June 9, 2016

Body Painting for IMATS London

The IMATS Show in London, 2016.

The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show (IMATS) features professional make-up and body painting in annual events covering four countries.

Since the first show in Los Angeles in 1997 IMATS, founded by Emmy Award winning make-up artist Michael Key, has now expanded and there are trade shows in New York, Los Angeles, London, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney. This 3-day event is the world of make-up’s biggest gathering of make-up artists, students and industry enthusiasts all under one roof.

Top professional artists often from the world of film and TV, and SFX experts, give demonstrations and hold seminars which gives the visitor a fantastic opportunity to hear first- hand the experiences of the very highly regarded professionals working in this fascinating and very diverse industry. There’s a whole host of exhibitors selling everything that you could possibly need for a career in make-up and/or body painting.

A Student Highlight

When I was a student doing my HND in Specialist Hair and Make-up at West Thames College a trip to London IMATS was definitely one of the highlights of the year. Listening to the seminars from my heroes in the world of make-up. Seeing the incredible SFX demonstrations and creations, watching the professionals at work at the various make-up booths, plus getting the opportunity to see, and try out, so many fabulous products was pretty mind blowing for a young student. I always left at the end of the day with my bag full of new brushes and beautiful products, a head buzzing with inspiration, sore feet, glittery bits everywhere and a large dent in my bank balance.

Since 2004 when I started out as a freelance make-up and body artist I’ve worked at IMATS several times both in London and New York representing various teaching academies and make-up and body art companies. This year I was delighted to be asked to demonstrate for Screenface London.

Below are some of my favourite designs from my body painting in past shows including my illusional design painted at this year’s show in London on Saturday the 4^th of June.

My body painting, IMATS 2010

London 2010 – Art Deco Body Painting

My first booking at IMATS London was for The Academy of Freelance Make-up Artists (AOFM) back in 2010. I took my inspiration for the design from the beautiful work of Polish Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka 1898-1980.

My model, Armin Grossegger, flew in from Austria especially for the event.

Once I had finished the painting I embellished the design with peacock feathers, crystals and superfine glitter.

My H R Giger inspired body painting, IMATS 2011

London and New York 2011 – H.R.Giger and Superhero Body Painting

The following year I painted for AOFM again. At the London show in January in 2011 I used the amazing work of the Swiss surrealist artist H R Giger for my inspiration.

Then in April I hopped across the pond and represented AOFM at the IMATS show in New York. This time I decided on a series of Superhero images for my paintings.

My sugar skull design, IMATS 2012

London 2012 – Sugar Skulls and Alice in Wonderland Body Painting

In 2012 I was back in London and represented Mistair. MistFX face and body paint was quite a new product on the market and very different to other paints that I had used in the past. Unlike the solid paints that are activated with water, MistFX is a liquid paint and comes in a bottle. It comes in a great range of colours, it’s very durable and gives a really lovely professional finish.

Alice in Wonderland design, IMATS 2012

I decanted the paint from the bottle into an artist’s pallet and painted my brilliant model with a very colourful sugar skulls design.

On the second day I painted a design inspired by Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen from the 2010 film ‘Alice in Wonderland’. I was really pleased with how it turned out and this has always been one of my favourite pieces of work.

Superman comes to IMATS London, 2013

London 2013 – Superman Body Painting

In 2013 I painted for Mistair again and this time the Superhero theme made a re-appearance. My husband is a huge fan of anything Marvel related and we’ve got shelves full of books and comics which are always a great source of inspiration for me. My model Ryan Mackins was huge. I think he must hold the record for the tallest person that I’ve ever painted!

My 3-D body painting, IMATS 2016

London 2016 – 3 Dimensional Body Painting Illusion

I was delighted to be commissioned by Screenface London to paint at their stand at this year’s show. We had a last minute panic when the model who had been booked broke his leg the night before the show. After several frantic phone calls, Paintopia director Jennie Roberts arranged for the brilliant Kyle James to step in and save the day. Kyle was an absolute delight to work with and I decided to accentuate his great physique with a design made up of a combination of ripped skin and metal inner workings with a bit of flesh showing through for good measure!!

IMATS exhibitors include numerous high profile brands from the world of make-up, SFX and body painting; also make-up magazines, colleges and brush companies. The wide range and quality of the products, the artist demonstrations, the student competitions, plus the seminars, makes IMATS a must for anyone interested in the industry, or for those already working as a make-up artist or body painter. Just wear some comfortable shoes and take along a purse full of money! You’ll be tempted beyond belief and already planning your visit the following year!

Body Painting Marketing and PR, Camouflage, My Work Assignments |

May 21, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Camouflage Body Painting Veterans for The Royal British Legion ‘Count Them In’ PR Campaign

Work in progress on the ‘Count Them In’ campaign outside the Houses of Parliament

‘We Count on Them. Count Them In’

The Royal British Legion is the nations’ biggest Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. I was delighted and very proud to work on the ‘Count Them In’ campaign launched on the 16^th of May 2016 which calls for the Armed Forces community to be recorded in the next UK census in 2021. At the moment there’s very limited information about where they are, or what their needs might be. So I was commissioned to camouflage 4 veterans using body paint into different locations around the UK to highlight the fact that they are currently invisible in the census amongst the general population.

All the veterans would be wearing a full set of clothing for the camouflage painting. This is much more difficult than a straightforward body painting on a model wearing only underwear. Clothing has folds and creases and has a tendency to move around, then any line work or details won’t match the original background. I was also aware that the painting would have to be done as quickly as possible, so I enlisted the help of my fellow artist and member of my Getmadeup team Laura Scimone to speed up the painting time.

Putting the finishing touches to the camouflage of veteran Frank Simpson in Manchester

Veteran Frank Simpson at The Portico Library, Manchester

Our first location was The Portico Library in Manchester. Laura and I hopped on a train from London to Manchester where we met up with and painted the lovely Frank Simpson, aged 61, from Salford. Frank had been in the Army since 1969 and was medically retired in 1985. Despite his health issues he was a fantastic model and great fun to chat with during the painting.

Veteran David Iveson camouflaged into the seating at the Cardiff Arms Park rugby stadium

Veteran David Iveson at Cardiff Arms Park

Our second marvellous model was 31 year old David Iveson who served as a Lance Corporal and completed 2 tours of Iraq. Unfortunately David injured his back whilst on duty in 2005 and has never recovered. So Laura and I set off on the train, this time to Cardiff to camouflage David into the seating area at Cardiff Arms Park rugby ground. Again David was fantastic to work with. Once we had finished painting Laura and I stayed overnight in Cardiff as we needed to be on a very early train to Plymouth the next day.

