Creating Icons: The Artistry of Paper.Moon.Cosplay
We are beyond excited to introduce our Featured Cover guest for the Fall 2024 issue of Creative Cosplays Magazine, the incredibly talented Taïr, known on social media as Paper.Moon.Cosplay. With over a decade of experience in the cosplay community, Taïr has amazed fans with her exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to her craft. From creating intricate superhero costumes to exploring various pop culture themes, her versatility and passion shine through in every project. Today, we’re thrilled to dive into her cosplay journey, creative process, and the experiences that have shaped her along the way.
Welcome, Taïr! We're so excited to have you as our Featured Cover guest for the Fall 2024 issue. To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got into the world of cosplay?
I feel honored being here! My name is Taïr, I’m 31 years old & from Israel. I first started cosplaying in the winter of 2009. During my second convention I was befriending some local cosplayers and they invited me to a group cosplay with them. I saw it as a fun thing to try, all my friends did it, so I wanted to do it, and do it with my friends at that — and here I am today.
What was your very first cosplay, and what inspired you to choose that character? Can you share a bit about the process of creating it and any challenges you faced?
My first cosplay was of a character called Sheryl Nome from an anime called Macross Frontier. I don’t watch anime anymore, for quite a long time now, but she’s still my favorite anime character of all time.
I went to my aunt who taught me how to use a sewing machine, and with her help I made my first cosplay. It wasn’t a very complicated one – only a shirt and pants — but it was the first thing I created on my own and it got me passionate about cosplaying. A decade later I re-created that first cosplay using my current improved set of skills and techniques, it was a fun project that was somewhat sentimental for me.
I heard you took a break from cosplaying at some point. What led to that decision, and what brought you back to the cosplay scene?
I did, from 2012 until 2014, I took a complete break from cosplaying due to my military service. Then between 2015 to 2019 I was busy with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, so I cosplayed a lot less. But what got me back into cosplaying, around the end of 2019, was when Covid hit.
As most of us around the world, I found myself locked indoors for a long period of time with uncertainty of what’s to happen, and I got back to sewing to pass the time and occupy myself. I remember being invited to take part in a Tiktok challenge for Disney princesses (pass-the-brush) – I said “why not?”, and made an Alice in Wonderland cosplay specifically for that. It was then the flame I had for sewing and creating cosplays was sparked back up.
Over the years, how have your interests in different pop culture themes influenced your cosplay choices? Are there specific genres or characters that you feel particularly drawn to now?
Indeed, I started cosplaying anime characters between 2009 to 2012, as I was more into Anime at the time. I’ve watched less and less anime and cosplayed that less and less since. Between 2015-2019 I cosplayed mostly Disney princesses, but also recreated some K-pop music video outfits from time to time, given I got a little more into K-pop during those years.
During the pandemic I rewatched Star Wars movies, as well as DC Animated Movies, alongside the Marvel movies — that up until now are my main consumption of popular culture — hence why most of my cosplays nowadays are comic themed.
Can you walk us through your creative process when starting a new cosplay project? Do you have a favorite part of the process, whether it’s sewing, crafting, or another aspect?
I have a list of cosplays I want to make in general, and I try to stick to that list. But from time to time more current characters get in front of the line if I watch a show or play a game that is popular now, and I feel like it’s a good time to cosplay it to make the most out of the hype for said show or game.
I start with gathering reference photos of the outfit I want to make, re-read the comics again to see different angles of it, or rewatch episodes to look at the costume in movement. If the cosplay is too complicated I sketch it and break it into parts. Later, I go fabric shopping. If I can’t find a fabric in the local store I search online – it can be a long process of ordering different swatches until I find the right one – the right texture, color, density, elasticity ,etc. Luckily, as I’ve been cosplaying for so long, I already know what fabrics to order and from where, so I utilize my experience there.
Next, I cut my fabrics and start sewing; I got to admit I sin at not using proper patterns, I believe in trial-and-error, and I just cut and hope for the best. It’s not the most efficient, cost effective or smart, but that’s how it works for me. Many of my cosplays have a similar base, so I take out patterns out of my old cosplays. Then it’s a lot of try-ons, fittings, and corrections until I’m satisfied with the result.
