[Xishi Cosplay] Honor of Kings Xi Shi - You Long Qing Ying Cosplay — A Cool, Ethereal Traditional Style Cosplay Interpretation

The shooting plan for Xi Shi - You Long Qing Ying cosplay in Honor of Kings started right after selecting this look. To present the agile yet cool aura from the skin art, much effort went into early prep for makeup, costume, and set design.

Let's talk about costume and prop details first. The silver-white hair needed grooming first, with bun hair on both sides puffed for volume, embellished with fluffy white spherical pom-poms for a touch of cuteness. The cyan-blue dragon horn headpiece on top is the soul of the entire look—transparent with a glossy finish, requiring secure fastening to avoid shifting during large movements. For makeup, soft pink tones were chosen to mirror the color scheme, paired with purple-gray contact lenses to highlight the character's mystery and ethereal feel.

The outfit's layering is rich. Primary colors are white and clear ice blue, accented with subtle golden lines. Off-the-shoulder design reveals neck and collarbone lines for visual lightness. The golden lotus-shaped metallic ornament on the chest has excellent texture, serving as the visual center of gravity for the top. Paired with sheer fabric on the lower body and blue-and-white leg guards, the overall aesthetic presents traditional style cosplay elegance combining ethereal grace and fluid beauty. Barefoot design makes sitting cross-legged on tatami mats feel exceptionally natural.

Studio set design this time was complete. The ground was laid with Japanese tatami mats, surrounded by atmospheric pink cherry blossom branches, emerald bamboo, and retro oil-paper umbrellas. Looking closely reveals blue scrolls and bamboo slips on low tables, grounding the traditional style aesthetic further.

Regarding lighting, the photographer cleverly used warm-cool contrasts. The background used a huge cyan light-transmitting cloth casting cool cyan background light to evoke an otherworldly cool detachment; frontal left/right lanterns and ground lights cast warm yellow soft light to illuminate the face. This alternating cool and warm lighting made the character three-dimensional in frame while keeping a dreamy mood.

During shooting, holding positions for the blue orb were adjusted repeatedly. The orb has reflectivity, so hand angles needed to avoid excessive finger blocking while creating good interactive feel with the lens. Switching between close-ups and full-body shots required rapid transitions. In sitting poses, I paid attention to leg placement so leg guards and skirt hemlines draped naturally, expanding visual tension via extended arms. In standing poses, I deliberately emphasized arm-spreading agility, as if riding the wind.

Though setup and shooting took a long time, seeing the final images blend classical scene beauty with character ethereal grace brought a sense of accomplishment. This approach of shaping situations through sets and lighting rather than limiting to the character alone is one reason I love cosplay photography.