Trial and Error

Unlike the real Shiva, I couldn't be summoned directly to the Baltimore Convention Center out of the ether, I had to drive a car. Because of this, full body make-up was not a good option. As it was, I knew I was going to have a hard time with touching up the parts where my skin would brush against things, smearing the make-up. That's why I decided to try a bodystocking.

But that wasn't as easy as a task as it may seem. I needed something that could be worn all day without tearing, had long sleeves, was sheer, and came in a light color. It took a few days of online searching until I finally found one that fit the bill. (It had a seam right up the center of the stomach, which I would have rather it not, but beggars can't be choosers.)

Being blue...

I had ordered some stage makeup online to test what type would work best for my purposes. I ordered stick, cream, and cake make-up, and the cream won. The stick makeup was waaaaay too greasy, and the cake makeup didn't cover well enough. The color was perfect in all three, so I went to my local Home Depot and had them color match it in the paint department. (I wonder if that guy had any idea what I planned to do with it...)

Oh wait, I'm not a dolphin!

So, the day of reckoning came when I had two of my friends come over and paint me into the suit. The paint was VERY cold, and it took about two hours to cover everything and let it dry. It looked good though, as far as what I needed for the costume.

Then I had to try to take it off. Ow.

Paint, folks, is sticky. Sticky like tape. Imagine pulling a giant piece of tape off of your entire body, from your neck to your toes. Yes, ow.

After I got the suit off, it then occured to me that I had no idea how I was going to get it back on. A few days later, I mustered up the energy to try. This was a difficult task, as the "form fitting" nature of it made parts of it very tight and difficult to pull on. Once I did manage to wriggle back into it, I was dissappointed to find that the initial removal had stretched and warped the fabric in many places, and it didn't fit very well anymore. So, the bodysuit idea was scrapped. I still used it for the bra portion of the costume, but most of me was covered with make-up.

This picture makes me laugh:
A nylon bodystocking and interior housepaint.

From left to right: cake makeup,
stick makeup, and cream makeup.

In the end, this little
bottle of make-up sealant saved the day.

Oasis Destiny, Karaoke Kate, and all logos, character names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are © 1996-2007 Katie Bair. All rights reserved.