When working on this Yi cosplay, the biggest headache was having a 3D-modeling perfectionist friend by my side. Since he spends every day scrutinizing 3D models down to the millimeter, he holds strict evaluation standards for bone structure and hair luster. Whenever I wanted to slack off during makeup, he would instantly call me out. Being held to such relentless scrutiny kept me on edge throughout the entire preparation process.
First, regarding the wig: this blue-and-white gradient hair was a real test of styling and trimming skills. Just shaping the straight bangs resting right against the eyebrows and the face-framing sideburns, along with airbrushing the gradient tips, took two full days. To achieve the 'texture' he demanded, I specially bought styling wax to sculpt the strands, ensuring the hair maintained distinct layers on camera rather than looking like a clumpy mess.
Then came the makeup. To match the character's crisp chilliness, I chose purple colored contacts, blending layers of pink-purple eyeshadow and extending the outer corners. To emulate that sharp 3D-modeled jawline, I applied heavy contouring, because only precise cheek shading gives the facial features that surreal, sleek 2D planar feel in front of the lens.
Costume details were another major highlight. The white coat is very thick, adorned with metallic buttons and silver embroidery, with structured edges that provide sharp tailoring. The sleeves feature deep blue splicing, and the gloves have subtle jacquard textures. The inner black trousers and smooth white shirt held up well against wrinkles. The studio lights were hot that day, and the outfit was heavy and sweltering. Holding the cyan-blue scabbard with gold patterns and the cup prop shaped like blue flames made my wrists ache, as holding them naturally required steady posture.
The set was decorated with a giant blue moon light and pink sakura props. The photographer used cool key lighting supplemented with purplish-red fill light. During post-processing, fine adjustments leaned toward a CGI-model texture, boosting cool-tone contrast and smoothing away pores and color noise. Under my friend's watchful gaze, any hint of an insufficiently cold stare or sluggish movement meant an immediate retake. Although real-world constraints make it hard to 100% replicate a 3D model on a screen, seeing the aloof gaze and cool-toned atmosphere in the final photos made all the grueling effort under high-pressure supervision worthwhile—it represents my best effort at capturing the character's true aura.