Carolyn Roper [UK]

www.getmadeup.co.uk

How did you first get into Bodypainting ?

I was always fascinated by body art and when I was in college I saw an article in a magazine on the World Bodypainting Festival. I thought that it looked like an amazing event and even though I had never painted anyone before, I persuaded my sister to model for me and took part in my first festival. After experiencing the fantastic atmosphere at the festival and meeting other artists from all around the world, I was completely hooked.

How would you explain Bodypainting to someone who hasn’t had contact with the art form before ?

I would explain that I swap a piece of canvas for a human body and create my design with paint working with the contours of the body.

What other work do you do?

I work in London as a freelance make-up artist and bodypainter.

What’s the most interesting job you ’ve had?

I’ve had several interesting jobs but one that was interesting and enjoyable was a shoot that I did with Storm Thorgerson for the CD cover for the band Deepest Blue. Storm is the artistic genius behind many famous album covers including Pink Floyd Led Zeppelin and more recently Muse and any shoot with him is always an interesting experience. On this particular day we travelled to the coast  with the band and I had to paint the model in a van on the beach, whilst the rest of the group set up the props on the sand. We then drove into the countryside and they finished the shoot in a field watched by several cows. It was great to be able to walk into a record shop and buy a copy of my art work a few months later !   

What do you look for in a model?

A perfect model for me is someone who is not too tall ( I’m very small )  with a nice firm figure , who can stand still for long periods of time without moving or fainting ! I also prefer to work with someone with a nice easy going personality.

What’s the goal in the future?

I would love to produce an iconic piece of body art that is recognised around the world.