New Year Geek Tips: Planning Ahead for Con Season

January means a new year, and a new year means that convention season will be here before we know it (and, in some areas, is still going strong). Cons don't really start in Chicago until C2E2 in April, but because I'm a poor graduate student, I do like to (and need to) plan ahead in order to know exactly when I need to have the cash to play for badges/registration, hotels, and travel. My plans aren't 100% for later in the year (I want to go to Dragon Con, but I need to figure out if it's logistically possible for me), but here's a brief overview of what I'm planning for 2014 with an approximate idea of costs. Making a list of the conventions, dates, locations, and costumes for the year ahead helps me to stay organized for the year--and it could help you, too, which is why I'm sharing this.

I'm also laying out the costume ideas I have for each con, because my major "resolution" in 2014 is to expand my cosplay portfolio.

Con #1: C2E2

Where: McCormick Convention Center, Chicago, IL

Dates: April 25(?), 26, 27

I teach until 3pm on Fridays, so I'm not sure if I can make it to the city before the end of festivities on Friday afternoon. Still, though, I purchased a 3-Day pass ($60 if purchased before the convention). I also reserved a hotel room for Saturday night at the con hotel, but the costs of that will be shared and be $70 at the highest. Gas up to Chicago from school is about $30.

Base Cost: $160

Cosplay Ideas

1. Rogue from X-Men: Evolution

2. Enchantress from Justice League Dark (If my brother doesn't come)

3. Death from The Sandman (If my brother does come)

Con #2: Anime Central

Where: Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, IL

Dates: May 16th-18th, though I'm not 100% on which dates I will attend due to final exams.

I haven't purchased anything here, but weekend passes are currently $53. I won't get a hotel room, most likely, unless several people want to go in on it with me (which is a possibility). I'd expect to spend around $50 on a room, then. Gas to Chicago is about $30, but since we're going on a family vacation a couple days later, I won't count it as a con cost since I'll be there already.

Base Cost: $53

Cosplay Ideas

1. Aqua from Kingdom Hearts

Con #3, Possibility 1: Chicago Comic Con

Where: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL

Dates: August 21-24 (it's late this year, and the weekend RIGHT before classes begin. Thanks, guys.)

Chicago Comic Con has been my yearly convention, but I'm willing to forego it in order to go to Dragon Con, if I can afford it and get down there in time after teaching on Friday. Weekend tickets are $90, and I will be staying at my parents' house (per usual). Gas to Chicago (if I'm not there already) is about $30. 

Base Cost: $90- 120

Cosplay Ideas

1. Spoiler (Though I may switch her with Rogue for C2E2)

2. Riven

Con #3, Possibility 2: Dragon Con

Where: Atlanta, GA

Dates: August 29- September 1

I want to go to Dragon Con so badly. I just don't know if I'll be able to afford it--I'm not paid between June and September 16th, which would make things hard. Still, I really want to try to make this happen. I'd use the same costumes for Dragon Con as I would for Chicago Comic Con. Dragon Con costs between $85 and $100, depending on when you get tickets. I would expect to drop another $60 on my share of gas and $200 on my share of the hotel room. 

Base Cost (Estimate): $305

Con #4: Chicago TARDIS

Where: Westin Lombard Yorktown Center

Dates: November 28-30

I had so much fun last year that I just had to make plans to go again. I also have a few people coming to Chicago TARDIS with me this time, and I'm really excited to share the time with them that holiday weekend. Tickets aren't on sale yet, but it was $50 for last year. I would be driving to and from the con on Saturday and (maybe) Sunday. Travel costs from my parents' (it's the weekend after Thanksgiving) would be negligible. 

Base Costs: $50

Cosplay Ideas

1. Member of the Sibylline Sisterhood

Total Base Con Costs (With Chicago Comic Con): $353-383

Total Base Con Costs (With Dragon Con): $568

And that, my friends, is why it's important to budget and stay ahead of things. This doesn't even include costume costs, food/drink, or spending money at the con.I plan to chronicle my C2E2 costumes very closely, including all the costs of making costumes for you beginning cosplayers out there. So keep an eye out for that around March, and I'll update some of these costs to reflect those costs.