Completing the camouflage of veteran Mike Jarvis in the Boston Tea Party Café, Plymouth

Veteran Mike Jarvis at the Boston Tea Party Café, Plymouth

So the following morning we were up and about at the crack of dawn and back on the train for our trip from Cardiff to Plymouth to paint our third model Mike Jarvis. Mike had previously served in the Royal Navy and we met up with him at the Boston Tea Party Café. We camouflaged Mike as he sat at a table in the café to highlight his invisibility on the current census.

Veteran Darren Fuller camouflaged outside the Houses of Parliament, London

Veteran Darren Fuller outside the Houses of Parliament

Our final painting was planned for the day of the campaign launch on the 16^th of May. We needed to get the painting finished for a 9 a.m. press call, so that meant setting my alarm at 3.20 a.m. We would need to be up and at the location ready to commence the painting at around 5 a.m. We met up with our final fantastic model Darren Fuller outside the Houses of Parliament. Darren served for 20 years in the 2^nd Battalion Parachute Regiment. He was medically discharged in 2014 after losing his lower right arm during a tour of Afghanistan in 2008.

This final location was definitely one of the most challenging from a body painting point of view. It was pretty cold and blowy when we started, and semi dark so hard to see the colours properly. Then once the sun came up our setting was back lit, so again it was difficult to see exactly what we were painting. We were up against a tight deadline to complete the work by 9 a.m. so it was a fast finish against the clock to adjust the colouring to match the then more natural daylight.

A challenging but very rewarding assignment

Camouflage body painting can be incredibly difficult for the models as standing or sitting very still is a really important requirement. The veterans were all incredible considering some of their injuries meant that standing or sitting for prolonged periods caused a lot of discomfort!

One of the most enjoyable things about my job is meeting so many interesting people and when you are painting someone for several hours you really get a chance to know them! From hearing stories about their families and how their injuries have affected them to Frank’s absolute love of Game of Thrones!

Despite some of the hurdles that they faced on the painting days everyone was really up for the challenge! Getting a model with a great attitude makes a huge difference on a stressful job and I’m incredibly grateful for all the hard work these lovely men put into each day!!!

The PR campaign gained extensive coverage in the national and local press

I think the dedication and effort put in by the models and everyone involved in the campaign really paid off. As soon as it went ‘live’ the campaign received a huge amount of press coverage, both in national newspapers where it was featured in The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent The Daily Star and numerous regional publications.

We count on them – let’s count them in.

People nationwide are being asked to show their support for the campaign and for more information or to support the campaign please visit the British Legion Organisations’ webpage here.

Body Painting Marketing and PR |

May 1, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Body Painting for Advertising, Publicity and Promotion – Client advice regarding model nudity and clothing issues

Model Katy was body painted wearing a bra and pants combination for this Trade Show promotion

During my career I’ve worked on advertising and PR campaigns for numerous clients including The Ford Motor Company, Diet Coke, The NHS, Panasonic, Walkers Crisps and Universal Pictures. One of the main concerns for many clients is the question of how much, or how little, models involved in their campaign should wear. This is a particular concern for advertising, events or campaigns where female models are being painted. The choice of underwear does usually depend on the marketing campaign in mind, e.g. the venue or promotional vehicle and the target audience.

For instance at trade shows it can be a fine line between attracting potential customers to your stand or offending them if you get it wrong. So with regard your target audience, if they are visitors to an event like a fine food fair, they aren’t likely to want to look at a topless or nearly naked model whilst eating their artisan cheese and chutney! A discreet set of underwear that can be painted over in a pretty design would be more appropriate.

Body painting ‘live’ at an event can be useful in attracting visitors to the stand

All the models that I paint wear a minimum of a thong or pants and variations from topless, to body painted clothing and everything else in between. Your model choice is also important. For trade events it’s good to use a professional model who is confident when body painted and will engage with the public in a friendly manner to help to promote your product or draw visitors in to your stand. Some clients prefer the model to be fully painted and ready before the event. Other clients prefer to have the model body painted ‘live’ at the event as this can be guaranteed to attract a steady stream of visitors to the stand.

With most celebrity body painting that I’ve done, the models, both male and female, prefer to be as covered as possible before the painting begins.

So if you are thinking of using body painting for a photoshoot, promotional purposes or an advertising campaign and require most of the body to be painted, what are the underwear choices for your model/s?

Celebrity Ricky Whittle in body painted jeans to promote ‘Jeans for Genes’ day

Male models

For male models, again it does depend on the venue or event. If I’m painting jeans on a guy the underwear selection is very important. They need to be tight fitting and as seam free as possible as they have to virtually disappear and become part of the body painted garment. Large white cotton Y fronts are never going to work. For other events the men have worn boxer shorts, trunks and jockey shorts.

This promotion for Sanex used a topless model for their campaign

Female Models

For female models, first of all we have the topless option. The models are just that, completely topless, but wear a thong or small pants. Most competition work is done with topless models and some advertising campaigns and events prefer it if the models are only wearing pants. Most models are comfortable with this, but it’s wise to check first. You don’t want to get to the studio/event to find that your model refuses to take her bra off.

Just about all of the models that I’ve worked with say that once you’re body painted you do actually feel covered and as if you are wearing clothing.

This Beowulf movie promotion used gold body painted models wearing nipple covers

Nipple Covers or Pasties

Then we have the nipple covers or pasties! They are small round covers that stick on to the breast and completely cover the nipples and give a slightly more discreet look.

If they are used in conjunction with a plain body painted design they are still visible but if the design is more intricate they can be hidden more easily within the design.

Bra tops or Bikinis

The next option is a bra top or bikini top that can be painted over with the design.

Body Painting Carolyn Roper Ashley Roberts

Celebrity Ashley Roberts was body painted wearing a bra and pants combination for a Crysis 3 video game promotion. Photo Lou Denim

Sometimes the bras need to be virtually invisible, but for some events where any suggestion of partial nudity might be an issue, the clients prefer the bra tops to be more obvious so that the overall look is more discreet.

Bandeau Tops

For an even more discreet option there is the bandeau top. These give great coverage so are more appropriate for events where any hint of nudity might be a problem.

