These tips and tricks are meant to either supplement your outfit, or help out those on a budget or just beginning. Check out some pro-level cosplayers' blogs for more in-depth sewing, sourcing and wig cutting techniques.

The Pen and Needle does a great walk through for those that are more advanced. Her cosplay is pictured in the header.

The New Tunic

The tunic is really going to be the base of your outfit. It will be what both implies your character and sets you apart from other iterations of Link. Unfortunately, the most readable part of the costume is difficult to pull off as a beginner.

There are several tunics available for purchase online already, but that really takes quite a bit of the fun out of it. If you're lucky enough to find a blue tweed-like top or dress (that can be cut) at your local thrift hot spot, you're almost there.

If you can find just any linen light colored top, blue dye is seriously inexpensive. You'll also want a large storage container and gloves (some dyes will also need salt). Don't use your bathtub. Just trust me.

Helpful hint: Stitching usually doesn't catch color very well. Take them out if that bothers you or grab a blue Sharpie to finish the job.

The real bear is going to be getting his fresh new embroidery around your collar. So let's just assume -- that like me -- you're not even really sure what a sewing machine looks like or how that might be different from embroidering. A sheet of white iron on vinyl is going to get you close enough to be readable, though will obviously be a lot less durable than embroidering the designs.

Helpful hint: If you're on your 5th tequila soda at W/ECon, consider checking the mirror to see if you need to jog up to your hotel room and iron some pieces back on.

Under the Statement Piece

The pants and undershirt are light tan/white. Honestly a lot of effort could be put into them if you're trying to take it there, but at this level, some tan pants and a white scoop neck long sleeve will do the trick. Spend your time on the tunic. Don't forget to pick up an additional long sleeve yellow shirt that you can cut the sleeves off to use for his forearm koozies.

On to the fun parts!

Belts on Belts

Link is all about belts this season. Finding three or four brown belts and an old messenger bag at the thrift store should be no big deal, attaching them at the proper points is slightly more difficult.

You can be really fancy and pick up a riveter (they are really inexpensive), or some twine and a hole punch will do the trick -- and also look pretty cool.

A New Hobby

Just go ahead and buy yourself a cheap wooden recurve or longbow. Not only will you have a blast shooting things in your backyard, there is no way you won't use it again for cosplay.

It should be easy to find something pretty nice for $60, but $15 can get you a kid bow to work with. Most people have no issue with a 20-30lb draw at 25-28". If you'd like to get serious about it, just go in to your local outdoor shop and get fitted.  Don't forget some ash practice arrows! Extra points if you pick up red and white feathers for fletching them.

While you're hunting for your bow, keep an eye on the archery bracers and quivers. If you find inexpensive accessories it might be a better place to start than crafting them from scratch, and if you're going to use the bow anyway...

The Devil is in the Details

Worbla Worbla -- Worbla is a very popular and relatively easy to use thermoplastic for costume and set use. Worbla sticks to itself, and there is no limit to how many times you can remold it.

This is an expensive-ish commitment, as you'll need a heater and the material itself isn't cheap. As with any wonderful product though -- it can be as simple or as complicated as you'd like it to be -- making it a really fun way to improve your cosplay game.

Links bow, bracers and quiver will really come to life with a little help from Worbla.

New Art Style, New Haircut

Link is rocking a really piecey look this year, and you'll want some wax type styling product to go with your wig or natural hair. The cut is going to feature a lot of layers, a back ponytail, and dramatically long side burn whisps. Don't forget the choppy bangs! His hairstylist is talented to say the least.

Nice and Pointy Ears

When you're picking up ears, it is so difficult to match skin tone unless you're at a storefront trying them on. If you can, instead, find a foundation that works. It's not difficult to blend them if they are a little off. His hair will pretty much cover the line, so no big deal if not. Don't forget to order some spirit gum to keep them in place, and a little oil to get them off when you're ready.

You're pretty much ready to go, just go cut the fingers off your favorite gloves and pull on your best knee high boots to complete the look.

