Cosplayer Spotlight #17: Nandolópez Cosplay

By Rizwan Merchant


Wargreymon and Tai Kamiya from Digimon Adventure Photographer: Grabriel Jimenez
Wargreymon and Tai Kamiya from Digimon Adventure
Photographer: Grabriel Jimenez

Introductions

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Luis Fernando López Álvarez; I am from Costa Rica. I am 29 years old, my zodiac sign is Gemini. I really love and enjoy making cosplay, especially together my nephew. I love anime since my first years like a child. My favorite anime have always been Dragon Ball and my favorite character is Goku and always is gonna be Goku.

 Cosplaying

When did you start cosplaying?
I started make cosplay two years ago. In 2012.

What got you into cosplaying?
Since I was a child, I really dreamed I can use cloth of my favorite anime characters, but at that age I couldn’t.  Like three years ago, since I started to use Facebook, I knew people who make cosplay, and day by day  I admired them with all their great photos until I decided do the same, and go to my first convention using cosplay at the same time, trying to know more about it. I loved it and I continue doing it since that time.

What is your favorite cosplay that you’ve made (or worn)?
My favorite cosplay is Wargreymon. I have spent a lot of time trying to improve it the best possible, until I feel satisfied.

How do you determine what characters you cosplay?
I determined it just selecting characters I really like and most of times, taking into account my physical appearance.

Why do you enjoy cosplaying?
I really enjoy it, because it lets me use all my creativity and imagination to develop it. It lets me feel like the character I really love, by that time I make cosplay. And the most important is that making cosplay lets me share time with friends with my same likes and at the same time makes children and all people feel fine getting photos, and seeing characters they like through us cosplayers.

Masrur from Magi Photographer: Calendario Cosplay
Masrur from Magi
Photographer: Calendario Cosplay

Do you have any dream costumes you want to make or wear?
I have many I want to do, but taking into account I do not have a lot of time by my job, I try to do it little by little. But not all I dream, can I do it, because my physical appearance is not the best for many of them. For that reason, I try to choose just those I like be according to my body.

Out of all of your costumes, which was the hardest to fabricate?
At this time Wargreymon was the hardest. Especially when I did not have almost any experience about cosplay.

 What are some cosplays you are currently working on?
I am working on a genderbender of Strength from Black Rock Shooter.

Which costume are you most looking forward to wearing in the future?
I want to do for a near future, Taurus of Saint Seiya to a group cosplay. Also Han, one of the Jinshurikis from Naruto, for other group cosplay.

Do you think you will ever retire from cosplaying?
I want to spend many time of the rest of my life making cosplay. But we do not know what life can bring us for the future. But while I do it, I am going to enjoy it the best possible.

Have you ever considered wearing costumes outside of conventions, for your day-to-day life?
Day to day life is impossible, but, taking into account what kind of customs, if it is easy to use, and comfortable, people can wear costumes and look great.

Do you tend to fabricate/make your own costumes or buy them?
I fabricate almost all the parts of my cosplays, like armors, guns, and so on. But cloth part, my mother helps me to fabricate it.

 In the World of Cosplaying

Link from Zelda and Guts from Berserk Photography:
Link from Zelda and Guts from Berserk
Photography:Calendario Cosplay

How do your personal views (religious, political, lifestyle) affect your cosplays?
I like it and nothing affects my cosplay lifestyle to me. People know me how I am, and what I like. For that reason nothing affects me about it.

What kind of reactions do you receive for any alterations and reinventions of character designs and attire?
Most of the time, I have received good reactions by people.

How do you react to the attention your cosplays generate?
It makes me really happy, to know people likes what I have done at this time. It is the best award a cosplayer can get.

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in cosplay?
Until this time just I feel good and comfortable making cosplay.

What are some of your favorite moments while cosplaying?
Some of my favorite moments are shared in most of them together with my nephew, my family, that always support me, especially my mother, that to almost all events go with me, to help me and share together. Also, I can share with my friends. Because conventions are the place I can see most of my cosplayer friends and people I appreciate who visit conventions. But some of the most beautiful and favorite moments, is can see people smiles and happy, seeing cosplays and getting photos with us. Is an honor to a cosplayer when people want photos together. It means likes our work. Especially when it is children that enjoy it a lot.

