We here at Pop Culture Uncovered LOVE cosplayers.  We feature them every Monday on our Cosplay Spotlight, and a couple of our own contributors & editors are even cosplayers.  That being said, with the increasing level of cosplay talent, comes a need for an increase in the level of cosplay props & accessories (weapons, armor, etc).  Today, in light of that, we wanted to focus your attention on some incredible prop work, done by a very interesting guy out of Trept, France.

iKnufi Design has made many different types of high-quality cosplay props and accessories – things like various versions of Captain America’s shield, Harley Quinn’s oversized hammer, Link’s Master Sword, Batman’s batarangs, and much more.

We got a chance to speak with iKnufi Design, and asked him what inspired him to make these amazing creations:

“It’s a set of things. Since childhood, I have always been passionate about, and attracted to the superhero universe; especially Marvel Comics. I read a lot of comics and I always wanted to learn more about them.  When I was kid, my dad showed me a lot of classic and cult movies (2001, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future…).  This marked me a lot and molded my personality.  This is why I like to make props – the sensation you get when you have the props of your favorite childhood heroes in your hand is priceless!”

iKnufi Design stated that his biggest challenge so far has been a full Iron Man MK6 armor.  He began the build in 2014, and worked on it every day for 2 weeks. 

While one would think that something like that would be the most rewarding kind of build, he disagrees.  When asked about his most rewarding experience, he stated,

“This year, I made a custom Captain America shield mixed with the Star Wars Empire logo, which was inspired from the Star Wars mashup series from the artist Jonathan Bolerjack.  I posted the shield to my Facebook page and have received a lot of notifications [about it] on my phone.  It was even shared by the RPF Official page!  I was so happy and proud of my work!”

 

Much like we do with our Cosplay Spotlights, we also asked iKnufi Design what advice he would give to those who were new to cosplay, fabrication, or prop-making.  He had this to say:

“Take your time! It’s the best way for me to have perfect props with perfect details.
At the begining, I was very excited and in a hurry when a new idea or project came into my mind. I just wanted to finish my stuff quickly, to display it in my bedroom and have fun with it!  But, that’s not the best way to do things.  When you rush, you end up regretting the quality & details of the prop.  So yes; be excited, happy, passionate, whatever; but take your time!
Also, I’ve noticed one thing at conventions and in some cosplay or props groups on Facebook.  Some people become big-headed and start neglecting the beginners.  I hate that so much.  I think it’s very important to share tips & concepts with each other, and not take things so seriously. Let’s have fun!”

You can follow iKnufi Design on Facebook and Instagram to keep an eye on his amazing work!