[Gladiia cosplay] Arknights Abyssal Hunters: Bound by Bloodlines

Preparing the costumes, makeup, and props for these Abyssal Hunters took three full weeks. When I saw @幾望の月's makeup and styling plan for Ulpianus (Ulpianus cosplay), I knew that this Gladiia cosplay had to deliver an equally refined texture. Selecting the dark blue coat fabric took quite some time, ultimately settling on a suiting fabric with a subtle jacquard pattern. The red collar was crafted into a stiff lapel to contrast sharply with the dark blue base. The white ruffles on the chest were sewn on layer by layer with dense pleating; the white rose right in the center was crafted directly onto the finished piece, reinforced inside with wire to prevent collapsing. The white gloves at the cuffs were custom-tailored, requiring three or four wrist measurements and two elastic band modifications to fit the hands perfectly.

The wig used silver-gray hair wefts styled into curls; to achieve natural curvature, the ends were crimped with a micro-crimper and slowly brushed out. The hairline area was quite tedious, requiring spray paint to smooth the roots and hair wax along the edges so it cleanly contoured the face. The silicone elf ear props required liquid foundation mixed with specific concealers to blend seamlessly into my facial skin tone, gently pressed at the edges with a beauty sponge to prevent lifting. For makeup, dark red blending was applied at the outer corners of the eyes with elongated eyeliner to accentuate a sharp, lethal gaze, complemented by a cool-toned red lip. Before heading to the studio, I test-ran this makeup on my face—since blending edges can be tricky to control, I deliberately used two eyeshadow shades, applying the lighter shade first at the outer eye corners before layering the darker one to achieve a smooth gradient.

Ulpianus's silver-white short wig, paired with that deep blue pointed hat and iconic black mask, defined the character's core essence. To complement his tone, I specifically dialed down the overall exposure of the scene. The shoot took place in a relatively dark studio, where the photographer set up two lighting groups: one warm-white frontal group to sculpt facial depth, and a side-backlight hitting the hat brim to form sharp rim lighting. While posing—whether adjusting my hat brim or fine-tuning hand gestures—I paid special attention to maintaining the character's distinct poise, such as slightly lifting my chin. Because Ulpianus wore a mask, he relied solely on his eyes to convey emotion; when framing two-shots, we deliberately offset our sightlines to highlight the unique relational tension between these Abyssal Hunters. During breaks, we continually refined facial shadows to ensure no unwanted oily shine appeared under intense lights. Additionally, white ruffles get dirty very easily, so I kept the garment carefully protected on a hanger before wearing it slowly on set to prevent cosmetic smudges. The soles of the high heels were also scuffed slightly to avoid slipping on the studio floor.

In post-production retouching, priority was placed on preserving authentic skin texture rather than making faces overly pale or washed out. In color grading, we dialed back the blue luminance and boosted shadow contrast, giving the visuals a clean and premium texture. While cleaning up stray hairs, we also edited out the wig supports on the right side for a more natural finish. Overall, I hoped this set would not just showcase costumes, but faithfully capture the cool, aloof, and mysterious allure of these two characters. Though there is always room for refinement, the shoot went very smoothly, serving as a practical test of my costume styling, makeup, and on-camera presence in cosplay. Especially for someone like me with modest crafting skills, successfully anchoring the front placket on my own felt like a win. By the end of the session, I was drenched in sweat, but seeing the finished photos made every bit of exhaustion worthwhile. I hope to challenge equally complex styling next time, and I'll share more angles in a few days!