Hopefully this is helpful for those of you who plan to develop a yearly con schedule (with or without cosplaying). Part of my goals for this next year is to be more responsible financially, and this my start. 

Until next time...

Chicago TARDIS Recap

     I always mean to write these recaps for conventions right after the con, but I usually don't get to it until a few days after. I was on top of things for Chicago Comic Con, but somehow it's Tuesday and I'm only just now writing about my time at Chicago TARDIS.

The hotel allowed dogs!

     If you've been reading my blog, you'll know that I was really excited to go to Chicago TARDIS. I even wrote a whole blog on why people should go without even having gone myself. And to be perfectly honest, the convention lived up to my expectations. I enjoyed the entire day, even though I attended the con by myself. The attendees were friendly, the space wasn't too crowded (each day was capped at 2,000), and it had a laid back and relaxed atmosphere. With my anxiety issues, I sometimes become very uncomfortable at conventions, but I was relaxed and enjoying myself all day at Chicago TARDIS.

      I started the day early because I had an interview schedules with Paul McGann (the Eighth Doctor) at 11am--but I had to get there ten minutes early. There was a bit of a kerfuffle, though--the night before, I saw on the Chicago Tardis Facebook page that the photo ops with Paul McGann had been moved to 11am. I sent the person I had been in communication with an e-mail, but I didn't receive an answer until I got to the convention. While I assumed that there wouldn't be an interview at 11am, I still wanted to be there before then, just in case. The response I got from the convention staff was brief, saying that they were trying to determine if the interview was going to happen or not. I didn't have anything planned at the time, so I went to one of the TV rooms to wait for my first panel. On Saturday, this TV room was playing The Fires of Pompeii--the fourth series episode with soon-to-be-Twelfth-Doctor Peter Capaldi. It was a decent way to spend my time. At about 1pm, I got another e-mail letting me know that Paul McGann's schedule wasn't going to allow for me to do my interview, which was a bummer. I had spent a lot of time getting ready for the interview, and I was sad I wasn't going to be able to do it. On the other hand, though, I was extremely nervous about it so the fact that it was canceled allowed me to relax a little bit before speaking on my first panel.

From the Chicago TARDIS Facebook page.

     The two panels I spoke on were at 12pm and 2pm. The first panel was a discussion of SyFy's Heroes of Cosplay, and the second panel was a beginner's guide to cosplay panel. I had thought that there would be moderators at the panels, but when we got there the panels were three of us sitting in front of a room of people. We went through and introduced ourselves, then asked each other questions and asked questions from the audience. I kind of went into my default TA/lecturer mode in each panel because I was a little uncomfortable about not having a plan or structure, but I think it worked out alright. I wish they had let us know more about the structure of the panels beforehand. If I had known that there wasn't going to be someone in charge of structuring the panels, I would have contacted my fellow panelists beforehand in order to devise a plan of attack. The lack of structure meant that we inevitably left out a lot of information that could have been helpful in the "So You Want to Cosplay" panel, since we conducted it on the fly. One of my fellow panelists was wearing an incredible Barmaid Clara costume, and has a really impressive costume portfolio, so I think you should check her out (here's a link to her blog).

Also from the Chicago TARDIS Facebook page. 

      I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the con collecting cosplay pictures (you can see them now on my Weekly Cos-Day post on Junkies Nation), deciding what I was going to buy from the dealer's room (a Fourth Doctor/Dalek action figure set), and attending other panels. I went to a panel called "Moffat's Girls," which was a critique of the characterization of female companions during the Moffat era. It was an interesting panel, but I was a little disappointed that I didn't hear anything new. It's a critique, though, that's just my own fault--I spend too much time on the internet and thus have heard all of these comments before. The panel kept the audience involved and interested, though, so I thought that it was very successful.

