Body Painting Advice - Bikini

Hello, lovelies.
I got a last minute call to paint a bikini on a model this weekend, and I have never done any clothing before. I am looking at pics from Pashur, Mark, and Jeff Simons for inspiration. I am not even sure what exactly it is that I want to know, but I was hoping someone had some general tips to share? Thanks.

Oh and she's 8 months pregnant, so I am concerned if her breasts are starting to hang, I might have a problem. Thoughts?

Dear MelodyFPL:
When breasts sag, I see body painters try to compensate by bringing the design of the bra top up higher, which makes the breasts look saggier, in my opinion.

Is this for photography purposes, or for a runway show?

I have deepened the cast shadow on both the underside of the breast, and the cast shadow to create a more rounded, fuller shape, and high lighted the top of the breasts to keep up the illusion.

When you raise your arms over your head, your breasts perk up a little. Reclining is also an option to create a less saggy bust line.

Pearl Black and Metallics can appear blotchy through the camera lens. Wolfe Black is more opaque, and our beloved Shannon Fennell uses Tim Gratton's black to create a flawless application of black.

After I finish a body painting, I load a sponge or two up with the predominant colors, and place in a ziploc bag. If there has to be a touch up, because of a smear due to bathroom breaks, then mist the sponge and retouch the area. You can give the model the sponge and leave it for her if she wants to retouch smears after you have left.

I sketch out the bikini while they are standing, and then fill in while they are reclining. I leave the back for last, and they can sit leaning forward on a stool while I am painting the back. I finish the backside last, just before the first test shots. Look at the Polaroids! If it is digital, enlarge and look for blotches, faded areas where one color bleeds/blends into another. Look at it upside down, so you are seeing what is there, not just what you WANT to be there. Look at your line work. Do not criticize. Critique your work. Do not look for what is wrong, look for what you can do to make it better.

Happy Painting!

It's for photo, and I love you Lisa.

Also: re: sketching out the preliminary design...
You do not have to actually paint the outline of the bikini.
I use a "Dot" system. I place a dot where I think the top of the triangle will go, and then place a symmetrically placed dot on the other side of the body. I check them, and if one is off a little, it is no big whoop to move the dot. I have not invested my time and effort into a whole line. I move the dot. Same process for the bikini line, to keep it symmetrical on the front side and back side.

There are two reasons to to paint clothing on people:
Tromp L'oil, to "Fool the eye"
or
to do something that cannot be replicated in real clothing, by defying gravity, or create an optical illusion. You can create strings that would never hold up a bikini in real life.

Um, if you do a pattern on the top...
WATCH OUT FOR THE "MICKEY MOUSE EARS" EFFECT!
The MMEe can occur in photography due to something behind one's head that can appear as MME's. Conversely, watch out for inadvertantly placing a pattern that is round, and, below where the nipple line would be. I have accidentally created droopy looking nipplish thingys by placing a round pattern below the natural nipple. Either deny the nipple with the pattern, or enhance it, do not just ignore it because of not knowing what to do with it.

Yeah, I have made some mistakes when first body painting.

Happy painting!