There are multiple ways to add Cosplay to the website. You can click the My Content icon in the top header bar, which has links to your main content, and then click ‘My Cosplay’.

This will take you to your own ‘My Cosplay’ page. Once there, you’ll see a button at the top – ‘Add New Cosplay’. Click this to open a modal with the form to add a new Cosplay post.

The second way is to add new Cosplay from the main Cosplay Archive page. This is where all the Cosplay on the site is listed. As with the My Cosplay page, there is a button at the top of the page which will bring up the form for adding a new Cosplay post.

The final method is while adding or editing a Cosplayer post. On the ‘Content’ tab on the Cosplayer form, there is a selection box to select Cosplay to be assigned to the Cosplayer. At the bottom-right of this box, there is a ‘Add New Cosplay’ button.

This will open up a modal-within-a-modal, and when you fill in the form for the Cosplay and submit it, that Cosplay will automatically be added to the selected Cosplay in the Cosplay box for that Cosplayer.

The Add Cosplay Form

Now we’ll show you the ‘Add Cosplay’ form and break down each element.

Cosplay Title – This is the title of the Cosplay. Make sure to give it an appropriate title. If you’re uploading the Cosplay post, but you’re not the Cosplayer, make sure to use the same title that they did when they posted it at the original source. If they didn’t title it, choose a title that you think fits best. ‘Untitled 82737’ isn’t really a great title and giving it a suitable title will make it easier to find for Fans using the search and filter options. Even if it’s from a set, ‘Chloe Railroad 01’ and ‘Chloe Railroad 02’ as titles are fine. They still give us information about the content while also suggesting the Cosplay post is part of a set.

Cosplay Description – This is optional but can be helpful for users wanting to know more about the Cosplay that might not be immediately obvious. If you’re uploading the Cosplay, but you’re not the Cosplayer, you should generally use the description they did at the original source. However, depending on the context, that description may not make sense while posted on this website.

Cosplay Image – This is the image file that represents the Cosplay itself. Click the ‘Add Image’ button to upload the image from your computer or mobile device.

Another modal will pop up, where you can either select an existing image you’ve uploaded before, or upload a new one by clicking the ‘Upload Files’ tab:

If uploading a new image file, you can either drag it into the upload box or click the ‘Select Files’ button to select the image file from your computer:

The minimum Width and Height for Cosplay image files is 600px. This is because that is the cropped thumbnail size for the main listings on the site and the layout of those pages would not look optimal otherwise. The maximum file size has also been set at 3MB. This is to save on resources. We are hosting all media on Life Is Strange Fans on an Amazon S3 bucket and we’re paying a monthly charge for hosting those files as well as each time they’re requested by users visiting the site. There are lots of resources for reducing the file size of images without noticeably sacrificing quality, but we highly recommend Tiny JPG or Tiny PNG.

If you make a mistake or want to change the image assigned to this Cosplay post, click the ‘X’ icon in the top-tight of the image. You can then click the ‘Add Image’ button again to add a new image.

Cosplayer/s – This is where you assign the Cosplayer/s for this Cosplay. You should always first use the search box to see if the Cosplayer already exists on the site.

If they appear in the list in the box on the left, simply click their name to add them to the box on the right.  If you want to remove a Cosplayer from the box on the right, hover over it and click the minus icon. If the Cosplayer doesn’t already exist on the site, then you must add them now. You can use the ‘Add New Cosplayer’ button on the bottom-right. This will open a new modal-within-a-modal, where you can add the Cosplayer. Make sure to add all Cosplayers that feature in the Cosplay photo.

After filling out the ‘Add Cosplayer’ form and clicking Submit, that Cosplayer will automatically be added to the box on the right and you can continue with the rest of the form.

Multiple Cosplayer Check – If there is more than 1 Cosplayer in the Cosplay photo you’re adding, then you should check this box. This will reveal a new section below called ‘Cosplayer Credits’.

This will allow you add the name of the Character and assign which Cosplayer is cosplaying as them. Type in the Character’s name in the first box and then select a Cosplayer below by clicking on them in the box on the left. To add another row, click the ‘Add Credit’ button at the bottom:

To remove a row, hover anywhere over the Credit block and you’ll see a minus icon to the right.

