Free Bodypainting

I was just wondering how many of you have ever done a free body painting for practice and professional pictures to add to your portfolio. I recently got asked to do one and have thought about doing it because I really want to try a body painting but have not had the oppertunity yet (other then a bathing suit top on my sister). The model is going to have professional pictures afterwards and will be giving me copies to use in my portfolio. Is this something a beginner should consider or am I just crazy to do it free of charge?

Thank you in advance for your advice!

It's a good collaboration - model willing to be painted, photographer willing to take photos, painter willing to paint - if you get photos you can use from it, it's fantastic......

It's a grear idea, because you are gaining a model and proffesional photos

do it!! you'll love it!

Thanks guys...I guess I'm just so strapped on supplies I just wanted to make sure it would be worth it in the long run. Eventually when I get my kit built up to some of the ones I've seen on here then I probably won't be so worried about it...one day...I will have my nice BIG dream kit!

I wouldn't think of it as free, but as trade. make sure you get a signed Model release form so you can use the pics in your advertisements.

Psalmbook wrote:I wouldn't think of it as free, but as trade. make sure you get a signed Model release form so you can use the pics in your advertisements.

Oh, thanks...I didn't think about that, will definitely have to get one of those!

People can get a little weirded out when they realize the pics might be public. Make sure to get some shots from the neck down(some people don't want their face attached...).

It's really not ever free when you take into account that you would usually have to pay the model their fees, the photographer their fees, so in the end, it's a great deal. I've done it and I love it! IT might not have paid me, but it gave me the opportunity to do something I love so for me, it's always worth it.

My day of the dead photos were a trade and I couldn't be happier! A pro photographer who is any good can run into the hundreds of dollars....a cute model is worth $$ as well....to do it as a collaboration works great and when you think about it, would rarely cost more than $30 in paint I would imagine!

Yeah I guess that was just my cheapness talking in the beginning! lol But after reading all your posts I feel like I should be paying for this oppertunity not charging for it!
Thanks

Shhh! Don't say that! Someone might catch on

Go for it for sure!!

It's called TFP, time for prints or trade for prints. I do it all the time and love collaborating. But some advise:

1. Be picky on the model and/or photog if you are able to. It's a complete let-down when you spend a great deal of time and product on someone who doesn't know how to model or the photog doesn't know lighting or photoshop.

2. Work out, in writing, what you will be able to expect from the shoot in terms of # of images. And it's also good to know if the photog's watermark is big and obnoxious all over your painting.

Really, it's the best way I know of to build your portfolio and experience so that you can land paying gigs.

JBax wrote:It's called TFP, time for prints or trade for prints. I do it all the time and love collaborating. But some advise:

1. Be picky on the model and/or photog if you are able to. It's a complete let-down when you spend a great deal of time and product on someone who doesn't know how to model or the photog doesn't know lighting or photoshop.

2. Work out, in writing, what you will be able to expect from the shoot in terms of # of images. And it's also good to know if the photog's watermark is big and obnoxious all over your painting.

Really, it's the best way I know of to build your portfolio and experience so that you can land paying gigs.

Great, thank you so much for the advice...I will definitely put something in writing about the photos...didn't think about that!

Jennifer, Thak you for the info. I've heard of nightmare models, etc that just ruin it & wondered how to avoid that...

One thing worth considering is the model does not own the photographs. So while she says she'll give you copies............. I question this is she paying the photographer? Or has a trade with him? She can't just give you copies he gave her to use as you like. Not if you want legal footing.

Any agreement you work out should be done in writing with the photographer who holds copyright of the images. You want to have a TFP, Trade For Print (or CD) for in which they get your artwork in exchange for you getting licensing rights to use the images. Without the copyright holder giving you these rights you have no legal footing to use them. Licensing rights allow then the photographer, and perhaps the model depending on the agreement, to all benefit should say Pepsi come knocking and want to use said image. Otherwise you "are" giving it away free.

