[Gongsun Li Cosplay] Smoke of Partings: Flute Melody Telling Stories of the Jianghu

When I first saw the key art for the Smoke of Partings design, I was deeply captivated by its cool, aloof look and ink wash texture. My shooting partner this time was photographer @YumiNyan. We chose a semi-outdoor venue in a shopping mall atrium right next to lush green bushes. The natural light filtering through the glass skylight gave the entire setup the illusion of an outdoor shoot.

First prepared was this dark blue wig, with metallic ring headbands and red bead accessories accenting the top hair bun and side chignons. To recreate the character's double-bun hairstyle, plenty of cotton was stuffed inside the hair buns to support their shape; since the metallic rings of the hair ornaments slip off easily, they were specially reinforced with epoxy resin (AB glue) and hot melt glue before walking around outdoors. For makeup, purple-blue contact lenses were chosen, combined with sheer eyeshadow blending, hoping to present a gaze that carries a faint melancholy while hinting at heroic spirit. The lip color selected was a matte shade without deliberately emphasizing shine, in order to align with the clear, clean feel of traditional Chinese ink wash style.

The costume section was our centerpiece this time; the gold ring at the neckline and the detailed combination of red, white, and teal colors tested the tailor's skill immensely. The light, sheer gauze fabric of the sleeves snags very easily, but its light translucency under shooting lamps is excellent; the blue-and-white gradient of the skirt shifts naturally with satisfying drape. To match this flowing feel, a pair of clear-heeled block sandals was specifically chosen for the seated and standing full-body shots, maintaining visual leg elongation without stealing the spotlight from the dress itself. Meanwhile, going barefoot in Photo 1 was an attempt to present a more unconstrained state closer to the original concept art's mood.

The prop staff in the character setting is a flute design named \"Liren Lei\" (Tears of the Departed). I specifically observed the curvature of the staff in the original illustration; the teal leaf-shaped structure at the top and the golden trimming were recreated very accurately in reality. During the shoot, we tried several holding angles: holding the staff horizontally with both hands during half-body close-ups nicely displayed the prop's detailed structure and my face; while resting the staff casually against the shoulder with one hand in seated full-body shots offered an easygoing, expressive vibe. Since the staff is quite long, holding it horizontally can easily obscure facial lines, so in the bench-seated pose of Photo 3, we repeatedly adjusted the tip's direction and arm spread so the overall look wouldn't feel cramped.

The venue lighting was actually the biggest challenge—sunlight pouring through the hollowed glass ceiling created harsh shadows around the eye sockets and jawline. We used reflectors to fill facial light while adjusting camera angles to avoid direct glare from ceiling lights, utilizing diffuse light to soften character contours. In post-processing editing, focus was placed on enhancing skin cleanliness and clothing texture. Since this is an ink wash style ancient style cosplay, it couldn't be edited into an overly exaggerated plastic feel; an ethereal touch needed to be added atop authentic textures. Color-wise, I favored a cool palette alternating between teal-blue and grey-white, perfectly echoing the lush greenery and light grey stone tile floor in the background.

My personal favorite in this photo set is actually the seated pose in Photo 3: sitting on a black step chair with one leg crossed and toes naturally relaxed. This relaxed posture, combined with light gauze sleeves and skirt flowing gently in the breeze, extended leg lines while avoiding looking overly staged. To achieve this relaxed feel, a single moment maintaining the posture was adjusted repeatedly, because the ground steps and heel angles had to align vertically, and ankle pressure would also affect facial expressions. On the same day, we also tried leaning against the flower bed like in Photo 1, and a more casual side-seated posture in Photo 2—each pose required different arrangements to display the clothing's finest drapery.

Whenever attempting a character with strong traditional Chinese elements, I put extra effort into clothing accessories and prop details. I hope to project that \"heroic spirit\" from the game's original artwork into the real physical world—this isn't just a simple photo shoot, but an exploration of character persona. Passersby in the mall occasionally gathered to watch out of curiosity; though slightly nerve-wracking, it added vibrant real-world warmth to this otherwise ordinary venue. This is the wuxia moment we crafted inside a standard shopping mall, and I hope this photo set conveys the coldness and decisiveness unique to Smoke of Partings.