I've dong WIP shots of my Reno (ff7) before, but even then, I was never confident in pulling that off. Can always post if anyone requests. Other wise I won't make you shun me for my horrid failures.

I would love to find out how other anons pick their characters, too.

Continued from OP:
Is there a pattern in the characters you cosplay?

Would you cosplay a character from a series because you looked just like them, even if a different character in the series was your favorite/the one you related to the most?

>>4686474
Depends on if your suit is blue or black.
That really determines if you're a failure or not.

Of course, a lot of cosplays you choose will be determined by what mangos and animoos you like. Then there's personality similarities. Then body type. Then, depending on if you're going to make the cosplay, how easy or difficult the costume would be to make. If not, the availability of the costume.

Bonus points if there are characters that certain other characters are attracted to/dating/shipped with. Especially if the other character is generally cosplayed by really nice looking cosplayers.

>>4686487
This is, of course, not a hierarchy or anything like that. Just a few things I take into account.

I usually go for an archetype - the short loli and flatchested characters. My height is 4'11'' and I have a baby face so it's very simple to pick characters. If you're average height/build then it should be very simple to pick characters that suit you.

>>4686486
For me, it wasn't ever about the clothing. It was my face, my eyes, my jawline. Nothing ever felt right about it. People have told me I have potential to pull off male characters that have a feminine edge- Reno was always my favorite and the way he was depicted in Advent Children made me extremely happy because he looked a little more girly-- but it was just..weird?

>>4686499
I'm 5"4 and a half, green eyes, been confused for a boy before, slim, scrawny arms (working on that haha) and have an italian ish nose (small bump). I just draw a blank whenever I try to pick a character. I want to do justice by the character I choose to cosplay...

I go for characters I like first.

My second consideration is body-type. I'll never be able to cosplay as some of my favorite characters because I just don't fit them (by my own standards). As an example, I'd love to cosplay as Arshes Nei, but I'm a) too short and b) too pastypale to manage it without looking horrible.

>Something I've always wanted to ask was how do you pick your character?

I'm short and usually get mistaken for a 13 year old
>forevercosplayingthetagalongkid

>>4686514
awww haha at least I bet you look good doing it!

>>4686507

As long as the costume is well made, why not?

Obviously it will help if you are good looking, whether or not you 'fit' the character or not. I would picture Sayaka from Madoka to be a little more tomboyish and less girlish looking than the other Madoka girls, but if she was very feminine and had a flawless costume, it's not like I'm going to complain.

>>4686499
I'm 4'8" and a total DFC, so I know what you mean. However, I cannot stand loli/desu/moe personalities. I'm generally domineering and tsundere, I guess, so I don't dig all those frilly girls with their high-pitched voices.

Magicore said it all perfectly. >>4686487
I adore shonen and action-packed series.

So to answer OP's more specific question:
I have trouble choosing characters. I refuse to cosplay a character I do not love. I think my options are pretty limited. Face shape isn't my biggest worry, in the long run.

Do what you love, OP.

>>4686525
This is true too. I'll be reading so many tutorials on sewing and wig styling to make sure I have at least one solid cosplay.

>>4686512
This is pretty much exactly how I would do this. I tend to pick characters I like. Honestly for the most part I really don't have trouble with who I pick. There's only been a few times where there;s a character I love but won't do because of body type or look. Like Elika from PoP

>>4686529
That helps and give me more confidence. I too have to be able to relate to the character because that also helps with pictures. That is why I love Reno so much. I generally don't pick female characters just because a lot of them are too "help me help me I'm so weak!"

...plus most of the ladies in the shows I watch are large breasted...Aside from Celty from Durarara.

>>4686529

There's tons of tsundere characters that are DFC, though, haha. Pretty much any Rie Kugimiya character.

I pick my cosplays mainly based on my liking of the series and characters.

I'm kinda tan and look terrible in pale colours, so I try to go for characters with vivid or dark hair and clothing colours. Out of that, I'll choose the character designs I like the best. Then I look at how difficult the costumes are and if I'd feel comfortable wearing them.

I'm 5'3" and on the chubby side of average, but my body type doesn't play a huge role in my cosplay choices.

... I am conflicted. I love girl in OP pic for cosplaying Ouka... but she just used a bikini so I'm a bit let down :<

OP poster. If you cosplay Ouka, Bandages. Bandages.

sage for no contribution.

>>4686552
>doesn't recognize who anon is talking about
>google image search
>fuckyeah.jpg

Thanks, anon!

I usually go for characters I like. So of course, a lot of the starters didn't always fit me(whether facial wise or body wise)

Now a days, I try to gear more towards what would suit me better. Though it doesn't stop me from the occasional "Fuck it, I'm gonna cosplay it anyway"

Of course, I do like looking for alternatives. I may have a character I really like, but they just don't suit me period. So I try to find alternate outfits. For example. I like Felicia from Darkstalkers. Liked her since I played way back in the PS1/arcade days of the series. But of course, I'm no where physically fit to do a good Felicia in all her Fur bikini glory. So, what's my option? Cosplay Felicia in her nun outfit. It's a rarely done variant. I get to cosplay a character I like, and I don't have to force anybody to grab the eyebleach.

>>4686561

BANDAGES. BANDAGES.

>>4686561
>>4686561
Ah yes, bandages are a must. She was the best Ouka cosplayer at the time when I was looking for references. I am seeing what my body looks like after I lose 5 more pounds and tone up my stomach. Like I said, she would be my dream character to cosplay. (pushup bra would be a MUST!)

posting another shot of her.

>>4686561
thiisssssssssssssss

>>4686563

No problem, lmao.

I find a character that fits my body type, height, and skin tone from a series or game I'm a fan of.