These can either be in a design or colour that will blend in with the painting, or be a complete contrast that still compliments the body painting.

Actor Rob Riggle was body painted for a scene in ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ wearing a lycra body suit

Body Suits or Leotards.

I’ve painted quite a few models who have worn lycra body suits or leotards. From my point of view it is slightly more difficult as body paint is meant for bodies not clothing. Any mistakes are harder to rectify as you can’t just wipe the paint off as easily as you would on a body. But the end result can be just as good as painting directly onto the body and can be a less embarrassing experience for the apprehensive model. For the camouflage body painting in ‘Dumb and Dumber To’, American actor Rob Riggle wore a full body suit and the finished painting was exactly what the producers wanted and Rob completely disappeared into the background wall and vending machine!

In this Unicef campaign, the model was body painted wearing a full set of clothing

Painted Clothing

There are times when the models will have to wear clothing that can be completely painted over. This is often the choice with camouflage work where the model needs to be remain partially visible instead of disappearing completely into the background.

For example I worked on a campaign for Unicef where children needed to be painted to highlight the hidden nature of child trafficking. The child models all wore clothing that myself and my team painted to blend them in to various backgrounds.

Carolyn Roper JENNIFER ELLISON bodypainting

Celebrity Jennifer Ellison. Photo Adrian Brooks/Imagewise

Half body or torso shoots only.

If it’s not a full body paint the models can wear some clothing to compliment the painted parts of their bodies. Some shoots require only torso painting, so then the models can wear trousers, shorts skirts etc.

The image on the right shows celebrity Jennifer Ellison wearing a blouse and shorts combination for this torso body painting for a Kelloggs ‘Healthy Eating’ promotion.

Conclusion

So if you’re considering using body painting for marketing purposes including advertising, product launches or publicity stunts and would like any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your requirements in more detail.

Body Painting Marketing and PR |

April 26, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Body Painting for Marketing: PR, Publicity and Promotional Campaigns

Diet Coke new bottle design by J P Gaultier – body painted models in Harvey Nichols window

Visually stunning body painting can be used to great effect to promote products, services or organisations. Since founding Getmadeup.com in 2004 I’ve worked with numerous marketing, advertising and PR agencies, or sometimes directly with companies and charities, to produce memorable and distinctive body painting designs. My body art has been seen on TV, in newspapers and magazines, on packaging such as CD covers and book covers, or on models at events such as exhibitions, trade shows and product launches. I have a brilliant team of artists who work with me on larger assignments so we can confidently produce stunning results on campaigns of any size, from one model on a photo shoot to multiple models in various locations for coordinated publicity stunts. Here are a few examples:

Posing with my models outside Harvey Nichols

Launch of new Diet Coke bottle design

In 2012 fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier created a design for 2 new limited edition bottles for ‘Diet Coke’. I was commissioned by Lexis agency to paint 2 models in the new design for a live body art installation where the models would pose in a window display in Harvey Nichols to publicise the launch of the new designs. The models had to be ready for the early morning rush hour, so my team and I had a 3 a.m. call time to get the models finished for their shop window appearance.

The following measurement and evaluation was reported by PR Week:

The campaign generated 909 pieces of coverage across 33 national and consumer print titles including The Sun, Daily Mirror, The Independent and the Daily Mail. Magazine coverage included InStyle, Heat, Closer, S, You and Star. The tour bus alone generated 70 pieces of coverage. More than 2,500 limited edition products worth £12,000 were sold on the first day.

More at the prweek.com website here

Body Painting Carolyn Roper Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker hidden amongst the vegetables for a Walkers Crisps promotional campaign

Walkers Crisps Promotion with Gary Lineker

I was delighted to take part in the ‘Gary’s Great Ingredient Hunt’ promotion for Walkers Crisps with Gary Lineker. The challenge was to use body paint to hide/camouflage Gary into 2 different backgrounds.

When I’m working with celebrities I’m aware that their time is usually pretty valuable so the timings can be quite tight. On this occasion my fellow artist and member of my team Emily Dowdeswell came along to help speed up completion of the body painting.

Using my airbrush to put the finishing touches to the body painting on Gary Lineker

“Over the years I’ve done some weird and wonderful things with Walkers, but I’ve never been made to disappear,” said the former England striker. “It will be fun to see people’s reactions when they find me in the image and realise I’m buried in amongst the fresh, homegrown ingredients.”

The photos from the campaign appeared in The Daily Mirror and Daily Star as well as numerous online media websites.

NHS Blood Donor Promotional Campaign

The NHS promotion on St Pancras Station, London. Photo: Adrian Brooks/Imagewise

In 2012 the NHS Blood & Transplant Service needed to increase blood stocks by 30% for the Olympics to cope with the increased visitors in the country. So I was commissioned to design a full body paint which would show veins, arteries and hearts. The design would be then painted on eight volunteers to represent the four main blood groups. On the day of the campaign we had to get the eight models ready for an early morning press call, so I put together a team of seven body artists to assist me and we started the painting at around 4 a.m.

During the painting process we were filmed for the ‘Blood art’ery’ video which gave a behind the scenes look at the work in progress. The film also features some great footage of the painted volunteers out and about in London.

The body painted models made a real impact with the public on St Pancras Station, London. Photo: Adrian Brooks/Imagewise

This was an extremely successful campaign. The video generated a huge amount of mainstream coverage and there was an immediate public response. In one day alone 30,000 people visited the blood.co.uk and there was in increase in calls from possible donors of 29%.

International PR Agency Red Consultancy won an award for ‘Excellence in the Use of Innovative Media Outreach’ for this campaign. Fantastic photography by Adrian Brooks.Imagewise.

You can watch the video on YouTube here

Camouflage Body Painting to promote launch of new TV series

Body painting Covert Affairs Carolyn Roper

This camouflage body painting to promote the TV series Covert Affairs has been viewed extensively around the World

In 2012 I was commissioned to body paint 3 camouflaged models to blend them into various London locations for a promotional campaign to launch the UK premiere of the new series of the CIA drama ‘Covert Affairs’ on Really TV. One model was camouflaged to blend into the outside of an iconic London taxi cab. Another setting was for the model to be camouflaged onto the back seat of a London bus. But the most popular image was the painting that I did in a street market. I blended the model into a fruit and vegetable stall and the reactions from the passing shoppers was brilliant. This image has been shared all around the world and has also been the subject of two meme’s!

