Contest Judging
The Grand Masquerade Contest (with the exception of the community choice award) will be judged by a panel of unbiased judges, each of whom are exceptionally skilled in the various fields of cosplay and costuming. The judges will be announced on our social media shortly after the competitions announcement.
The judging rubric is as follows:
Please note the completed score cards are for Coscom and its judges internal use only and will not be made public for any reason.
The TLDR of each category:
Creativity and Ingenuity - We want to see creativity in the use of materials, the design/ construction, and how you approach recreating fictional elements that may or may not be possible in reality.
Cleanliness of Execution and Fit - We are looking to see clean execution of all elements presented. Things like finishing sewn seams, adding linings where appropriate, sanding and priming of 3D prints and EVA foam. Body type is not considered in the judging process but the outfit should be tailored and made to fit you.
Character Accuracy to Source Material or Original Concept - If you are creating a character from an existing media we want to see how faithfully it has been replicated and if all details are present and accurate. If you have taken artistic interpretations or liberties with the design, we will be judging if they feel authentic to the world and characters aesthetics. If you are creating an original character or original concept, the is a section of the application to explain your vision, and we will be judging how well it was executed.
Ambition and Construction- Certain costumes demand a higher degree of technical difficulty to execute. A corset is more challenging to construct than a T shirt. You may choose to include things like smoke, lights, animatronics, ect. That are not typical or required but demonstrate a higher skill level. And While you may not always achieve the exact vision there are still points for trying.
Judges Personal Score - Is the judges overall impression of your costume based on their cosplay expertise and background.
