The Mother Shu project has reached this core look, themed 'Until the Earth Becomes a Lime.' This is a Shu cosplay from Arknights, pairing this white, yellow, and blue wig with a Long skirt. In early preparation, the primary focus was capturing the texture of the Dragon horns; the blue-and-yellow gradient spray painting required repeated adjustments. The wig features a custom color, and shaping the airy bangs and curvature of the hair tips took considerable effort.
For the outfit, this Long skirt is crafted from jacquard-patterned fabric, with semi-sheer sleeves and pearl embellishments along the neckline enhancing visual depth. The blue bird necklace at the collarbone serves as the focal point; to faithfully match the original design, I sourced accessories specifically to ensure the silver chain and pearl combination looked lustrous on camera. On the day of the shoot, we explored numerous angles. The first photo is a frontal close-up highlighting makeup and styling details, especially eye proportions and contact lens color. To match the 'lime' concept—fresh yet grounded with earthly richness—I spent a long time layering the eye makeup with cyan-green shades. The second photo introduces handheld bead strings as foreground to enrich framing. The third and fourth photos are indoor mirror selfies, mainly showcasing the drape of the full-body Long skirt and overall silhouette.
The studio setup was fairly basic with clogs and equipment on the floor, but post-processing emphasized atmospheric depth to present the character's dignified, serene aura. Certain styling choices were made to highlight costume ingenuity and prop accuracy. The Long skirt hem flows gracefully during movement—a dynamic effect that heavily tested fabric selection; too stiff looked unnatural while too soft lacked volume, so a blended material with moderate body was chosen.
For makeup and retouching, facial contours were subtly refined for three-dimensional definition. Layering multiple colors in the eye makeup softened the overall gaze. We also tested multiple poses to showcase details like the Dragon horns and pearl necklace. The most demanding element was the blue-and-yellow horns: rigid and heavy, requiring secure fastening to prevent slipping. Yet donning the horns instantly transformed my aura to match the character.
As a centerpiece of the project, this set took over a week from styling to shooting. Centered on the earth-related lime motif, I deliberately chose expansive white paired with blue-and-yellow contrast—white represents purity, while blue and yellow embody vitality. Seeing the final results is deeply rewarding, making all the effort worthwhile. With many delicate details like chest pleats and sheer shoulder fabrics needing careful maintenance, I hope this showcase conveys the unique charm of Shu from Arknights and documents the reflections this character brought me.