Rising New Moon Studios

Hey All!!!  Sadly, I have nothing to report today.  This past week has been crazy.  I just got a new job and started working there today.  I still have to finish my last 2 weeks at my old job.  And I still have a pile of costumes to build. It doesn't look like Crona will be done for All-Con... I could probably, maybe, possibly, finish the costume but I would get the wig or the Ragnarok done.  Also, I'm pulling several double shifts this next week... so I'll probably, most likely, definitely be sleeping a lot.   But I will still be hosting panels at All-Con!!!  I think they're Friday at 12:00 noon and Sunday at 10:00 AM.  I will take lots of pictures!!!  And actually, I'm very much considering doing this con in Not Costumes.  I might just Tshirt and Jeans it.  But who knows... I'll see what I feel like when I get there. Talk to you soon! If I don't die from exhaustion Jason

Hey All!!!! So the other day I was in the bookstore and I came across a book called "Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me".  I picked it up and flipped through it and immediately fell in love with it.  The book is basically a review of all of the beauty products/skin care products available on the market today.  It tells you which products are good and which aren't.   But what I REALLY love, is that the information is available for FREE online. The website is... www.cosmeticscop.com or www.paulaschoice.com Now when you click on the above links you're going to see a website for a skincare line... which is fine.  But you can ignore that you can also ignore the 'Sign Up'/'Login' stuff... unless you want to buy some of the products. What you really want to look at is this... First of all the Expert Advice tab is awesome... It covers all kinds of skin care for all skin types.  Have oily skin? Acne? Dry Skin (like me)? This

I've decided to change my original idea a little... originally I was going to pic one costume or cosplay and critique it.... Well that proved way too difficult so instead I'm just going to grab several various pics... themed of course, and run with that... I'll try to make a few comments on each so you can maybe see it how I see it. So today's cosplay theme will be X-men.  Why? Because X-men are awesome!! Here's a really good example of Colossus showing the power of makeup and simple cosplaying.  This guy isn't that muscular... don't get me wrong, he's not scrawny, but with makeup and using highlight and shadow he's given himself the illusion of a much more muscular physique.  The rest of his costume is just a pair of cargo pants and an X-men belt buckle... a buckle of which I need to find one for my very own.  I really would have like to seen one of Colossus' more recognizable costumes though... But that's okay.  You don't see

I really wish that was on the agenda... but it's not.  But it is KINDA on the agenda..  I've started on the outfit for the Sorcerer's Apprentice.  I had half the jacket made from muslin, but I forgot to take a picture and I left it up at the shop for the actress to try on.  But take a look at this...   Here are the fabrics I'll be using.  The black brocade will be the skirt, the red/black flocked taffeta will be the coat and the black bubbly stuff will be trim around the neck and cuffs of the coat.  This will very likely be my favorite costume in the whole show.  The pattern picture shows a bustier/corset beneath the coat that the costume designer already purchased so the actress will just be wearing that underneath the coat... the corset is red and black also.   I also drafted a bodice for one of the other actresses which I have not made yet, but will... soon. Here's how I spent my past few days. I have a few more jackets to come up with for the op

Hey All!!! For today's Monday Minute I've got a brand spanking new video that I made just for you!!!   This is my favorite method for transferring patterns. Why transfer patterns, you ask?  Why not just cut them out like you're supposed to, you wonder? Well, there's nothing wrong with doing it the way you're supposed to.  But if you do, you're limiting your options. If you cut out a pattern on a certain s ize, then the pattern will only be good for making that siz e forever.  Al so, on ce you separate the pieces, it's a lot easier to lose them.   By using this technique, you'll get a lot more use out of your patterns. You'll be able to use ALL of the sizes and it'll be much harder to lose any of those little pieces. In the video, it takes me about 12 minutes to trace one p iece, but I'm stop ping to explain the step s.  In ac t ual ity , I can usually trace all my needed pieces a lot faster ... A piece usually take s a bout 5 mi

Hello again!  In keeping with the weekly themes, Wednesday will now be Wednesday Workouts!!!  This will be my weekly status reports on all of the projects I'm working on in their various stages... Mind you I have a LOT of projects that are in various stages of completion.  So here's this week's rundown. 1. Sorcerer:  As I've mentioned, I've been hired by one of the local colleges to make some more costumes for their opera.  This opera is called The Sorcerer and it's by Gilbert & Sullivan who also wrote Mikado and Pirates of Penzance.   I'm set to make several bodices for the women and some vests and pants for the men.  I'm also going to make a jacket (the one pictured above) for an added character, The Sorcerer's Apprentice.   Since the era of pretty much EVERY Gilbert & Sullivan show is in Victorian, we can definitely sneak in some Steampunky goodness.   2. Crona: Sadly, Crona hasn't progressed at all.  I still only have the b

Hello again everyone!!! So, in keeping with my new more schedule releases of blog posts, I've decided that Mondays will become Monday Minutes.  Each Monday I will feature a website or YouTube Channel or Blog... or even something simple like an organizational tip or a quickie tutorial.   For today's Monday Minute I'd like to introduce you to Kandee Johnson.  Kandee is a makeup artist/youtube beauty blogger guru and she is beyond awesome.   Have you ever wanted the look of perfect skin for your photoshoots? Maybe you'd like to recreate the Queen of Hearts from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland?   Regardless of what you're looking for, Kandee offers so many awesome tutorials.  She covers just about everything from basic makeup techniques, costume looks, product reviews and general silliness.  The only small downside is that a lot of the products she uses are more high-end/professional grade makeups, which can get expensive if you're trying to re-

Hello All!!!! So, I've decided that I WILL, in fact, start doing more of a scheduled posting thing...  SO! Henceforth, Friday will become FRIDAY FAVORITES!!!  Each week I will pick a cosplay or a costume and review it... what I like, what I don't like, what I would do differently.... all of that ... It isn't meant to be mean or hurtf ul.  I do NOT wish to bash anyone's work or criti cize it... I just want to objectively critique other costumes and point o ut what makes them good or not good...  And to start, I will start with one of my own costumes.  After all, how can I possibly critique other people's work if I can't critique my own. So I'm going to choose Maes Hu ghes from FullMetal Alchemist.  Actually, this uniform ap plies to ANY of the FMA characters. First a few pics.  I've actually made these uniforms twice.  The top two pics are the first attempt and the bottom two were a later attempt... and a better one, in my opinion.