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We were thrilled to team up with Swedish cosplayer and designer Tenkou to bring Isobel Veloise to life through this extraordinary cosplay!
To commemorate the launch of the High Isle Chapter, we wanted to take Isobel Veloise, one of the two new Companions you will meet during your adventures on the Systres Archipelago and bring her to life via cosplay. To accomplish this, we partnered with the talented Tenkou, and the results were incredible. Check out the completed Isobel cosplay and learn about how it was crafted below.
Hi Tenkou! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. Please, tell us a bit about yourself! How long have you been cosplaying and how did you get started?
I'm a 28-year old Swedish cosplay artist. I've been cosplaying for about 10 years now, and I used to sew my own clothes before that!
I’ve always thought cosplay was cool, and eventually realized that I had to try my hand at it, and once I did, it quickly stuck!
When it comes to pulling together a cosplay, is there an aspect to craft you particularly enjoy?
After working on several cosplays, I realized that I really wanted to become a makeup artist. That, and I hated putting together wigs, haha! Eventually I decided, "Okay, I really need to learn how to design better wigs," and now, a couple of years later, I have a bachelor in SFX and Wig-Making!
It's been so fun to follow the paths that this hobby has led me down!
The completed Isobel cosplay
The cosplay you crafted for The Elder Scrolls Online is of Isobel, one of High Isle’s new Companions. What are your impressions of her so far?
Isobel immediately caught my attention. Her design is so strong and heroic. She's comes off as this stalwart warrior with a sensitive side to her personality. But what really won me over is once she called herself "a clod" and "uncultured" and that’s when I knew: that's the one!
We’re glad to hear you love Isobel as much as we do! Speaking of Isobel, I think you’d agree that her hair is very distinctive. Could you explain how you emulated it?
I started with a black curly lace front wig and removed some of the wefts in the back to make it easier to braid and lay flat on the neck! Then I made two tight braids and twisted them across one another at the neck, met them up front and pinned it in place with bobby pins. A bit like a milkmaid braid!
Isobel’s wig
Do you have any advice for those who want replicate Isobel’s style of makeup?
Isobel’s eyebrows are VERY distinctive, almost like a drag queen’s! Using some glue sticks and hair gel, I covered my eyebrows. Next, I put concealer and foundation on top and painted new eyebrows with a brush! That way I could shape the arch and the thin, 90s-style brows.
You can use some concealer to help shape your lips, and then fill them in with lipliner and lipstick to mimic the character’s design. Isobel’s lips are quite squared, so I tried to emulate that.
Freckles! With the help of alcohol- or water-based paint, you can combine paint and water and swirl it around on a toothbrush. Then proceed to flick the paint toward your face to create realistic freckles!
When it comes to makeup, sometimes less is more. Focus on key points of your face that you want to adjust and add slight shadow or light to those areas. A slight shadow around the chin can make it bigger or smaller determining on how you use it. Additionally, where you choose to add shadow on the inner part of your eyes can really make a difference!
And most importantly: HAVE FUN! Experiment and try new techniques! As long as you like the end result, there is no correct order in which to do things.
Isobel’s distinctive hair and makeup
What about any advice for your fellow cosplayers who want to create their own Isobel cosplay?
You can buy a whole array of lace front wigs at Coscraft or Wig is Fashion. I personally use foam sheets from Cosplayshop.be. If you want to create a weathered look for your fabric/armor, remember to work in thin layers to really build up the wear/tear, dirt, and rust. And take a moment to consider where some of these imperfections would have naturally occurred on the armor.
I recommend buying a flexible primer or paint like Hexflex or a good fabric medium to minimize the risk of paint chipping or cracking. The foam pieces I made for Isobel can be bent and folded into a bag with no creases even occurring!
Also, remember to invest in a good pattern! Both Pretzl Cosplay and Kamui Cosplay has some great foam armor patterns you can print at home that will make your work a lot easier! Don’t be afraid to rip things apart and start over if you don't like something. We all learn through mistakes!
Isobel’s armor
Thank you, Tenkou, for all the valuable advice on how to approach outfits like this one, and for sharing your creative process with us! If you’d like to see more of Tenkou and her work, check her out on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Twitch! And be sure to leave a like on her awesome cosplay of the endearing Isobel Veloise, who you can encounter while playing through The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle.
