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Ok, the amount' of bullshit I had to deal with in the last few weeks, for being an semi-accurate cosplayer, has become unbearable - I've put my Esmaralda cosplays in storage, until I have the strength to deal with this again.
If the fact, that I tried to look the best I could, portraying this character some find offensive - I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry if I came out racist for trying to look like someone I'm not by means of tanning. Though I did not "blackface" her (or brownface either), as some called out - it was summer, so I'd still be tan, whether I cosplayed her or not. I'd have to ban the sun over Russia and carry a parasol around to stay pale.
I take cosplay very seriously and in no way as a caricature - I don't do a character if he'll be a mockery by the way I can possibly pull him off. I don't do black characters, I don't do men, I don't do characters that are not my body type. But if the character has a skintone slightly darker or paler than my natural - I will try recreate it for the sake of NOT making the character a caricature. As if I would do a character of an unnatural skintone - you may argue, that green-skinned people don't exist and can't be discriminated against, but I don't see either case different from the point of recreating a look (from this point - I'm in no way belittling discrimination real people get for their color), as long as it isn't half-assed. The difference is that I'd not use stage makeup for natural tones - I only work within my natural possibilities. I DON"T COSPLAY TO PORTRAY STEREOTYPES. I view this problem in cosplay from an artist standpoint, not as an ethical dilemma or a way to degrade someone.
I would not make Esmeralda "white" even if I had to go though this bullshit again - I respect the character way too much to strip her of her heritage and one of the design elements, that was important for the story, the fact that she was different from the common french white folk (according to Disney anyway). For a character, who's race already isn't portrayed too much in the media - that would be disrespectful in my book. It's not something she can take off - it's a part of her. It would mock her in such fashion - you change one thing and you shortcut the character. I'd end up as Bellatrix Black in a red dress if I was pale. At that point I could as well make the dress green and the hair ginger - and lose the character altogether, calling it a Poison Ivy crossover. Gingers where hunted down as witches too, as where girls, who seemed "too beautiful".
I'm not gonna tell others how to cosplay, to match the skin tones or not. But my choice stands - if I love the character (otherwise, why would I cosplay her in the first place?), I'm gonna make her as accurate as possible. Hair color, eyes, skin, every detail of the outfit - I'll do my best. If I slack off - that's the disrespect I'll be ashamed of. I don't know how cosplay is viewed in Europe or the US, but in Russia many take it really serious, not "just a costume", but as somewhat art. I understand that skin color isn't a costume - but I don't understand why people treat any "costume" as something bad or offensive, as if it's all cheap halloween "sexy indian" shit. Why people only view it as a mockery, a caricature? And I even wasn't talking about heavy theater makeup or making an obviously stereotypical costume.
You can feel offended, I can't dictate how you feel, but hopefully you'll also understand my point of view and the fact that I'd never use cosplay as a way to mock, degrade or make fun of someone, to make a stereotype or caricature.
If someone is offended by this - forgive me for being a russian girl, who looked up to princess Jasmine and Esmeralda, as a child, rather than Aurora, Ariel or Cinderella. And for wanting to portray them in all their beauty, not adjusted or watered down.
I'd like to note, though, mostly people offended were from the USA, so I'll address a lil matter to this fact. People of different ethnic backgrounds coexisted on the territory of Russia for centuries with 2 vast cases of discrimination - slavery of white people in the Mongol Empire and white-white slave ownership on a state level up to 1861. We do have racism, I'm not denying that, but PLEASE consider that the whole world doesn't revolve around your social situation and history.
If the fact, that I tried to look the best I could, portraying this character some find offensive - I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry if I came out racist for trying to look like someone I'm not by means of tanning. Though I did not "blackface" her (or brownface either), as some called out - it was summer, so I'd still be tan, whether I cosplayed her or not. I'd have to ban the sun over Russia and carry a parasol around to stay pale.
I take cosplay very seriously and in no way as a caricature - I don't do a character if he'll be a mockery by the way I can possibly pull him off. I don't do black characters, I don't do men, I don't do characters that are not my body type. But if the character has a skintone slightly darker or paler than my natural - I will try recreate it for the sake of NOT making the character a caricature. As if I would do a character of an unnatural skintone - you may argue, that green-skinned people don't exist and can't be discriminated against, but I don't see either case different from the point of recreating a look (from this point - I'm in no way belittling discrimination real people get for their color), as long as it isn't half-assed. The difference is that I'd not use stage makeup for natural tones - I only work within my natural possibilities. I DON"T COSPLAY TO PORTRAY STEREOTYPES. I view this problem in cosplay from an artist standpoint, not as an ethical dilemma or a way to degrade someone.
