by David Lawson

James Cameron's movie, Avatar, won three Oscar awards and a Golden Glob. Now you can become part of the phenomenon and have some fun this Halloween in your very own avatar costumes. Here are some tips to help you make it real.

Depending on the role that you want to play, there are essentially two formats to this costume choice. The first is as a native of Pandora, a Na'vi. The second is as an Avatar, such as the one that Jake Sully becomes while there.

The Na'vi are the tall, blue-skinned natives of the planet of Pandora. Their skin is marked in tiger-like stripes, they seem feral like cats, especially with their cat-like eyes and ears. To dress up as a Na'vi, you will need a blue bodysuit. Put it on, then put on a braided wig (or braid your hair). Next you will want to paint your neck, shoulders, lips, face and ears with blue paint. When it is dry, apply black stripes on your shoulders, neck, cheeks and forehead. Then apply blush to your cheeks and then make white dots between the stripes and below your eyes. If you do not have fake cat ears, make your own out of paper and, using a bobby pin, put them into your hair.

It takes someone with a strong sense of themselves to carry off the Na'vi costume. You will need to be comfortable with your body and not feel uncomfortable about being the centre of attention or having people stare at you. This is partly because the Na'vi costume is mostly "naked" except for the cloth apron which covers the groin. The Na'vi also generally have at least one arm gauntlet, which is for their archery, and also wear necklaces and bracelets.

Jake Sully, on the other hand, is an easy costume for you to make. Start with braiding your hair of putting on a braided wig. Then you can follow the directions on how to do the face painting with a few modifications. Instead of putting on the bodysuit first, put on a blue long sleeved shirt before starting your makeup. Cover the shirt with a field jacket, and put on a pair of khaki colored pants with black or dark shoes or boots.

avatar costumes are popular. You can find them at any good costume shop, and may include different elements depending on where you get them. Many include a mask for Jake, however, none are offered for Neytiri. Wigs are a necessity for either.

If you have children who are trick or treating or going to an event, even they can get into the fun of dressing up as their favorite character from the movie. If you are like some parents and dislike the idea of having your child wearing a mask (which restricts visibility) consider using the pointers above on how to paint your face to appear like the Na'vi. - 39969