Will you be cosplaying Link this year? Do you have any creative ideas for pulling off such a complex look?

The protagonist of Deus Ex has become the rather unexpected inspiration for two new designs of prosthetic arms called Titan Arm and Adam Arm. The team involved in the creation of these prosthetics includes Deus Ex developer Eidos Montreal, hardware manufacturer Razer, and 3D-printed prosthetic arm company Open Bionics. Titan Arm and Adam Arm will be available in 2017 at what the creators call an affordable price. The new bionic prosthetics can be virtually experienced through a special webcam called “Stargazer” developed by Razer.

One of the most interesting points of the development is that anyone will be able to access and use these arms. Eidos and Open Bionics will provide all designs and blueprints for the prosthetics entirely royalty-free.  Adults and children alike will be able to use the prosthetics, as it comes in all sizes.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided dropped a new trailer just two weeks ago. The game will release August 23, 2016. Visit the Augmented Future project website for more information on the Deus Ex prosthetic arms.  

For my final tutorial in The Last of Us cosplay series, I made a prosthetic of Ellie's Clicker bite. An Ellie cosplay is not complete without her notorious bite. For this tutorial I made the prosthetic on my own arm, but I recommend that you make it on a hard nonporous surface, as it will make the whole process much easier.

Supplies I used:

• Cinema Secrets Liquid Latex
• Cinema Secrets Liquid Fake Blood
• Crayola Air Dry Clay
• Spirit Gum
• Foundation
• Coastal Scents: Creative Me Palette
• BH Cosmetics: Malibu Palette
• Vaseline
• Hair Dryer

Step1: Start with a clean surface

Whether you make this prosthetic on your own skin or on a hard surface, just be sure that it's clean. When you start putting latex down, you won't want it to pick up any debris.

Step 2: The Clay

If you look at Ellie's bite mark in reference images, it has raised nodules in it that are puffy and almost look like a burn. With the air dry clay, create small ball shapes about the size of a pea and set them aside.

With a sponge or brush, add two thin layers of latex to your surface. Once dried, use spirit gum to stick the clay onto the latex. You can of course use liquid latex to attach the clay, but spirit gum will dry much faster.

Step 3: The Latex

Once the clay is in place, you will want to add two to three fairly thick layers of liquid latex over the entire piece. This will take a few minutes to dry, but you can use a hair dryer to speed up the process. Use the dryer on a low, cool setting so your don't blow the liquid around or burn yourself.

Step 4: Shape

It's important to remember that this prosthetic is a bite, and therefore should be the shape of someone's mouth. Once the piece is completely dried, you might want to trim the edges in order to give it a rounder shape. If you are making the prosthetic directly on your arm, you can use makeup to correct the over all shape.

Step 5: Makeup

The makeup is fairly simple. You'll first want to cover the entire piece with a foundation that matches your skin tone. Next, consider all the colors that are in a bruise (purple, yellow, green, red, blue). You'll want to incorporate all of these colors on the prosthetic.

Starting off, I mixed reds and browns together to get a solid base color that would make the area look swollen. I went around the clay nodules, deepening the color while leaving the tops of them fairly flesh toned. This makes them look more three-dimensional.

Gradually build up the color, while keeping in mind where the natural shadows and highlights would be.

Step 6: Blood and Vaseline

With a brush, slowly add small amounts of blood all over the prosthetic and then blot it away with a paper towel or cloth. You might also consider using fake scab blood for this, which really adds depth to the piece. However, I did not have any. I also recommend that you rub a small amount of vaseline on the prosthetic to make it look shiny like a burn. I did not do this in the video, and decided to do it after the fact because I thought my prosthetic looked too matte.

Step 7: Peel it off

You should be able to slowly peel off the latex. You can use your fingers like I did or use tweezer. Just go slow so you don't rip it. Then you are done. You can stick this on your skin using spirit gum at any time. You may just want to touch up the makeup every now and then.

I hope you have found this tutorial helpful. If you have any questions or ideas for future projects, let me know in the comments. I am always happy to make things.