Body painting interlude, no.2
Androgyny time. In the exchange of body painting ideas between myself and Amanda of Feel Good Painted, a regular theme of Amanda’s had been to make me feminine. It was not a shock, therefore, when I arrived for our second body painting session and learned that her inspiration for the evening would be geisha.
It wouldn’t be a make-over in traditional geisha style. Rather, Amanda would blend old and new concepts influenced by Japanese culture, as dissected from Google Images. We would build up various elements and discover where it took us. The only certainty was that my resulting appearance would be somewhat less than butch.
We started with the face…
In an effort to conceal my rugged eyebrows, we tried the proven technique of applying Pritt Stick and a white powder foundation. This experiment was less than successful, however, and was swiftly brought to a sticky end. The affixing of fake eyelashes – my first time with such adornment – went better.
On my torso, Amanda started by painting a large wreath of small pink cherry blossom petals. Inside this she originally planned to paint a geisha face, but on completing my make-up decided that one geisha was plenty. Instead she created a pair of windswept cherry trees in full bloom.
Beneath the wreath swam a magnificent red and gold carp. Above it curved a pleasing arch of orchids. We’d had a good laugh putting this together and I was tickled with the results. All that remained was for me to pose for the camera.
And pose I did. Not exactly recognisable as a geisha, but perhaps more like – as one friend correctly observed – an utter tart.
steve ritter 