I just got back from the Face Painting & Body Art Convention in Orlando, FL.  I got to work with and meet so many amazing people, and create some amazing art - as well as having incredible artwork painted on me!  (to be honest, I think being painted by a really great artist might be even more fun than doing the painting myself)


I also entered my first competition.  As a rule I'm not really the competition type.. I like to paint for fun and I don't usually like the stress that comes with competing, but this time I decided I wanted to push myself a bit and just use the competition as an excuse to create some art.  

I was rooming with another painter named Lacey who volunteered to be my model, and decided to enter the "fantasy" competition, since that meant I could use airbrush, brush & sponge, costuming - anything I wanted to create a beautiful art piece, with no restrictions.

This piece took about 3.5 hours.  I did most of the base colors and textures with the airbrush and most of the details with a brush, and then used my belly dance costume to complete the look.  I *loved* the way it turned out and so did Lacey - she was shaking her hips the whole night and jingling and really bringing the piece to life!

The idea was inspired by the hindu goddess Parvati - consort to Shiva and goddess of love and passion.  She was Shiva's inspiration and "shakti" or energy/life force - the force that drove him to create.  

I just got back from a honeymoon in Thailand where I saw so much buddhist and hindu artwork that really inspired me.. also, I wanted to paint elephants (as I fell in love with elephants in Thailand) and the little elephants around her waist were my very favorite part of this design!  

I loved creating this - and I entered her into the competition and won third place!!  Not too bad for my first competition piece!   I will probably add her to my portfolio site.  Yay!

More pictures of this piece available on my Picasa page!



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