Interesting folks think the photographer and a cute model are the expense. When I work the model is the cheapest expense, many times my rate exceeds the photographer. For paid gigs in clubs or on site I bring my own backdrop and photo my artwork. I own those images. Usually when a paid photographer is their they he is taking images for the client who hired us. Models do hire me as do photographers, taking an image then is usually not done. But my skills allow me a licensed right image in my contract.

For the most part I work to simply create artworks and then with a limited team and, along with the photographer hold full copyright to my images.

So work w/o pay but do it for legal images.

While I have had some pain in the X@% models I have never had nightmare issues. I now work with professionals and will only do so - even aspiring models now days aren't worth the time. Too many think it's about them - and they want to do xyz concept shoot figuring you'll supply the wings, hair, props, backgrounds, or place - for their idea. I paint my ideas. Or you can hire me and I'll paint yours. We've worked with some who then come back to the photographer and myself and say ok I'll get painted and pose again but now I want $$$ - as if their limited experience is worth more that the sum of the years my photographer and I bring - not to mention our time and expenses. A pro knows she/he brings something equal to the project.

So start somewhere but never under value your worth.

You might want to do something simple first time - just too see what the model and the photographer is like - that way if they don't work out you haven't spent 4-6 hours for nothing. I have done body painting with 2 other photographers and the first one only gave us 4 pictures after we had just spent 4 - 6 hours doing a body painting. The other photographer was much better - gave us access to all the photos. Make sure you get a model and photographer release.

I got a very early morning call from a newbie face and body painter who did a free body painting event this weekend. Two painters, 5 models, 5 plus hours...........

Lets just say she needed to vent and seek advice. She'd hoped for photos but it was a club setting and the photos are less then she's imagined.

Free in clubs and at events will never give you good images - just practice and maybe a headache from the loud DJ.

I agree, but trade with a good photographer, a good model can work great for all parties.

Thanks for all of your advise. I was supposed to do the painting this past weekend but it was postponed because of the rain, so it is supposed to happen this Sunday now.
This is something more for just practice and building our portfolios for all of us. The photographer is doing the pictures for free and the model is just looking for new pictures to add to her portfolio. I will make sure that I get something in writting to make sure I get a few pictures from the photographer, but I'm also going to be taking plenty of pictures with my camera too. I do appreciate all the tips!
So here is the picture that the model gave me to show what she wants done.

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It looks like she got the picture from the FABAIC site. I don't want to just copy the image and was thinking of how I can make it sort of the same but different and the only thing I can come up with is to just have the skin openings in different spots. Anyone have any ideas on how to make this design different? I was also wondering how long you feel something like this may take? I'm thinking like 2 hours, but last night my step mother gave me the latest sports illustrated swimsuit edition and it had a few of the bathingsuits painted on the models. They put on each page how long it took to complete the paintings and some of them took like over 12 hours. Don't get me wrong, they were amazing paintings...but 12-17 hours? And I would be even slower considering this would be my first one. I'm getting nervous!

This looks great! Maybe you can take the hart or the ribs as an opening and the nose... It will take more than 2 hours... If I do a bellypaint it is at least 1 hour. If you use airbrush for the base (if it's possible), it takes less time. But you have to do her hair also? and maybe get some shots while you're busy to see how the process goes.

Good luck and enjoy it!

I'd go for it.
If you do a good job both the model and photographer will talk about is and your name will be heard (for free! no advertisementcosts)

I did some birthdaypartys for free. Just to see what it's like, how much paint, how much time it will cost. And to get my name circulating

(Am I making any sense? thought I was better in this language...)

You *may* be able to pull off two hours with an assistant, but my fairy floral back took about 5 hours. Maybe if you made it look more like stitches and didn't do a white undercoat???

Yes you are making perfect sense Maaike! I agree.

Oh boy, I'm going to email them both today and let them know we better schedule more then 2 hours, thank goodness for you guys on here. I mean I know you live and learn, but sometimes it's nice to have some pointers before going into something completely blind.

And me and you must think just alike Kitty...those were the 2 spaces I was thinking of moving the open areas to! lol