Players body painted in a Safari theme to promote the Marriott London Sevens rugby tournament

Promotion of the Marriott London Sevens rugby competition

In 2013 I was commissioned to body paint several rugby players in a safari theme to promote the launch of the Marriott London Sevens rugby tournament.

Rugby players Dan Norton, Michaela Staniford, Chris Cracknell, Tom Mitchell and Alice Richardson were painted in safari animal designs that represented their own strengths and style of play.

World Series leading try scorer Dan Norton became a Cheetah to signify his lightning pace. Norton said: “Each year the fans fancy dress outfits get better and better so we thought we’d get in on the action.

Body Painting Carolyn Roper Chris Cracknell

Rugby player Chris Cracknell looking ferocious as a body painted lion for the PR campaign

All the players were great fun to work with and it was a really enjoyable shoot for myself and my Getmadeup team of artists.

The photos received wide exposure in the media including the Daily Mail, the London Evening Standard and The Sun.

You can see Tom Mitchell and Chris Cracknell talking on YouTube about their painted characters here.

The ‘X Men First Class’ promotion used models transformed by body painting and special effects into the characters on the London Underground

Promotion of the release of ‘X Men First Class’ on DVD and Blu Ray

In 2011 I was asked if I could transform 2 models into Mystique and Azazel for a week of PR activity to publicise the release of ‘X Men First Class’ on DVD.

For Mystique’s character I hand made all the numerous latex pieces myself and then had to reproduce the look several times on various models throughout the week. They appeared at different London locations including seated on an underground train and in a 1960’s style ‘pop up lounge’ at Victoria Station which featured a recreation of one of the sets from the film.

Model Sam Cooke posing as Mystique for the campaign. Photo: Stewart Williams

Here, commuters could pose for photos with the characters and also stop and join in with various activities that included playing chess in a setting that was very similar to the one that appears in the film, complete with replica 60’s Chesterfield sofas.

The lounge was opened by Jason Flemyng who plays Azazel in the film. The week’s activity ended with a photoshoot with model Sam Cooke where I transformed her into Mystique for a stunning set of photos by photographer Stewart Williams.

You can see the link for the video from the transformation on YouTube here.

Camouflage, Film & TV, My Work Assignments |

April 16, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

‘Naked and Invisible’ On Channel 4’s All4 Facebook Page goes viral!!

Personal Trainer Ashley Lewis camouflage body painted against shelves of vegetables

The ‘Naked and Invisible’ series of short films for Channel 4 featuring my camouflage body painting has gone viral over the last week. Since its release 10 days ago the brilliant video has received more than 5.7 million views and has been shared an unbelievable 66,000 times all around the world. It’s been seen everywhere from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires and Venezuela to Nepal.

You can watch the trailer clip at the All4 Facebook Page here or if you would like to watch all 4 short films in their entirety, go to the Channel 4 website here

I’ve worked on a lot of camouflage assignments during my career but this has to be up there as one of the most enjoyable jobs that I’ve ever done. So naturally I’m thrilled for everyone who was involved in the making of the series.

Matthew ‘Morgan Fabulous’ camouflage body painted against a clothes stall in a busy market

The background to the series.

As I said in a previous blog, I was approached by Showem Entertainment Ltd several months ago regarding an idea that they were working on for a series of short films for Channel 4. This would involve volunteer models being camouflaged, using body paint, into various backgrounds around London so that they were invisible to the public for a short while.

All the models had a particular reason for wanting to be invisible for a day. I really liked the concept and was very happy work on this project with the team. We started the series back in August last year with the lovely Leyah Shanks who is a body confidence blogger from Edinburgh. It was my job to blend her in to the back of a telephone kiosk in a London street. We then moved on to various locations around London and I painted Body Builder Kate Austin, Personal Trainer Ashley Lewis, Amputee Taylor Crisp, Alternative Model Alison Ward and Librarian and Drag Queen Matthew ‘Morgan Fabulous’ over the course of a week.

You can read the full story with all the images from the series on one of my earlier blogs here

Welsh Body Builder Kate Austin camouflage body painted against supermarket shelving

Definitely one of my favourite assignments to date

Working on the production of the series was a great experience and the whole crew from Showem Entertainment Ltd were just brilliant. The very brave volunteer models who were completely new to the sometimes surreal world of body painting were absolutely marvellous to work with, and we had so much fun with the various scenarios. The reaction of the members of the public when they were ‘surprised’ by the models wearing their camouflage body paint and not a lot else was at times hilarious and so much fun to watch.

And finally I had some lovely testimonials from Simon Goodman the producer of ‘Naked and Invisible’ and also Laura Scimone who is a member of my make-up and body painting team, and who worked incredibly hard alongside me for a week whilst we were filming the series. A big thanks also to Emily Dowdeswell from my team who also assisted on the pilot for the series.

“Carolyn is a true artist and a brilliant collaborator. Her technical ability in bringing her camouflage body art illusions to life so realistically is almost superhuman. It was a real pleasure to work with her on Naked and Invisible.”
Simon Goodman, Producer/Director.

“Working with Carolyn Roper is one of the most inspiring experiences I’ve ever had. She is professional, precise and with the most amazing calm funny personality. She is the most “Speedy Gonzales Body painter” that I’ve ever seen – incredibly fast. I’ve learned a lot from her and I always do, working next to her. Thank you Carolyn for sharing your amazing talent with me.”
Laura Sicmone, Make-up Artist/Body Artist.

Body Painting as a Career |

April 10, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Body Painting – Information and Advice for Models

Am I short or are my two models just very tall?!! Diet Coke/Jean Paul Gaultier campaign

Body painting is used for various advertising campaigns, music videos, television adverts, PR stunts etc. As a professional body painter out in industry you can expect to get jobs working on PR and promotional events by clients wishing to get press coverage for a new product or event, or for television advertising.

During my career I’ve painted literally hundreds of models in various locations around the world. So here’s a few of my hints and tips that should lead to a successful and pleasant body painting experience for the model, the artist and the client.

Absolutely make sure that you are using skin safe products! I cannot stress this enough! Everything in my kit was designed specifically to go on the skin. Just because a product is non toxic doesn’t mean that you can use it on the body; your insurance won’t cover you if your model has a reaction.

