Bettie

* All Stars 1
* Season 3

**Bettie** is the drag character of **/u/giuseppcozzolio**  and a finalist of Season 3 of Ms. Paint's Art Race. She returned on All Stars 1, but quit the competition on its third week.

## Meet the Queen

**First of all: why drag?**

There is no limit to drag. You can do drag however the hell you want! Drag gives you the possibility to be anyone or anything, and I think that’s exactly what I need to escape from real life. For these reasons, drag can be an enormous fashion vehicle.

**As an artist and a designer, what would you say your strengths are?**

My strengths are definitely my abilities to create cohesive looks, and to convey textures and silhouettes. I also would like to think that people recognize my art upon seeing it!

**How about weaknesses?**

Sometimes I can be too much of a perfectionist. Everything HAS to go together or I’m just NOT HAVING IT! This sucks, though, because sometimes I do wanna create things that are campy and a little messy.

**Which past MPAR challenge would you have won?**

THE CELESTIAL BALL. I love space. I would have TURNT THAT OUT!

**What challenge are you hoping for on Season 3?**

To be honest, I’m ready for ANY CHALLENGE! I love taking things and putting my spin on it, so I’m really excited on what I might be able to create.

**What’s your signature look?**

Although I love modern fashion, I love past fashion way more. Anywhere between 1900s-1960s are my FAVORITE eras of fashion and I tend to reference that in my looks. I also think my look is a good representation of fetish/pinup fashion.

**Do pineapples belong on pizza?**

As an Italian-American, pineapple on pizza offends me. Not sorry about it.

**Why do you think you will win MPAR?**

I have an incredible love for fashion and drag. I’ve been drawing fashion since before I could remember (seriously, not exaggerating). I think that all my years of studying and practicing fashion both in school and out will get me to the end!

**Is there anything else that you want viewers to know?**
Ummmm.... I kinda spilled all the tea in my previous answers! I guess an extra thing would be that I’ve been contacted by drag queens from Rupaul’s Drag Race to do work for them! Check out Miz Cracker’s youtube header! I drew that for her!

## History

#### Season 2

During the second season of Ms. Paint's Art Race, Bettie discovered MPAR's 'rival' competition, Illustration Drag Race, via their Instagram promotions; she decided to try out for the premier season and sent in her audition look. However, the season never aired due to the lack of auditions and head judge, Chloe in the Afternoon, told Bettie about MPAR. Bettie waited until Season 3 auditions came around and sent in her look.

## Season 3

#### Week 1 - Hometown Hennies

For the first week of the competition, Queens were tasked with designing looks based off of their hometown. Bettie played tribute to both her hometown and to her Italian heritage by basing her look off of Little Italy, The Bronx, NY. She wanted to achieve a mobster feel to her look. Bettie was praised for her look being minimalist without being basic, with judges saying that her look was high couture. Malaria E. Coli critiqued Bettie on her lack of urban influences, as her look was inspired by The Bronx - but brushed it off as a nitpick. Sally Spellman complimented Bettie on her look representing her hometown well, but stated that the look didn't really wow her. Bettie received two toots in that weeks Fashion Paint Review, and a high placement this week, with Sartana narrowly pipping her to the post.

**Placement:** HIGH

#### Week 2 - Candied Queens

Week 2 of the competition challenged contestants to design looks based off of their chosen candy. Bettie chose red and black licorice as her candy, and designed a two part look, the first part being a red licorice coat and the second being a dominatrix-esque black licorice corset. Bettie had a tough time constructing this look as she found rendering licorice really tricky. Bettie was praised for the achievable reveal, as well as her rendering, which made Malaria E. Coli's jaw drop. However, the judges found the look a tad expected and predictable. Bettie was declared safe for her efforts this week.

**Placement:** SAFE

#### Week 3 - Here Come the Brides

The third week of the competition tasked contestants to pair up and design matching wedding outfits for their queens to marry each other. They would be judged on how well the looks coordinate with one another. The pairs were assigned via the extravagant hat mini challenge, which Bettie won! Bettie paired herself with Elise Utried, and the two created their looks based on a flower & butterfly theme. Bettie wanted to create drama with her look and draw attention to her face, she did this by creating an unconventional, carnelian flower shaped silhouette around her head. Bettie was praised for her chic, impeccably rendered look, but the pair were critiqued as Bettie outshone Elise. The judges called Elise's look stiff and awkward, and that it was rendered poorly compared to Bettie's. Miyu Moon also critiqued how understated Bettie's look was, saying that it was more mother of the bride. Bettie was placed in the bottom two, alongside her partner, Elise Utried. The pair lipsynced against each other to the song 'Knock on Wood' by Amii Stewart, with Bettie coming out victorious and earning the title of 'Best Lip-sync Look' in that seasons CDTTC.

**Placement:** BTM2

#### Week 4 - Architectussy

Week four of the competition challenged contestants to design looks inspired by their assigned architectural style. Themes were assigned randomly and Bettie received Roman as her architectural style. At first, Bettie struggled with this challenge, she attempted to design a look based off of Roman pillars but nothing came from it. She eventually came across an inverted picture of the Rome Pantheon, and it inspired her to design a ball gown! She took the engravings from the inside of the Pantheon and turned it into a print that ran across the gown. Bettie also took inspiration from the pillars, and used this to inspire the drapery on the sides of her dress, as well as her gloves. The judges were not a fan of Bettie's look, and critiqued her on interpreting her theme through just a print on fabric, saying it was a cop out. However, Bettie was praised for incorporating architectural elements into her gloves and mask, with judges saying that these chic accessories saved her from the bottom two. Bettie narrowly escaped the lipsync, and received a low placement.

