Body painted female models in the style of Geishas entertain Albert the 2nd the Prince of Monaco aboard The Lionheart

The client’s brief was to supply two Japanese models and paint them in the style of geishas, the paint resembling silk kimonos. 

I purchased a bolt of silk kimono fabric as a starting point, then colour matched the body paints and specialist make-up to the fabric. Once I had a colour palette, I then purchased underwear and pre-painted the prosthetic breast covers to match the colours of the body paints.

In order to get an authentic Japanese floral pattern, I photographed the floral design on the fabric and then converted this into a file to be laser cut into a stencil to use on the day.

This stencil was used to block out the flowing pattern across the body paint in a light flesh and blue tone. This pattern was then blocked out in blue and pink before diffusing the edges of the block colour with red airbrushed body paint. (Photo above)

Once the flowers were blocked out and cut in with a cosmetic airbrush, I then blocked out the negative space on the body with red water based body paints, before layering and building up texture with the laser cut body painted stencils. 

The models’ hair was styled using cage work and their own hair, as well as fresh, Japanese orchids.

I have a particular dislike of French pleats and stuck-in chopsticks being used to create a Japanese style.