Belly Painting Experts: I need your help!

So it looks like I'm finally doing my first official belly soon. I've been in contact with a local photographer, and we're going to offer a belly painting & photography package and she happens to be expecting too! So I'm going to do her belly for free, so we'll have a photo to use for promotional purposes.

She said she would like something girly, so I'm thinking flowers, butterflies, etc. Anyway! My main question...

When you're belly painting, do you lay down a base coat first? I'd like to get a nice smooth gradient colour base on the belly first, then put my design on top. Does anyone else work like this, or do you find that the top layers blend into the base? Do you do a basic outline of all the elements (flowers, etc) then paint the base AROUND them? Is there a certain technique you prefer?

One more question... she has also suggested that her baby's name be on her belly. I've never done lettering before and I'm wondering if anyone ever uses letter stencils on the belly. I like the idea of sponging over letter stencils (I could probably find some at the dollar store), then embellishing with highlights and dots and things. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks guys!

i always... start with the back ground and on top some pearl or metallic...... then add the flowers or butterflies...whatever you want to put on... i think i would write the name with your own hands ... stencils... what if it goes all the way... dont know what the word is in english... but smud? smutchy??
then you really have a huge problem cant be so many letters wouldnt it??
wish you all the luck and dont forget to make pictures....

ps dont forget when your model is sitting or laying... when your finished and the model stands up the belly will be a different size... so if you have the background let her stand for a moment so you can see how the size is!!

Thanks Maaike! I did read somewhere about having the model stand while you do the base to insure it looks round - thats definitely a good tip!

I really like how that metallic looks as the base - I think I will use my TAG pearls for my base - maybe pink and purple.

That's also a good point about the lettering... it would be bad if the stencil smudged it. I'll have to play around with it at home and see what happens. I just get so nervous about doing the lettering myself.

I will do my first belly too next week. Someone I already knew. Exciting isn't it?
Denise made a great vid about calligraphy and when you know the name of the baby it is easy to learn that characters with that vid. I will look for the instruction.

http://www.facepaintforum.com/t6277-calligraphy-class-on-my-youtube-channel?highlight=calligraphy

It depends on the design which direction I take.

A design like my Koi fish where the details are so small (the fish and the flowers) I lay down the base first with a sponge.

Designs like my Train or Mermaid I sketch out the design first with white then finish it. Afterwards I fill in the background with a large flat brush.

If you're doing a belly with large details and a single colour background then I'd start with the design and finish with the background.

If you want a background with multiple colours then I'd definitely start with the background and lay the details on top.


Hope this helps

Thanks for the tips, guys!

And that video Denise did is really helpful!

Also like maaikemeis said: have your model stand in the beginning to get that perfect round shape.

Lisa Joy Young has a video on youtube where she shows a bellypainting in fastforward. You can see how she uses a plate to trace a perfect circle. However her model is sitting/lying down but then again in the final photos she's also sitting so the painting doesn't "twist" - though it would when she stands.

I like to just freehand trace a circle with a brush and white dfx while mommy is standing.

I just painted my firs belly last october. First I drew the frame and the butterflies (with a soft white pencil), then I painted the background (Snaz Sparkle pink) and then I painted the flowers and butterflies. Finally I wrote the name. Here's a pic:

Bases are up to you - some I do some I don't.
Even sometimes if its to be a glitter tattoo I put in a paint base.

(the outer 2 are glitter tatts).

paint over a base
[url=https://servimg.com/view/13853435/177][/urlGlitter tatt over paint base

As long as you are using the same paints it is EXACTLY THE SAME as painting a face. If you know which paints/ how to use them so they won't sink in on a face, they won't on a belly.
Its just nicer flatter skin than a nosey holey face:)
Cat x

nosey holey face

Gotta remember that!!!

oh, cat, oh cat, your GLITTER BELLIES!!! 8-)