G'day all!
What a year! Time to do my annual year in review. Enjoy! (I guess
)
January was the month that I started a new job. It was in accounts for a little firm nearby my brand new house that I was about to move into with my fiance. Yep, things were looking good. But hey, I got to also do 3 different stock sets.
FEBRUARY
February was a really busy time for me. I only managed to do this one set in between work, finishing the house and deciding to take a stab at doing Cosplay. However, on the very last day of Feb, Terry and I got our keys to our house! It was a LONG time coming, but it was AWESOME!
(I also wrote this journal about Stock Copyright -
Stock Copyright - Shutterstock, iStock vs. DAFirst and foremost, I am not a lawyer. This journal contains my personal understanding of copyright law, terms and conditions for the mentioned websites as it relates to the stock and the artistic community here on DeviantArt (DA).
However, please feel free to share this journal.
Recently, one of DA’s most active and respected stock users came under fire for using off site (meaning outside DA) stocks in her work. As a “stocker”, I was surprised to hear of this - It was my understanding that this was common practice for artists to do.
It prompted me to look into the matter and dust off the little bit of arts law I studied whilst doing my post grad in Arts Management. (And I will save you the definition of IP law and the fact that copyright stays in effect for about 150 years, give or take a few. If you want to read a bit more about the basics in easy to und
)
MARCH
March was a BUSY month. BUT ALSO AWESOME! I released some previously unreleased images from the Forest Queen and Red series (the epic dresses...). I also showed off my first cosplay outfit - T.A.R.D.I.S. Dress.
At Perth Comic Con, I had breakfast and met my childhood hero - Amanda Tapping. This woman was the reason I got into theatre, writing, directing and eventually costuming and stock. She also influenced some decisions I made like my approach to philanthropy. She is amazing, and in person, the sweetest and warmest person you could ever meet. PLUS, she loved my T.A.R.D.I.S. cosplay
It was after this convention (and with the encouragement from Amanda) I thought, yeh, let's enter a Cosplay Contest (More on that soon!).
APRIL
April saw me working very hard. Terry and I were sorting out 30 years worth of stuff in our new home, and I had started making my competition outfit for the 'Madman National Cosplay Chapionship'. But, found a bit of time to get a bit of stock in - even finally got Terry in front of the camera - with the pre-tense of getting some shots for our save the date campaign.
Also, it was the month I started my Pozible (like kickstarter) campaign to get a better lens.
MAY
May oh May. This month threw me a little. Managed to get a bit more stock out and show off my brand new Cosplay - Lady Elizabeth Midford (from Black Butler/ Kuroshitsuji) - which I was going to enter with at the MNCC14, Perth Prelim round. Also, my amazing watchers pulled together and made my Pozible campaign a success, allowing me to get the new lens - the pretty pretty lens.
But in the real world, that new job I got - I was made redundant after only 5 months. They miscalculated the budget - I wish I could say I didn't see it coming... but I was working in accounts.
JUNE
I'm not going to lie, June was awesome after month before. Sure - it was a rocky start with having no job and now with a mortgage to pay, but I kept my chin up. And it paid off sooner rather than later. I landed a new job, started on the 30th June and I can happily say, I LOVE it. I am not going anywhere soon from this one. Also the weekend before that, I won the Perth heat of the Madman National Cosplay Championship! I couldn't believe it - it was my first time entering and now I was representing my state over in the Finals in Brisbane at the end of the year!
JULY
July - I was busy. Like super busy. When I wasn't at work, I was at home. Sewing feathers onto wings... by hand. My fingers went numb and I bled.
But, I had something really cool happen - I got SENIOR STATUS!
I was pretty stoked!
Also, just before my birthday, I received a DD for one of my Lizzy pictures! DOUBLE STOKED!
AUGUST
August - once again, still sewing like a mad woman. It was beyond an epic project I undertook. I was starting to realise this as a weeped into my pillow.
SEPTEMBER
The end was in sight for the Madman Cosplay - and managed to get this shoot organised before I changed it to one of the outfits for the Cosplay skit *giggle*. In September, I was asked for Stock & Resource week to write an article about Stock and Cosplay - it was a whole lot of fun to do and the feedback I got was great:
Cosplay vs. Stock - For the love of CostumesStock & Resources
Do you have a geeky side?
Do you love getting dressed up in costumes (especially when they relate to a favourite movie, comic, game or anime)?
Do you like having your photo taken in costume?
Then you are most likely to be aware of the term 'Cosplay'.
And if you are reading this journal, you are most likely know what 'Stock' photography is also.
But hey, let's break it down (because these two categories have a lot in common, but also, have some big differences as well).
COSPLAY
AmenoKitarou - DreamOfDiscord
Cosplay is a derivative of two words, Costume Play - because that is exactly what it is. You dress up in a costume to look like a character from a popular culture reference such as movies, tv shows, games, anime, manga or comic books.
However, it is much, much more than that for a lot of cosplayers.
Many cosplayers pour countless hours, money, blood, sweat and
OCTOBER
October was mainly spend putting the finishing touches on the Madman Final cosplay. I was a bundle of nerves. But still managed to do some pose references and another portrait set!
NOVEMBER
This was it! The Madman National Cosplay Championship Finals! At the end of the month, I went to Brisbane - faced some CRAZY weather, met some tough competition, and hung out with some of the most amazing people on earth (aka. the tough competition). At the end of the day, I didn't win the wonderful Crystal Trophy, but I tell you - what I learnt, the inspiration I received, and the people I have now met (and befriended) outweighed any physical object (and I really REALLY mean that). I came home and I was SO excited to keep going. Keep learning. Keep cosplaying - because the judges said to me "This does not look like a first time entry piece. Keep going, you are so close." And considering that they were comparing me to people who have represented AUSTRALIA on the world stage, I think that is pretty neat.
To give you an idea... I went from this:
Quick changed into this:
Not to mention I got to meet
Awesome month all round!
DECEMBER
December - we got tiles in the house
But all in all, a quiet month after the craziness of November and the lead up. Managed to do some stock in the last few days - and I hit over 4,000 watchers - WOW! Crazy - thank you!
Now, onto 2015 - another full year planned with the Wedding in April, and lots more cosplay and stock to come - it is no doubt going to be an adventure and a half!
See you all in 2015!
- Kirilee
P.S. If you want to like my Cosplay Page on facebook - follow the link:
www.facebook.com/kirileecospla…