Regarding props – I try to leave it to the very end unless it’s a part that is necessary to be ready for me to be able to fit my sewing to it. If I can print it, I’d prefer to, but I make some EVA props as well. Prop making isn’t my strong suit in my opinion, but I’m doing a decent job. I have learned to 3D model on a basic level, so I use that if needed, but overall nowadays most of the props are available for sell – if it’s too complicated for my abilities — I commission a 3D sculptor to make it for me. Then I deal with the printing, sanding, priming, painting, and weathering myself.
All my cosplays are going through test runs before wearing it to conventions. I usually take it out to photoshoots and see if anything needs fixing then. This way I have an opportunity to see if the cosplay needs any fixing or makeup/wig touch-ups (also, a good way to make sure I have photos of the cosplay before taking it to an oversea convention where it might get ruined in transportation).
You’re well-known for your Batgirl and other Batfamily cosplays. What is it about these characters that you find most compelling, and how do you approach bringing them to life?
I was never a one-character cosplayer until Batgirl. I used to cosplay different characters from different franchises all the time.
I think my Batgirl was getting a lot of love because I was one of the first people to make the Burnside version, unlike the usual black spandex bodysuit with yellow boots that people usually did at that time — so it got a lot of love on social media and put me in the spotlight.
I got most of my followers thanks to my Batgirl cosplay, and up until today it’s my most beloved content on my page. That is why I try to cosplay a different Batgirl every year, as a personal project for myself and also for my fans — I’ve made 5 different Batgirl cosplays in the last 3 years — and that is, of course, in addition to me really loving Barbara Gordon as a character, I see myself in her in a lot of aspects.
There aren’t as many Bat family female members unfortunately, but I have cosplayed a lot of Batman characters in general – villains and anti-heroes such as: Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Ravager and Poison Ivy, and of course other DC characters as well.
You’ve attended conventions in different countries. How do these experiences compare, and do you have any memorable moments or favorite conventions you’ve attended?
I do! Unfortunately, conventions in my country are more anime and manga focused so I don’t blend in with my superhero cosplays, so I started exploring conventions abroad. I’ve been to MCM London Comic Con three times, once to WonderCon in California, and soon to be at Dragoncon in Atlanta for the third time. I’ve also been to South Korea and Japan, although out of cosplay, but I’ve seen cosplay there.
Conventions are so different from country to country, it varies from the different cosplays you see, for example: in the UK you see a lot more Marvel cosplays than DC, and a lot of TV show cosplays and animations, compared to America where I feel like DC has a stronger base. I’ve also noticed the different culture of photography, as from my understanding, it’s not allowed to charge for photography at MCM London, while in America, it’s vastly acceptable to charge. Also, compared to my own country, conventions abroad are way bigger and include a richer program and guests, understandably.
My favorite convention is definitely Dragoncon, it’s an ongoing party for 5 days, and I’m the type of person to flourish in lively environments like this. I would love to try NYCC, MEGACON, and C2E2 in the future, as well as some other conventions in Europe.
Have you ever collaborated with any stores or makers for your cosplays? How do you decide when to make a costume yourself versus purchasing or promoting a piece?
Although I pride myself with making my own cosplays, I do work with some shops and makers.
My Gotham Knights Batgirl was given to me by simcosplay for promotion, and I love it very much. I also buy some bodysuits from online shops because I don’t have the option to print on fabrics myself, so it’s cheaper to buy than commission a print just for the sake of saying “I made it on my own”.
I think I resort to buying or commissioning something off a maker in three occasions: one, if it’s a lot cheaper to buy than make, and the quality of the purchased item is not as far from what I would have made myself. Secondly, if I don’t have the knowledge or machinery to make a certain thing, such as: cast cowls and emblems, print on fabrics in bigger scales, or model complex 3D prints. And thirdly, if I don’t think I’ll challenge myself with sewing a certain cosplay, such as a plain bodysuit, I’ll just buy it.
