Soaring in creativity, Schroeder’s wings take flight
Published 6:55 am Saturday, July 6, 2019
- Destiny Schroeder has taken her imagination into the world of cosplay where she makes her own wings from her home. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Embracing the “Mother of Dragons” reputation, Destiny Schroeder wants to help people’s dreams to reach new heights by creating dragon wings for fantasy play.
Taking inspiration for her love of dragons, cosplay, Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy enthusiasts, Schroeder creates her own wings for a variety of events, cosplays and the ever popular “larping” (live-action role play).
“What I love most is seeing people’s reactions,” she said. “There’s no better joy than to see someone really light up over my work.”
Schroeder works on her wings for about two months. Her preferred material is 12-gauge wire, but also has used a 10-gauge wire. Other materials, such as powder pigments between cellophane, help create a skin for the wings.
Destiny Schroeder shows off the frames she uses to make her wings.
“The biggest pair I’ve made is 7 feet long tip to tip,”Schroeder said. “My initial goal was to create them for a LARP piece for one of my Dungeons and Dragons characters. My biggest challenge is getting the skeleton put together without the wires warping.”
She started wrapping wings to help broaden and round out other projects that she worked on at home. Specifically, wings take about seven hours to complete from start to finish. Creating pairs of elves ears take about an hour a pair.
Mythical beasts have always fascinated Schroeder, who often plays a dragon-born barbarian or a tabaxi/cat folk cleric in Dungeons and Dragons.
Schroeder also makes ear decorations she calls elf ears.
“I’ve really come to love dragons through Dungeons and Dragons and how they are generally portrayed as these highly talented, intelligent, and charismatic beings,” she said.
Although Schroeder does other home craft projects, creating something for a magical experience like dragon wings for Dungeons and Dragons — or even just having a good day outside with fellow cosplayers or larpers — she wants to help them achieve realistic play by mixing a little fantasy into the mix.
“Now I hope to see them turn many cosplayers, Dungeons and Dragons lovers,into a smaller version of these great and mighty beings,” Schroeder said. “Because who doesn’t want to be as magnificent and powerful as a dragon?”
