The Art of Bodypainting

I was recently asked about the body painting I have done. I suppose with the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition featuring models with their suits painted on, the artform is going mainstream.



The first time I was body painted was for an art party in Portland called the DaDa Ball in 2001. We met the painter at a local festival called Art in the Pearl and started talking about the upcoming party. She mentioned that she was doing some body painting for some attendees and the though intrigued me. It took me about a week to talk myself into it, but eventually I made the appointment. It was a “full chest” of flames to match a skirt I had. At the party, there were a few others painted, a woman dressed as a starfish and a man dressed as a leopard.


The paint was amazing, but what I liked most was how it made me feel. I was surprised at how uninhibited I felt. I never actually felt like I was “exposed” and I loved that my body was turned into a piece of art.


It wasn’t until two years later that I really saw body painting at its full potential. Our first Fantasy Fest year I had the same flames painted for parade day. But what I saw on other women inspired me. The next year, we decided to create costumes of Medusa and Persius. We didn’t even have a painter lined up when we arrived, but we soon found three guys called the “Three Airmigos” painting on the Sunset Pier. One of those painters was Pashur … and from there, I guess you can say the rest is history.


Pashur is one of the rare, true artist painters. At Fantasy Fest, body painters are a dime a dozen, but finding one that actually can and does make a living painting and teaching the art is very special. He paints at the Playboy Mansion and travels the world painting for corporate and private parties, conventions and advertising campaigns. Yet when he’s painting you, he makes you feel like your body is the best canvas he’s ever painted on. If you let him do what he wants, with just a little theme guidance, you will always get more than you ever thought possible. Even the simplest ideas become works of art.


I’ve always liked the female form; our house is full of art based on it. So to be able to take my body and turn it into a piece of art is breath-taking to me. Many people wrongly assume that because I get body painted I am an exhibitionist, or crave the attention it draws. Neither could be further from the truth. I do enjoy being naked, and I enjoy that being body painted allows me the opportunity to be naked in public. If I got painted and not one person stopped me for pictures or commented on it the only thing that would bother me would be for Pashur … that people weren’t appreciating his talent.

I also enjoy taking the “flat” aspect of body painting and creating something more 2-D with it. The first time I did that was the year Fantasy Fest was postponed due to a hurricane. I had a red teddy painted on and attached fir to my skin to create a trim. Since then I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to go 2-D, but am always looking for ways to bring the painting to life with accessories like with the Geisha.


The act of being painted is monotonous. The longest painting session took 5 hours, but won Pashur 1st Place in the Living Canvas competition so it was worth it. Standing still for that length of time takes a huge toll on your body; by the time he was finished my legs and back ached so bad all I wanted to do was sit or lay down, which of course is next to impossible. Over the years, I have learned how to lie down for a short period of time if I have been painted early in the day and have to “last” into the night.


Full-body paintings come with their own set of challenges. Sitting is extremely difficult unless the art isn’t solid and you can find two small patches of skin on your ass to sit on. Going to the bathroom is also difficult. About 3 years ago the Fantasy Fest police cracked down on total nudity under the painting, so for full-body art you have to wear something called “Stripper’s Tape” which is flesh-colored tape that is placed over the pubic area to “cover” you. It’s completely comfortable, but basically prohibits any bathroom functions. So you learn to not drink much once you’ve been painted.


I’m not sure what type of paint Pashur uses, but I think it’s his own brand (if you’re interested you can reach him at www.canvasalive.com). He applies the paint with both a brush and air-gun, and uses free-hand detailing, glitter and gems to give his art a finishing touch. Whatever the paint is, it is extremely comfortable and you don’t feel it on your skin at all.


All of this comes off very easily in the shower, and by morning, unless I’ve done a bad job in the shower, you can’t even tell I’ve been painted. This year, for the majorette painting, I did have some skin discoloration from the lime green paint, but with a little extra scrubbing it faded away. The down-side of how easily it comes off in the shower, is that it will also easily come off in rain or heat. This past year Pashur used a “sealant” that did a great job on the paint, but did cause a little irritation on my skin and didn’t allow the skin to breath.

The other downside to how easily the paint comes off, is that you have to become a “no-touch” zone. That’s not a bad thing with some of the gropers on the street; condensation from drinks and sweaty shirts bumping into you will cause the paint to smear so I find myself saying “don’t touch” a lot. But it also means that hugging Tony is a big no-no. So he patiently waits for me to shower when we get back to the room before he gets his lovin’.


I have met women at Fantasy Fest that have had their paint on for literally days. One woman was painted as a butterfly the first day and ended having to wear the same costume every day because it wouldn’t come off. She later learned that there are some basic, household cleaners/oils that will remove it; wouldn’t it have been nice if the painter had told her that at the time?


Each year, about now, we begin planning our painting/costumes for the next Fantasy Fest. So far I’m toying with a Marie Antoinette-theme and maybe a ballerina. If you have any ideas, please send them my way. If I pick your idea I’ll send you a glossy 8 x 10 of me all painted up afterwards.