
Cosplay Tips with AstraVoid – DIY Mastery to GalaxyCon Judge
From Conversations that Count by David Shaft
July 2, 2025 · 32 min · Episode 50
About this episode
AstraVoid shares her journey from biology to becoming a GalaxyCon judge, offering cosplay tips and insights into the creative process.
Cosplay tips, DIY costume ideas, and GalaxyCon judge secrets—AstraVoid reveals the self-taught path that took her from biology classes to the spotlight at GalaxyCon’s Nightmare Weekend Chicago. After mastering sewing, foam-smithing, wigs, LEDs (and winning major awards) Astra landed a guest contract at 21 and now mentors the next wave of creators. If you’ve ever dreamed of turning fandom into a full-time career, this episode of Conversations That Count is your roadmap. • 00:48 From forensics major to foam & fabric: the origin story • 04:22 “We’d like to offer you a contract”—GalaxyCon moment 👀 • 08:35 Beating age stigma: let the work speak 💥 • 13:18 Inside a 100-hour Hunger Games build (hand-painted corset) • 17:50 Judging philosophy: fairness, advocacy, zero con politics • 22:40 Streaming setup, PewDiePie chair & upcoming tutorials • 27:15 Creator safety 101: stalkers, the “lag rule” for posts • 30:30 Weekly challenge: spark one genuine 2-minute chat with a stranger Love practical creativity and real-talk inspiration? Follow, rate, and review—the support helps us bring on even bigger guests. Links: linktr.ee/AstraVoidCosplay galaxycon.com ← GalaxyCon main site…
People in this episode
Host: David Shaft
Guest: AstraVoid
Topics covered
- cosplay
- DIY costume
- GalaxyCon
- mentorship
- creativity
Keywords
- cosplay tips
- DIY costume ideas
- GalaxyCon judge
- mentorship
- creativity
- sewing
- foam-smithing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: GalaxyCon
Books & works: Hunger Games
Places: Chicago
More episodes of Conversations that Count
- Plugged In Collection at Indy Fest: Detroit fashion, HBCU style, and Building on Woodward · March 11, 2026 · 5 min
- Dom Lewis also known as Domitrick: Gymnastics, Flips, and Building a Real Community Online · March 4, 2026 · 42 min
- Nappi Devi at Detroit INDIEFEST: I Bet, Detroit music, and the October EP · February 25, 2026 · 6 min
- Street Justice Reunion: Red on Detroit hip hop, Netflix Free Bird, and Indie Fest · February 18, 2026 · 6 min
- The Other Side of Color Recap: Identity, Prejudice, and the Hedgehog Concept · February 11, 2026 · 12 min
- The Other Side of Color with JL James: Prejudice, Identity, and Resilience · February 4, 2026 · 43 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Conversations that Count podcast page.