Body art

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See also: Wikipedia's body painting article

What should I wear, if anything? How can I use my body as a canvas to express myself creatively without looking like I've experienced a "wardrobe malfunction"?

The World Naked Bike Ride dress code is "Bare As You Dare"... How bare is that? How dare is that? Its all up to you, you decide what you are comfortable with. The ride is clothing-optional. Be creative and colourful in expressing yourself! Bodypainting, customising your bike, and other creative expression is strongly encouraged!

If you look at the history section of this site you will notice different groups have different approaches to their rides regarding body adornment. As an example, Seattle has a well-established naked bike ride during the Summer Solstice Parade that prides itself on its display of body painting creativity. In fact some even have dropped the "naked" in their name to call them the Painted Cyclists. Despite their streaker roots, a few among them even look down on participants who are just naked. We don't do that, our event is not strictly artistic, however, we strongly encourage people to express themselves and be colourful.

You can find ideas and resources for bodypainting on our Body Art page.

Highly recommended

• Sunscreen (several people reported burns last year, facial/waterproof sunscreen is recommended if you want some on the face without being blinded by it dripping into your eyes). Put on the sunscreen FIRST then allow it to dry a bit before putting on sunscreen. Be sure to reapply it when necessary.
• A '"minimum" to wear if necessary (please bring it with you on the ride). We also are recommending a t-shirt (possibly with long sleeves), if you are concerned about burning. Remember t-shirts do not completely protect you from UV rays. If you want more protection try Sun Precautions (there is a store in the Madison area).
• Your creativity, a non-antagonistic, fun-loving attitude and common sense when it comes to respecting peoples' personal space and ride safety.
• Non-toxic bodypaint (we use non toxic textile screen printing ink diluted with water).
• Inexpensive foam brushes are favorites for applying the paint in broad strokes.
• Painting and mixing containers. Reuse your yogurt tubs and plastic containers to mix paints and clean your brush.
• $$$ Some artists will want some money to paint you. Paint and supplies cost money. Labor and time are also well worth your dollars. This is another good reason to bring a friend.
• Compliments and smiles for your artist!

Optional supplies

• Sealer spray if you want it to stay on after being in the water. Display and Costume sells this.
• Moist wipes or paper towels to wipe or wash off your hands.
• Drop cloth, carpet square, chunk of cardboard or an old towel to stand on while being painted. (others may bring some too).
• A bucket, box, artist supply box, or backpack to carry your supplies.
• Reference drawings/sketches, photos, and color tests to previsualize your ideas.
• Hairdryer to help the paint dry (if there is a place to plug in).
• Stencils
• Hot/cold beverages and snacks.

See also

• Frequently asked questions
  • What should I wear? How should I decorate myself?
  • Is it legal to be naked in public?
  • Do I have to ride naked? Can I participate clothed or top-free?
  • What if I'm not thin, young, conventionally attractive, or have scars on my body etc?

External Links

• Painted Cyclists of the Summer Solstice Parade (Old link) [ unofficial site, supplement to N magazine article ] These guys are tops! Check this out for some inspiration.

• Body Painting Tips and Techniques A site by Steven Bradford. Great site for creative and practical information. You can also purchase body paint supplies here.
• ">Andreas Gasper has a new book out called "Phantasien auf der Haut". Check out his bodypainting section under "Körpermalerei". Most, if not all of the images are of women, however the quality of the bodyart helps make up for the lack of gender diversity. The artist also goes the extra mile in getting some really great locations and backgrounds to go with the models and also experiments with time exposures on some to blur the line between the painted subject and the background. Absolutely brilliant.
• " World Bodypainting Festival big event in Europe
• Bodypainting London lots of great examples
• Pashur Creative | body art artist's site
• bodypainting.co.uk Body Painting and Modelling by Rick Mills and friends
• [http://www.bodypaint.ch Bodypainting - Fredi Schmid
• Yahoo! Directory Visual Arts : Body Art Good starting point for some general info surfing
• Painted Alive The Fine Art Body Painting of Craig Tracy
• Filippo ioco Body Painting artist
• Confest Photo Galleries - for the tribal look http://www.dte.org.au (site has been a bit challenging of late to navigate)

• [http://www.massarandupionaturista.com.br/body.html Bodypainting of Roberto Soares
• Fira Cosmetics
• Henna (Mehndi or body painting)
  • [The Art of Mehndi Advice from site: PLEASE, never use BLACK HENNA. Don't even go near it. A chemical called PPD, present in black henna, can cause chemical burns on your skin. Escaping an allergic reaction the first time you use black henna does not mean that you will have the same luck next time. Some artist/henna supplier listings here may use black henna.

  • Henna Tribe A community for henna and mehndi artists and anyone passionate about henna and mehndi body art
  • Mehendiworld.com Mehendi, Mehandi, Heena Designs, Mehndi, Tatoo, India
  • BodyArtSupply.com "Serving your henna mehndi and temporary body art needs since 1997."
  • Earth Henna for Mehndi "The EARTH HENNA body painting kit is the most user-friendly kit on the market for creating beautiful temporary tattoos on your own body or for your friends."
  • Natural Expressions Henna & Body Piercing E-Shop!
  • [The Henna Page] The Henna Page is an educational resource devoted to the history, traditions, techniques, science and art of Henna.