Care for your model

It is VERY important as a body artist to know how to look after your model and make sure that they’re as comfortable as possible. When you’re on a job with your model try to ensure that he/she will be warm enough. If you’re in a room or location that doesn’t have heating ask if it’s possible to provide portable heaters. I usually have foil blankets in my kit for outside shoots.

If it’s a very warm day ask that fans can be provided, so they don’t get too hot. If you’re body painting for several hours then there is a good chance that your model will need to sit down. See if it’s possible to have chairs provided for your model to sit on.

Do they have another job to go to afterwards? If so, they will need to leave with absolutely no paint residue on them. If there are no showers on-set, pack plenty of baby wipes in your kit to help with the paint removal from the skin. If there are showers available, remind your model to take along a wash kit containing shower gel, flannel, towel etc.

A silk/satin dressing gown can also be useful for the model if she needs to cover-up for toilet trips etc. and not smudge the paint. Flip flops are also handy for a model to take along.

Another very tall model Amy Woodman painted for a Kryolan event at The Royal Opera House

Preparation for painting

There are things that your model needs to do to prepare themselves for being painted. Make sure they remove all their body hair. Women are usually fairly smooth, but men will need to at the least run beard trimmers over themselves as any body hair will catch on your brushes and it will be impossible to get clean lines.

Never ask your models to wax, more often than not they will come up in a rash or have broken skin on the area, making it impossible to paint on.

Make sure your models know not to put any products on their skin before getting painted. Unlike when you apply make-up, some products like moisturiser or fake tan make it extremely hard to get an even base coat as the paint does not stick evenly.

Also be aware of any contraindications that might prevent you from painting. Areas of broken skin, such as cuts or grazes. Any kind of infection or cold sores.

Sensitivity to the needs of your model

Some models can be a bit nervous before a body painting job, particularly if it’s their first experience of a body art shoot. I’m very sensitive to their concerns and I often find that a female model will feel much more comfortable once her breasts and nipples are painted, so this is always where I’ll apply the paint first.

I very rarely paint naked models, although I have had to paint detailed anatomical designs for Channel 4’s “Embarrassing Bodies” on sensitive areas. But, sometimes it is necessary to paint completely naked models. It’s then VERY important to decant your paint from its usual container into a disposable one so that you can throw away any left-over paint. I also prefer to use cheaper brushes that can be disposed of afterwards.

An even taller model painted at IMATS New York for AOFM

The Perfect Model

A good model is one that understands the process and can keep very still for long periods of time. It’s also good if they have a friendly personality and are easy to talk to. Body painting can last for several hours so some general banter and fun conversation can make the time pass much more quickly and pleasantly.

I can provide models for various shoots, but I would say that 90% of the models that I paint are usually provided by the client. Some of these models are incredibly tall and anyone’s who’s met me will know that I’m incredibly short! I can usually get them to bend down so that I can reach the tops of their shoulders and their faces. But if I’m doing camouflage work and they have to stand in one position, we have get really technical and I have to stand on a box so that I can reach them!!!

The Fainters

Body paint shoots often start very early and not all models will turn up having eaten properly or have had anything to drink. Some models deliberately avoid eating before a job as they think they might not look their best on camera. This can be a recipe for disaster.

I’ve been in situations where some girls have spent longer with their head down the toilet feeling faint and nauseous, than being painted. There have been times when I’ve actually had to dash off to buy breakfast for them. Once they’ve had something to eat and a mug of hot sweet tea, or an orange juice, they’re good to go and we can get on with the painting. But this seriously eats into the time and can affect the finished result, and is so easily avoidable. So I would highly recommend that all models eat a proper breakfast/lunch before a body paint shoot.

I like to take some snacks with me on jobs, things like bananas. I also have a supply of glucose sweets which I pop into their mouths frequently and can help stop models from feeling faint whilst I work.

My tallest model ever! Ryan Mackins painted at Olympia Beauty Trade Show for Mistair

Some models don’t want to drink a lot of water because they are worried about going to the loo and smudging the paint with their underwear. But it’s really important to stay hydrated. It is a lot easier to clean up some smudged paint around the groin than have to clean off an entire section because your model has fainted and ruined half your painting. I always tell my models to pull their underwear to the sides if possible when using the toilet and it very rarely results in any smudged work.

It’s also important to get your model to move around lots whilst you are mixing the paint or cleaning your brushes, quite often it will be not moving their feet that will cause your model to feel unwell, particularly if it’s a very warm location.

I ask my models to tell me as soon as possible if they start to feel unwell. If there’s a chair available sit them down. I’ve had situations where a very tall model has suddenly slithered off down the wall with me desperately trying to hold her up. And with a 6 foot plus model and a 4 foot 11 artist you just know it’s never going to end well.

Body painting artist becomes body painting model

I always wanted to have my own body painted and was very pleased and surprised to receive an invitation from the American artist Craig Tracy who I first met at the World Body Painting Festival in Austria on my second visit in 2004. So in March 2005 I travelled to New Orleans and spent a week with Craig sightseeing, eating and of course painting each other with the designs that Craig had worked out in advance.

The end result of the body painting collaboration between myself and Craig Tracy

The body painting collaboration was a unique experience for me and I think I definitely have more sympathy for my models now.

After this experience I can confirm that it’s quite difficult to stay absolutely still for long periods of time, particularly if you have to stand up. But no doubt like many of my own models, I found it absorbing to be able to watch and actually see the design taking shape.

Body Painting can transform people, they become part of the art work. You can see the shiest model come alive once they have been painted. It’s a really liberating experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

Body Painting as a Career |

April 1, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

A career in body painting or make-up : What you need to consider

My graduation from West Thames College in 2004

After graduating from West Thames College in 2004 with a HND in Specialist Hair and Make-up I had to make an important decision about my future career. Did I want to join a make-up company like MAC or try my hand at freelance work? I had to weigh up the options.

If I joined a make-up company I would have regular hours, regular pay, work colleagues, sick pay, holiday pay and no tax returns to deal with at the end of the year. Plus the opportunity to progress within the company over the years ahead.

Working as a freelance make-up and body artist means no regular hours, no regular pay, no sick or holiday pay, and the dreaded tax return and National Insurance to sort out. It can be lonely. You have no colleagues. No surprise birthday cakes, no office Christmas party. Secret Santa doesn’t really work if you have to buy the present for yourself. But the advantages are that you’re your own boss, and don’t have to do regular hours every week with a limited annual holiday allowance. But more importantly the work can be really varied and interesting, and you’re very much be in control of your own career. After giving it a lot of thought I decided to go down the freelance route.

