Fan, cosplayer, and all-around cat-lover Celkae has assembled a majestic rendition of the Anequina-styled Khajiiti armor, capturing the elegance of the desert-dwelling beast-folk. In this Community Spotlight, Celkae breaks down her creative process and describes her connection with The Elder Scrolls series.
First of all, thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Celkae! Could you tell us about your relationship with The Elder Scrolls, and what eventually led you to The Elder Scrolls Online?
I’ve been a long-time fan of The Elder Scrolls. My introduction to the franchise was The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and I’ve remained a fan ever since. I discovered ESO back when it launched in 2014. I didn’t immediately dive into it, but I continued to follow news and updates surrounding the game for several years. Once The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr chapter was released, I decided it was time to dive in.
How long have you been working on this particular cosplay?
It’s been a long process. I began crafting the Khajiit cosplay around January 2020, although there were periods where the outfit was left untouched for several weeks.
The Khajiiti Anequina style is a highly detailed, intricate design—why did you choose it as your next cosplay project?
I’m a cat lover, and the Khajiit are my favorite race. I’ve played a Khajiit in each Elder Scrolls game. When I came across the Anequina Heavy Armor concept art, I was immediately impressed with all the little details present in its design. The helmet also saved me the trouble of designing a Khajiit face, which would have proven to be a difficult challenge.
What was your process when you first began planning this new costume?
My first step was to find as much reference imagery as I could so I could examine every angle of the armor. Then I pictured what this armor could look like if it really existed. I sourced images of sculpted wood, gildings, and leather to help me better replicate them through sculpting and painting.
How did you go about building and crafting the elaborate chest, helmet, and shield designs?
I start by sketching the outfit’s various patterns, either on paper or digitally for more complex forms, such as the shield that features symmetric symbols. Next, I cut out the patterns and stitched them together with adhesive paper to develop a rough outline of the armor. Once I was happy with the result, I replicated the patterns on EVA foam and stitched them together using contact glue. I sculpted the smaller details with foam clay, which is a sort of like a soft paste mixed with a bit of water. It hardens once dried and remains light so it can be sanded down.
Next, I used a cutter to carve the wood effect into the material. I also applied a leather effect onto the body armor by sticking and painting fabric with a leather-like texture. I then added an elastic underlayer of Flexi Paint to smooth out any small imperfections and prevent the paint from cracking while moving with the armor on. I used acrylic paint to develop the moons on the shield, and the drops on the armor were created through crystal resin. Lastly, I used linen to sew the clothes and took some Lycra that I painted over to craft the tail and the gloves.
What was the most challenging aspect of constructing this cosplay?
The helmet! I had to sculpt the shape three different times because I had trouble with the pattern. I had to be wary about the symmetry, balancing volume of the material used for each. For me, the helmet is the most important part of the cosplay. It’ll be what people notice first, so if it’s poorly constructed, they may not appreciate the rest of the outfit.
Do you have advice for any newer cosplayers who want to craft something like this?
If you are a beginner in this craft and want to create a cosplay as complex as this one, I would advise you to focus on developing a single piece of the costume from beginning to end. It could be as simple as a shoulder pad or an armband. If you enjoyed crafting it, then shift on to building the rest of the outfit. It’s very important to take your time and be patient. It might be difficult to get it right the first time, so don’t feel disappointed if you must start over again a couple of times. After enough attempts, you will have crafted the piece of your dreams.
Be sure to check out cosplays similar to your own and don’t feel uncomfortable asking your fellow designers questions about their process. There are a lot of cosplay designers you can find and learn from on Instagram, and there are numerous tutorials from practiced creators on the Internet, such as Kamui, Evil Ted Smith, and Punished Props to name a few.
What’s next? Do you have any plans to create more ESO cosplay in the future?
I’m considering developing other ESO cosplays. Afterall, there are so many beautiful designs to choose from. I also might enter a cosplay contest with the Khajiit armor that I’ve already developed.
Where can the ESO community find more of your work?
You can find what I’m currently working on as well as my cosplays on my Instagram.
Thank you to Celkae for taking the time to talk about your incredible cosplay work with us. If you’ve seen or crafted something ESO-related that you think the rest of the community would enjoy, share it with us via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.