I don’t see a purchased cosplay as less good than a self-made one in any way. I personally like to add details that are often overlooked in mass produced cosplays, and I want my cosplays to fit my body perfectly. I also enjoy making it, I find satisfaction in creating something in my vision. So it’s a process of calculating what’s better with any given cosplay I want to do.
I’ve heard you like to remake your cosplays from time to time. Can you tell us about a specific cosplay you’ve remade and how your skills or approach have improved since the original?
I really do, it’s like an approval to myself that I’ve improved during time. As I mentioned before I remade my first cosplay from 2009 in 2021, and I remade my Burnside Batgirl after it got torn in the flight back home from Dragoncon 2022.
I’ve also remade my Supergirl from 2019 to 2023, as well as my Ciri (Witcher) from 2020 to 2022, and upgraded it a little bit more in the end of 2023. I then shot a short film with it, a film by Chazzy Baragiola of Side Projekt Podcast. I improve my skills all the time, I learn new techniques, so I want to show my progress. Also, with time, cosplays can deteriorate and become worn, it’s normal to renew it.
Have you made any significant personal connections through cosplay, such as friends or partners? How have these relationships influenced your cosplay journey?
I’m a very friendly person and for me, making connections through this hobby is an integral part of it. I made some of my best friends through cosplaying, and I can’t wait for conventions so I can see them again, it’s a real reunion.
I’ve also formed some connections with makers over orders, for example Jcurtis_atelier, that I consider one of my best friends today. We got to bond over a special order of a cowl I needed for one of my cosplays, and creating things together made us really close. Also, kind of amazing I was a part of making a Catwoman cowl that now is being sold to other people as well… I feel like I contributed to the cosplay community in a way.
I also met my partner, Chazzy of the SideProjektPodcast, through cosplaying. I was invited as a guest to his podcast, we got to chat and know each other, then we finally met in person during a convention, and here we are.
Each and every person I meet through this hobby, influence my journey, Either makers that help my cosplays look better with their beautiful craft, editors that make my cosplays pop in amazing edits and help get put me on articles of well-known websites, friends that make this hobby so much fun and memorable, or my partner that not only lift me up and help me be a better person, but also happen to be a podcaster and videographer, that gives me opportunities to showcase my art on other platforms and to different audiences… and of course improve my verbal English while on screen, it’s been really helpful given English isn’t my native language.
What is the cosplay scene/community like where you are from in comparison to places such as the United States?
In my country, we cosplay, but definitely not in the vast scales of America. I’d say, if I only include people that cosplay frequently and not as a one-time thing, we have maybe a couple thousand cosplayers. I remember the cosplay community when I just started cosplaying, almost 15 years ago, only 100 cosplayers around. It made it very competitive and sometimes took the fun out of it. If people were to show up to a convention in the same cosplay it would cause drama – people were expected to know what others wear and not cosplay the same outfits. It was like showing up to prom in the same dress as another girl. Silly looking back, but we were all very young and as I said, our community was so small.
Today, with more people getting into cosplay, and with cosplay being more easily accessible, more people buy cosplays for their favorite characters, and many people show up in the same costumes to conventions. But instead of “fighting” over it, it’s bonding them together over love for the same characters. I absolutely love that.
Yet, our community is still relatively small, that means everyone knows everyone, and as beautiful and family-like as it is, and it can get tense over many things. I also feel like cosplay competitions have more importance here than abroad, where as it feels like most people abroad just come to conventions to have fun and make friends. Here, a convention is where we hold cosplay competitions – and competitions are the way to determine who’s “the best” within a small group of cosplayers that try to stand out. We have a lot to improve on. I wish more people would make cosplays for the sake of cosplaying and not for the clout or a prize, but we also have something very unique here, and I love both the good and bad aspects of a small community as ours.
Balancing a professional career with your passion for cosplay must be challenging. How do you manage your time and stay motivated to pursue both your professional and creative endeavors?
Although I have two degrees in International Relations, I actually work as a project manager in a cybersecurity company. I believe work should be a mean for an income, and that income is for me to use for my hobbies and interests in my personal time. So I work 5 days a week in a 9 to 5 job, and on my spare time I make my cosplays, focus on my relationship and friendships, consume pop culture, and every 2-3 months take a vacation to go to conventions abroad.
