Geek Interview: Andreysa Cosplay
We love WatermelAndrea17's Wonder Woman costumes so much that we decided to find out more about the cosplayer and her process.
What sparked your love of costuming?
I’ve always been a big fan of Halloween and loved dressing up as actual characters rather than your usual witch or cat costume. When some of my friends started going to various conventions and cosplaying, I figured out I can dress up all the time like its Halloween! I’m always watching shows or movies thinking how awesome it would be to dress up as each of my favorite characters!
What was your first costume?
I consider my first cosplay as Huntress from the Batman universe for a DC photo shoot a local photographer organized. I did a very rushed job on it and it fell apart by the end of the shoot but I learned a lot in the process!
What is your process when you are making a costume?
When I choose a character to cosplay I first look at how much of it I want to make from scratch…..and then I definitely make a Pinterest board and spend all my free time searching for inspiration and tutorials. I’m not very good at sewing so I usually buy base pieces like corsets and modify them or add armor. I made a Daenerys Targaryen cosplay from scratch but my grandmother had to help with the majority of the sewing. My favorite part is probably making accessories. My best friends are mod podge, spray paint, and E600 epoxy adhesive.
What is your favorite costume you have made?
I think Poison Ivy is my favorite cosplay I have done overall. I took inspiration from Uma Therman’s 90s version….as a kid I thought Batman & Robin was a cool movie. Poison Ivy has always been my favorite villainess. I’ve added a little bit to her every time I break it out and I love it more each time. It started as a simple ivy leaf corset and pencil skirt for a rockabilly style group we called the Gotham Greasers. I’ve since made an eye mask, boots, and added a really badass cloak. How can you not love cosplaying a villainess with a velvet floor length swooping cloak??
What has been your best experience at a cosplay event?
The best part of cosplay in general to me is seeing how excited other people are about your character. At this past Dragon Con I was wandering around the food court looking for lunch after a giant DC photo shoot. A girl came up to me and said her special needs sister thought I was the real Wonder Woman and wanted a picture with me. The girl started to cry as I hugged her for a picture! It was just amazing to see how a costume could make a little girl’s day!
What advice would you give new cosplayers who may be shy or nervous about starting?
I would tell them to get out there and make a cosplay for themselves, not anyone else. If you want to just buy a costume, then do it. If you want to make it totally by hand…more power to you! I think the best part about cosplay is enjoying yourself while wearing it and meeting other people that fangirl over the same things! Just have fun with it!!
What costume are you working on/thinking about currently?
I really don’t have anything new or huge on the horizon right now. I am getting married at the end of this year and have not had time for making new cosplays or even going to any conventions. Before I start any new ideas I want to revamp some existing cosplays first. My Poison Ivy is suffering from severe wear and tear and I would like to try more ornate armor for Wonder Woman and maybe try to make a shield or sword.
Ok, You’re getting married soon. What geeky touches are you adding to the wedding?
I haven’t quite figured out how to fit geeky touches into my wedding in a cohesive manner yet. I love so many fandoms so I don’t know which to use. A common fandom my fiancé and I share is Marvel, more specifically Captain America. I’m hoping maybe we can hide a little Cap in the tiers of the cake. I also love Lord of the Rings so I think I may put the “No admittance except on party business” sign on the guest book table. Our first dance is going to be to The Little Mermaid’s “Kiss the Girl”. It’s been my favorite movie since it came out!
What else do you fangirl over?
Star Wars, Star Trek, the Walking Dead (and anything else zombie related), Vampires, Doctor Who, the Hunger Games, anything by JRR Tolkien, Marvel, DC, Disney (especially The Little Mermaid), Supernatural, Game of Thrones, Studio Ghibli….. I can’t think of anything I don’t really like!
