If you go down to the woods today…

Deeper into the forest we went. Our bare skin cooled in the shadowy stillness beneath its green canopy. Patches of dappled sunlight were welcome like a warm shower. We lingered by knots of holly, nests of ferns, gnarled trees and golden clearings. We were woodland creatures, painted and free.

Once upon a time

It all began five hours earlier when Amanda of Feel Good Painted collected me and my fellow creature, Maria, from outside Romford station. At her home studio we were joined by Amanda’s partner in paints, Annmarie, and her good friend, Kim. Together we would share much of the afternoon getting into character.

After Maria and I had changed into skimpy decorated underwear, we started with our head-to-toe foundation of colours. Amanda worked on Maria while Annmarie sponged mottled layers of paint onto me. Leaves, wings, horns, eyelashes and elfin ears were glued onto our bodies in all the right places.

Happily ever after

And when we were done, we headed down to Hainault Forest Country Park. Sadly Annmarie couldn’t join us but Amanda’s husband, Mark, stepped in and took several of the photos posted here. The hour or so of our shoot was outstanding fun that made all the preceding hours of preparation worthwhile.

This was my first time posing with Maria. She said her only modelling experience has been with Amanda, but she’s such a natural she could open up a whole new world for herself if it’s what she wants. It’s what happened to me. I continue to be astounded by the opportunities that come my way, and the wonderful people I’m lucky to work with.

Life is magical in the woods.

All photos © Feel Good Painted