Portfolio piece from my time at West Thames College

No Regular Income

Starting out in the industry as a freelance body painting or make-up artist isn’t easy. Unfortunately you won’t leave college one month and be doing make-up in the world of rock and pop the next. The reality is that you’re more likely to be sitting in your flat eating beans on toast and wondering if you have enough train fare to get to your next job. But don’t get dis-heartened as it’s the same for most freelancers at the beginning of their career.

Your kit is expensive and there’s a lot of competition for the work that’s out there. Plus with no regular income and no idea when, or where, your next job will come from, it can be very tough. Everyone’s circumstances are different. If you’re lucky enough to live at home with family support and few overheads, or have the security of a partner or husband’s salary, it’s very different to leaving home and renting often very expensive accommodation and completely supporting yourself. Then all the money that you earn has to be saved for living costs, as you could have a quiet month with absolutely no work and you still have to pay your rent etc.

Financially try not to go down the credit card route. I had a simple rule…in fact I still have. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it, book it or cook it! I’ve eaten my fair share of beans on toast and it was several years before I felt secure enough to book a holiday.

My mother used to send me vegetables through the post so that she knew I was eating properly. It wasn’t unusual for me to come home and find an envelope on the doormat containing green beans and baby sweetcorn!!!

In action at the World Bodypainting Festival in Seeboden, Austria, in 2005

Portfolio Building

I did a lot of low pay and no pay assisting jobs to build up my portfolio and gain experience in the industry. Plus my birthday present from my parents every July was a trip to The World Bodypainting Festival in Austria. As well as a great experience it was a good way of building up my portfolio and also hopefully winning some accolades that might enhance my career. In those early days I never imagined I would win once, let alone twice. But it’s definitely been invaluable in terms of taking my career to the next level. I’ll be covering The World Bodypainting Festival in more detail in another blog.

Unsocial Working Hours

If a model, or models, need to be ready for an early morning press call the painting has to be done before sunrise. I’ve had numerous jobs where I’ve found myself in a cab with the driver navigating a very empty city at 3 am. This is never ideal but it has to be done. You know the feeling when you’re off on holiday and set your alarm for an early flight?? Then you hardly sleep because you’re worried about missing your flight. Well it’s that same feeling only 10 times worse. You toss and turn and then end up getting up before you really have to, simply because you’re awake anyway! You then have to go and paint to a really high standard against the clock to get the models finished, usually after around 3 hours sleep. But I find that once I’m at the location the adrenalin kicks in and I’m off…… painting like a mini ninja!

A getmadeup team job for the NHS. Photo: Adrian Brooks/Imagewise

Building up your Business

There are no short cuts. You have to build up your experience, and your client list, and that only comes with time. If you do a good job the client will be more likely to remember you and use you again, or even recommend you to other clients. But when you’re starting out know your limitations. It’s better to not do the job at all than do it badly. You not only let the client down, but you risk your reputation as well. If you’re good at what you do, you’ll find that it’s almost self- perpetuating. The more work you do the more work comes in.

I’m pleased that I decided on the freelance route, it was the right decision for me. No two days are the same and I love being my own boss. I’ve worked hard to build up my business and now have many repeat clients. I have my Getmadeup team who work with me on larger assignments so my little business also supports several other artists and I actually now have some colleagues. But none of this has happened overnight. I started at the bottom of the ladder and it’s taken me 12 years to get to the point that I’m at today.

My ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed body painting for Mistair

Career Advice

So my advice to anyone who has a passion for make-up/body painting and is seriously thinking of a career in the industry would be to get some training. Either a full time college course or one of the shorter courses from the various make-up academies out there. There are some excellent self- taught make-up artists, but just about everyone that I know in the industry has started their career with some professional training.

You must have Public Liability Insurance before starting work in the industry. If you poke your brush in someone’s eye you’ll be in big trouble with no insurance cover. I get mine through Professional Beauty. It’s automatically renewed every 12 months and is around £50 for the year. Anyone who works with me must have their own PLI as mine won’t cover them.

If you’re freelance don’t expect to run before you can walk. Gain as much work experience as you can. Do the low pay jobs to practice your skills and build up contacts.

Don’t get disheartened at the beginning of your career. Realistically it will probably take you a few years to get established.

Finally, I hope that anyone who’s interested in becoming a professional make-up or body painting artist will find this information interesting and useful. I’ve tried to be honest and give you the benefit of my experience. It’s not easy starting out, it’s hard work. Early starts, late finishes, not a lot of spare cash! But if you’re willing to persevere it can be a great career, incredibly good fun at times and very interesting. Good luck!!!!

Camouflage, Film & TV, My Work Assignments |

February 7, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Body painting ‘Naked and Invisible’ people in London for Channel 4

Around 6 months ago I was approached by Showem Entertainment Ltd regarding an idea that they were working on for a series of short films for Channel 4. In the shorts, models would be body painted into various backgrounds around London so that they were camouflaged and invisible to the public.

I really enjoy camouflage body art so was definitely up for the challenge. The people that I painted had volunteered because they all had a particular reason for wanting to find out what it would be like to be invisible and it was fascinating to meet them and hear their stories. They were all marvellous to work with and very patient during the whole body painting process which can take several hours. I’ve painted literally hundreds of models during my career in numerous locations around the world, but it’s always very important that I put first-time models at ease and find a comfortable pose that they’re happy with.

The series has just been released and can be seen on 4OD

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible

Leyah Shanks

Leyah Shanks

We started the series back in August last year with the lovely Leyah Shanks who is a body confidence blogger from Edinburgh. It was my job to blend her in to the back of a telephone kiosk in a London street. Leyah disappeared into the phone box and undressed. She emerged in her pants and I arranged her in a pose that she would be able to hold for the duration of the painting. I was working with the talented Emily Dowdeswell and once the camouflage effect was finished we cleared away the painting equipment and left Leyah to surprise the public.

Leyah was a brilliant model and absolutely loved the whole process and said ‘it was incredibly freeing to rid myself of all my clothes and underwear in a public place’.

