Our featured cosplayer is someone that I met at the Bell County Comic Con earlier this year. As I was running through the convention, I noticed a cosplay that I have never seen before. She was dressed as Maz Kanata from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. It was an amazing cosplay and I had to get a pic.
Since then, I have gotten to know Jessica Luttrell a little more and asked her if she was willing to do a feature with us. Her cosplay is absolutely wonderful. Her group, Cosplay for Christ, will have a booth at this years Wizard World in Austin Texas. So if you are attending that con, make sure you stop by her table and say hi! And now, the interview…
(Danniel Slade) Can you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself?
(Jessica Luttrell) I work out of both sides of my brain. I love to create and I also love a good spreadsheet! I have been happily married for 14 years. We have two girls, one in second grade and one in kindergarten, 2 great Pyrenees puppies names Polar bear and Poppy and Nine chickens…I won’t tell you all the chicken names. I work full-time being the Facilities Coordinator for Celebration Church. I love gardening, hiking, playing piano video gaming and of course making cool costumes for myself, my girls and Celebration. I co-lead a Cosplay for Christ small group through my church as well.
(DS) What fandoms are you into?
(JL) First and foremost….MASS EFFECT. Best game ever! But then not far from that is Doctor Who, Marvel, DC ( WONDER WOMAN!!!), all the star wars, star trek, Dragon age, fallout, and Horizon Zero Dawn is becoming a favorite of mine. You got to love Battlestar Galatica, Firefly (WHY ONE SEASON!?!?!?!!?) and x-files!
(DS) When did you get into cosplay?
(JL) Around 4 years ago was the first time I made a costume and attended a comic con. It was the first time I heard the term “cosplay”
(DS) How do you choose what you are going to create for cosplay?
(JL) The process for choosing has been a combination of characters I really love and what my daughters want me to be lol. Sometimes they match, most the time they don’t.
(DS) You recently built a Maz Kanata Cosplay, which was epic by the way. How long did that take you to build?
(JL) I would only start building on the weekends since I work full time, so it took me from March to mid-June roughly 3 months. The actual time it took me was about 35-40 hrs give or take cure time on the mold! Although I researched how to do it for probably another 3 months before I even started building.
(DS) In total, how many costumes have you created over the years?
(JL) In the past 4 years, including the ones I have made for others, I have made 34!! Wow! I didn’t realize I made that much!
(DS) Do you have a cosplay that you consider empowering to wear?
(JL) Honestly, every cosplay I have worn I have felt empowered in some way. All the ladies I have chosen to portray all have strong character and resolve. I’m drawn to those types of people and characters. BUT if I had to choose one it would be my first cosplay of commander Shepard! Who doesn’t love foam armor?
(DS) Do you have a favorite costume that you want to wear over and over?
(JL) Probably my River Song Day of the Moon cosplay. The outfit is so comfortable and River Song is such a fun character!
(DS) What was your easiest build?
(JL) Man what a hard question! In every costume I have built there have been major challenges to each one along with easier parts that took no time at all. I made a Joy costume from Inside out that was a pretty straightforward build, so that probably was the easiest. Simply a dress pattern and fabric paint.
(DS) Now on the flip side, what was your hardest build?
(JL) The hardest I think was my Toothiana from Rise of the Guardians costume. Between trying to figure out the tailfeathers ( hand-painted muslin stiffened with a wire sewn in middle attached with a hidden Velcro strip) to how the heck to make a wing harness out of an old bra, coat hangers and paint stir sticks….hahahha so many failed attempts on that one! But in the end I was so happy with it! Maz’s goggles though had a ridiculous amounts of redos.
(DS) What is your favorite convention to cosplay at?
(JL) Maz or Toothiana. Toothiana draws the kids and families which I love! Maz draws the star war fans whom I love as well!
(DS) You recently were a winner in the singles category at Bell County Comic Con. Was that your first time entering a competition?
(JL) Back at Alamo City Comic Con 2016 I had entered my Commander Shepard Cosplay into the contest. It was my first time ever entering and I was so nervous. I didn’t win but I got to meet some amazing cosplayers and was inspired by the great craftmanship I saw! Bell Country was the 2nd contest I have ever entered. Honestly, I thought the contest was Sunday and wasn’t even planning on entering!
(DS) Do you have a funny or embarrassing story that you are willing to share that happened while in cosplay?
(JL) Well I have tons of stories that are embarrassing OUT of Cosplay! Honestly it’s very hard to embarrass me, but I’m sure I made a lot of people uncomfortable when I had to get gas in my mom mini van before con in my full Maz Kanata mask and outfit. I got a lot of strange looks for sure.
(DS) Looking back at your early cosplay years, is there anything you would tell yourself that you know now that you didn’t know then?
(JL) Honestly I still feel like such a beginner. I know that each time I do a new cosplay I’m improving myself. I would say to remember you are not in competition with anyone but yourself. Also that Liquid Latex is not sweat proof and never put it in your hair!!
(DS) Are you in a cosplay group? If so, do you attend conventions together with a theme in mind or just as whatever the individual decides to dress as?
(JL) Yes! I co-lead with my friends Ashley Anderson and Laura Farrar Cosplay For Christ Small group through Celebration Church. We meet twice a month to work on our cosplays and projects the Church needs for services. We try to go to comic cons together at least once a semester but have yet to be so organized as to keep the same theme amongst ourselves. We just all group together in whatever we had worked on and go. This September will be the first time we will have a booth at the Wizard World Austin Comic Con!
(DS) What is on your cosplay bucket list?
(JL) Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman/Commander Shepard mash up, Harley Quinn and Poison ivy (for my girls), Greatest Showman, Liara from Mass Effect, Hawke from dragon Age….I have a lot.
(DS) Outside of cosplay, what do you do for fun?
(JL) Anything with my hubby, hanging out with my girls. playing piano for our Special Needs Service at Church… VIDEO GAMES!!! Morning runs with quiet time all to myself.
(DS) Are there any other cosplayers that inspire you?
(JL) Gosh so many! My inspiration for commander Shepard was Freya Willia. Kimba Sprite inspired me for toothiana, Alyson Tabbitha, Dominique Skye, Amber Arden, Christina (Christina.is.Crafty), Sarah (Owl_feathers), Natasha (waterofglass), Lydia Scott (lydiscott), Jen (soylentcosplay_jen)
(DS) What is your next convention that fans will see you at?
(JL) Wizard World Austin!!
(DS) What would you say to someone who might want to build their first costume but don’t know how to get started?
(JL) Come join our group! Lol, if that’s not possible, research!!! Check out 360 views of your character and find out how others have done it before you. I usually spend more time planning than I do actually building. Ask questions! If you don’t know how to do something ask someone who has done it. YouTube is your friend. Form a plan and start gathering supplies you need to do it. I always check out Walmart fabrics before I go to more expensive places. I can sometimes find 1-3 dollars a yard clearance prices there and it saves a ton of money!
(DS) How can our readers find out more about you? (please plug away)
(JL) Follow me on Insta @cosplay4Christ, join our group facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/Cosplay4Christ Join or check out our small group! https://www.celebration.church/small-groups/cosplay-christ-2