Black Wargreymon from Digimon Adventure 2 Photograph by Gabriel Jimenez & Fabian Gutierrez
Black Wargreymon from Digimon Adventure 2
Photograph by Gabriel Jimenez & Fabian Gutierrez

Do you participate or have you participated in any cosplay contests (convention, online, etc)?
Yes I have participated in some contests, some of them in conventions and online.  

Have you won any awards for your cosplay? If so, what kind and/or where did you win them?
I have participated, in some contest in my Country in three conventions, Matsuri 2013 first place making partner with my nephew. In the Kamen 2013, we participated in group contest together with many friends and my nephew; that time we won the first place. And Nigatsufest 2013, first place too. One month ago, I participate in contest madden by Casamanga , this time, a friend was the winner. Online I have participated in some of them. That I remember at this time, our cosplay photo, my nephew and me about Wargreymon and Tai were selected like Fan Favorite Couple Entry in Valentine’s Cosplay Contest Extravenganza! 2013, and on the last edition of Cosplay Idol Latin America I was chosen like one of the finalists. Among others online contest, but I did not remember the names at this specific time.

What was the first event/convention you went to?
The first convention I went was the cosplay parade. It was a funny idea, to walk with cosplay in the central part of our capital.

 What is your stance on handmade versus store-bought cosplay?
I think that is not something relevant, if people use to go fun in conventions that is the main idea about it. But people who make his own cosplays, have a different feeling and emotions to make it real by his own hands. I think we appreciate more each cosplay, each detail of ours like other people’s cosplays. But it is to our own satisfaction to make it with our own effort. But I am not look badly on people who buy cosplay, if they want to go enjoy the convention, they can do it like they want or can do it. The important part is enjoy and feel happy making cosplay.

How do you feel about those who get into character while cosplaying? Do you get into character as well?
 I think to get into character is that all of us try to do the best possible making cosplay. But not all the time we can do what we want. But part of making a great cosplay is to act and get into character to transmit people the essence of each character we cosplay.  If you can make it the best possible, the cosplay can look better.

Is there anyone you’ve always wanted to meet and have a photoshoot with?
Yes. There are many cosplayers I want to know and admire. Some of them are Kai Do, from China, Katta Ramos from Chile, Kamui cosplay from Germany among others.

Personal Experiences

Guts from Berserk
Guts from Berserk

What would you say are the positives and negatives of cosplaying?
It makes you use your creativity. Is really fun and we enjoy a lot about it. We can make children and people in general happy making it. We make a lot of friends about it. We can make real some of our dreams making cosplay, among others. Negatives I can’t say because at this time, just I have positive things about it in my mind.

How do you deal with negative and positive feedback on your costumes?
Just be myself and enjoy what I love.

Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring cosplayers?
Be patient. Love each thing you make, improve it if you can.  Enjoy making cosplay, that is the important thing. Always be humble. Look for help if required.  If you can make certain parts of your cosplays, always you can find things with similar shapes or look similar, to can make changes to create that specific thing you need.  Be happy making cosplay and make people around you feel happy too with your future cosplays.  Enjoy it a lot and make your mind and imagination fly in this process.

Original Character from Ulysses 31
Original Character from Ulysses 31

Outside of Cosplaying

Do you have any hobbies other than cosplaying?
I love go to the cinema.

Do you have any helpers (pets) that often assist you?
My mother always helps me in the things I can’t do, like cloth.

Is there anything you do outside of cosplaying that gives you ideas of what to do for a costume?
There are many things we see outside, that can help us. Just we need to be well lookers about all things around us. Each detail can support you to create something new.

Final Words to the Readers

Wargreymon & Tai Kamiya Digimon Adventure Photography by Ang3lo
Wargreymon & Tai Kamiya Digimon Adventure
Photography by Ang3lo

Thanks a lot for your time reading. For your support and for being part of people who like the cosplay world. All the things you really want to do, is possible just with a good imagination, materials, and a lot of passion and love for cosplaying. Makes your dreams real!

For more information on Luis check him out on social media below!
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/luisfernando.lopezalvarez.9
Emailnandolopal_84@hotmail.com
DeviantArthttp://nandolopal.deviantart.com/
World Cosplayhttp://worldcosplay.net/es/member/46057