Behind the Curtain: How do I calculate how much of my cosplay I’ve made?

‘Behind the Curtain’ is a bi-weekly advice column written by masquerade judges answering anonymous questions from the community. These columns are written with the perspective of how Guild run competitions are, and may not apply to non-Guild run contests. Our column is built on your questions, there is a form to submit your question anonymously at the footer of every column!

Many Cosplay Competitions (Guild run competitions included) utilize percentages to measure the extent to which entrants have created their cosplays. Typically, there is a minimum percentage requirement for the costume to qualify for the competition.

But how can you determine the percentage of your cosplay that you’ve personally made? Let’s explore how judges assess the ‘made’ percentage and some easy (math-light) ways to calculate if your cosplay meets the necessary criteria.

Determining the percentage of your cosplay that you’ve made is a crucial aspect of entering competitions, especially those emphasizing craftsmanship. Generally, most contests stipulate that at least 50% of the cosplay must be made by the entrant, while some require as much as 85%. It’s important to comprehend how to distinguish between ‘made,’ ‘modified,’ and ‘bought’ elements when entering cosplay competitions.

Lets break down what the difference between ‘made’, ‘modified,’ and ‘bought’ as this can be perplexing for newer cosplayers.

‘Made’ denotes creating an entire piece from scratch, whether by drafting your pattern or using an existing one. It encompasses sewing, crafting, gluing, or employing other appropriate methods to assemble materials like fabric, foam, or others. The origin of the materials matters less than the work you’ve put into them.

Guild Tip: Sometimes, purchasing a pre-made garment and then deconstructing it to create an entirely new piece using the fabric or components, such as buttons, still qualifies as ‘made.’ This approach can save money and reduce waste.

‘Modified’ signifies making alterations to an existing item. If you’ve completely deconstructed an item and rebuilt an entirely new garment from it, it often leans more towards ‘made.’ However, if you’ve tailored, added pockets, dyed, or painted details on a pre-purchased item, you’ve ‘modified’ the costume, not ‘made’ it.

‘Bought’ means you’ve purchased the cosplay, either as a whole or through buying several elements. Even if you haven’t bought the entire cosplay from one source, if elements like trousers, shirts, belts, and accessories are all store-bought and remain unaltered, it falls under ‘bought.’

Always review the competition’s rules, and when in doubt, reach out to the contest director or cosplay team for guidance.

Guild Tip: When it comes to 3D printed props, typically if you have printed, assembled, sanded, painted and detailed the prop that counts as made. Modeling your 3D print can earn you more points in the same way that drafting your own foam or sewing pattern can earn you extra points. With Guild contests you aren’t required to have modeled your print. If you didn’t model your print and didn’t print it yourself, that would mean it is a modified piece.

Now, what if your cosplay comprises a mix of made, modified, and bought elements? How do you calculate the total percentage of your cosplay that is ‘made’?

The best approach is to break down the costume into its constituent pieces. For instance, if your cosplay includes trousers, a shirt, a cloak, and a shield, you’d categorize it into four parts. If you’ve personally crafted all four, that’s a 100% ‘made’ cosplay. If you’ve crafted only two, it’s a 50% ‘made’ cosplay.

Some contests don’t count modified pieces toward your total percentage, while others may do so at a reduced rate. Using the above example, if you crafted the cloak and shield but modified the shirt and trousers, you’d have ‘made’ 75% of your cosplay (compared to 100% if you had ‘made’ the shirt and trousers instead of modifying them).

Guild Tip: Most contests do not require you to craft your shoes or wigs. This is why you’ll rarely find contests mandating 100% ‘made’ costumes. If you’ve made boot covers those would be their own element separate from the shoes you’re wearing underneath them.

Ultimately though, there is no mathematical equation to solve for how much of your cosplay is made. Carefully review the competition rules and don’t hesitate to seek clarification from the contest director or team if you’re uncertain or confused.

Honesty remains the best policy! Be forthright and transparent when discussing what you’ve personally created, modified, or purchased. Document your construction and modification process thoroughly to bolster your build or progress book.

If you have questions about Guild-run contests, such as Megacon Live or Gamerfest, please feel free to contact our team at guildofnerdscosplay@gmail.com