This body painting project was organised by Bullseye Television for a German television programme. The idea was to film a report on body painting in the Bristol club scene. I found out about the project through Emma Cammack who e-mailed me a week or so before the filming asking if I would like to come along and model, since it was in my part of the country. This was my first television assignment as a model.

The paints set up ready for action.

We all arranged to meet at the Holiday Inn opposite Temple Meads Station on the Saturday night, and made our way down from there to the Lakota Nightclub, where the filming was to take place. We arrived when the club was still empty, and had ample time to set all the paints and equipment up before the clubbers arrived.

Emma discusses the bodypainting design with Crystal.

At the club, we met up with Crystal, who was also modelling. The plan was to for Emma to paint Crystal first, with a "trompe le oeil" denim jacket. The TV crew would then film her on the dance floor, and see how people reacted when they found out that her jacket was actually painted on. Emma would then get me painted up and start work on any clubbers who wanted to be painted.

Emma busy at work painting Crystal.

The finished denim jacket design.

The TV crew decided to wait until the club was filling up a bit before getting Emma to paint Crystal, in order to have the club atmosphere in the background during the painting, so we didn't start until about 11.15 that night.

During Crystal's painting, I learned some super tips from Emma, such as using masking tape to mark out the area being painted. That way, you get a really nice straight line at the edges when you peel the masking tape off at the end.

Crystal's painting took just over half an hour to finish. Emma then asked me what design I would like, and I asked if she could do a trippy, psychedelic design using UV colours. There wasn't much time now, as several of the clubbers were queuing up to be painted, so she had to be quick.

After I was painted, I gave an interview to the TV crew outside the club about why I liked being painted, and what the design meant to me. I was then filmed on the dance floor back inside the club, showing the UV design off to full effect under the club lights.

Emma's psychedelic design on me.