**Placement:** LOW

#### Week 5 - Fairy's Tales

For the fifth week of the competition, contestants were required to get into teams of four, and create coordinating looks for a villain, hero, damsel in distress, and a fairytale creature. Teams were assigned via the jewelery mini challenge, which was won by Ophelia N. Cyde. Ophelia put herself in a team with Bettie, Ifora Nye and Makanani Drive. The team switched up the assigned roles, having a hero, two villains, and a damsel in distress crossed with a fairytale creature. Bettie's team were declared winners due to their cohesive aesthetic and lovely fairytale, and Bettie was crowned the overall winner of the challenge, with judges saying that the roll of evil queen was right up her alley.

**Placement:** WIN

#### Week 6 - Robo-Queens

The sixth week of the competition challenged contestants to design looks inspired by robots, androids and cyborgs. Bettie's look was a campy yet fashionable take on the theme, showing a malfunctioning domestic robot who cut off and cooked her owners head for dinner. Bettie wanted to convey a satirical view on how women were essentially robots to their husbands in the 50's. The robot that Bettie designed, named BettieBot 3000, is one that is mass produced and does home chores for men who bought them. The look itself was inspired by midcentury machinery, especially cars - which was the main inspiration behind Bettie's dress. Overall, Bettie described her look as, 'a robot the way people from the 50's would imagine it'. Bettie was praised for her fun, on brand concept, as well as the innovative way she shaped the fabric. Overall, the judges were really impressed with Bettie's concept and execution, awarding Bettie her second win.

**Placement:** WIN

#### Week 7 - Do-Over Makeover

For week 7 of the competition, contestants were assigned an eliminated queen and challenged to design coordinating looks for them both, based on the look their partner was eliminated in. On top of this, contestants rendition of their partner had to resemble their partners style. Carmella Fox won this weeks mini challenge, the reading challenge, so she assigned the pairings! Bettie was paired with the first eliminated queen, Sue Bourbon. Bettie struggled re-imagining Sue's original in her own way without changing it completely, as there was a lot about the look that Bettie didn’t quite relate to. The two looks stemmed from Sue's cape, with Bettie altering it turning it into a sheer layered cape for Sue's new look. Bettie repeated this idea and incorporated it differently in her look. Bettie also struggled with the colour scheme, and was going to make the two looks pink and red before realising that Sue's original look was mainly green and red. Bettie was praised on her interpretation of Sue, with judges saying it looked just like Sue - Bettiefied! The judges also commended Bettie on the two gorgeous designs and immaculate rendering, but did complain about the lack of green compared o the original. Despite the small gripes, Bettie was awarded her third win - making her the first and only queen in MPAR history to win three challenges consecutively.

**Placement:** WIN

#### Week 8 - Campaigning Queens

Week 8 of the competition had contestants creating political posters, showcasing why their queen should be the first illustrated drag president, and why their competitors shouldn't be. Bettie created a poster inspired by retro candidate ads, as well as other ads such as Coca-Cola ads from the 50s. Her campaign focused on her three consecutive wins, stating that she was the only queen in the competition talented enough to do so. Bettie slandered her competitors Ifora Nye and Minty Oled, calling them unpolished and unmemorable respectively. Bettie's poster also featured unflattering caricatures of her five competitors. The judges found these caricatures hilarious, they also thought Bettie made the funniest case for herself and was declared safe, ending her winning streak.

**Placement:** SAFE

#### Week 9 - Sissy That beard

The ninth week of the competition challenged contestants to design looks that not only feature, but effortlessly incorporate a beard. For this challenge, Bettie wanted to create a look that was androgynous, so she took inspiration from various menswear silhouettes from the 1700's - 1800's. Bettie wanted the look to have clear Rococo and Victorian influences, whilst maintaining the Bettie brand that is present in all of her looks. The judges praised Bettie for her immaculate rendering and period costume influences, but judge, Malaria E. Coli, called the look boring - saying that the look would have the same effect if they took the beard away. Despite getting mostly positive critiques from the other judges, it was announced that Bettie would be up for elimination and would have to lipsync against Makanani Drive. The pair lipsynced against eachother to the tune of 'The Ketchup Song (asereje)' by Las Ketchup, with Bettie coming out victorious.

**Placement:** BTM2

#### Week 10 - The Circus Ball

The tenth and final challenge of the season challenged contestants to design looks for three categories: Ringleader Realness, Clowny Couture and Main Attraction Extravaganza. The final category had 4 sub categories and contestants were to be assigned one each. Ophelia N. Cyde won that weeks mini challenge, and assigned Bettie the Fire Eater!

## Records

* All Stars 1
* Season 3

 Bettie quit from the competition.

### Countdown to the Crown Awards

* Best Lip-sync Look - Week 3, "Knock On Wood"

## Fun Facts

* Bettie is the first and only queen in the history of MPAR to win three challenges consecutively.
* Bettie's work has been noticed and complimented on Instagram by the likes of Violet Chachki, Miss Fame and Pearl.
* In case anyone forgot, Bettie is Italian. It is written 3 separate times in this article just to remind you. #Italianqueen