X-23/Wolverine Claws

Here is a cheap and easy way to make Wolverine claws (I've been playing around with the idea because I will be doing an X-23 cosplay soon).

What you need:

Cardboard (in this case I just used the back of an exam pad)

A pencil or pen
Scissors or a craft knife
Silver paint and a paint brush (or spray paint)

Draw the basic outline on the cardboard. In the picture above it was not quite right as the corner piece (circled) needed to be wider. Cut it out.

Trace around the first claw shape to make a second claw (and a third for Wolverine).

The areas circled in previous pictures will sit against your knuckles, so cut it at an angle less than 90◦ so that it will fit snugly against your hand. Cut the piece labelled ‘tab’ to whatever length feels comfortable in your clenched fist (they will probably need to be cut to different lengths depending where each one sits in your hand).

Finally, paint them and you’re done. This is a really simple, quick and cheap way to make these claws. I will try to figure out a way to attach them together as it might be a pain to hold each of them separately (they might slip out) as well as figure out which one goes where each time.

Our Cosplay Community

Lately I have been feeling particularly proud of South African cosplay. Our cosplay community is still relatively small at this stage but full of talent.

I was properly introduced to cosplay by a good friend of mine, Felicia Verschuur (aka Lulu) several years ago at rAge, so I have her to thank that I am a part of this community at all. I didn’t cosplay that year, but I remember how awesome it was seeing quite a few people dressed in costume.

Since then, cosplaying has become a major part of my life. I admire so many of our cosplayers and the dedication and skills that they have. At every cosplay event that I attend, there are amazing costumes.

With this year’s rAge coming up soon I'm feeling really excited as this is our biggest event, and a lot of the cosplayers from other cities come up here to attend it. I look forward to seeing everyone and all the great costumes!

So I just wanted to say again that this is something I'm proud to be a part of and that I admire every one of you! We all rock and I hope that the South African cosplay community will become even more positive as we grow. <3

I Cosplay Because...

Some might wonder when and why I got into cosplay.

 

My first cosplay was in 2008, but in a way, I have always been a cosplayer. As a child, I would dress up as my favourite pop stars or pretend to be a Disney princess. I would make ‘clothes’ out of scraps of fabric. My mom taught me to make new things out of old things, something I use a lot in making my costumes. I have always loved dressing up and making things.

 

People often think one needs a lot of confidence to cosplay. I'm not a particularly confident person – in fact, I am very shy in person.

 

Cosplaying helps me become more confident. Although still shy in cosplay, I push myself. I enter the cosplay comps which means being singled out and walking around with everyone’s eyes on me. For someone like me, this is incredibly nerve-wracking but each time I do, I feel a little more confident about doing it. I certainly don’t do the best or most accurate cosplays but I love cosplaying.

 

I cosplay because I love dressing up and because I love the characters I cosplay as. I am the type of person that doesn’t just watch or play something and really enjoy it and then just move on. I fall in love. I take a little bit of my favourite characters with me. I draw inspiration from them. I think the design and costume of a character is important, but I don’t cosplay them solely because of that.  Whether it is something that I can learn from (such as confidence, strength, intelligence or kindness) or something that I find interesting or beautiful (such as those stubborn, crazy, tormented or twisted characters), I choose these characters because there is something about them that I admire or love.

 

I cosplay because I'm not just a fan – I am passionate about characters.