geek'd
Photo taken at Planet Comicon in cosplay competition / Photographer: Paul Umali
We’re so happy to have Cheeky Cheetah Cosplay with us this week in the spotlight! We’ve seen her at conventions and events but never really had time to get to know her or her story. As you’ll see she has tremendous talent, but what struck us was her ‘origin’ story. Read on and you’ll meet not only a tenacious and giving artist, but someone whose introduction into the medium was a family affair that blossomed into a love of the craft.
Alias:
Cheeky Cheetah Cosplay
Name:
Anita Holmes
Favorite genre/characters/mythos?
My favorite genres/characters…well I tend to pull toward characters with awesome armor attached to them. I am totally drawn to anything ornate, or with intricate detailing, and I absolutely love doing creative/original character designs & mash-ups. Also, anything DC (or) #Marvel since those are the genre’s for the cosplay charity groups I am heavily involved in.
How did you get started:
I discovered this unique, creative art of cosplay in 2014 as a mother of teenage boys who wanted to start doing cosplay as a family. With no knowledge of what cosplay even was, even though my husband and two boys were BIG gamers and comic book collectors, I had to do lots of research and hands on learning. I have always been a very artistic & crafty person, so I would say I was a quick learner, and evolved my techniques as I grew.
Who or what is your inspiration:
Wow…there are so many answers to this question. So many people (cosplayers/prop makers/friends) have inspired me in the cosplay arena. I would say my biggest personal inspiration is doing something I love, and enjoying it together with my family, and for charity! Outside of that, people who have really inspired me are: Joshua Cullen (Cullen Cosplay), He was one of the first people to friend me, encourage me, mentor me, and is most definitely the one who inspired/motivated me to continue on and push myself in this cosplay forum. Not only is he is an amazing cosplayer, but his foaming skills are off the chain! I call him the Foam Lord, since he is a foaming genius! Others who have largely inspired me are: Steven K Smith, Punished Props, Evil Ted, Kamui Cosplay, Jackie Craft, Calen Hoffman, to name a few. But there are many, many more out there that inspire me on a daily basis as well.
Favorite materials or techniques:
Foam (L200 / EVA) is probably one of my favorite mediums to work with. It was one of the first I learned how to work with effectively, and have had the most experience with. That being said, I work with many other materials that I love, which include: Worbla, Terraflex, Thibra, and Smooth-On products (Resins, mold making materials). These have all became favorites of mine as well. To be honest, most of my costume builds now consist of multiple mediums/techniques. It really depends on the character, and costume really. Once that is determined then the mediums that work the best, are what I use.
Photo credit: The Portrait Dude
Favorite resource you use for learning:
There are so many resources out there today for cosplayers to utilize. The RPF Forum is a great forum to find step by step tutorials from some great builders. And of course there are so many tutorials out there on Facebook & Youtube. The sky is the limit on what you can learn out there. This community is awesome, and really fantastic about sharing best practices & how-to information.
Favorite pages you follow:
Cullen Cosplay – Youtube & Facebook
Steven K Smith (SKS) Props – RPF / Facebook
Punished Props – Youtube / Facebook
Calen Hoffman –Facebook (Propcustomz)
Kamui Cosplay – Youtube / Facebook and E-books
Any tips for beginners?
- First of all, have fun! If you enjoy what you are doing, then the rest is really easy.
- Ask fellow cosplayers for tips/tricks or help if you need guidance. I have found so many friends this way, and have been in shock at how nice and helpful almost all of them have been.
- Find Reference Material – research online, and find as many reference pictures, screenshots, photos that you can for accuracy and inspiration.
- Don’t be afraid to jump in and start making stuff – I promise it is not easy for anyone the first time, but the more you practice, learn and work on your costumes, you will see your skills increase as well. Believe me, we have all failed many times, and had to start over! So be daring and just go for it!
- Materials – start small and work your way up to bigger, more advanced mediums. Some of my best builds are built from cheap EVA foam, glue, plastidip and paint.
- And Be YOU!! Do not worry about what others like, do what you like!
Where can people see more of your work?
Facebook – Cheeky Cheetah Cosplay
Instagram – Cheeky Cheetah Cosplay
We at geekd.tv appreciate the artistry and time it takes to make these incredible works, and our galleries only cover a small fraction of what they’ve done. Be sure and check out their social media pages and give them the ‘likes’ and ‘loves’ they deserve! You don’t know how much it helps them and keeps them going!
– Geek’d