You can watch Leyah’s unique and unusual experience here

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand/62181-003

You can also read her account of the day on her interesting blog here.

http://iamleyahshanks.com/2016/02/06/naked-invisible-channel-4-short/

Ashley Lewis

Ashley Lewis

I also painted personal trainer Ashley Lewis from London. Ashley has an amazing physique so can stand out from the crowd and sometimes his physique attracts negative comments. He wanted to know what it would feel like to be invisible and NOT have people staring at him. I had to camouflage him into a fruit and veg market stall and had the lovely Laura Scimone helping me with the painting. Unfortunately, as we were working outside, we were beaten by the weather on our first attempt, so we had to relocate to an indoor shop with hilarious results once the painting was finished.

Ashely’s experience can be seen here.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand

Carolyn Roper camouflage bodypainting Matthew Morgan

Matthew ‘Morgan Fabulous’

Matthew… ‘Morgan Fabulous’

Another fantastic model was drag queen and librarian Matthew whose alter ego is ‘Morgan Fabulous’ and he was definitely fabulous to work with. He gets mixed reactions from his clothes and make-up and would love to give other people the confidence to wear what they want to. Laura and I had to camouflage him into a coat stall in busy Spitalfields market.

Listen to his story and watch is transformation here.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand/62181-006

Alison Ward

Alison Ward

Alison is a fully tattooed model from Bath. She was tired of being treated differently because of her tattoos and wondered what it would be like to be invisible for a day. So Laura and I camouflaged her into a stack of suitcases in a market. The main challenge was covering all of Alison’s beautiful tattoos and completing the body painting in such a busy market place.

Watch the story unfold here.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand/62181-002

Taylor Crisp

Taylor Crisp

Taylor was born with a shortened femur and had her leg amputated as a child. She wanted to overcome her fear of having her scars on show in a public place. She was camouflaged into a busy café and once she removed her prosthetic leg she couldn’t stand for too long, so Laura and I had to make sure she was comfortable with her pose on a stool before we began the painting. Taylor was very apprehensive about the process before we began, but ended up enjoying the day and hoped that her experience might help others in a similar situation.

See her story here.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand/62181-005

Kate Austin

Kate Austin

I also had the pleasure of working with Welsh body builder Kate Austin. She has an amazing physique but it can leave her feeling self-conscious.

Kate wanted to see what it was like to be ignored so she was painted to blend in with some shelves in a supermarket.

Kate was a pleasure to paint and I think she enjoyed the experience. The reaction from the shoppers was very funny!

Watch Kate surprise the shoppers here.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/naked-invisible/on-demand/62181-004

I’ve worked on a lot of camouflage assignments during my career but this has to be up there as one of the most enjoyable jobs that I’ve ever done. It was a great experience. Everyone from Showem Entertainment Ltd and all the brave volunteer models were absolutely marvellous to work with. We had a lot of fun with the various scenarios and the reaction of the members of the public when they were ‘surprised’ by the models wearing their camouflage body paint and not a lot else. It was all very funny!

Body Painting as a Career |

January 21, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

For a successful Body Painting career, versatility is vital

Getmadeup team job for Rugby Sevens promotion at Twickenham

Although being well known for my camouflage body painting, as a freelance body artist I have to be able to paint whatever design my clients’ require, whether it be crisp logo work, temporary tattoo’s or intricate details for fine art prints. I never know what, where, or when the next assignment will be and each body paint brings its own challenges. Quite often the design will be something that I’ve never painted before, so I have to have confidence in my ability to transfer my client’s design onto the body with a very professional finish, often in the shortest possible time.

I also have a very talented Getmadeup team of make-up and body artists, most of whom have been with me for years, who support me on larger assignments when multiple models need body painting and/or make-up.

Camouflage body painting for Belgian travel company TV advertisement

Camouflage Body Painting

Camouflage work is quite specialised and can be pretty complex depending on the background that the model needs to be blended into. Personally I prefer a ‘busy’ background with a lot of detail. It might take more work, but I find this makes it easier to make the model disappear. I’ve worked on numerous camouflage jobs during my career, some that needed the model to be virtually invisible like when I painted Rob Riggle for ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ where it was vital that he wasn’t seen by the audience before he moved and revealed his identity. But on other camouflage jobs the model needs to be painted into the background, but still be partly visible to the viewer. In this image we were painting in The Caribbean for a television advertisement which was for a Belgian travel agency. I was with my fellow artist Emily Dowdeswell, and due to the timings we only had 40 minutes to do the painting before the sun went down. We were quite literally up to our waists in the sea with our paints floating next to us in a bucket!

Body painting leathers and logos for World Super Bike champion Leon Haslam

Logos

Some jobs have the client’s logos incorporated into the design. I hand cut stencils for the logo work to give a really professional finish. There are usually only one or two logos required. But for the job at Silverstone where I had to paint World Super Bike rider Leon Haslam in his racing leathers, I had to cut numerous stencils for all the logos that were needed on his torso. It was a really enjoyable day. Leon was great to work with and everyone was really pleased with the finished result.

There have been quite a few people, including very experienced motor cyclists, who didn’t realise that Leon was ‘wearing’ body paint and not his actual leathers. There’s a time lapse video of the painting on my video page.

Carolyn Roper StormStudios body painting

The Beach Back Catalogue body painting in South Africa for StormStudios. Photo: Rupert Truman

Fine Art Prints

As well as body painting for CD album covers I had the pleasure of working on a series of limited edition fine art prints for the late great Storm Thorgerson and StormStudios. The designs were all of various album covers from Storm’s vast portfolio including Pink Floyd, Muse and Audioslave. Some of the shoots took place in the UK, mainly at The RAC Club in Pall Mall. But we also had an amazing two week trip to South Africa in 2009 where I worked on ‘The Beach Back Catalogue’ and ‘The Outback Catalogue’. Visit www.stormsight.co.uk for beautiful prints and posters and other assorted goodies from the very talented crowd at StormStudios.

Celebrity Ricky Whittle body painted with tattoos for Now Magazine

Body Painted Tattoos

Tattoos are always popular with clients and I’ve painted quite a few over the years. If the tattoo is only required for the photoshoot I use my usual water based body paints, and the design can be washed off easily with soap and water at the end of the day.

But sometimes the client might want the tattoo to last for a few days. I would then use one of the more durable alcohol based FDA approved cosmetic inks on the market. It depends on the brand that you use, but the design will last for at least 3 or 4 days, and sometimes up to a week. These products are usually removed with an oil based cleanser.

