It’s a humbling experience to interview cosplayers all over the world. We hope you feel the same when you read about them and follow them online. Many cosplayers tend to have a specific focus. This cosplayer is a creative makeup artist from Tennessee, USA, presenting: Kittum.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi, guys! My name is Kittum, and I’m a passionate SFX Makeup Artist, avid Dancer, Megamind Enthusiast and Cosplayer. I don’t focus so much on sewing and creating costumes, but I do really enjoy breathing life into characters, whether it be through transformative makeup, recreating facial expressions, or acting in character. Although, normally it is a combination of all three!
What is your primary method of funding your projects? Is cosplay/makeup your main source of income?
I fund my projects almost entirely through my full-time job as an Administrative Assistant. I do receive the occasional paid sponsorship in which a company will reach out and ask me to either cosplay a character associated with their company, or have me advertise a few of their products and receive a small commission in return. Besides that, I do accept Ko-Fi donations and items off my Amazon Wishlist, but neither of those are ever expected. Sometimes I sell old cosplays on my Instagram story as well. Apart from that, I do not make a profit from my hobby!
What are your favorite and least favorite cosplays in your collection?
A few of my favorite cosplays are Axel (Kingdom Hearts), Lars of The Stars (Steven Universe), Double Trouble (She-Ra), Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), and Megamind. All of these have incredible memories associated with them, and each have pieces that I am proud to have made myself!
Some cosplays I’m not quite as fond of are Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug), only because they both don’t have the best memories associated with them, and are a tad stale since I’ve been cosplaying them for over four years now. I do still enjoy cosplaying them, though!
What are the three most essential things to have with you when cosplaying at a convention?
I have pretty finicky blood sugar issues, so I always make sure to have granola bars and water on me at all times! Apart from that? Gotta keep that handy-dandy makeup setting spray around; it really helps you out in having the looks you worked so hard on last all day long!
What surprises you the most about your fans? Is there anything a fan can bring you that will make you cry for joy?
The fact that it is feasible for me to be a person who has so many supporters and strangers who know who I am literally blows my whole mind. I am just out here occasionally updating my virtual makeup gallery and people from all of the world have not only seen my work, but have elected to continually support me, regularly view projects I have created, and have even noticed me in person at conventions! That will always boggle me. The people that I have met through my hobby are some of the kindest, most supportive individuals I have ever (sometimes never) met. If someone brings me virtually ANYTHING it always means the whole world to me. The fact that someone took the time and care to pick something out, or even make something for me will never fail to make me smile.
How did you grow your fanbase and what advice would you have for people trying to grow in the cosplay community?
Oh! I don’t really like to call people who support my hobby “fans”; it’s just never sounded right to me since I’m more of a hobbyist than a business. I’ve been cosplaying for about six years now, and over the years I’ve just watched the follower count on my page grow organically. Shares from bigger pages like Miccostumes and being put on the Discover page certainly helps with that growth, but I’ve noticed genuine engagement with fellow cosplayers grows an audience the most. My advice for people trying to grow? Do not cosplay just to get big. Cosplay because you get to be a kid again. Do it because it makes you happy, and it brings others happiness. It allows you to become skilled in something you never thought possible. Because it lets you make lifelong friendships. There are so many reasons to cosplay, and I promise if you do it for the love and passion of it, you will grow naturally.