I would not make Esmeralda "white" even if I had to go though this bullshit again - I respect the character way too much to strip her of her heritage and one of the design elements, that was important for the story, the fact that she was different from the common french white folk (according to Disney anyway). For a character, who's race already isn't portrayed too much in the media - that would be disrespectful in my book. It's not something she can take off - it's a part of her. It would mock her in such fashion - you change one thing and you shortcut the character. I'd end up as Bellatrix Black in a red dress if I was pale. At that point I could as well make the dress green and the hair ginger - and lose the character altogether, calling it a Poison Ivy crossover. Gingers where hunted down as witches too, as where girls, who seemed "too beautiful".
I'm not gonna tell others how to cosplay, to match the skin tones or not. But my choice stands - if I love the character (otherwise, why would I cosplay her in the first place?), I'm gonna make her as accurate as possible. Hair color, eyes, skin, every detail of the outfit - I'll do my best. If I slack off - that's the disrespect I'll be ashamed of. I don't know how cosplay is viewed in Europe or the US, but in Russia many take it really serious, not "just a costume", but as somewhat art. I understand that skin color isn't a costume - but I don't understand why people treat any "costume" as something bad or offensive, as if it's all cheap halloween "sexy indian" shit. Why people only view it as a mockery, a caricature? And I even wasn't talking about heavy theater makeup or making an obviously stereotypical costume.
You can feel offended, I can't dictate how you feel, but hopefully you'll also understand my point of view and the fact that I'd never use cosplay as a way to mock, degrade or make fun of someone, to make a stereotype or caricature.
If someone is offended by this - forgive me for being a russian girl, who looked up to princess Jasmine and Esmeralda, as a child, rather than Aurora, Ariel or Cinderella. And for wanting to portray them in all their beauty, not adjusted or watered down.
I'd like to note, though, mostly people offended were from the USA, so I'll address a lil matter to this fact. People of different ethnic backgrounds coexisted on the territory of Russia for centuries with 2 vast cases of discrimination - slavery of white people in the Mongol Empire and white-white slave ownership on a state level up to 1861. We do have racism, I'm not denying that, but PLEASE consider that the whole world doesn't revolve around your social situation and history.
A lil note on Dragons Commissions
Dragon and dragon eggs commissions.
Pricing for dragons starts from $15 and is an average of $40-50 depending on the size and details. International shipping - $6-15 depending on the size. Dragon eggs cost $15 for regular and $20 for swirly style. Stand included. International shipping - $6.
Sculpture Commissions Info
Since I’ve been laid off of both my jobs and freelancing is my only income now, I’m currently open and eager for sculpting commissions.
Stuff I do:
Cartoon, game and anime characters.
Cosplay accessories and small props.Original characters with reference pictures. Developing of a character based on the description costs extra.
Pairings and ships - het, slash, femslash. I won’t judge, but may refuse to make some stuff I’m not comfortable with (mainly regarding underage characters), so ask first.
Stylised portraits and portraits in well known animation styles.
NSFW content is discussable, but it will be more ex
Happy Birthday to me!
Today I received the best presents yet - new photos from my yesterday's Esmaralda photo shoot! I gotta say, this was a tough one - the temperature was barely +10C and the wind was terrible and I spent almost an hour barefoot dancing on solid stone in a really light dress! Talk about getting the chills. But it was well worth it by the looks of the first photos and I simply can't wait to see the rest!
:thumb259826778: :thumb259518291: :thumb259517018: :thumb259517986:
Facebook Store now up!
Finally got the app for my facebook page - now you can get my jewelry designs there too! It'll take some time to fill up, but I won't keep you all waiting for too long. So please check my page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bitter-Sweet/134280426607797?sk=app_135607783795
© 2012 - 2024 Nika-N
Comments16
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Oh good grief, people will troll anything, won't they?
I apologize for the ignorant american trolls.
I thought your cosplay was wonderful, and I didn't see anything racist in it all.
You should have just blocked each and every person who was rude to you, and reported the nastier ones.
Everyone knows you weren't being racist; they were just being rude and disrespectful.
Stay strong, and never let the small-minded get you down!
I apologize for the ignorant american trolls.
I thought your cosplay was wonderful, and I didn't see anything racist in it all.
You should have just blocked each and every person who was rude to you, and reported the nastier ones.
Everyone knows you weren't being racist; they were just being rude and disrespectful.
Stay strong, and never let the small-minded get you down!