Cosplay Interview: Kiki Aran
Today's Featured Cosplayer is my amazing and talented friend Kiki Aran
I first worked with Kirsten about 2 years ago at Dragoncon 2014 , And She is one of the most talented and amazing cosplayers I am lucky enough to call my friend.
Check out below our interview with her and also check out her page and show some love and support!!!
1. Before we start can you Tell us a little bit about the person behind the cosplayer, Tell us about yourself?
Well, when I'm not cosplaying, I'm teaching a range of Composition and Literature classes at Valencia College in Orlando. I should probably say that the other way around. When I'm not teaching, or grading, or writing lesson plans, I'm allowed to cosplay. It's a pretty time-consuming job, but I enjoy it. I also try to make time for some extra-cirriculars. I rock climb, I play a heck of a lot of video games, I read, I get sucked into buzzfeed's DIY section. You know, the usual.
2. So lets get started with the obvious question: How and when did you get started in cosplaying?
I started cosplaying in 2010 at the urging of my then-boyfriend. It was really odd for me to start cosplaying. I grew up with a mom who was on staff at Star Trek conventions, so I helped out with those in my early teen years, and-- because those are such a different world-- it seemed very strange to me to actually attend a con. But ultimately I got sucked in, and I haven't left since.
3. How many costumes have you worn since you started and which is your favorite and which was the most challenging to make?
We're looking at about 45-50 by the end of this con year, since I've got a few in progress right now. I like to make new cosplays as frequently as I can, but I also like to put some time into them. I've gotten better about rewearing things more often and not setting such a strict schedule for myself. This is supposed to be fun, right? I think my favorite costume, out of what I've made, is always going to be my Wonder Woman armor. It was my first worbla project, it's an armor from my favorite DC run (Flashpoint) and it's just so much fun to be Diana. She's empowering, and I've never run out of new ways to bring her to life in photos. I've since retired the armor, but I'm looking at my next wonder woman costume sometime this or next year.
The most challenging so far has been Anders, from Dragon Age. It was a lot of sewing, and that isn't my forte. I also patterened everything and sewed it from scratch for the first time. Armor construction makes a lot more sense to me because I can visualize the object. But fabric just doesn't behave in the same ways. It can drive me up a wall. But I'm really happy with how that costume came out, and he's one of my favorite characters. So it was nice to be able to bring it to life.
4. Which character do you find the easiest to portray and which is the hardest?
I'd say my favorite character to *be* is Morrigan, from Dragon Age. She's got a lot of everything on that outfit (belts, swatches, bangles, sleeves that attach to nothing, buckles that go nowhere... which makes it a nightmare to wear and mentally keep track of) but she's got great makeup, and she's such a sass bucket. And I get to throw on a British accent sometimes.
The hardest for me to portray has also been one of the most exciting challenges. I'm used to being a swamp witch, or a warrior, or a necromancer, or a villain... I've never been a Disney princess. And Aurora was about as close as I've gotten. Granted, she still carries a large sword, but children would run up to me and hug my knees, and I was a ball of pink hair and wedding dress, and I had a big smile on most of the day. That's out of my comfort zone. But it was a very fun waltz out of it.
5. Since you started how many conventions have you attended and which one is on top of your list?
I've attended about 15 different conventions, mostly in Florida. But this has been a year of traveling, so I'm seeing new things and new people. It's been really nice to see different cities and photographers, new cosplayers and people I've only ever spoken to online. Dragon*Con is a staple of my year, and has been for half a decade now. It's certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but they offer so much there, and the cosplay events and meetups are on pinpooint. I've never seen a con run so smoothly. I think Katsucon is going to become another annual venture, since that was a really nice environment, with great people. But I will say, there's nothing that I love more than a theme, and Holiday Matsuri is a con I'll never miss. How can you miss a Christmas con? It's this wonderful little end of the year celebration where you can throw lights and tinsel and ornaments on your cosplays from the year and go nuts. I love it.
6. Speaking of conventions, do you have any interesting or memorable stories?
Oh god. We all forget costume parts occasionally, right? That's just a natural part of cosplaying. It happens. Well, just a couple months ago, I forgot my bottoms. Like... I had no pants. It's not a situation where you can just *wing it* and hope no one notices. I was also judging a costume contest, so I couldn't *not go*. Lucky for me, I was wearing wonder woman, and the local walmart had a perfectly blue pair of bathing suit bottoms I could repurpose with some gold paint and star stamps. It's not my most glowing representation of put-togetheredness... but hell, I made it work.
7. 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?
I'm going to go ahead and say that either Morrigan turning into a dragon, or Rei Ayanami turning into a planet-sized god clone is going to take the cake here. What can I say, I like badass women.
8. What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
I'd say you have to constantly remind yourself that this should be fun. Even if this is something you want to do for a livelihood, you should enjoy your work, and you have to find a way to make that happen. Don't befriend people who don't care about you and your well-being. Don't listen to people who want to put you down. And don't do something that won't genuinely make you happy. And on the flip side, make sure you're putting positivity out into the world. Bring up other cosplayers, help each other, support people you appreciate. It's never worth the energy to hurt someone else. And also, make sure you value your work. You're doing this for you, after all. Believe in yourself <3
9. Who and what is your biggest inspiration in your life?
One thing I value in life, as in cosplay, is collaboration. When you can put together a costume you're really proud of, and work with a photographer that wants to make something magical happen, that's an amazing feeling. Just getting out there to work with other cosplayers that like what you do. So that's what inspires me, and I love seeing it happen for other people, too.
10. If you can have any super power, what would it be and why?
Can I slow time? That'd help me finish grading AND cosplays, and that'd be great. Thanks.
11. Can you tell us about any planned cosplays and conventions you got coming up?
The next cosplay I'm working on is Rei Ayanami's plugsuit. I've been so afraid to work on it for years, but I'm finally doing it. And not alone. I'm not above asking for help where I need it. After that, I've got a few plans for the rest of the year, including some Dark Souls stuff (which is pretty consistently devouring my free time, and has been for two years).
12. What other ways can your fans follow you?
I'm not doing this professionally, so I don't have a patreon, or print store or any of that jazz, BUT I encourage you all to go support the people you love on those platforms, because I do too So, besides the facebook, if you're interested in seeing cosplay with a smattering of my weird cat, dark souls memes, and mini rages about the English language, my instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/kikiaran/
13. If you could say anything to your Fans, Family and Friends, What would it be?
I know I'm a weird mess of a person. Thanks for putting up with me <3
PHOTO GALLERY
PHOTO CREDITS:
Anders: Alexandra Lee photography, 2015 Aurora: Carlos Adama, 2015 Ciri: Tigetshot JT, 2016 Justin Bailey Samus: Jayce, Photosnxs, 2015 Morrigan: BriLan Imagery Amanda Ripley: BriLan Imagery Violet: Rachel, Pikaklutz 2016 Wonder Woman: Eddie Papanotzzi, 2016 Yoko: BriLan Imagery
Huntress: BriLan Imagery
Draco: BriLan Imagery
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 and also if you wanna show some more support, please check out my Patreon as well
THANK YOU
Brian Lansangan
Photography / Blogger
Facebook: Facebook.com/BriLanImagery
Instagram: @BriLanImagery
Twitter: @BriLanImagery
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2672862
