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Original Design - Creating an Original Character Costume

Designing a costume based on an original character is not often talked about. When I'm drawing a 2D character I rarely think about how realistic the costume would be or how it would work in reality...because it just works. It's a drawing. But as I am currently working on costumes based on some originally designed characters I thought I'd go through my process. 

Referencing the Reference

Now for these characters, I already drew a reference, but the lovely thing about that is I already did a bit of background research to create the drawing of the character's costume. 

Examples will illustrate this! 

First we have Goro the Kitsune. His costume is loosely based off of shinobi garb. Those were the images I was looking at when drawing it! So I have a pretty good idea about how those work. 
Goro's current design

The downside or upside depending on how you feel about it is that the design of your character is in your control! You can change the outfit fairly drastically even before you start thinking about dressing up as your own character. 

My drow warlock Lotara, started out looking a bit like this: 

However, after doing a leather armor course and getting some new ideas for design, I ended up changing her costume to this: 
A break down of the costume's design.

(By the by, I also count fan-creations based in franchised universes as original characters).
Such as my Mass Effect girls. 

Costume Analysis

Even if you made the reference you have to figure know how it will work in reality. (Sometimes I do this in a reference!) Similar to my Cosplay Process, I break the costume down into its components or workable pieces. 
A break down of the costume's design.

I did this for my Lotara example within the reference. I build up based on layers. 

But a costume for my Turian girl requires a breakdown not just of the clothing but how to achieve the alien shape. 

Research

Similar to cosplay, I need to figure out how to best accomplish the components of the costume. Patterns, materials, and tutorials that will help me accomplish what I need to do. I organize these in Pinterest boards so I can do my planning and shopping!

Planning and Shopping

From here on the process is pretty much the same as the cosplay process. I decide on what material I'm going to use and which pattern I want before making the purchase. 

For example, I originally planned on sewing my own high-waist bikini bottom for Lotara, but instead, I purchased some high-waisted yoga hot-pants. This changes the design slightly from the drawing but I think makes me more comfortable as a cosplayer. You CAN change the costume design to your comfort level. You do NOT need to be 100% accurate when cosplaying your own character. You are in control of alternative outfits. 😁

Production

When I have the materials needed for a costume component, I can work on it. 

Like this mask I made for my turian girl: 
Paper Mache mask test!

And that's really all there is to it. The major difference is that as the creator of the character, I have control over the costume's design for both the cosplay and the original character design. 
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