"I've always been a Halloween enthusiast and loved dressing up," Brenna told Bored Panda. "I started going to comic conventions about 5 years ago and began experimenting with makeup looks and cosplay ideas. I quickly fell in love with making props and creative special effects makeup. So much that I couldn’t wait until the next convention. So now I do makeup and cosplay transformations whenever I feel like it at my home just for fun!"
Brenna chooses to transform into famous characters that she loves, the ones that she relates to. "Most of the time, a villain or an antihero because they tend to be more fun to me."
"A typical look can take around 3 hours. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Really just depends on what goes in to each one," she said. "I can spend weeks creating a prop to go with a look. My Hellgirl (female Hellboy) only took two hours to apply all the red paint but I spent two weeks making the Right Hand of Doom prop to go with it."
The Floridian pulls inspiration from everything around her, including TV, movies, comics, other artists, and social media in general. "When I see an image or a movie character I love, I usually do a few sketches. I try and get what I envision in my head on paper. Once I have an image I like, I gather the materials I need and make any props I might need. Then I do my best to transform myself using cool makeup looks, body paints, costumes, and props. Once I’m done, I video and photograph myself."
And if you're wondering how one achieves this level of expertise, there's no shortcut, really. It's all about the time you put in and the fun you're having. "I'm self-taught and rely heavily on experimentation and practice," Brenna said. "I would advise anyone that has an interest in makeup or cosplay to just try it! Just have fun with it and don’t be afraid to experiment. There’s so many great resources online that can help too. But if you are creatively expressing yourself and having fun, that’s all that matters!"
"I really enjoy makeup and cosplay and transforming in to a fun character, even if only for a little while," Brenna added. "I think everyone should do something that makes them happy when they can. Life is short, be whoever you want to be."