     I also spent some time trying to collect some badge ribbons. I have always been jealous of the Gallifrey One ribbons, so I was really excited to see these at Chicago TARDIS. Unfortunately, as I'm a giant introvert, I wasn't very successful at gathering ribbons. I got two, though! Good for me!

The bottom ribbon has a silver UNIT logo.

     There was a good amount of time between the last few panels and the masquerade, so I drove to the nearby Portillo's and grabbed dinner. While I was there I ran into a girl I met earlier, and she invited me to eat with her and her dad. It was very nice of them to be so friendly and welcoming, and we had a very interesting conversation on sci-fi and reality over dinner. This was just one example of how nice the whole Doctor Who fandom was at this con. It was great.

      I got in line early for the masquerade, but I sat about halfway back in the main programming room due to VIP tickets. I think, though, that they would have been better off seating the VIPs first, since only about 50% of the seats they had saved were filled. As a result, I wasn't able to get any good pictures of the masquerade for this site or for JN, which was a bit of a bummer. Some day I will invest in a better camera that will allow me to take pictures from further than three feet away. However, that's waaaay out of my budget for now.

     I left after the announcement of the masquerade winners, even though I had initially wanted to see the MST-like presentation of The Five Doctors. It was after 9:30, though (about 30 minutes after it was scheduled to end), and I had a baby shower I needed to go to in the morning.

     I'm definitely going back to Chicago TARDIS next year. I have a few people who decided they wanted to go with me too late to grab Saturday tickets, so next year I won't have to wander around by myself. Despite some of the issues with organization that plague all cons, Chicago TARDIS was a great way to spend the day. If you're in the area, you should definitely check it out next year.

Chicago TARDIS: My Schedule

Hey everyone! Here is my schedule for tomorrow (Saturday) at Chicago TARDIS. I'll be spending most of the morning in registration and waiting for my interview, so things will really kick off for me at noon.

12:00 PM

My first panel! Come to the Cypress room, where we'll be talking about SyFy's Heroes of Cosplay.

1:00 PM

Going to the Lilac room to see the panel "Fangirls Are Real Fans, Too."

2:00 PM

Speaking on my second panel, "So You Want to Cosplay" in the Cypress room.

3:00 PM

I'm going to check out the dealers room and the gaming room.

4:00 PM

I may go to the "Moffat's Girls" panel in the Lilac Room, or I may just wander around.

5:00 PM

"Saturday with Freema" panel in the Grand Ballroom.

6:00-7:30 PM

Break. Gotta find somewhere to eat!

7:30 PM

Masquerade! The best part of the day!

I have Geekphoria stickers to give away to people who come say "hi!." And also, as a special surprise, I will have a K-9 necklace and a Tardis necklace from my Etsy shop to give away to the first two people (one each) who come introduce themselves at Chicago TARDIS.

Chicago Comic Con: Sunday Recap

I got to Chicago Comic Con early on Sunday--I was there only minutes after the doors opened for non-VIP ticket holders. I had the Jason David Frank meet and greet at 11am, but I went over to Wil Wheaton's booth to see when he was signing autographs for the day. I was hoping to get my Wesley Crusher bobble-head signed before the end of the Con, and I wasn't sure how good my chances were going to be. Luckily, Wil Wheaton was scheduled to sign at 10:30 and, though he was a little late, I got my bobblehead signed in plenty of time to head to the meet-and-greet. Meeting Wil Wheaton was great--he was so nice. We had a great talk about some of his recent posts, where he was really thoughtful and caring, and he was really excited to see the bobble head. He hadn't seen one out of the box before, so he took a bunch of pictures of it. Basically, Wil Wheaton is amazing. My experience meeting him was everything I could have hoped for out of those couple of minutes.

