The name of her cosplay stood out but it was her makeup and costumes that really caught our eye. She is incredible talented and we could not wait to learn more about her and share her interview with you all. With that said, please allow me to introduce you to, the awesome, Box Turtle Cosplay.
First off, what is the meaning behind your Cosplay name, Box Turtle?
My username began as “asmallvarietyofboxturtle”. To be honest, it was purely for the purpose of making people smile when they read it! It was a random little anecdote I thought my followers would enjoy coming across. Not to mention, box turtles use their shells as a “box” for cover as a defense mechanism. How cute is that?
Your body paint and make-up for your cosplay is stellar. Tell us a little about how you learned to do the make-up and what about it sparks your creativity.
Thank you so much! My love of makeup began when I was very little. Growing up, my mother was an Avon representative, and I learned about all varieties of cosmetics and how to use them. My father is an artist, which sparked my love of drawing, art, and creativity. I began to combine the two in my makeup endeavours, crossing art and creativity with cosmetics. From there, I began documenting my expressions via pictures on social media platforms. A couple of my designs led me to concepting tattoos for people! I entered theater in high school, where I could showcase my costuming and makeup abilities. I began an Instagram as a way of sharing my makeup creations, which led me to where I am today.
I believe other people are what inspire me to be creative. I draw my strengths from the love and support I receive from people who admire the work I do.
What is the biggest obstacle you face as a cosplayer?
Naturally, many cosplayers are prone to hate, as most of their work is shown through social media. But despite this, my biggest obstacle is myself. As creators, we are always pushing ourselves to be better, faster, and grander than our previous selves. It comes to the point in which I’m never truly satisfied with what I create. No amount of praise or appreciation can quiet that voice in my head that says, “it isn’t perfect. It isn’t good enough”. It’s something I’m trying to overcome, and accepting that learning is a part of becoming something greater than yourself.
If you had to pick, what would you say is your favorite character to cosplay as?
That’s a tough one! I absolutely love cosplaying Star Wars characters. They’re an easy fan favorite, and I like portraying characters from a series I have a lifetime connection with! Slave Leia was first debuted at Indiana Comic Con 2017, and received an immense amount of praise. It was my first handmade foam build and took a lot of time and research! Darth Maul is also a really fun character to portray. Lately I’ve also enjoyed cosplaying Ellie from The Last of Us.
How do you come up with ideas on what to cosplay next?
Over time I’ve grown a large list of characters I’ve always looked up to and dreamed of portraying, so I supposed I always have something to come back to if I run out of ideas! Usually I stick within series and pop culture icons that I’m familiar with. I pay attention to what people are interested in seeing, combined with choosing obscure/unique characters while trying to change my physical appearance as best as possible. The more outlandish, the better!
Of all your cosplay, which would you say was your most difficult to finalize and why?
I would say my Nightingale armor from Skyrim was the most challenging overall. The entire costume is made of
1mm foam, templated by hand using reference images on my dress form. It took a lot of experimentation, mess ups, and learning new tricks to pull this costume together. I still have some pieces I’d like to fix, but overall I think the work really paid off.
Where is the next event we can expect to see your cosplay?
I’ll be at Wizard World Cleveland, Fantasticon, and Indiana Comic Con!
What would you say that being a cosplayer has changed about you as a person?
Cosplay has changed… everything. It really has. Growing up, I was a music student through and through. I was convinced that all I would ever do was music, and my career would follow suit. I never thought I could make a career surrounding costume making and makeup/prosthetic work. But as my work on social media began gaining recognition, I realized I could really start taking a professional approach and incorporate it fully into my life. Cosplay allows me to become anyone I desire, learn new things, make new friends and connections, and explore my creativity in ways I never would have before.
What is your advice to those just getting into cosplay?
My biggest advice? DON’T. GIVE. UP. Please. You will have many moments of disappointment or failure, but I promise you, it is a part of the journey! Without it, you cannot grow and become better at your craft. That is something I had to learn the hard way. Do lots of research, have a plan, watch tutorials. Connect with others within the community to learn from one another and make friends. Remember, cosplay is supposed to be fun! Never forget its true purpose.
Where can we find you online?
You can find me on Facebook and Instagram!
