Beautiful bumps: Body art for baby bellies

Being pregnant is such an amazing time in any woman’s life.  For those lucky enough to ‘bloom’ in pregnancy, it’s a time to revel in new curves, thicker hair, and glowing skin but even a pregnancy marked by sickness, exhaustion and worry is a time to marvel at the sheer capacity of your body to create and nurture a new life within.  No matter how you’ve felt during those nine months, reaching the final weeks of pregnancy is an achievement to be celebrated.  When you think about it, the changes your body goes through in pregnancy are nothing short of amazing and many women like to create a reminder of their new shape – perhaps through keeping a photo diary, or even making a belly cast!

Some NI mums, however, have come across a fantastic and novel way of celebrating their beautiful baby bumps – bump painting!  Co. Armagh-based make-up artist Stacey Kilpatrick is currently the only person in Northern Ireland to provide this brilliant service, and we caught up with her to find out all there is to know about turning your baby belly into a work of art…

MumUnplugged:  How did you get into face painting and body art?
Stacey Kilpatrick:  I initially trained to be a beauty therapist but my passion was always to be a make-up artist so I also completed a Diploma in Fashion and Photographic Make-Up.   I’ve been face painting for 10 years now and had my face painting company for seven. I was interested in face painting, got myself a professional kit and started practising on family and friends. I then called a local entertainment company to see if they had any face painting positions available and when they didn’t I decided to start up my own company! Body painting was a natural progression from what I started off doing and in Northern Ireland there aren’t many more body painters out there so it’s my niche market! I believe I’m the first person in NI to introduce baby bump painting.

MU: Did you have to do any special training for this or is it all your own artistic flair?
SK:  My face painting is self taught. About five years ago I joined an organisation called FACE, Fast Accredited Creative Experts, and had the opportunity of shadowing some of the most amazing face painters in the world – my work has definitely improved from when I first started out. Unfortunately I feel standards of face painting in NI are quite poor and parents / event organisers don’t know what to expect but I’m on a mission to change that! I’m now the representative for FACE in NI and determined to find and acknowledge more great face painters in our country. Body painting was a natural progression but I have trained with some of the UKs best body painters and last year took a masterclass in painting clothes on the body from Mark Reid of Mexico.

MU:  What sort of projects do you undertake – have you done any make-up for high profile magazines, films etc.?
SK:  With face painting it’s anything from private children’s parties to large corporate events. Body painting is normally nightclub promotions and product launches or fun shoots for individual clients. Makeup is so varied and can be anything from bridal makeup artistry to fashion shows, magazine shoots and film. My makeup career is still in its early stages but I’m looking forward to my first bridal magazine front cover next month for Getting Married in Northern Ireland and have worked on a variety of exciting jobs including a Remus Uomo ad campaign, BBC TV programme Happening Here and Magners Light Fall For Fashion. I also teach body art and special effects makeup such as Zombie workshops!

MU:  When and how did your first ever ‘bump painting’ come about?
SK:  My first bump paint was actually a portfolio shoot as I had wanted to paint one for a while and thought it would be a perfect image for the launch of my new website. The reactions have generally been amazing -  it’s not for everyone but most people are amazed that you can have such a thing done! It’s a massive trend in America and quite big in England but I believe I’m the first person in Northern Ireland to be doing this so it will take a while to catch on.

MU:  What’s involved in a bump painting session?
SK:  Every bump painting session is unique and personal. I work with the parents to be to create a picture that is special and meaningful to them. Depending on the design the painting process can take between 1 and 2 hours. I do take a picture and my clients can photograph the painted bump too, after all it has to be washed off that same day, but I’m not a photographer and always suggest having a professional photographer come on board to capture the moment!

MU:  How many weeks pregnant do you recommend your clients are before having their bump painted?  Is there any specific advice regarding allergies etc.?
SK:  It really depends but ideally towards the end of the third trimester is best as it gives me a great bump to work with. All paints used are compliant with EU regulations and are waterbased and child friendly. When a client books all health and safety information is discussed to ensure it is right for them before proceeding.

MU:  What about face painting for kids – do you cater for private events, parties etc?
SK:  Yes, I’ve been face painting for private events and parties for seven years now. My company started as a specialist face painting company in 2003, Crazy Faces, but has since rebranded to showcase the variety of services now on offer. Face painting is suitable for children over the age of 3. I take health and safety very seriously and sometimes refer to myself as the face painting police in NI! More information can be found on my website www.sakdesigns.co.uk or www.facepaint.co.uk.

MU:  How far in advance should potential clients book?
SK:  Again this varies, some clients – for example brides to be – are booking two years in advance to secure their date and others call the day before their event when it comes to face painting. I don’t have a set timescale but do advise that if you have a particular date in mind it’s best to secure it as soon as you can as dates book up quickly especially around busy times such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Saying that sometimes I can squeeze the odd last minute booking into the diary too but if you don’t want to be disappointed then the earlier the better!

For further information on Stacey’s face and body painting services visit her website, www.sakdesigns.co.uk.  This post comes with a special thanks to Erica whose beautiful bump you see here, and big congratulations to her and her hubby on the arrival of their beautiful new son   Photography is by the very fabulous Janine Walker.