WORDS EMILIE LOUIZIDES - MAKEUP BO QUINN AT GLISTEN MGMT- PHOTOGRAPHY SAMI WELLER - CREATIVE DIRECTION - MAISIE JANE DANIELS LIGHTING ROSS ZILLWOOD - PRODUCTION F WORD HUB - SPECIAL THANKS GLISTEN COSMETICS
Head to the intersection of drag and clowning and you’ll find Bo Quinn, a self-proclaimed art kid and London-based makeup artist who took his Goldsmiths education to the queer club scene where his creativity flourished. Six months of daily face painting on his bedroom floor during lockdown followed and gave Bo the chance to really hone his skills, and find his highly creative and otherworldly style, leading to the character we know today from his strikingly crafted and curated Instagram account, collaborations with powerhouse brands including Diesel and Spotify, and events at London Fashion Week. Attributing his ever- evolving process to inspiration from his surroundings, Bo prepares each makeup look as a sketch in advance of painting it on his face. When the look is complete, Bo is also the one to capture it, edit the photo and video content, and immortalize the makeup as a print on a wipe. This process of tapping into multiple disciplines stems from a ‘why not’ mentality adopted in art school, and keeps Bo in a creative flow state.
F Word proudly partners with Glisten Cosmetics, a cruelty-free and vegan makeup brand, for this Digital Cover. All makeup showcased is by Glisten Cosmetics. Dive into our in-depth interview with Bo, accompanied by an exclusive photoshoot featuring five iconic Bo Quinn looks.
Emilie Louizides: Hey Bo! We're so excited to have you as our digital cover star. Did you enjoy the shoot?
Bo Quinn: I thought the shoot went so smoothly! I did enjoy it a lot, it was super chill and I had drafted up an extensive makeup timeline before going in, so with everyone's help it ran on time and I was able to do the makeup changes and get all the shots we needed. It was a great experience for me, I was in my element. The team were all amazing, I had never painted five different full-drag makeup looks on myself in one day, with bald caps and horns etc, so I was in focus mode in the moment, but after we finished I realised how fulfilling it had felt. When I left the studio, I felt extremely proud of what we had created.
EL: For our readers who are just getting to know you, how would you introduce yourself as an artist?
BQ: Bo Quinn is a drag clown/makeup artist specialising in creative/otherworldly makeup transformations. You can find me posting social content makeup tutorials/transformations on my pages, where I have gained attention and been able to work with brands such as Diesel & Spotify, interviewed by Vogue and as well as work events such as London Fashion Week. If I were to describe my makeup style I would say you can expect to see the use of bold graphic shapes, striking use of colours paired with a touch of modern beauty and drag/clubkid influence.
EL: As a self-proclaimed drag clown, is there a particular era of clowning you find yourself referencing?
BQ: I think initially of course it came from the style of makeup I was doing at the time. The white base, blue blush, the overturned lips. My current makeup still leans that way, however, more subtly I think. The Clown Aesthetic will remain always but will poke its head at points and I like that I can go back and forth with it.
EL: Take us through your makeup journey, from when you first picked up a brush to where you are now.
BQ: I have always been one of those art kids for as long as I can remember, so I always painted and would always be drawing - this followed through right up to university where I studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths starting in 2017. It was here that I first seriously picked up a makeup brush. I would sit in my university bedroom and do these weird face paints and go out clubbing in Soho with friends. It wasn't great makeup, but it was bold enough for me to get noticed in the scene. I continued exploring my own identity and the club scene which of course led to me meeting all kinds of queens and queer kids. I still wasn't taking makeup seriously here as to be honest, I didn't yet have the skills to do so. However, this came with practice over time and then 2020 rolled around and we were all thrown into lockdown. This was a lightbulb moment for me, and without anything else to do all summer, I spent 6 months painting my face every day, perfecting my skills and trying new things, posting to my Instagram. This was the birth of Bo Quinn.
EL: At present, how do you define makeup? What is it, who is it for, and how can it be used?
BQ: For me, makeup is an accessory and an extension of one's self. I also don't think it's a necessity. I am a huge makeup lover so I do wear makeup most days and enjoy that. But I also am quite happy to rock a bare face. In terms of Bo Quinn looks, I like to use makeup like it was paint and I am painting a canvas. Often I am not looking at the anatomy underneath but rather creating something unrecognisable and new. This to me is more exciting and I think is part of the reason I can continue and come up with new ideas constantly. For me, there is no limit. There may be many consistencies within the looks I create but I try not to limit myself to one specific eye shape or lip shape, I enjoy switching it up constantly, this is more exciting to me.
EL: Is there meaning for you behind the colour red? We see it appear in your work often!
