Cosplay Corner Episode #10: Angela Bermúdez

A week ago we got a message from a fan requesting we look at a cosplayer named Tenshi no Sekai. Of course, we love our fans so we checked her out and we were blown away by her talent. Going by the name, simply, Angela…she is an artists artist. Before being a cosplayer, comes her love of drawing, art and fashion design. She also loves oilpaint, but what she likes the most is to design her own clothes. Naturally cosplay was a great outlet for her and her talent shines through. I catch up with the beautiful Angela Bermúdez and talk about everything from costume making to videogames. Nerd stuff yo! Read below for the full interview…

Costa Rica inhabits close to five million people. How has the cosplay scene grown in that area over the years?

Angela: Here in CR we have a lot of cosplayers, unlike previous years. I would say that the strongest reason, in my opinion, is the globalization. Since now, almost everyone has access to the internet, which is where most people have their first contact with cosplay. The reach of the internet has been expanded, and cosplay [has] changed from something very few knew about, to something a lot more people are aware of, which of course did boost the number of cosplayers and the quality of each one of them has also increased at a surprising rate. Do not understimate us for being a small country! (^_^)

You tend to gravitate more towards video game cosplay such as Street Fighter and Soul Calibur. In addition to your general interest in video games, do you feel this approach draws more positive attention than the general anime cosplaying?

Angela: When I was a beginner, around 5 years ago, I used to do jobs based on anime. At that time I had more free time than now and I used to watch a whole anime in a week. Now with all that I had seen so far, which is not much actually, my interest in anime has been going down a lot since I find all the plots too similar to each other. Today I can take some time off to visit my friends and play a couple of times on their homes, this had made me more interested in the design and attitude of videogame characters. I liked this branch so much that I created a group called CosGamers supporting people that dare to do cosplay of videogames, photographers and fans of this hobby. So if anyone identifies, feel free to check the FB and Deviantart sites to see or even share your pics, news or related jobs!

How does your interest in fashion contribute to your overall costume making? What advantage and advanced skillsets do you keep in mind to keep you ahead of the game?

Angela: I would like to mention that everything begun since I was a little girl, when I had some interests toward sewing, I used to visit my aunt who is a seamstress and I used to steal some of the leftovers of cloth to make outfits for my dolls [laughs]! Thanks to that I currently specialize in fashion design which I studied at an academy and that knowledge that I have acquired can be put to use in all of my designs and cosplays. Now when talking about making a cosplay I always keep in mind the original design as much as possible, when not available for either reason, I had to use basic techniques to the clothes and skip some details that may be a pain to make. It is not required to be a designer, to be a good cosplayer, the only thing you should have is love and passion in what you are doing, not just in this field but in every aspect of life, that’s the only way to get the greatest results.

Have you had any cosplays go wrong/encountered problems whilst making costumes? How did you recover?

Angela: Of course, I dont think that any cosplayer, that make their own outfits, can escaped that. Most of the times we have to deal with some issues, but the most relevant so far to me appeared when I was making the Succubus from Blizzard Arts. I was not able to properly walk due to the design of the legs, so I had to be holding hands almost all day. It affected the final score as I was told, the lack of mobility I had at the moment, made me lose most of the points from the judges. Also the next day was for rehab, I spent all day long in bed, since the legs got my feet sore for days .

Soul Calibur V, Mass Effect 3 and other big games are set to launch in the coming months. Do you have plans to tackle any characters of these huge upcoming games?

Angela: I had thought seriously about Tira from SCV but just the time will answer if I will make it. Currently I had been concentrated in some retro jobs, I had a “trip down memory lane” so I have been working on cosplays of Frosta and Evil Lyn from He-man, Regina from Dino Crisis and a couple more in mind .

Being a model, it goes without saying your physique is amazing. What are your views regarding cosplayers who don’t necessarily fit the image of the character (i.e. too skinny or too fat while in cosplay)?

Angela: I’m glad you think that way, but I would like to point that I am not a model and I am not paid for it. I just do it as a hobby, just like cosplay, and I like to design clothes and model them myself. Regarding the proper physique for cosplay, everyone is aware that there are a lot of characters on anime, video games, shows and movies to pick from, so we cannot leave aside certain type of persons at the time to pick a costume. The trick is to like yourself as you are and pick the proper characters. Nobody is too skinny or too big for this hobby for that matter there are characters like “Ursula from The little Mermaid” or “Psycho Mantis from MGS”, just the point some examples.

Do you have any suggestions for general cosplay etiquette?

Angela: It’s always good to keep a proper behavior when the pictures are being taken, get into your character, perform the right facial expressions and make your role believable for others. Also, always being gentle when someone wants a weird pose for a pic, avoid rejecting requests due to tiredness or if the makeup gets blurry or something like that…

You should remember that it is just a moment of your life that you will share with everyone, not as yourself but as someone else, and you will be remembered by how you behave.

Going back to the topic of modelling, you’re also a fashionista, artist, and of course cosplayer. How do you find the time to juggle all these wonderful talents of yours?

Angela: Thank God I can spent most of my time working on this fields. Currently I work in my house making cosplay, clothes and accessories upon request, also I design websites but that is tale for some other time. Luckily, I have a place where I can “let my imagination free” and do what I want when I want to, like those days when inspiration strikes, I don’t think twice to get to work on my art. The oil paint is one of my passions and I would not like to leave it behind.

Does your family support your cosplay or would they prefer you focused on your other talents?

Angela: I had some ups and downs regarding that matter, there was a time when my mom asked me to quit cosplay, since I did not got anything from it and sometimes I arrived at home disappointed on how something’s happened on some contests. I guess everyone, at some point, tastes rejection toward your work or displacement for no reason.

Currently everything has changed for the good, my family and husband supports me in every crazy job I want to engaged and is always there when I need some extra help, now I focus on cosplays for private photoshoots and that gives me the feeling of accomplishment not just as a cosplayer but as an artist.

Thanks for your time, we loved having you! Tell our readers about any upcoming events or expos you have coming up!

Angela: Thanks a lot to you for taking me in mind for this project! Regarding the incoming events, my assistance to the fests in my country is not the same as before, but every now and then, I take the time to join my geek friends that I can find in just those fests. I have to say that the most important event to me which I hope to go next year, if everything goes as planned is ComiCon. It’s the first time that I have the chance and I know that it will be an unforgettable experience. I’m sincerely excited and hope the upcoming months fly by!

Want to stay up to date on Angela’s cosplay and travel schedule? Then follow her cookie crumb trail below:

Deviantart -> http://tenshinosekai.deviantart.com/
Cosplay.com -> http://www.cosplay.com/member/180804/
Blog -> http://t3nshinos3kai.blogspot.com/
Personal Facebook -> http://www.facebook.com/tenshinosekai
Cosplay/Works Facebook -> http://www.facebook.com/TenshinoSekaifanpage?sk=app_4949752878