I guess I was completely spoiled with celebrity/guest interactions on Sunday, because the meet and greet with Jason David Frank was also excellent. He's the type of person that makes you glad to have idolized him as a child (same with Wil Wheaton). He's outgoing, friendly, and really appreciative of his fans. He took every question seriously, gave long responses, and said he'd sign anything and everything we brought--even though I'm pretty sure it only said he'd sign one thing when we bought the tickets. He told us a bunch of cool stories about his Power Ranger days, his martial arts career, and his life in general. We then took individual photos with him, and he told me that he liked my Green Ranger dress and wanted to get one for his wife. The meet and greet ended with a group photo, where I was lost somewhere in the back. But still! It was a great time! He was also a great person to follow on Twitter and Instagram during the con: he put up tons of pictures, videos, and updates on what he was doing and fans/other guests he was meeting. He was also constantly thanking the people who helped out in the con and his fans.

He signed Saba and the lithograph for me!

I spent the rest of the con spending money and taking cosplay pictures. I tried to go to the Phelps Twins panel, but it was in a small room so it was packed. I also picked up my Nightwing sketch from Jason Metcalf. I'm not going to post the picture, but I thought I'd let you know how amazing and great it is. I'm going to shift around my art collection and hang it right above my desk. I also commissioned a couple of sketch cards--one of Larfleeze and the other of Dex-Starr (I believe the artist was Gregg Paulsen, but I've misplaced the card). It was funny when I was requesting them. He asked me who they were, and I told him Larfleeze was the only Orange Lantern, and then he asked who the second one was, again. When I said Dex-Starr, he went to write it down and then paused, looked up, and asked me "...is that the cat?" I said yes, and he said "Great!" When I picked up the cards, he said he was really excited because he loved to draw cats.

I left about half an hour before the Con ended, but I had a great time this year. I loved my entire three days there, even though I didn't get into two panels I was interested in. I can't wait for next year, even though I think I have come down with the Con Plague. At least I have Chicago Tardis and C2E2 to hold me over until next year, though. I've already started planning cosplays in my head for all three cons!

Read my Saturday recap HERE

Read my Friday recap HERE

Chicago Comic Con: Saturday Recap

I was hoping to get this up last night, but I was exhausted after the Con on Saturday. I didn't get back until 10:15, and then I needed to shower and get to bed so I could go to sleep and get up early today. I also struggled with not having a lot of pictures to put in this post, since I forgot my camera at home! My brother sent me some pictures via text, but I can't figure out how to get them to my computer. Weirdly enough.

On Saturday, I woke up about an hour and fifteen minutes before I wanted to leave for the Con--and actually left about forty minutes after I wanted to leave. My costume had several pieces to it, all of which I made or altered from existing pieces. My hair and make-up for the cosplay provided a little bit of a problem. My biggest issue was the fact that I couldn't find my wig cap, and couldn't get my wig on without it. I have really long, thick, curly hair--about to my mid-back. So after a while of struggling, I improvised and used a new pair of pantyhose. With my hair properly contained, I finished up my makeup (once again, using Espionage Cosmetics products), and left for the con!

We got there just in time to catch John Barrowman's panel, which was hilarious. Barrowman is so energetic and enthusiastic that a panel with him is bound to be the highlight of your day. Everyone was entertained--even my brother, who didn't know who Barrowman was. I'm sure others who were unfamiliar with his work felt the same way. I was a fan of Barrowman's before the panel, but I appreciate him so much more now that I've had the opportunity to sit and listen to him (as himself) for over an hour. This was probably my favorite panel this weekend--except, maybe, for Wil Wheaton's panel.

After the panel, I hit the con floor with my brother, my boyfriend's sister (who was in a Steampunk Catwoman costume), and her friend. We were stopped for a TON of pictures--I was insanely flattered! Even though I didn't get to do much shopping yesterday (which is alright, because I more than made up for it on Sunday). I did get a little bit of snark from one guy when it was just me and my brother (who was distracted by an anime booth). He said:  "Nice costume, but Harley Quinn? Didn't you know a villain that isn't so overexposed?"

I responded: "Well, I wanted to do Talia al Ghul or Jane Doe, but I wasn't sure how to translate it to steampunk in a way that would be recognizable. Especially since this is the first really complicated cosplay that I've ever attempted."

