The Heichou Sessions: Void Heichou
Time to continue with the sessions! We're almost halfway into the first month of this new year. How has the '14 been treating you so far?
For me it's been a start of violent changes in quite abstract ways. I still don't know what to think, but I prefer to keep the idea that it is a good sign when at such short time of a new chapter represented by a new year, such a sudden load of changes occur...
But we all know this is about Heichou, right? So speaking of changes, today's session is about a cosplayer who definitely knows about it.
Switching between genders, styles and contrasting personalities this cosplayer uses her skills to transform into each character she chooses. The one I'll be sharing with you is, of course, Lance Corporal Levi who is brought to life by Void.
Unlike the other cosplayers I've found so far I didn't discover Void through her Levi cosplay. It was thanks to a lovely gif where she incarnates Christa, next to a seriously cool (and possessive) Ymir.
Christa, softening Titans' hearts since 2013
"That's the best Christa I've seen so far!" Was my thought when I saw her. The light to her expression, her lovely smile, it all evoked sweetness and innocence, as it's well known from that character. Void was the vision of a Christa brought to reality.
A few days later I did find Void in her Levi cosplay, except... I had no idea this was the same person! I contacted her, told her about the Sessions and we went through all the process without me knowing that lol! It wasn't until a random day that I saw another picture of the Christa cosplayer on my dashboard and noticed it was posted by Void that I came to realize these two... were the same person all along.
But isn't Christa the opposite pole of someone like Corporal Levi? Wherever you look they have nothing in common outside from belonging to the Recon Corps and both being loaded with secrets that itch our curiosity. Is it possible for one same person to bring them both to life then?
I'll let you decide...
It takes more than doublecheck to confirm this is the same person, in my opinion. So maybe Void can reveal to us her story as a cosplayer, and her tricks to get going on the track of transformation.
B: How did your passion for cosplay begin?
V: Well, I’ve always been a fan of anime and manga, and because of so discovered cosplay and cons and was completely entranced, especially with specific cosplayers that I really look up to. So It really made me want to try out cosplaying as a character myself. That, together with finding and adoring a character so much I’d like to cosplaying as them, are really what drove me into doing what I am now.
B: What do you like about cosplaying?
V: I love being able to bring characters to life. You can go to cons and see people dressed up as this character or that, and even get to see people enjoy your own cosplays, and it’s just so exciting. I love getting to embody the different people from my favorite Animes, Mangas and Video Games.
B: For how long have you been cosplaying Levi?
V: I’ve been cosplaying Levi a little over a month.
Framing the well known challenging-yet-uninterested look of Levi between the face cloth and the styled wig, Void shows her version of cleaning freak Levi. We know keeping things sparkly clean is serious business for this man, and Void makes sure to keep it that way as she poses in this version.
B: What do you like about this character that made you decide it was him you wanted to cosplay?
V: I’ve always been drawn to the more silent, collected characters, and whilst watching/reading Shingeki no Kyojin he quickly became one of my favorite characters within SnK. Especially with how utterly sassy his character was. That, and the fan-arts of him and other cosplays I saw, really made me want to join in, So I decided to try out cosplaying him.
B: Have you cosplayed other characters before? What does it take for you to decide what characters you want to cosplay?
V: Before Levi I only cosplayed once, and that was 2 years prior - which was gameverse Trainer Red from pokemon. Currently, however, I am cosplaying Christa Lenz also from SnK and trying to get into cosplaying a few others.
Void's first cosplay to the left versus Christa to the right. Her list might be short but she already proves herself as a dedicated cosplayer.
B: How long does it take you for you to transform into Levi?
V: It depends, but typically with makeup, and the SnK belts taking up a large chunk of the time, it can take anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours. Although the more I’ve gotten used to the belts the shorter the time has been however.
B: What habits and qualities do you have in common with this character?
V: Well, we are actually the exact same height, so I thought that would be really cool when thinking of cosplaying as him. And I am also part french (and once learned some of the language) too.
B: What make up products do you use to create the Levi look?
V: I generally use moisturizer, a basic liquid Foundation, Black liquid (or gel) eyeliner, black pencil eyeliner, and brown and darker grey/black eye shadows for the eyes, contouring and so on.
B: Between those product, if you had to choose only three for a quick transformation at a convention for example, which would they be?
V: Foundation, black liquid eyeliner and brown eyeshadow.
B: What features of this character did you pay attention the most to recreate them on your on face?
V: For Levi, the feature you really have to pay the most attention to is the eyes, since his eyes (eyebrows included) are really what trademarks his character. So you absolutely have to be mindful of how to make and create his type of expression using the make-up you have in order to be able to create his look.
B: Tell us what you consider it takes to flash Levi's trademark expression. Show us your best Levi expression.
V: It generally is a mix of Makeup done on the eyes to make them look like Levi’s, and make up on the eyebrows, usually drawn, to look furrowed, as well the physical furrowing of your eyebrows yourself. Or so that's how I try to attempt his expression.
Effortlessly, Void achieves the look of a character as innocent as Christa with what seems to take only a few steps. So this means a transformation is required to become an entirely different person. Here's my favorite part, where this cosplayer shares the process step by step until leaving their identity to become the character of their choice:
These are the products used by Void for her Levi look! Notice how there's just few of them. A GOOD list of basics will help you save space, money and even time once you master the technique of your choice.
Void starts with a clean bare face. Notice she includes moisturizer before applying foundation? This prepares her face for the make up and it's a good noms for the skin before the invasive process make up is. After the moisturizer, of course, apply your foundation evenly.
Next step is eyeliner! Void uses two kinds for different purposes. Liquid eyeliner to reshape her eyes. She enlongates them and conceals her originally round shape. Notice the V shape at the outer corners? It doesn't touch the lower lash line, creating a new shape and giving it more of an anime appearance.
