I wrapped up the Bodypaint Series at the end of May 2019, but wanted to revisit the first in the series, which we did back in early March. I wasn’t completely sure how the whole thing was going to go – I had a basic idea, and ran that idea past several painters and photographers, took the advice I was given, bought the supplies I needed, recruited my friend Samantha to do the painting honors, and then… I needed a model. My first choice was Chacha, who had come and modeled for me twice before and with great results – she’s outgoing, models like a pro, and also has a very theatrical streak about her, very animated, and I knew she would make the paint come to life.
Samantha is an amazing painter (and all-around artist) and she did a masterful job of making Chacha a living, breathing painting. Chacha and I then spent several hours playing around with poses, using props and long exposures to enhance the images and stretch them out. Part of what fascinated me about the whole thing was how quickly the tempera paint dried and then immediately started to flake off of her body. It went from a wet, vivid, lusterous appearance, to a dull, pastel-like look in less than an hour.
But the crumbly appearance only made for more awesome photos as the paint flakes rained down on the studio. We’d lost track of time (seriously!) having so much fun exploring the different aspects of the paint & Chacha’s personality and finally called it a wrap.
Big thanks to Sam for adding her artistic voice to this project and teaching me more about art in the process. And a huge thanks to Chacha for adding the spice to it all and having as much fun as I did with exploring the results!
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