Meet David Dcwbuilds

We were lucky to catch up with David Dcwbuilds recently and have shared our conversation below.

David, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

For me, it’s definitely a “fake it til you make it” thing.
For much of my life, I had low to no confidence in myself and now, I find myself fluctuating between two extremes. I’m either “the best that there ever was and ever will be, totally untouchable, etc” or I’m “so terrible, worse than dirt, shouldn’t bother”

Usually it evens out to be somewhere in the middle, but it can change, even all in one sitting.
I do a lot of costumes with masks and helmets, and somehow, I feel like that does a lot to make my confidence skyrocket. You can’t see my eyes or you can see the lower half of my face, suddenly I’m a new person.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Dcwbuilds is a costume and prop maker from the Chicago area, and a four time competitor in the Crown Championships of Cosplay, cosplay judge, panelist and more.

He has been cosplaying since 2015, primarily with foam and 3d printed armors, but always incorporating new skills. He is a fan of the cosplay community and the friendship that it brings, always looking for ways to give back.

More of a fan of the “how” and the process vs the end result. Making the costume is more enjoyable than wearing it.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Skills that have been most impactful have been math, dexterity and problem solving.

Math comes into play when building and scaling a costume, especially when trying to make things fit nicely or to be accurate.

Dexterity, personally I am a chef and have practiced using knives for years, it comes into play in costume making when you cut foam or sew or paint. The more control you have, the cleaner your results are. It takes practice.

Problem solving is another big thing, you need to be able to figure things out, there isn’t always an answer, even if you find one, so may issues are ultra specific. You will need to figure out how to work around issues you come across.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I enjoy doing groups with others, even recently a friend and I wore costumes from “Mad Max: Fury Road” to a photo shoot in the dunes and the end result was amazing.

Whenever I can group with like minded people it’s great.

Also, always looking for partnerships with brands, particularly material suppliers/ manufacturers. Cosplay is expensive, no way around it, so if I can help promote and brand and get foam or paint for cheaper, then all the better.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Erikjaws photo
Hayleystein photo
Carlation studio
Carlos m photo
J.pintography
J.peg photography

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What would your closest friends say really matters to you?

If you asked your best friends what really drives you—what they think matters most in

Highlighter Series
When do you feel most at peace?

In a culture that often celebrates hustle and noise, peace can feel rare. Yet, peace

Highlighter Series
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?

Almost everything is multisided – including the occurrences that give us pain. So, we asked