Click it and you’ll be asked to confirm that you definitely want to remove the row:

You can also add a new row by clicking on the plus icon that appears while hovering over any Credit row. This will add the new Credit row above the row you’re currently on.

Photographer – Start typing in the field to find any existing Photographers in our database and click to add them. If you want to add any new Photographers, click the ‘Add New Photographer’ button and in the popup box, enter the name of the Photographer and click ‘Add Photographer’. The Photographer will be added to this Cosplay post automatically but will appear in the choices when adding any new Cosplay posts in the future.

Note: Photographers do not have their own individual pages on the site. We may consider adding this in future if there is enough demand for it.

Cosplay Set Check – If the Cosplay post is part of a Set, click the checkbox here. A new section will be revealed below, allowing you to add any other Cosplay posts that are part of the same set. A Set is defined as multiple Cosplay photos related by theme and usually photographed on the same day/in the same session.

If the related Cosplay isn’t already added on the site, you can add the Cosplay now by clicking the ‘Add New Cosplay’ button below the Cosplay selection box. This is a great way to add a full Set all at once.

Related Videos Check – Some Cosplay might have related Videos – for example, a fan-made short film featuring Cosplayers. To add a related Cosplay Video, check the box and select a Video in the box below.

If the Video doesn’t already exist on the site, click the ‘Add New Video’ button to add it now.

Link To Character Page – Search for the relevant Characters that appear in this Cosplay and simply click their name to add them to the box on the right. We’ve already added the main characters from all Life Is Strange games as well as some side characters, but if a Character in a Cosplay you want to upload is missing in this list, please contact us and let us know.

Featured Characters – Start typing in the field to find Characters and click to add them. Select any Characters that are featured in the Fan Art, even if they are only in a photo in the background of the image.

Unlike the ‘Link to Character Page’ option, this field is used for filtering, allowing Fans to quickly find any other Fan Art featuring these Characters.

Tags – Start typing in the field to find any relevant Tags and click to add them. If you want to add any new Tags, click the ‘Add New Tag’ button and in the popup box, enter the name of the Tag and click ‘Add Tag’. The Tag will be added to this Cosplay post automatically but will appear in the choices when adding any new Cosplay posts in the future.

If the Tag already exists you’ll be notified. Search for that Tag in the field instead to add it to the Cosplay.

Please note that in order to help Fans find the content they want, adding Tags is mandatory (denoted by the red asterisk). Consider the Characters featured in the Cosplay, the location, the mood, the colors or lighting or anything else that is significant about the piece. Tags such as ‘crying’, ‘sunset’, ‘lighthouse’, or ‘Max’ are all relevant, useful Tags.

Locations – Click the selection box to find any relevant Locations and click to add them. Start typing in the field to search for existing Locations. If you want to add any new Locations, click the ‘Add New Location’ button and in the popup box, enter the name of the Location and click ‘Add Location’. The Location will be added to this Cosplay post automatically but will appear in the choices when adding any new Cosplay posts in the future.

Tip: For all of the above fields, hold CRTL/CMD to keep the selection box open and add multiple selections quickly.

Games – Click the selection box and then click any Game that is relevant to the Cosplay to add it. You may choose more than 1 Game if appropriate (for example, it’s a crossover Cosplay that features Characters from more than 1 Game).

Episodes – Click the selection box and then click any Episode that is relevant to the Cosplay to add it. You may choose more than 1 Episode if appropriate (for example, it’s a collage that features scenes from more than 1 Episode).

View Cosplay On Other Sites – Every Cosplay has an original source. You must select at least one by checking the relevant box. For each box you check, a new field will appear where you can copy and paste the full URL that links to the Cosplay as it appears on that network.

We’ve added the most common art sites and social networks, but if the Cosplay you want to upload appears on a source not listed here, please contact us to let us know.

Submit – Finally, once you’ve filled in all relevant fields, click the Submit button to add the Cosplay to the site. If you’re on a Cosplay Archive page or your ‘My Cosplay’ page, the page will refresh and your Cosplay will now appear in the listings.