He apologized and walked away. I know my DC Comics, boys, don't worry.

After eating, I went to the Warehouse 13 panel in order to wait to see Jon Bernthal (Shane from The Walking Dead) and Norman Reedus. I have been interested in watching Warehouse 13, so I wanted to get a hint of what the show was all about: plot-wise and fandom-wise. Wondering what I thought? I have the first episode ready to go on Netflix. That should be enough of an answer. John Bernthal and Norman Reedus were both interesting, but not quite as enthusiastic as Barrowman was (in all fairness, it's probably not even possible). I'm interested in seeing Bernthal's new TV show, a period noir piece called Lost Angels. This is my third year in a row seeing Norman Reedus, so I have heard most of what he said before. He was also onstage only for about ten or fifteen minutes.

The end of the Bernthal/Reedus panel was also my most disappointing moment at the Con this year. The Con page and schedule both say:

"Seating for panels is strictly limited and available on a first served basis. We do not clear all panel rooms unless you are seated in a section that is marked with a sign at the end of the row reading 'ROW WILL BE CLEARED AT THE END OF EACH PANEL'."

I was sad that Chicago Comic Con was going to take on such a SDCC-quality, but I was willing to be flexible. Knowing that I wanted to see the Firefly panel following the Reedus appearance, I went to to the earlier panels thinking we'd be allowed to stay--I was somewhat interested in seeing them and I would be able to see the Firefly gang (Morena Baccarin, Summer Glau and Alan Tudyk). Without announcing that they were clearing the room beforehand, they cleared the panel room at the end of Reedus's panel. The line outside for Firefly was so long that we weren't able to get into the panel after leaving the room.

Let me be straight--I prefer the Clear-The-Panel-Room strategy, and I think it's the best way to run a Con (when it's logistically possible). I think that it sucks to wait in line for an hour (or hours) and not make it into a panel because people aren't leaving the room. I just think that if you're going to announce that you're no longer following that practice, you shouldn't decide to clear the room without announcing it beforehand. I saw Bernthal last year. I saw Reedus in 2011 and 2012. I didn't need to see them again at the expense of seeing an awesome panel with people I've never seen before from a show that I love. If I had known, I would have been in that line, not inside that room.

Since we couldn't see the Firefly panel, we wandered around the Con until the costume contest was about to start. During this time, I commissioned a Nightwing sketch from Jason Metcalf. I'll let you know how it turned out in my Sunday recap ;).

We went up for the cosplay contest, registered, and then waited in line for our turn on stage for about two and a half hours. Everything was awesome and I had fun the entire time, even though my feet and back were killing me after standing for that long. The judges and the emcee were great, and the cosplayers were all having fun. I liked how Jarrett "The Defuser" Crippen set up the walk to the stage: the cosplayers wove through the aisles, striking poses on several Xs so that the audience members could take photos. As each cosplayer or cosplay group crossed the stage, the line would shift up and each group would move to the next X. It was pretty awesome. I can't wait to see the video of the contest! I will put up a link here for anyone who's interested! Everyone who participated did a great job, and everyone who won totally deserved it! I think that after this year's showing, Wizard World is going to have to start awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for each category! The competition is fierce.

Anyway, the contest was done around 9:15, but we had to scoot out a couple minutes early because the girls I carpooled with had to get somewhere. I missed the announcement of Best in Show--if anyone can fill me in, that would be great!

Well, that was everything for the day! Once again, I'll leave you with some cosplay photos (taken by my brother, who had a camera)! Now it's time to watch the first episode of Warehouse 13 before I pass out.

Read my Friday recap HERE

Read my Sunday recap HERE

Chicago Comic Con: Friday Recap

Hey everyone!

I spent the entire day today at Chicago Comic Con--from opening to close! Okay, so that's 12pm to 7pm, but it's still most of my day (especially with the hour commute).

