1 Decide what character you want to cosplay. There are very many Homestuck characters but there are sheets to get you started. You can also do a non-canon outfit, such as Nepeta's god tier. Cosplaying a troll will involve being covered in face paint as well as making horns, so beginners may want to start by cosplaying as one of the kids as these are simpler.

2 Look through your clothes to see if you already have items to portray the character. This can save you a lot of time and money. You can paint the correct symbol on plain t-shirts without having to buy one which already has a symbol on it.

3 Look for a wig. Most people consider the white-haired characters to be blonde in real life. Some places to look for wigs are eBay, Hello Cosplay, Arda Wigs, and Match wigs. Depending on the length, cosplay wigs usually run around $20-40, but they are considerably cheaper from eBay although are usually lower quality. All trolls have black hair (Eridan being the exception, his has a violet streak), so always get a black wig for trolls instead of dark brown. For the kids with dark hair however, black or brown could be used. Most people consider the white-haired characters to be blonde in real life. Some places to look for wigs are eBay, Hello Cosplay, Arda Wigs, and Match wigs. Depending on the length, cosplay wigs usually run around $20-40, but they are considerably cheaper from eBay although are usually lower quality.

4 Check out thrift stores. It is also possible to find items like brightly colored pants in stores or charity shops, so make sure to look around before turning to DIY. You will have to make your own God Tier hood though, as the right capes and hoods can't be found in shops.

5 Decorate your shirt with either fabric paint or iron-ons. Most iron-ons peel off over the course of a day, but Avery Dark T-Shirt Iron-Ons are very durable and can survive many washes. You can find them at a local store or somewhere like a Walmart. You can also look on Topatoco for troll and Beta kid shirts and What Pumpkin for the Alpha kids but these will be more expensive than making your own.

6 Obtain face paint appropriate for your character. If you are cosplaying a troll, order grey face paint. There are many tutorials on MSPA forums and Tumblr on how to do troll makeup. There are a lot of options, such as Ben Nye, PAX, and Snazaroo. Use green face paint for cherubs. There are tutorials on how to make troll arms out of grey tights to avoid using paint on your arms. These look better and don't rub off.

Wear grey tights if your legs are going to be visible. If you are cosplaying a troll, order grey face paint. There are many tutorials on MSPA forums and Tumblr on how to do troll makeup. There are a lot of options, such as Ben Nye, PAX, and Snazaroo. Use green face paint for cherubs.

7 Source out make up. Strange colors of makeup like blue and green lipstick can be found for relatively low prices on websites like Amazon and eBay. Ben Nye may be found in places that sell theater makeup, and Snazaroo can be found at Michael's and places as such. Makeup can also be used for contouring if you are cosplaying a character of the opposite gender or to achieve a particular look. There are tutorials for how to do this online. Strange colors of makeup like blue and green lipstick can be found for relatively low prices on websites like Amazon and eBay. Ben Nye may be found in places that sell theater makeup, and Snazaroo can be found at Michael's and places as such.