Cosplayer Feature: Dexter
How long have you been doing cosplay and what first got you interested?
A school friend got me interested in cosplay. We bonded over an interest in anime, and she slowly introduced me to cosplaying and conventions. I fell in love with it and have been doing it for around 13-14 years now! I always had an interest in doing special effects makeup and usually helped out at haunted houses before then, but cosplay opened up the doors to so much more and it was hard not to get wrapped up into it. I primarily just do makeup looks to save on money these days but I'm excited to start making full cosplays again for Lore Olympus and start hitting up cons again!
Who is your favorite Lore Olympus character to cosplay?
It's hard to say which LO character is my favorite to cosplay, because they're all so much fun, and I've done so many of them. Celestial Hades and Kronos were by far the most interesting to do makeup for and certainly took the longest to do.
Doing drag has always made for a bit more fun especially when it came to makeup for Persephone and drag queen Hades.
All in all though, I'd have to say I'm a sucker for any Hades look!
What is the most memorable cosplay you did? And why?
The most memorable cosplay I've done for LO has to be celestial Hades by far! The makeup took hours to do because I tried to get that negative space effect as realistic as possible just using face paints and eye shadows I had laying around. Not to mention I only had one reference picture to go off of when he first showed that side of himself in the comic. Although I hated the nose contour I was surprised at how well it actually turned out and how well it was received. That really made it special to me since the only other time that happened was when I did makeup for Disney's Ursula!
Tell us your Lore Olympus story. What got you into Lore Olympus and what made you stay?
I remember stumbling upon Lore Olympus when I was in a really difficult spot in my life, and it honestly gave me a lot of joy and comfort. I could relate a lot to some of the characters and their own struggles while it opened up my eyes to other points of views on certain subjects as well. It helped distract me from a rough time in my life and continued to be a source of happiness for me as well as making me many new and close friends I cherish so deeply and feel so lucky to have in my life. That’s really what's kept me so dedicated to the comic and the fandom. I'm truly grateful to Rachel for creating something so wonderful that has connected so many people.
Any advice for a new cosplayer out there?
My best advice for new cosplayers is to never sell yourself short. Everyone gets their start somewhere in the craft, some people have years of experience in sewing or makeup before they get into cosplay, while others are learning for the first time when they get into it.
No matter where you're starting, you should always be proud of the progress you make and remember that it isn't a competition where you need to be better than anyone else.
As long as you're happy and enjoy what you're doing, it will make cosplay so much more fun and you'll love it even more! Also always remember to carry some safety pins and hairspray with you at all times at cons. It will save you a lot of hassle with costume malfunctions!
Just for fun: Who did you get on the Hades’ dog character quiz?
Pomelia!
Dexter is a 23 year old make-up artist and drag queen from Chicago. Follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bootyemperor/