My day began with hair and make-up. My cosplay for the day was Zoe from Left 4 Dead--one of my favorite video games. I absolutely love Left 4 Dead--it's my go-to game when I just want to hang out with other gamers. I straightened some of my hair, and then did my make-up with products from my favorite geeky brand, Espionage Cosmetics. (The colors I used were Not Today, Guild Romance, Mrs. Reynolds, and Nerd Rage. Is there anything better than that?

Here's the end result of everything! You can see my paint job on the shotgun here, and I also made my First Aid kit from scratch.

Once I was done, my brother and I drove down to Chicago Comic Con. Parking was in a different spot from last year (which was momentarily confusing), but we found parking with only a little difficulty. Getting in to the con didn't take more than twenty minutes, though I was a little jealous of those who didn't order and print tickets online--the line to buy tickets at the Con was non-existent. With admission we got a really nice variant cover of The Walking Dead, which I plan to get signed by the artist.

I was planning to go to the Dead Fans Walking panel, but I was immediately distracted by the retail floor. And missed it. If you went, let me know how it was! I did attend part of the 50th Anniversary Doctor Who Celebration, where I managed to surprise myself with how much I knew about Classic Who. I always forget that the first several doctors didn't have full "seasons" of television, like we do in the States, so I feel like I've missed a lot. Their number of episodes, though, are pretty small--not even close to the series lengths of the new Doctors. I was hoping Barrowman would show up for a moment, but if he did I missed it. 

I spent a good amount of time around the Sugar Gamers booth. I kept coming back to play Injustice, which they had set up through the PS3. I won all my matches, which is incredible as I haven't played it before and I tend to stay away from fighting games. I think I have to buy it, though--I had a blast. I'm looking forward to going to some of the Sugar Gamers events--they are a group founded in order to foster a community for girl gamers and geeks in Chicago. You should definitely click the link above and check them out. The video below is the group's mission statement, from its founder.

The Wil Wheaton panel was great. He's always great to listen to, and always manages to bring the perfect level of sincerity and humor. I was a little worried that we wouldn't get in, since Wizard World has stopped emptying rooms after panels (it looked like it was getting close to capacity for the Stan Lee panel, which I skipped because I'm more of a DC fan). There was more than enough room for everyone, even though there were tons of people at the panel.

What would a con be without grainy/blurry pictures of panels and the ultimate decision
just to take crappy projector pictures?

Before Wil Wheaton showed up, Five Year Mission played some songs. I really enjoy them--they're a band that writes and plays songs based on TOS episodes. You can check them out here. If you're at the Con and you want to check them out, they're playing again Saturday at 2:30 and Sunday at 10:30 on the Cosplay Stage.

Five Year Mission performing in front of Five Year Mission performing
in front of Five Year Mission!

Besides that, I spent tons of money today on a bunch of awesome stuff. Here's my haul--once again, I spent a lot of time in Artist Alley. Tomorrow's back to the Vendor's floor, though. I saw an excellent Captain Marvel dress that I need.

Everything I bought today.

My favorite piece, by the artist of the covers of the A Game of Thrones comics.

Obligatory short of the comics I bought today. 

Finally, I'll leave you with a collage of the cosplay photos I took today! More tomorrow!

Read my Saturday recap HERE

Read my Sunday recap HERE

What You Should Bring to a Con

Hey Everybody!

Tomorrow is the first day of Chicago Comic Con! Well, that's a lie. Today was actually the first day/preview night, but tomorrow is my first day! I finished up my cosplays for both Friday and Saturday, and then I started packing my bag!

Without further ado, here are the contents of the bag--and my tips for what you should bring to Comic Con!

Now, some people can get away with bringing nothing with them, or a small purse. However, if you're like me: a cosplayer who spends all day at the con, from opening to close, you need things and something to carry them around in. I tend to go with messenger bags. They take less away from your costume, are easier to take off, plus your little brother is more likely to share bag-duty with you if you pick a plain, black messenger bag.

