There are so many options out there for cosplay patterns and blueprints. You may be wondering why you even need a pattern to make a cosplay though. I firmly believe it is important to have some sort of guide of what you are going to be making instead of attempting to free hand your cosplay. It will set yourself up for the most success if you use a pattern or blueprint so you can get your cosplay to look however it is suppose to and make sure it will all fit and be scaled correctly.
There are two ways to come across patterns and blueprints for cosplays though. First is you can make them, second is purchasing. There is a few techniques for how to make them and quite a few places you can purchase them from. Here are the best options so you can get the best possible blueprints or patterns.
Purchasing Templates
Like I said one option is to just buy them. There is a ton of different online stores to order cosplay templates from. Lots of cosplayers will sell their cosplay patterns so other people can utilize them. This includes myself and cosplayers like Kamui Cosplay, SKS props, Kinpatsu cosplay, Pretzl cosplay, and more! The first thing to keep in mind when purchasing them is it is typically a digital file. You will need to print it out and cut it yourself. Now a lot of these cosplayers have their own websites to go to for purchasing patterns or even technical books on cosplaying. Not everyone has a website though and some people will sell through Etsy. I do love to browse Etsy for more patterns but do keep in mind not every seller is safe to shop from. Make sure to spend some time vetting the seller by checking how long they have been selling for, how many sales they have and their reviews.
You may not always have to get out the wallet though when hunting for cosplay patterns. Plenty of free options exist even from places like Mood Fabrics. Everything from sewing, foam and 3D printing files can be available for free online.
Make Your Own Cosplay Patterns
You can also make your patterns yourself! Making templates can be a lot of fun. Plus you can save yours and even start your own shop. I always recommend saving templates regardless since you never know where you might find a use for it again later.
You could start by hand drawing or tracing. Or you might be an incredibly talented artist and capable of drawing them out yourself free handed. If not, you can trace by hand or digitally in applications like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or Inkscape (free to use).
There’s also draping fabric on dress forms to create sewing patterns for cosplay or using plastic wrap, duct tape and a marker to create armor patterns. You have a ton of options for cosplay templates and blueprints! So, find a good one and get crafting!
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: there may be a few links in this post that are affiliate links. Clicking these links or making purchases through these links can help support myself and this blog.