I Paint Naked People

By Citizen Correspondent Jenai Chin
Date Posted: 07/24/07 Reader Rating:

I'm a professional makeup and body artist. Art has been an important aspect in my life since the day I was born. I began to express a deep interest in tattoo and mehndi henna designs when I started out doodling on my hands, arms and even my feet. Eventually I began to design tattoos for my schoolmates and myself. Hooked instantly to the craft I pursued a career in body makeup design. A graduate from the School of Visual Arts, I utilized my skills as an illustrator and painter to the application from canvas to skin. Many years of dedication and study led me to this unique form of expression. A few of my interests derive from classic pin-up, primitive art, and vintage fashion. Breaking from the mold of traditional painting methods to more contemporary tools lead to widen my range in vision and expression. Most people ask me, "What is a body artist?" I usually just respond, "I get to paint naked people" with a smirk, which is true in most cases. Since the body is my canvas, I use just about anything including paints, fabrics, and gemstone crystals to create my vivid skin illusions. I have always loved the origins of body art and its continuous evolution. The body itself is a beautiful art form in which combined with my views of design, marry the two into a perfect union.