Feature Friday: Glitch Shine Cosplay
Today’s feature was recommended to me by Awkward Turtle Cosplay who you may remember from a previous feature. As much as I would like to say that I know all of the cosplayers in the world, I just don’t, so I’ve started having my features recommend other cosplayers to me. If you have any suggestions please feel free to recommend someone in the comments below, but for now, keep reading to learn more about Glitch Shine Cosplay.
Glitch Shine Cosplay
What is your cosplay name? Glitch Shine Cosplay
How did you come about your cosplay name? There’s not really a special story behind my name. Glitch is a part I chose from my love of sci-fi movies/TV and video games. Shine comes from my love of nature and being outside; I also created this persona during a time where I really needed some light in my life, so it’s kind of a reminder of better things now.
What do you do when you aren’t cosplaying? When I’m not cosplaying, I’m busy with school and school work. I go to an arts based high school that keeps me busy with theatre work and regular academic classes.
How old are you? 16
How long have you been cosplaying? I’ve been cosplaying for 3 years, starting at Animazement 2014.
What made you want to start cosplaying? I first got into anime in middle school starting with Soul Eater. My group of friends from then also joined in on the anime train. I have no idea who first suggested this or how it even came about, but somebody brought up Animazement and said “Hey let’s go, it’s a bunch of nerds in costume!” and everyone else thought that it sounded amazing. We also came up with the idea of going in costume since that seemed to be popular at cons. I made my costume from scratch, it was super bad and horribly made but I had an amazing time and that’s what got me hooked on cosplay.
Why do you continue to cosplay? Cosplay isn’t simply just wearing costumes and running around a con for me. It’s a challenge to make all of these costumes and figure out how the fabric should lay or how to make a giant prop from scratch. Cosplaying also gives me a lot of confidence in who I am and what I can do. There’s also aspects of my characters’ personalities that I pick up and incorporate into my own personality such as Ty Lee’s cheerfulness, Krul’s confidence, Umi’s focus, or Neo’s silent sass.
What is your dream cosplay? I have a lot of dream cosplays lol. Right now though, the one I am dying to make is Gisela from Magic: the Gathering. She’s a warrior angel with awesome armor and a detailed skirt. I also want to make wings for her that can open and close like a bird’s.
How do you choose who you will cosplay? Most of my cosplays are chosen because of the design of the character. The personality of the character has some influence too, but mainly I go for unique and strong designs that will challenge my skills.
What is your favorite cosplay you have done so far? Why? My favorite cosplay so far is probably Krul. In that costume, I just get a surge of confidence (I blame the shoes) and she’s so much fun to wear. She was also my first big challenge because I had to draft everything on my own and figure out how to make everything, so I really like showing it off since I’m so proud of my work.
You also do cosplay photography. How does being on both sides of the lens effect how you cosplay? Being a photographer as well tends to make me hyper aware of my posing and how I look in front of the camera. I’ve also learned to take into account what kinds of poses I’ll be doing in my costumes, so I know how I’ll need to move. Being a photographer also means that you’re able to see what looks best on camera; that may be fabrics, makeup, wigs, or paint.
What is the next big project you are working on? My next big project is Sombra’s classic skin from Overwatch.
What is your favorite convention? Why? My favorite con is probably Raleigh Supercon despite only going once so far. It was a lot like Animazement, but the atmosphere just seemed better and there was a lot more to do in the dealer’s room or on the con floor aside from panels.
Who is your favorite cosplayer? That’s a tough one! Probably MangoSirene. She’s super inspiring and a great influence on the cosplay community. She also has a bunch of tutorial videos which were a big help when I was just starting to cosplay.
What’s the hardest thing about cosplay for you? Wigs. Definitely wigs. They’re so complicated and styling them is a pain in the butt. It’s even worse when you can’t find the color you need or the style! I’ve already had my fair share of difficult styling, and unfortunately I plan to do a lot more. (Looking at you, Ty Lee and Sombra)
What is the best advice you have for other cosplayers? Honestly, stressing over costumes isn’t worth it. None of my costumes are perfect and there are always things that could be made better or have better materials, but I’m still happy with what I’ve made. Even if your costume doesn’t have all of the details you want, you can still have a great time at the con or in your costume. I’m still working on finishing Ilia after first wearing her 3 months ago, but the character is recognizable and the costume is fun and easy to wear. Krul could use a new skirt set, but I’m happy with the one I have and I’m not going to bother trying to get the perfect costume. As long as you have fun, that’s what matters.
Anything else you want to add? Cosplay is a really stressful hobby. Between making the costumes, getting prepared for conventions, the sometimes toxic community, and the physical strain it can have on your body, some days are really bad. There’s still the amazing side to cosplay though. The one where you get to meet friends who can sometimes grow close enough to call family, to meet people you idolize the work of, to have your talents appreciated and supported, and where your background doesn’t matter, just what you’re doing in the present moment. That’s what makes cosplay worth it.
Go check out Glitch Shine’s social media posted below. She is pretty awesome, and I can’t wait to see her grow more in her craft. Leave a comment for us below, and don’t forget to subscribe via email or Bloglovin‘ to never miss a post!
Glitch Shine’s Social Media
Facebook: Glitch Shine Cosplay
Instagram: @glitchshine
Tumblr: glitchshine