This is a really thoughtful introduction to the world of cosplay. Not only does it cover the basics of materials and methods, but author Mina Petrovic expresses body-positive cosplay attitudes and makes clear the best rules of cosplay, particularly regarding consent. It is true that many of the techniques outlined in this book could be found on YouTube tutorials, but for a cosplay neophyte just considering the work that might be involved in their dream project, I would be more inclined to point a reader to this book.

Interested in cosplay but overwhelmed? Do you look at a character and just can't figure out how to go about recreating it? Well fear not, Cosplay Crash Course is here.

A great visual introduction to break down and plan a cosplay. There are pictures on every page with simple caption and bullet style instructions.

This guide includes:
- 25 step by step projects to execute a finished project.
- Chapters to create costumes, props and accessories.
- In depth makeup effects and wig styling tutorials.
- Tips and tricks from 9 international cosplayers.
- Cosplay rules and etiquette.
- Photography and promotion recommendations.

A copy of Cosplay Crash Course should be in every high school library.

I seldom give anything five stars. But as someone who has been involved in cosplay in one form or another for well over a decade, I think this book is an excellent resource. For beginners, it has all the basics even down to the difference between fabrics to use to create your costume. Plus there's details on adhesives, paint, foam and body painting. There's also tips for conventions, posing for photos, being prepared for accidents - they really do have all the bits covered. And it's all very straightforward, easy to understand and includes loads of step-by-step photos. Plus, it's not just for beginners - there were a few things I learned from this book and some things I hadn't even considered when it comes to costuming.

As an amateur cosplayer myself, it showed me how easy it can be to create all the necessary details to complete an outfit. While I'm not particularly interested in making armour, I really appreciated the instructions to make boot covers. Although I do end up online looking for tips, this book laid out instructions in precise detail and doesn't require an internet connection. I read this on my Kobo and as a result they were black and white. Despite this, the photos were very clear and helpful. I can only imagine that they look much better in colour and on a larger screen! A great reference book for any cosplayer!

Maybe you are saying, I don’t have any interest in cosplay. Perhaps you are like me, living in an isolated area where it would be hundreds or thousands of miles to travel to an event. Even so, there are still reasons to consider reading this book.

For those interested in cosplay (costume play), Section 1 (Getting Started) has tips on choosing your character. This chapter also includes some of the practicalities, such as including pockets for your costume, considering moving around or climbing stairs if your costume is bulky, and ensuring your finished costume is not too heavy or uncomfortable (too hot!).

Sections 2 and 3 address sewing/crafting your costume and the accompanying makeup and wigs that would be necessary to complete your transformation. These sections are the nuts and bolts of the book, the how-a-novice-can-make-a-fancy-costume explanations. The author has included step by step instructions as well as plenty of pictures to help remove the mystery behind successfully creating a costume you will be proud of. We are also cautioned that practice makes perfect, and having the proper tools (including a seam ripper for those times you do make a mistake) will make the task easier.

Section 4 helps prepare you for a cosplay event, including posing for photos and getting into character. Cosplay event etiquette is also addressed.

For those still not interested in cosplay, you may be like me, a person who likes to craft costumes for Halloween (it’s much more fun to show up for a party in something you created than a costume from off the rack that three other people are wearing). If this is you, Sections 2 and 3 have enough tips to keep your creative mind working for many years to come.

Bottom line: Excellent book (I suggest the paperback over the ebook), with easy to understand pictures and text. Recommended for cosplayers, those who enjoy Halloween, and anyone with kids who need yearly costumes. Five stars.

A great guide for the beginner to cosplay. With so many cosplayers out there that look so amazing with handmade costumes, it can seem a hard place to know where to begin or where to go for help or ideas, this book is here to help. This aims to help you make quality outfits and gives helpful hints and tips. Well planned out with helpful sections, bright and colourful clear guidance, it’s a great manual for beginners

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! As cosplay gets more mainstream and popular, there are increasing numbers of books on the subject, but many are low quality. This book is an excellent survey course for beginners: it covers basic masculine and feminine contours, how to make some basic props and accessories, adjusting fit of thrifted/bought clothes, even some posing and photography tips. Nothing is really longer than a few pages (understandably, because that's a lot to cover in one book), but there are good images and illustrations accompanying everything.

One of the issues I have with this book is that it pays a lot of lip service to diversity in cosplay and how it's for everyone, but almost all the examples in illustrations and photos are of light skinned, fairly thin people. It's important to talk about diversity in the cosplay community when people are still facing death threats and extreme bullying for how they look, and I'm glad this book talks about it. But it needs to do more than talk.

I'm also a little confused why Mina Petrovic is the credited author when inside the book, we see that there are significantly more contributors to the content. I don't know a lot about publication, but I wish these people got a little more credit.

I thought this book was pretty interesting! I loved the plethora of new ideas that I found and I'm very excited to design more costumes for our family as we like to dress up with our kids. My biggest caveat with this book is that at sometimes the instructions seemed a little sparse or a topic was introduced but didn't seem to go in much depth. Overall though I thought it was a very interesting idea that was pulled off very well

There are some really great tips for cosplaying. I really like how the different foam/worbla options are shown in detail.

This is an amazing guidce for anyone wanting to start cosplaying. It contains step by step guides for anything and everything you could think of when recreating your own homage to a fandom. The book takes you from concept to con with tips and tricks that will improve your cosplay game.

Cosplay Crash Course is a collaborative guide written by a group of epic cosplayers detailing the many elements needed to create high quality looks. Honestly, it’s exactly the kind of guide I’ve been looking for. I’m one of those people who always imagines creating realistic costumes but I’ve been afraid to look cheap or under-planned. This guide wipes away that doubt, showing you it’s possible if you buy the right materials and put in the work to create something you can be proud of.

I was most impressed at how comprehensive this guide is. It met the typical expectations, delving into materials, fabrics, how to create armor, etc. The guide goes much further, showing you details you’d never figure out on your own without a bunch of failed attempts and a couple hundred dollars spent. They show you exactly what certain materials will do when shaped or painted. They troubleshoot, giving tips on how to fix common issues by materials. There’s an extensive guide on how to wear and shape wigs (skills I would never have imagined necessary, but that seem completely obvious now that I’m on the other side). There’s even a section showing you the best poses for photography, and a few simple costumes to dress up your dog. This is all you need to know in one easy-to-read, easy-to-see guide.

Overall, Cosplay Crash Course is essential reading if you’re just getting started in the DIY cosplay or costume game. After reading it front to back, I desperately want to clear out my garage and start making cosplay costumes in my non-existent spare time. It’s that inspiring.

Cosplay can be so intimidating when you start to think about it. This book offers basic beginners information that makes it accessible to anyone. With step by step builds, and info about different tools, techniques materials and even how to pick a character to cosplay, this book is a very good guide.

Cosplay can be intimidating. Professional and hobby cosplayers have amazing costumes that look like they came off movie sets. How's the average person supposed to get started? Cosplay Crash Course is here to help! The book dives right into all kinds of methods and materials that can help anyone make the cosplay of their dreams. The instructions are detailed enough to get someone started but additional tutorials may be needed. But by not going into the nitty-gritty, this book is more approachable. It makes things seem doable--and they are! There are example projects to get people started and show what the processes of making things are like.

From planning a costume to how to pose for photos, Cosplay Crash Course lives up to the name.