Then I make sure what I chose is reasonably within my skill rane.

I never knew there was so much that went in to choosing a character before I actually thought about it just now lawl.

I am guilty of always typecasting myself, I am tall, with a large B-W-H ratio and plenty of T&A. So I do not always cosplay the characters I love but characters I fit. I have a heart shaped face and a small nose but large blue eyes so it is pretty easy to fit whom ever with the correct wig.
It mainly comes down to Body type and if I generally like the character. Face structure does count as well, it is best just to be aware of what you actually look like and what your body looks like.

>>4686578
>>4686578
God I've loved her since...since the manga first came out. I think that was the first time I was ever attracted to a female. Though she is a tall character. Would need to do platform boots haha

>>4686576
Do it. I believe in you.

>>4686595
Thank you. I don't have any friends out where I live who are into this so it is kind of a closet hobby. I hope to make some cosplay friends though when I go to the Nebraska-con.

I take a series that I'm fond of, examine all the characters, and decide which one best fits my body type/costume making abilities. Pretty simple.

I usually go by face more than anything else. I've often been mistaken for being angry when I'm not. Like other anons said, I find something I like, first and foremost. But then I consider what sorts of expressions the character is likely to do. In my case it essentially means I end up as angry/condescending/asshole characters who smirk or look down on people. My cheeks are slightly chubby relative to the rest of my body, though, which kind of limits my choices to the younger-looking characters in whichever series I'm looking to cosplay from.

As for my body, I'm 5'4" and really skinny without very noticeable curves. This makes it easier to cosplay as teenage boys. In my opinion height is only an issue when the character is specifically described as being super tall/short, or you're in a group with other people from the same series. In these cases I'll either not cosplay as said character or I'll get a pair of shoes that increase my height (not those platform boots). Also I'll stay away from any costumes that emphasize my hips. Despite having DFC and not that much curve, it can still be painfully obvious I'm a woman given the wrong outfit.

Typecasting yourself can get kind of boring which is why I'm trying to break out of that a bit. Going for more cute/shy characters now. Er, all of which are still boys lol. I don't find many female characters I like that I think I could pull off.

>>4686736
I guess I just need more confidence.

>>4686736
Forgot to answer your question.
>So how do you decide if your nose or your face shape fits a character?

It can be hard to tell when the style is all ~*kawaii desuuu*~ but I'd say most of the time, young teenagers have a rounder face, whereas adults' faces are a little longer and/or skinnier. The character in OP's pic looks like she would be a young adult because of her body, but her face is rather short and round. This might just be the art style though, so I say it's fine if your face isn't that of a 12 year old's. When the face shapes between characters aren't drastically different (and the artist hasn't made any specific comments about their face otherwise) then I'd say it's safe to have a face that better matches that body type. Unless you're cosplaying Yoko or something. Despite her body, she was like 14 or some shit.

>>4686831
This makes sense. Face shape, especially small features like the mouth, eye shape, and nose definition have always made me shy away from actually taking on a cosplay. I feel like my jaw line is one of my best features when it comes to selling a male role- along with my thinner lips.

I pick a character for their personality and physical mannerisms. For some reason I started gravitating toward "obscure" characters that no one does not cause I'm hipster but because I like a good minor character. Since my costume making characters are below subpar I usually pick someone with a neat personality and voice and mimic those which is why people still like taking photos of my Teddie and Meekins cosplay.

>>4686940
Very nice. I also do not have the best sewing skills, so thats why I casually did south park characters and why I liked some of the FF stuff.

>>4686862
Keep in mind that make up can do wonders, when applied correctly. I'm no good at it myself, but I've seen examples that have drastically changed the way a person looked. If you're looking to make yourself more feminine, look up some tutorials on giving your face a softer look. And remember to practice plenty! Other than that, just cosplay what you want. Most of the time it'll still look fine regardless. It'll only look completely ridiculous if you're a fat person cosplaying a stick-thin person, or a big buff dude cosplaying a loli character, and other extremes like that.

I cosplay as characters I like in costumes that cover my upper arms and go down to my mid thighs. No bare midriffs and a heavy preference to wigs with bangs. I usually pick characters that are wearing skirts.

I'm not big on competing or posting costume pictures on the internet so those are the only things I really worry about.

Three qestions I ask myself:
Are they a character in a series i could not live without?
Is their costume relatively simple to sew?
Will the costume cover my thunder thighs?

If the answer is yes to all three, I make the cosplay.
I don't give a shit about body type, face shape, whatever. I'm not a GREAT cosplayer, just somewhat decent. I'm in this to have fun and meet new people. My craftsmanship will never be the best, and I'm OK with that.

I ah... I'm mostly just making a list of characters I really love at this point. If I try to take into account "do I look like x character," right now, before I get experience under my belt and stop stressing out, Fiona from Haunting Ground would be my only character left, and even then I couldn't do it until i lose these last ten pounts.

So I'm going for what I like, and very slowly paring down things I just don't think I could pull off.

I feel like theres a strangely small amount of characters who fit my colouring type/general body. Anime and games go for unusual looking character, and I look so very completely normal.

I don't pick characters, I pick costumes. I tend to like the mecha/mask types anyway so not as restricted as I would be otherwise. As long as they're not short, I'm good.

>>4687056
K, creepy that someone brought up Fiona simply because the first time I played that game- my friend goes "I found this game of a girl who looks exactly like you and her companion in the game is your favorite dog." Creeped me out from that day on but I enjoyed the game regardless and you just reminded me of her! Thank you!

and I know what you mean for characters coming off as "exotic". I feel a bit plain as well, though my eyes are a little larger than normal, so I have that...kind of.