I feel like the act of cosplaying itself isn't art, but the work that goes into doing a hand-made costume is. Some of the sewing is so detailed and amazing *-*

If fashion is an art cosplaying should be considered one too. My sister's going to be cosplaying as Rikku from FFX-2 and she's already started making shoes and working on making the rest of her outfit from scratch.

I think cosplay can go either way, honestly--same as photography, drawing, or dancing. Presentation's a big part of it! If you have a gorgeous costume, but the photos you post are all bad lighting/sets/etc that's taking photos of something you're doing just for fun. If your photos have a full set (or at least a good setting!), they're almost guaranteed to be more artistic.

(Costuming itself is an art anyway, so I'm not going to touch on it. XD)

Hmm, well, like most people who've posted I think the actual wearing of the costume can't be considered art. A lot of people buy their cosplays online, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it's certainly not artistic as Murasaki Fujiwara said before me. :)

The making of the costume is a different matter. My first thought on the subject was that since one wouldn't be designing the outfit it couldn't be art, but with further contemplation I realised it's just the same as life drawing and such; the execution takes creative skill.

So in short, no, I don't think cosplay is an art. But sewing from a design is, and so it follows that the making of the cosplay constitutes art. :D Cosplay photography when done seriously is also an art, but it's not synonymous with cosplay itself so I won't mention it further.

Sewing, propmaking, wigcrafting... its all art. I am so offended to think that people think of it as otherwise.

It is not art once its mass produced. Cosplay-selling websites offend me so horribly. Even single commissions are better because at least you are paying someone for unique, handcrafted art. The great painters such as Michaelangelo and Da Vinci all did commissions.

And just taking a photo of cosplay does not automatically make it art. Unless there is good composition, lighting, etc. its just another photo album picture.

Even runway fashion is art. Not everyone can create interesting things out of fabric and beads and trims. Some of it is ugly, but then again so is some art. There is even an art to ready-to-wear fashion, but more from an engineering aspect than art-for-art's sake.

I have been costuming for over a decade now and have adopted my hobby into my career. If anyone tells me that when I build stuff from the ground up that it is not art, I will have no respect for that person.

I think "art" is not only oldfashioned art like paintings and stuff. I think contains also the art of making stuff like designing clothes and so on. Everything you create can be art.

Creating a costume falls under the fashion category, which is a part of the art and design community. Definitely an art form , unless your a person that just throws something together and doesn't take it seriously.

It's an art form but definitely not in the conventional sense. If anyone can do it well (with practice?), it doesn't seem as special as say someone who has a talent for painting or singing. I know it takes time, effort, and an eye for detail but that isn't the only criterea for considering whether or not it's art. I like to see how close cosplayers get to the actual subject though, it's fun stuff.

Sounds good! As long as you're having fun, it don't matter. :O