[Cartethyia Cosplay] Sacrilege, Receive Judgement! Wuthering Waves Cartethyia Photoshoot

Sacrilege, receive judgement. This time I've finally sorted out the cosplay photoshoot for Cartethyia (Phrolova) from Wuthering Waves. From preparation to shooting and post-processing, the entire cycle underwent a lot of fine-tuning of details. Today, I want to use this photoshoot to chat about my experiences during this creative process.

The wig features a light gold to white gradient tone with high-volume fluffiness, matching the breeze from a large fan to recreate that flowing effect. The elf ears were custom-made in a long, pointed style, with the edges repeatedly adjusted using skin wax and concealer to achieve a more natural transition with the face. The single horn on the head and the thorn-like wrapping crown were custom handcrafted using a combination of transparent acrylic and a metal skeleton; the surface received an ice-blue gradient translucent treatment, emitting a cold, faint blue glow when light passes through.

The eye makeup and colored contacts were the core focus of this styling session. The ice-blue pupils, paired with slightly winged eyeliner and light matte lipstick, strive to restore the character's detached, proud, and cold Onee-san / Mature woman aura.

The costume utilizes an asymmetrical deconstructed design in black, white, and faint blue. The neck area features a combination of a black leather collar and a metal buckle, with multiple layers of blue-and-white gradient tulle ribbons draping from both sides, creating excellent layering and a flowing effect when walking around. The waist and abdomen areas have extensive cutouts and black criss-cross straps; during the shoot, this outfit placed high demands on core control, requiring me to keep tight while showcasing a lazy, casual posture. The lower skirt hem features an irregular cut, adorned with fine black hidden-pattern embroidery and blue piping along the edges.

The weapon prop is the soul of the entire look—that cyan-blue wide-bladed greatsword carries serious weight. The prop maker integrated a lighting system inside the blade, which presents a gradient translucent texture when turned on. The hilt and handguard are sprayed with a metallic finish, paired with a dark skeleton and wing-like decorations; the overall counterweight is very solid, resting heavily in hand. To steadily lift the greatsword in front of the camera, I specially stepped up arm strength training before the shoot; when holding the sword, extra attention had to be paid to the wrist angle and center of gravity, otherwise the frame could easily look stiff.

The silver metallic-textured gauntlets worn on the arms feature a claw-like design, which, combined with the black straps, beautifully balances the weight of the armor with the lightness of the costume.

The shooting location was chosen as an indoor studio with cool tones. The background features retro Gothic pointed arch window frames and circular windows, paired with a white upholstered throne, delivering a visual sense of a palace or the master of a domain. A massive amount of dry-ice smoke was deployed on-site to create an ethereal, mist-shrouded atmosphere, while white feathers and glowing fine shimmers were spread across, allowing tiny starlight effects to float through the air with the coordination of studio lights, showcasing the essence of Anime-style photography.

The photographer was exceptionally skilled at capturing moments of action. The snapshots of lounging on the throne and kneeling while leaning on the sword, the dynamic cooperation of the fan, and the color unification in post-processing all helped immensely. No excessive skin smoothing was done in post-production, preserving the skin's natural texture to more directly showcase the makeup details, the metallic luster of the armor, and the flowing faint blue glow of the sword blade. Being able to transform one's understanding of a character into a concrete cosplay creation is in itself a deeply fulfilling achievement.