Weekend almost over, bought some stuff at Närcon Gävle

Yours truly trying hats...

So as mentioned before, Närcon's first convention in Gävle (where I live close by) and before hand I new that this might be in a smaller scale than other conventions. I liked it though, and I am sure that Närcon wish to continue to have this event in Gävle annually. I sure hope so, and it sure has potential to grow bigger. The estimate for the weekend was 1000 visitors and I think that is pretty good for a first time.

Unfortunately the master cosplay contest was cancelled due to last minute drop outs. Too bad, I had been looking forward to this.

Well, myself and my girlfriend did go through the vendors quite a few times. We are both suckers for collectibles and the basic nerd stuff. I got an ear infection Friday night so I wasn't really in shape for the long run so we browsed through the convention a couple of hours on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. That satisfied me enough.

Point outs of Närcon Gävle 2016

• There was a vaste number of Pokémon GO stuff available among the vendors (No shit?)
• There was a German guy selling exclusive collectible figures, oh my god the prices!
•  A Polish guy had the best merch in form of variety, anything from coasters to pillows.
• Anime prints seemed to be the best seller this weekend(I think someone bought nine of them).

We also got some Japanese candy. More on that another day...

Later, awesome nerds!

My 5 dream cosplays

There is a vast number of potential cosplays around. Extremely many so called mainstream ones from hit movies and television shows, you know the type any average Joe can spot in a convention. There is also a lot of obscure characters out there, some you have a vague memory of but can't place, and some you have no idea whatsoever what the hell it is. But it is fun. For my part, I have very little or no knowledge of japanese anime characters. Some I have seen before but I can't tell from what show they come or their name.

When I look at characters I want to cosplay, I tend to look at the mainstream ones - more or less anyway. I might go for a supporting caracter in a movie but mostly I go for the well known and I also go for what I like and think I can pull off. Both in my appearance and the skill of my craftsmanship. I am still a beginner so I should not go overboard the first thing I do.

I am currently doing a genderbend of Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels, and I recently posted pictures here on the blog with my progress so far. I don't know about you other cosplayers out there, if you constantly think of the next costume  you want to do. I sure do anyway, and I think most people working creatively do in some way atleast.

Here is my, without any specific order, the 5 cosplays I want to do:

Greedo, from Star Wars A New Hope Tusken Raider

 

 

Greedo is only in one scene of Star Wars A New Hope, but an iconic one. The rodian bountyhunter is really cool.

Tusken Raider, from Star Wars A New Hope

The Tuskenn Raiders, or Sand People, in the first Star Wars movie was intimidating and had a very different look. Fairly easy to cosplay to and I have actually already made the tunic and the garderffii stick.


 

The Lich King, from World of Warcraft

 

 

This one really takes some work. Lots of detail. Most cosplays I have seen is very good but are made in the cosplayers hight, which is a common way to do it. I made a monster for this Halloween which involves a body rig that when worn makes me over 8 feet tall. My idea is to rebuild this into the Lich King.

 

 

 Jason Nesmith, from Galaxy Quest

 

 

This might count as an obscure character to do. I know it has been done before by other cosplayers, but I like this movie. One of the best spoofs ever. Tim Allens character Jason Nesmith would be a great one to do and I already have the Galaxy Quest uniform patch, so....

 

 

Any male Togruta, from Star Wars

 

 

There are so many great female characters around. I love Ashoka Tano, but I will settle for any custom male Togruta instead. A really cool alien species. 

 

I could list a couple of dozens of other characters I would want to cosplay, but I picked five I can think of right now and that I have a personal connection with. Many Star Wars characters here, but hey I am a fan so... 

 

Lunch now and then time to make ready for Närcon Gävle!

 

Later, awesome nerds! 

Närcon Gävle 2016 is live!

Närcon Gävle 2016 opened the gates at Gavlerinken Arena in Gävle today. The cosplay convention will be open all weekend until Sunday. In my eyes the biggest focus is on the master cosplay contest, where the winner will qualify for The Swedish Cosplay Championship in March next year.

The convention also have a lot of other things to do and see, for example E-sport contests. Unfortunately I can not attend this Friday evening due to other life things, but tomorrow I will be there all day! Looking forward to see amazing costumes and meet equally amaing people!

Later, awesome nerds!

A hell of a summer....and good ending of the year 2016

In my last post I promised more to come during the summer, well I hit a wall with my studies this spring and got behind some. Been catching up since and suffered from a minor depression during the same time. So with the lack of strength I have not held up my promise. Sorry about that, but I hope I can make it up to you know when feeling better again.


I have been taking it easy during the summer not doing much but been outside fishing on the lake nearby or working a little on my next cosplay and helping my youngest son with his cosplay.

Sabine Wren helmet in the making

Curious? Well, if you follow me on twitter I revealed my cosplay there not long ago, If you missed it the costume is a Sabine Wren of Star Wars Rebels genderbend. I really like that show since it is part of the new canon and actually Sabine is my favorite character. The idea was to have it ready for Swedish cosplay convent Närcon (more about that further down) in my town last weekend of this October, but I will not be able to finish it in time...and I packed on a few so I really want to lose some weight before I make a tight outfit like that, LOL. I have begun on the helmet, armor and weapons though, and I am pretty far in the progress of that as you can se in the pictures. Hopefully I can lose some weight and be able to finish the costume for The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in early December.

Dinner party Jason 

My 10-year old son, Mattias, has caught up with the liking of cosplay and wanted to join me at the convention in December, where they have a cosplay contest for kids. Because of the small amount of time we decided to make a mash up cosplay we call Dinner part Jason, basically it is a Jason Vorhees costume but instead of the movie G.I. Joe kind of gear we have resown an old black suit of mine, adding a white shirt and a red bow tie. Voilà! Dinner party Jason! LOL. 

Making a cast of Mattias head to build goalie mask and rotten head

I helped him ofcourse but he did do a lot himself on the head part we made from a bald cap bought from a movie make up shop. We then sculpted burnt and distorted skin on it with latex, grease make up and acrylic paint. The picture provided isn't the best but I will upload better ones. The iconic goalie mask we will make from scratch in polyester resin.


Conventions comes in three....? 

This fall and winter is heaven for a convention lover like myself. First up October 28-30, it is Närcon in my town of all! Amazing I´ll say. Närcon is the largest convention in Sweden with around 8000 visitors when they crown the Swedish champion of cosplay every year in February and The Nordic Champion in July every year. These two conventions take place in Linköping, but this year they decided to have yet another convention in another town so the luck fell on my town. Happy me! Fifteen minutes from home to the convention arena. No cosplay ready for this since they dropped the announcement as late  as June, and I was in the making of my Sabine Wren costume. Did not have the energy to start something new.

The weekend after, November 4-6, the MCM Comiccon takes place in Kista Convention Center north of Stockholm, less than 2 hours travel with train from where I live. Nothing to argue  about. Taking girlfriend (am I aloud to use that word at the age of 42?) there and staying att the Kista Victoria Tower Hotel wall to wall with the convention center. Can not be better I think. We also celebrate the first year together that particular weekend.

A little rest then for a about a month before The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention, December 10-11. Lots of vendors at this convention, hopefully for my liking a lot more Star Wars vintage than usual. Lots of cool other stuff it will be though, and cosplay competition debut for my son also. My friend Björn and my girlfriend will probably acompany us there.

A couple of days later is premier date for Rogue One - A Star Wars Story. I really usually don´t like fall and winter, hard not to like this one.

Later, awsome nerds!