Cosplayer Interview: Andy Does Cosplay
Andy Does Cosplay
Florida Based Cosplayer
Before we start can you Tell us a little bit about the person behind the cosplayer, Tell us about yourself?
I'm Andy. I'm a central Florida cosplayer with a range of interests from comics, to games, to anime so I do a lot of different costumes. Generally if I'm not working on cosplay (and I usually am) I watch a lot of anime, play games with friends, and roll around on my apartment floor with my cat cause let's face it I'm a giant kid.
So lets get started with the obvious question: How and when did you get started in cosplaying?
Well Halloween was always a really big deal in my family. I’ve never worn a store bought costume, it was always a project my mother and I could work together on. So in my senior year of high school her boyfriend at the time had talked about this convention that he usually takes his sons to and they have a boys weekend. Well my mom and I weren’t about that so we were like ‘we are crashing boys weekend and you all have to deal with it’ He’d expressed that sometimes people dressed up so I pulled out my Zatanna costume from the previous year and threw it on. I didn’t really know what I was doing at first. I was very overwhelmed by the size of the convention and the amount of people but I had an amazing weekend and decided that next year I’d go again and with a better costume. It was weird cause I didn’t really know what cosplay was at the time, I found out through all the research I did for my next costume.
How many costumes have you worn since you started, which is your favorite and which was the most challenging to make and Which character do you find the easiest to portray and which is the hardest?
Ummmmm 60, I know that sounds like a lot but I just really like sewing. This is always so painful to pick a favorite costume. I can never pick just one. Ugh. I love my Mad Moxxi cosplay because she was such a labor of love, so much time went into the costume. But then there's Ezio who is one of my all time favorite video game characters so that means so much to me. And don't even get me started on Yang or Ivy. Haha. As far as what was the most challenging to make it would probably be Vi from League of Legends, I despise props and making those hands was awful and I was never satisfied with them. It's really easy for me to portray mean or tsun characters cause my resting bitch face is strong, its a lot harder for me to be sexy characters cause I have zero clue what to do with my face.
Since you started how many conventions have you attended and which one is on top of your list?
I've been to 18 cons over the past 5 years and while they're all pretty great Dragon*Con is my favorite. There is not another con like Dragon that I've been to. Convention center cons close early, but Dragon is an event that doesn't stop there is always something to do during anytime of the weekend and it holds a lot of great memories for me. I don't think I will ever go to a con I like more, I thought Katsu this past year would take top but it didn't, Dragon is still my fave.
Speaking of conventions, do you have any interesting or memorable stories?
Oh do I ever. I don't even know where to start. I guess AWA 2015 is a story in and of itself. So my best friend, Laney, was in a group so we decided that even though it was really close to Dragon*Con we would go up to Atlanta, stay one night and drive back down. So we made some comfy costumes, booked some shoots and were really hyped about it. The drive up was nice and easy though we left at like 4 am, fun part of this story is that I don't drive and it's an 8 hour drive and she hates long car rides. The whole weekend was just so fast paced and I got to be one of my favorite characters and despite the rain we had a great time. There was a point when we may have been slightly intoxicated and we'd been trying to get rid of our old cosplay cards for like over a year so we ran around the convention hiding cards in various places and trying to be sneaky, which of course we weren't cause alcohol. It was the drive back that was rough, we left at like 9pm and got home at 6am.
You have cosplayed a large range of characters, if all of them were to fight in an all battle royale…who would come out the victor?
That's rough cause I cosplay a lot of strong characters. I want to say Vi cause she's my main if I play League, but I've got Saber in there too and come on, Excalibur, need I say more? I also think Saeko and Asami (once she has built her mechs) would be able to hold their own.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
HAVE FUN!!!! Know that it’s not about anyone but yourself. There are people out there who will be negative no matter what you are doing and those people are not your friends, don’t let them get to you at all, ignore them because if you’re proud of what you’ve done, no one should be allowed to take that feeling away from you. Don’t sacrifice your health for this either, mental or physical. Make sure you are eating and drinking water at cons. And don’t work on stuff when you’re stressed or frustrated, nine times out of ten you’ll just screw up more and have to redo it anyway so take some time to breathe, it’s just a hobby. Most cosplayers try to be welcoming and inclusive and generally a positive bunch of people, so when you get the chance, extend the same courtesy that you revived when someone comes to ask you for advice. Don’t be rude or disrespectful, we are all just giant kids playing dress up. So help keep the community as positive as possible and you’ll do
great kid!
Who and what is your biggest inspiration in your life?
My mom and grandmother have by far been the biggest inspirations for life and sewing. My mom taught me to sew and my grandmother taught her and it just feels like this super great family thing we have going. But they were bother single mothers who managed to do their best for their kids and now that I'm older and paying my own bills I'm floored by how they were able to do that. They're but such strong and amazing women I can't imagine being raised and taken care of by anyone else.
If you can have any super power, what would it be and why?
I don't drive so teleportation is always my go to. The idea of being able to pop up to New York and shop in the fashion district and then just come back home is great. Or Italy, there's this screen accurate fabric from Game of Thrones I have been eyeballing but the import fees are insane. Not to mention being able to go anywhere in the world for food at the drop of a hat would be the best.
Can you tell us about any planned cosplays and conventions you got coming up?
I've got most of my cons for the year planed out. I'm going to Megacon, Metrocon, Supercon, Dragoncon, and though we never actually plan on going to Holiday Matsuri we will probably end up there because we are bored and don't have anything else to do till Katsu. As far as costumes go I really want to get Rory from Gate done this year, Spring Ivy should happen whenever I get the time so I can finish the seasons, Cammy since I have been putting her off forever, Lara Croft would be great, Matt from Digimon, and a slew of volleyball boys that Laney and I are obsessed about.
What other ways can your fans follow you?
I'm legit all over the place, I'm sorry.
https://www.facebook.com/andydoescosplay/
https://www.instagram.com/andyyrenaud/
https://twitter.com/andyyrenaud
https://www.youtube.com/user/PetiteNuisette
http://andy-doescosplay.tumblr.com/
If you could say anything to your Fans, Family and Friends, What would it be?
I love you guys and I can't thank you enough for the continued support!
BRILAN IMAGERY AND ANDY DOES COSPLAY
GALLERY
Photo Credits:
Short Fuse Pinups: Moon Moxxi, Ezio, Winter and Fall Ivy
Sugar Kuki Photography: Regular Ivy
iM Photography: Saeko, Saber
PikaKlutz: CC
You: Burial at Sea Elizabeth
Denialism Cosplay: Winter Schnee
Thank You for checking out this amazing interview, while your here. Please go Check out the rest of the page and see the rest of my work on my portfolio area.
THANK YOU
Brian Lansangan
Photography / Blogger
Facebook: Facebook.com/BriLanImagery
Instagram: @BriLanImagery
Twitter: @BriLanImagery