BQ: I love red, I don't consider there to be so much meaning. But I do naturally just gravitate to certain colours, it's the same in all aspects of my life, my flat, the clothes I wear. I just think Black, White & Red works and is striking. I do try to use other colours on myself though, but it's definitely become a thing. I am really into Silver Chrome and Cobalt Blue at the moment, they are giving Red a run for its money.
EL: As well as creating makeup looks, you take your own photos and re-create your makeup looks on makeup wipes. How important is it for you to tap into multiple disciplines? Are there any other artistic practices or skills you have that you don't show online?
BQ: I think it is important for me to tap into multiple disciplines, I enjoy every part of it, coming up with an idea, the initial sketches, the makeup application itself, capturing imagery, filming the video content, editing the footage, creating the wipe print, and having something physical I can keep at the end of it. This type of thing is where I thrive, I'm accustomed to the art school mentality where you just try everything because why not? I like to make things, I used to do a lot more physical painting on canvas, and small-scale sculpture. But I have to work and wish I had more time to tap into more mediums, I hope to have the opportunity to go back to some of that in the future.
EL: Looking back at your makeup looks over the years, do you recognize distinct chapters? Or just more of an ongoing process of creating?
BQ: I recognise a couple of chapters looking back at my makeup over the years. But I would say they transitioned from one to the next quite naturally where it made sense. Many of the earlier looks I did have been removed from my socials - I think when discovering yourself as an artist and what you are going to represent, you have to try new things, that is what gets you from point A to point B. Some of them were awful though, I don't know what I was thinking. It's normal to cringe at your previous work though, it means you've evolved and created something more elevated. I am quite bad with this, I can easily go off/get bored of ideas/looks I've created right after I've done them, but for some reason, my brain tells me you must try to top the last look - or what's the point?
EL: Speaking to the former, how would you summarize these chapters? And referencing the latter, is this how you tend to create - just following the path that naturally appears before you?
BQ: When I first started makeup and going out around London I was doing this graphic sort of severe goth clown/club-kid face paint and then changed my mind and wanted to do full drag, no white face (can't believe it) and then over time and more experimenting discovered I could mix the two which is more like my go-to look. I think it is partly true that I do usually follow the path that naturally appears before me, I have always been inspired by my surroundings. I think as an artist this can be a helpful way to be. I do sketch my makeup looks a lot, so there is always some sort of preparation. I always find if I just try and sit down and come up with something, that never works well for me at least.
EL: Set the scene for us as you're creating one of your looks. Where are you, what are you listening to or watching, and how are you feeling while you're in the zone?
BQ: The scene where I create all of my looks has evolved. A lot of my first looks were created while sat on my bedroom floor on a towel to protect the carpet, surrounded by an abundance of product, where I would just get lost and create something on myself, this was before I started filming my looks. I think back to 2021 when for example I did my TUSH Magazine cover which was one of my first big exciting projects. All 7 of those looks I created and shot sat on that carpet floor surrounded by my mess back when I lived in Hackney. Nowadays I have a desk in my flat in South London where all my drag stuff has its place and I have my video content set up, which is much more convenient and organised - I dream of creating a drag room one day though however, London rent isn't allowing that at the moment. Now I like to either put my music up loud or put some sort of documentary on and have it in the background while I do my makeup. This is my happy place - until the postman knocks on the door, bald cap on, and half my makeup is done, an awkward interaction is therefore inevitable.
EL: Is there a pro makeup artist who you would love to have do your makeup?
BQ: There are so many pro makeup artists I would love to do my makeup! One that has just popped into my head is Sophia Sinot, I had the pleasure to party with her when we bumped into each other at an event in London, she is super talented, working on the likes of Doja Cat & Brooke Candy to name a few, her makeup style I would describe as elevated high glamour but with a real modern edge to it. I think it would be interesting to see what magic she could create on me one day. Another artist I'd love to do my makeup would be Erin Parsons, I love watching her vintage makeup collection content on Instagram, she is so knowledgeable and has an interesting viewpoint and eye for beauty.
EL: Is there a person you're hoping to paint someday?
BQ: I always say the same person, but one day I hope to paint FKA Twigs, I've been a fan forever, and she has such a beautiful, unique facial structure and style. I like that she isn't afraid to go there with her looks and unusual makeup, she's been rocking some cool ones recently. I'd love to do something with prosthetics, that would look otherworldly on her.
EL: What do you hope for the future of makeup artistry?
BQ: I hope that the future of makeup artistry allows more artists to emerge. I'd like to continue to see newness and things that cross the line as to what makeup is and can do. I see so much talent everywhere, some people deserve more recognition.
EL: What can our readers expect to see next from Bo Quinn?
BQ: What is next for Bo Quinn? What a question! I always have things in the works and am constantly coming up with ideas for future projects. I have a few unreleased shoots to come out. I just hope to be able to continue making work that I want to put out and that I am proud of.
EL: And finally, what is your favourite "F" word?
BQ: Fuck!
