NPC Spot: Shade from Endgame

Shade's makeup consists of white cake makeup,

which is cheap and sadly streaky, and black and blue Mehron 

eye pencils, and some bronze eye-shadow powder.

So, I'm notoriously bad at taking pictures of any and all makeup that I do for NPCs. (It's the only reason I took "Alternate Appearance" in Mirror, Mirror.) For this reason, I decided to attempt to recreate and photograph some of the makeup I've done for larps. I did this for my benefit, but figured I'd make a blog post out of it. (I did this makeup project in humid, 88 degrees Farenheit weather-- poor choice). And, so, without further ado, I present to you Shade, one of my Endgame NPCs. I had a good time with her costuming, though I've only preserved her final form.

Shade was based on sea creatures. In her final form, she was like a jellyfish mermaid thing.

Theory Thursday: LARP Workshops

So, a mainstay of both conventions, faires, and Nordic Larp is workshops, lectures, and other "how-to's" concerning all things LARP. Activities can range from make-up to combat workshops to panels on game design. Following some conversations with similar-minded friends, I've been wondering how workshops might be applied to a smaller LARP setting. I think a one-day event, run by people within a singular system, would be a) a good way to bring people together, and b) a way to improve people's game. In my professional life, I workshop all the time: conferences are ways to listen to innovative thinkers (in my field), and learn valuable techniques. LARP is such an applied art form, that I think workshopping different things would be really beneficial. Here are some of the things I envision as being useful to the games I play:

- Durable Fantasy Make-up: I often see people at LARPs who not only sport fantastic make-up, but seem to apply make-up in a way that prevents smudges and runny streaks (even after a 3-hour grinder in light rain). Slowly learning through trial, error, and youtube videos has been my way-- it would be great to have a workshop on how to apply a range of make-up.

- Costuming Basics: I am not a sewer, nor do I have gobs of money to spend on costuming. I would love to learn where to look for cheap, functional, and attractive clothing. I think this would be especially beneficial for newer people, who may not want to invest lots of time and money into costume-finding.

- Acting Workshops: We all know the LARPer who does five phenomenal accents per event, has perfected the art of gesture, and can play any character, from heinous to pitiful. It would improve everybody's game if we could all learn some tricks-of-the-trade.

- Traps: I've always wanted to learn how to assemble traps and trap modules, but, as a hands-on person, videos don't really do it for me. There are some great trappers out there, and I, personally, would love to learn from them. And maybe even have a test module of a trapping event.

- Music Workshops: I'm always looking for short, accessible songs well-suited to a LARP. Also, as someone who loves to sing with others, I'm into this sort of thing.

- A Panel on Running a Monster Camp: If you've NPCed, you've probably been in excellent MCs and terrible ones. Getting together a group of staffers, all with Monster Camp experience, and asking them to share organizational tactics might be beneficial for everyone.

Alright, enough of my rambling...

Would you be interested in a one-day event geared totally towards LARP workshops relevant to your community? Have you ever participated in one? What sort of things would you want to see workshopped?

of Costumes and Blogs

Firstly, as a follow-up to yesterday's conversations about costuming-- I'd like to spotlight 2 people in the costume community and their respective websites: Lydushka's Completely Custom Creations and Xeph-ink. I've had the pleasure of viewing these makers' costumes in person, and they are absolutely gorgeous. If you, like me, are not particularly gifted in the construction process, please check these out.

As a closing thought, please go check out the following blogs-- FairEscape and Larpcast. Larpcast has a new episode featuring the co-creator of Wyrdcon. FairEscape is not a new blog, but a blog I started reading recently-- her writing is great,  and her costuming is stunning. Please do go check out this blog for more reading material!

Cost-Effective Wardrobe

Contributor: Zoe
Submission: A low-cost guide to fantastic LARP wear.

I have recently spent a lot of time showcasing and discussing extravagant and authentic LARP costumes. Unfortunately, although we'd all love leather armor, chain mail, and/or bone corsets, cost is an issue. Especially for new players, who aren't necessarily invested in LARP, purchasing boots, cloaks, and accessories, which can wheedle a hole in the wallet quickly, seems daunting. For players, such as myself, who simply don't have the money to spend on costumes, it can be a deterrent to playing the game (or, at least, playing it visually well).

So, I'm writing a few tips on how to build a low-cost LARP wardrobe. I'm fairly experienced at this, but I'd appreciate everyone's input. I think most people tend to spend as little as possible on LARP-- although I'm sure there are many who spend more on LARP clothing than civilian garb.

Building a Staff Make-Up Kit

Contributor: Beth Fallon
Submission: Building a Staff Makeup Kit
LARP system: Madrigal / Accelerant [http://www.larp.com/madrigal/]
Location: Ayer, MA
Years LARPing: 21
Email: efallon AT earthlink DOT net

A DIY make-up guide from one of the most well-made up ladies of LARP!