So what goes in the bag? In no particular order:

1. Things to do in line

Bring some games, whether tabletop or video. I personally think a tablet is great, provided you make sure not to lose it. I can read e-books or play games while I wait for a panel.

2. Emergency Supplies

Cosplay coming undone? Run into John Barrowman in the hallway, but you don't have a writing utensil for a signature? Maybe you're getting a phaser signed by Wil Wheaton, JUST AS HIS SHARPIE RUNS OUT OF INK. Or you've found the perfect poster for Norman Reedus to sign, but it's dark and OH MY GOD HE ONLY HAS A BLACK SHARPIE. This is why I pack pre-cut thread, needles, pins, superglue, pens and Sharpies (black and silver). You're welcome.

4. Girlie Stuff

This can also be considered "Stuff for Cosplayers," You'll be at the con for hours at a time, so you want to make sure that your make-up stays fresh. Alternatively, if you change out of your costume, you want to be able to take off the makeup without climbing into the convention center's sinks. I typically pack make-up removal wipes, brushes, colors, powder, and bobby pins. Also important are an extra pair of contacts and your glasses, if you have them!

5. Rations

Convention food is expensive, and you'll sometimes need to choose between standing in line for food and standing in line for panels. ALWAYS CHOOSE PANELS. Bring some grub that you can snack on throughout the day, as well as beverages. (Yes, I know, I eat like an 18-year-old boy).

6. Water

You'll be hot. You'll get dehydrated. If you're like me last year, you'll get so over-heated that your hands and feet will swell up like balloons. Hydrate yourselves. Pack a cooler and keep it in your hotel room or car (at Chicago Comic Con, your car is pretty close) or bring a refillable water bottle.

7. Cash, Tickets, and ID

These are essential! You will not get into the con without some of these, and you need others to enjoy things.

8. Camera and Chargers

Take awesome pictures, and make sure your devices don't die on you. IMHO, this is also essential.

9. Change of clothes

If you cosplay, you may want to change so bring shorts and a t-shirt with you!

10. Poster and Print Protectors

Bring something to put prints into so they don't get creased, bent, or ruined. You'll be glad you did.

That's it for my list! Do you think there's anything I missed? If you're at Chicago Comic Con, be on the look-out for me! If you see a guy about 6'5", that's my little brother, and I'll be the girl in cosplay hanging out with him. :) Except on Sunday, when I'm wearing my Green Ranger dress and he's at home.

Keep a look out for updates and commentary on my Twitter and Instagram accounts (@Geekphoria1), and re-caps here each night!

Con Prep: Painting Props

The costume I have planned for the Friday of Chicago Comic Con requires a shotgun. I bought said toy shotgun at my local Gordman's the other day (yeah, who'dve thought?), and today I went to work making the $12.00 toy look...well...better.

Here's a picture of the original end of the gun. You can see the wood-grain texture, but only barely. It looks like a cheap toy.

Here's the shotgun from further away. Plastic-y!

I brought out the wood grain and darkened the plastic using the technique highlighted by the amazing Jen Yates in this blog entry (btw, if you don't read Epbot, you're missing out on EVERYTHING). Jen brings out the texture by painting the plastic with a darker shade of the color, and then wiping the paint off. This leaves the dark pain in the nooks and crannies of the plastic, and makes the thing look great.

I used a brown color called "Dark Chocolate"--but it ended up being too light, so I darkened it with a little bit of black. I also let some spots be more worn and others have a darker build-up, in order to try to replicate the look of an older, often-handled gun. This picture is immediately following the work on the wood-grain. The light spot is an inlay.

Once I finished with the "wooden" parts of the gun, I pained the inlay gold (I know, this gun is super fancy).

So, here are the "after" pictures! What do you think?

Close-up.

Further away.

Here, you can see the smooth spots I added where you'd hold the gun.
Also, all the essential crafting supplies (read: hard cider)

Here's a hint as to what my costume is going to be! If you have a guess, leave a comment! :)

Hint: Think "video game"