Then with the pencil she darkens her eyebrows and draws new creases to her eyelids; she creates two: one that enhances her original crease and adds depth to it, and another one above which creates a very animated look.
It's shading time. With a brown eyeshadow, Void contours her way down the sides of her nose, sharpening it and making it stand out. She goes right from the inner ends of her eyebrows and works her way down. Blend everything well! That starting point will help your look seem harsh and serious.
Don't forget the other little details you can add. With the same eyeshadow make the little frowning creases. Make a frowning face yourself in front of the mirror, and follow the original lines on your face with the shadow very gently, and then blend just a bit so it doesn't look so hard edged. Artificial frown to enhance your real one, ready!
Put your wig on and you're done!!!
Void really focused on the eyes to achieve a believable Levi. The roundness to her eyes and light to her expression were toned down a lot with just a few steps and very few products, which only proves how well she studied the character and understands it. Only then you can capture its essence and re-transmit it through your body.
Since I added the comments to her step by step routine I won't place the usual "Strong Points" section that follows the tutorial in these sessions. But instead let Void share her opinions and thoughts on this process, and maybe a few more tips that will help you understand her version or adapt it to yourself.
"When it comes to my Levi "look" I'll be completely honest and say I don't have any one designated look. I'm always looking to try and improve my makeup and find a way too look even more like Levi or capture his looks/eyes better. Also I'll be the first to say I'm no professional at make-up, so I just do what I think works. So as for a pictorial on how I try to achieve the Levi look I just tried to do a simple run-through of very basic Levi make-up that I would do.
"Also as for makeup, a lot of my inspiration towards application and how I would try to apply it is through looking at how others try to create the character themselves. I look towards a lot of other cosplayers, professional or not, and try to take what I can learn from them. That as well as studying the characters own make and how they look.
It's also important to know that every single persons face is different. That being said, you have to take everything with a grain of salt. Meaning: yes look at how others do this and that and definitely try it, but you also have to be mindful of how your own eyes and face structure generally works. Different faces require different ways of applying and styling your makeup! I for one have much rounder eyes so I have to pay a large amount of attention to how I apply my eyeliner. Otherwise, my eyes will end up looking too round (which you can kinda see in my example) and in turn wont embody the look I'm trying to aquire like I would want to with Levi. I also personally dont contour my cheekbones and general face as much as others, simply because I found that it makes me look more feminine, rather than the opposite."
There it is! In a mix of inspiration she gets from other cosplayers, the character itself and the techniques she knows work well on her, Void goes through a transition for an excellent final look!
B: One of the main insecurities that stops many from doing a certain cosplay, are the lack of physical similarities between them and the character. What do you think of that? Could you share any words to these people?
V: I personally think that if you want to cosplay a character, cosplay them. You can always use make-up in order to make yourself look more like them. There’s a lot makeup can do that people seem to underestimate. Looks alone isn’t the only thing that can allow us to look like a character. Also from what I’ve found, as long as you got the basic concept and look of the character down, people will be able to tell who you are, even if you feel like your cosplay doesn’t look as much like them as you wish it would. It does. And, as long as you’re having fun that’s really all that matters. Go as the characters you want to go as, have fun and be who you want to be.
B: You wake up and find yourself literally in the SnK universe. Would you be in the Military? Which Division would you choose and why?
V: I would definitely be in the military. I would be scared no doubt, but I’d rather be trained and able to defend myself and others, even if it means having to face fear at its worst, then not be able to protect myself or those around me.
I think I’d consider either Survey Corps or Garrison. Garrison because I’m not sure if I would be strong enough to face titans head on and go out on expeditions with the fact of facing titans, and death, constantly. Survey Corps because half of me would want to face my fear and try to become the strongest I can at what I do.
B: Finally, some words for SnK fans and any person who's passionate about cosplay:
V: I want to thank all the fans, and the fandom in general, for inspiring me to create cosplays, and for all the cosplays, fanarts and insanity over Hajime Isayama’s story that drives the community.
And as for anyone whos passionate about cosplay, give it your all and cosplay whoever you want whenever you want. It doesnt matter if you don’t look like the character, if you’re black, white or asian. If you’re an amateur or professional, large or small, cosplay who you love. Because as long as you’re having fun that’s really all that matters.
I've pointed out through the different sessions that I really like how everyone simply transforms into a character. It makes me passionate about cosplay itself from the observer's perspective, and even encourages me to try it sometime myself.
Void was a wonderful example of what you can achieve and how there are no boundaries to the character selection as long as it's something you want to do. With two very different characters from the same story, she delivers that message, which is an encouraging one not only to me... but to any reader that gave the time to this great cosplayer,of whom we'd love to see more in the future.
Thank you very much, Void!
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1 comments
Yaaaaay yet another interview! >_< well, i hope that this year brings something good for you. Sometimes abrupt changes are necessary and are the start of something good so ganbatte! Now, Void seems like a really nice girl. Something i have noticed in all interviews you have posted is that most of these cosplayers have been cosplaying for a short time and yet they all have madtered it with their own ways and ideas, its pretty cool how they all adapt the character to their own features and ways. "It's also important to know that every single persons face is different" yup, so each persons ways to cosplay a character will always be different. It's a matter of trying things. It's trulg amazing how this girl (and most people) change so much from cosplaying one character to the other, that means absolutely that it doesnt entirely matter who and how you are, because you can always transform into something or someone else with makeup and other props. Wonderful! Another amazing cosplayer. The SnK cosplayer world surely is something very vast. Loving it! Great work for Void, with such a little amount of makeup, see what she can do! Great both your interview and her work. <3 keep it up!
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