router to see if this was probable):

http://i.imgur.com/UfzDf4x.jpg

I realize this may be a bit hard to see since the blade isn't primed, and they're both the same wood.


And yeah, my desk is a mess.

[Xanarcah]

Originally Posted by KOTSProps

I've worked out a solution: Cut the side of the scabbard that faces the inside of your back open, but only the length you need for the sword to leverage itself over the throat of the solid (bottom) side. I'm going to get this working before I work on hiding it, but a welted slit in a leather/vinyl wrapping should hide it well. Or at least make it look less stupid.

I'll start posting pics once I'm comfortable with it. I have kept some WIP stuff on Facebook if you're interested, but so far there's a lot of mistakes. I've cut Elucidator's blade 5 times now, the hilt parts 3 times, the handle twice...it's been a learning experience.

This is brilliant, thanks for posting. o: I'm really looking forward to seeing your work!

[JasonTerror]

Originally Posted by StarsCASSiOPEiA

The sword sheaths have been driving me nuts too-- I'm definitely going for wings on ALO Kirito, so trying to fit the sheathes around that is gonna be a nightmare.

Also guys, does anyone have experience working with Arda's lacefront wigs? I'm looking at either the Cady or the Marty for ALO Kirito, but I haven't seen much in terms of how well they spike.

I was actually going too use one of the lace front ones to, but the magnum xp is actually thick enough for the job. I have it in my Kirito gallery. Right now I need to re spike it cuz I only used a little spray, but the wig all together looks pretty good

[StarsCASSiOPEiA]

Jason, did you mean the Magnum Long? My only concern with that is forehead hair line, since there are bangs that hang over (hence why I was looking at the lacefront in the first place).

After a second look, I'm leaning towards the Cady. The longer front bangs would help with those two longer pieces of hair near the sides of Kirito's face, and it IS designed for heavier front spiking.