What to do after you enter a Body Painting Competition
Posted on Jul 23, 2009 07:36:00 PM
Preparation is everything. Unfortunately, the NZBAA is in two days and
I’m SO not ready!
Actually, I’m sure that I am, that’s just nerves talking.
So, here’s a couple of things I’ve found out just by entering a body
painting competition…
Concept – come up with one that makes you happy, you are going to have
to spend a lot of hours thinking about it! But stay within the theme if
there is one. Why shoot yourself in the foot by ignoring the theme?
The theme for the Awards this year is Fantasia Asia (same as the
facepainting). This makes me happy because my favourite creatures are
dragons and phoenixes and together they are the symbol for a happy
marriage in China. So the concept for my entry is a bride. The Emperor’s
New Bride, in fact. I linked East to West by using the fairytale “The
Emperor’s New Clothes”. My bride will be wearing such “fine” fabrics
that they can only be seen by truly intelligent people. Isn’t it lucky
that the audience will be made up of such people? 
Test your colour scheme – I had it in my head that I’d paint blue
flowers. Unfortunately, the blue I liked did not stand out against the
red background I was set on. Strange but true. So began a long process
of trialling different colours of flowers to find ones that did. You
won’t believe the colour combo that worked best. I sure didn’t. But
you’ll have to wait until after to see it. Only 2 days.
Practice at least all the pieces separately – I haven’t had a complete
run through. Neither my model nor myself could find the time. I have
body painted all of the separate bits, either on my model, or on my own
arms and legs. I’ll be honest, I still don’t really feel that confident
about putting it all together. Perhaps this section should actually be
“have a complete run through”. But since I didn’t, I’m only 80%
convinced it’s necessary. Tell you after.
Props – have them. If nothing else, they give your model something to
work with on stage. But check out your performance space too. The 4
meter train I wanted will not work out. At the model rehearsal last
night I found out that the runway part of the stage is much, much
smaller than last year. Last year there was a 30mtr catwalk and it would
have looked amazing. This is a smaller stage. So I have chopped the
train to just over 2m. I still think it looks great and it will be
easier for my model to manage.
OK. My model is ready, my assistant is over the flu and I have to try to
sleep! Everything will be fine…