Mystique body painting and SFX for PR stunt to promote X-Men First Class DVD

Body Painting and Special Effects

There are times when I’m called on to produce some special effects to transform the model for a particular shoot. Some prosthetic pieces can be bought ‘off the shelf’ from specialist suppliers such as ‘Charles Fox-Kryolan UK’ in Covent Garden, London. But for some of my jobs I make the pieces myself with handmade individual moulds and liquid latex. It can be a bit of a messy process and I think my husband’s heart sinks every time I commandeer the bathroom with my sack of plaster and tubs of latex.

For one assignment I was asked if I could transform 2 models into Mystique and Azazel during a week of PR events for the release of ‘X Men First Class’ on DVD. I hand made all the numerous latex pieces myself, and then had to reproduce the look several times on various models throughout the week. They appeared at different London locations including seated on an underground train, and in a 1960’s style ‘pop up lounge’ at Victoria Station. I then had the pleasure of transforming model Sam Cooke into ‘Mystique’ for a photoshoot at the end of the week.

Carolyn Roper Kate Garraway body painting

Celebrity Kate Garraway make-up and body painting

Combined Body Painting and Make-up assignments

As well as being a body artist I’m also a make-up artist and some shoots require a combination of make-up and body art. If we’re working on a shoot with a celebrity their time is very valuable and will almost certainly be limited. So I usually take along another artist from the Getmadeup team to help to speed everything up.

In 2011 I was commissioned to reproduce a £5.00 note on TV presenter Kate Garraway to publicise the charity lendwithcare.org. It was a very enjoyable shoot where I did the body painting on Kate’s back whilst Emily Dowdeswell did her hair and make-up.

Body Painting as a Career |

January 4, 2016

| Carolyn Roper

Body painting – Which paints will work for you?

The 2007 World Festival winning design using Mehron body paints. Photo: Reinhard Bichler

I thought I would start the New Year by covering one of the questions that I get asked on a very regular basis. What body paints do I use? This has the potential to be a long blog so you might want to make yourself a cup of tea and find a comfortable chair!

When I first started out in the industry in 2003 there weren’t very many brands available. But the popularity of body painting has grown massively over the years and there are now numerous very good brands out there including Mehron, MistFX , Kryolan, Cameleon, Diamond FX, Global, Graftobian and TAG. This can make for a bewildering choice when someone is starting out in the industry.

I should say that I can’t recommend one brand over another. I’ve found that by chatting to other body artists during my career, what one person really likes, another artist will dismiss completely. I can tell you what I use, and why. But would advise anyone wanting to get started with face and body painting to do a bit of research. Buy a few different brands, play around with them, and see what’s going to work best for you. These will be the tools of your trade, so you want to make the right choice for you. Budget might also be an important consideration and the prices vary between £4 – £5 for Cameleon or Diamond FX. Up to £8 – £10 for Paradise and £12 for MistFX.

Basic bodypainting colours for your kit.

There are two main techniques with body painting. ‘Brush & Sponge’ and ‘Airbrushing’. When starting out it’s much cheaper/easier to put together a kit with a few basic brushes and sponges and a selection of primary and basic colours. I would include black, white, red, yellow, and blue. I would also recommend green, purple, pink, orange, grey, and brown as you don’t want to spend all your time mixing colours.

The 2009 World Festival winning design using Mehron body paints. Photo: Reinhard Bichler

Paradise Make-up AQ by Mehron

I’ve been using Paradise paints by Mehron since 2005 so most of the work in my portfolio has been done using Paradise. The paints have a glycerine base with avocado oil and cocoa butter so they smell as good as they look. They come in a really wide range of colours in a solid cake form. There is also a metallic range too. The Silver Argente is the best that I’ve used. The paints have a very creamy consistency when mixed with water and blend beautifully. I find them perfect whether I’m painting a smooth base coat or layering the colours. They’re also great for fine line work too. As well as using Paradise for numerous assignments with high profile clients, including the Hollywood movie ‘Dumb and Dumber To’, I’ve also won two World Championships with these paints. The first occasion was in 2007 with my painting partner Carly Utting and then again in 2009 with my assistant Paula Southern.

World Super Bike rider Leon Haslam, painted using MistFX body paints. Photo: Gary Prior

MistFX by Mistair

Most face and body paints on the market come in a solid cake form. MistFX is a very different product as it’s a liquid and comes in a bottle. Some people can be confused by this and think that it’s only suitable for airbrush work. But the paints can be decanted into a small dish or artist’s pallet and work perfectly when used with brushes or sponges too. They come in a range of 24 intermixable colours with a matt or lovely pearlescent finish and have a very high pigment concentration so the colours are very vivid and give a beautiful professional finish. They’re extremely durable and don’t smudge easily. I’ve painted for some high profile campaigns including The NHS and Coca Cola using Mistair. I’ve also had the pleasure of painting Super Bike racer Leon Haslam at Silverstone. The resultant body painting looked so realistic that people thought he was actually in his leathers!

The Face Paints Direct logo was designed and painted by myself using MistFX. Photo: Joseph Sinclair

Suppliers of face and body paint.

For Paradise paints, brushes and also the full Mehron range visit www.mehron.com or Mehron UK at Treasure House www.treasurehouseofmakeup.co.uk

For MistFX paints by Mistair and a wide range of other products including make-up, hair art and nail art go to www.skinbysterex.com

Also for Mehron and MistFX and just about every other brand of face and body paint as well as numerous other products and accessories for the professional face and body painter a visit to www.facepaintsdirect.co.uk is a must. Jane offers a speedy and very efficient service. A lot of my work comes in at very short notice and Jane has gone the extra mile on several occasions to make sure that I get the products that I need in time for my assignments.

My skull design for a Kryolan Masterclass at The Royal Opera House was painted using Kryolan

Another marvellous supplier for artists is Kryolan UK in Tavistock St., Covent Garden. I still remember my first visit when I was a student back in 2002. It was then known as Charles H Fox and was established in 1876. I was like a child in a sweet shop and blown away by the extensive choice of anything body art related, plus the make-up, the books and the videos. And also the range of quite often gory prosthetics and the beautiful wigs that were displayed in the shop.

The original Charles H Fox has since been refurbished and rebranded as Kryolan UK and it remains a wonderful shopping experience for any make-up or body painting artist. But enter at your peril. There are so many tempting products and friendly helpful staff…….you could end up with a serious dent in your bank balance!! www.uk.kryolan.com