I love my workplace, I feel like I evolve here and utilize my abilities to the fullest, but I don’t look at my work as my goal for fulfilling myself in any way – as I said, I work to earn money with which I make cosplays and participate in activities that bring me joy. But that’s it really. It can be any other job for that matter… although I do like stability, and I’ve been here for 5 years now. I’m all about working to live, not living to work.
What are some of your favorite activities or hobbies outside of cosplay?
I used to read a lot, admittedly not as much nowadays. I love watching movies, tv shows and read comics. Most of the day I’m making cosplays, that’s my main hobby, but I do spare some time to chatting with friends, hangouts and etc.
If you had unlimited time and resources, what would be your ultimate dream cosplay and why?
My dream cosplay was my Arkham Knight Batgirl cosplay, and I did it. I guess with unlimited time and resources I can make it even better, cast it from urethane instead of printing it.
I would love to make a Bo Katan cosplay as well, and I actually started it, but it’s a long process of printing and armor building so it’s taking time.
Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies that your followers might be surprised to learn about?
I used to sing and dance, I don’t as often now, but still do from time to time.
What’s your all-time favorite TV show or movie, and why?
Harry Potter. I was growing up reading the books and I love the movies. I’m a big Pottehead. I’ve been to the studios in the UK and America, I have a collection of wands, funko pops and books in different languages and editions. I also cosplayed Luna Lovegood, which is my favorite character.
Harry Potter forums were the first online community I got into when I was around 12 years old, and through that I got introduced to anime, that eventually led me to cosplay – so it kind of shaped who I am today.
Who is someone in the cosplay community or beyond that inspires you, and how have they influenced your work?
I wouldn’t want to name anyone in particular because so many people inspire me, I learn a lot from people all over the world even so long into this hobby. Super appreciative of everyone.
What is something about yourself that most people may not know about you, and that only the readers of this will get to learn about?
I really love languages and different cultures; I learned Korean alongside my major in International Relations in university for 3 years, and I know a little bit of Japanese, I speak Hebrew and English of course as well.
I’ve been to many different countries all over the world, from Asia to Europe to America… I really like traveling.
As an academic I used to be a research assistant for 3 different doctors — I have a paper under my name, it’s a nice achievement. I started my PhD but I put it on hold for now. My topics of interest were nuclear powers (especially in North Korea), and popular culture as a form of soft power.
I gained weight after my service and was overweight until I lost 110lbs in 2016, in a way it contributed to why I wasn't cosplaying as much during that period. I still fight dysmorphia and body image, it's a battle with myself. If anyone ever needs guidance with similar struggles, please hit me up! I'd love to help!
As a final question for this Q&A. For those reading who may be new to cosplay and looking to get into it, or for those looking to enhance their current cosplay creating abilities. Do you have any advice to share, or even any Tips or Tricks that you have picked up along your journey that might be useful for them?
Cosplay for yourself, do things that make you happy, don’t overthink it. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t cosplay, cosplay whatever you want! It’s your opportunity to become who you want to be! And most importantly – we all start small! Don’t jump over your head and take a huge project for your first cosplay, we all started doing simple things (well, most of us). You will improve with time, trust the process. Mistakes are lessons, don’t be afraid to make them.
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing cosplay journey with us, Taïr. Your dedication and creativity are truly inspiring, and we can’t wait to see what incredible projects you bring to life next.
As we wrap up, Taïr, do you have any final thoughts or messages you’d like to share with our readers? Where can people follow your incredible cosplay journey and stay updated on your latest projects and adventures?
Remember that cosplay should bring you joy, if you're not having fun and it's becoming too stressful - you should reconsider.
You can find me mostly on Instagram under @paper.moon.cosplay but also on Facebook under Paper Moon Cosplay and Tiktok under @paper.moon.cosplay
Feel free to hit me up with questions, I also try to elaborate on my progress on my highlights if it can help anyone!
Thank you again for taking the time to chat with us. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and can’t wait to see more of your fantastic work!
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