What hesitation did you have about purchasing the body paint service?
I guess, for me, it would be the price. Not that it's not worth every single dime, in value. It's just a matter of I am a bread baker, so every single penny counts. Honestly, there's only so many things you're going to get to do in life. That's what I told myself. How many options am I going to get to do something like this?
How many chances will I do that? If this woman is willing to let me pay off one month at a time, before we do it, then, you know what? At this point in life, it's worth it. I get to record myself in the prime. That was probably getting over that hump, justifying that to myself, was the first hesitation. Well, probably the only hesitation because after that, it was just like, "Yep, this is what I want."
What specific feature did like about getting body painted?
I hate bras. I hate bras so much. They are the bane of my existence. They've always been the bane of my existence. My friend, literally, had to force me to go bra shopping. The last time I went bra shopping, like, literally, forced me into the store and had to talk to the sales associate. The sales associate still didn't listen to what I needed, still measured me wrong. I cried three times and tried to leave. She forced me to stay, and she went and found me bras.
I hate it so much that I haven't worn bras in almost three to four years because my boobs went down from DDD to D to C to B, then back up to C, then back up to D. It's like I'm not spending $60 on a bra to do all of that, but I love it I think it's gorgeous. I think it's beautiful. I think it's super sexy. The only time I do put on a bra is for five minutes, before I seduce a person and bring them home.
Usually, they're already coming to my home, but that's besides the point. Those are the only times that I ever wear it. I wanted to do a photo shoot, but one, I find I'm really uncomfortable. I don't think I'd be able to handle lasting a whole photo shoot with a bra one.
Two, underwear tends to cut me really weird because I've got wide hips and a high waist. They never make underwear to do that, so it always cuts me in a weird way that's really unflattering. I don't enjoy it.
I like the fact that I could do the shoot, sexy as possible, in lingerie, while not having to wear a bra, at any point in time. That it fit me, perfectly, as is, and I don't have weird effects. It's colors that match my skin tone. It's a design that works for me. I could never find the bra that she painted on me. I would never be able to find that for someone with my size boobs, ever. That just would not have happened.
It would have been nude, if it was anything, because they only make nude bras for big... That's an issue. I don't wear nude bras. I wear lots of low-cut shirts, and they only make bras that cover your whole boob. They don't give me the cleavage I want.
If I do want the cleavage, then I have to buy padded bras that make my boobs two sizes bigger. I don't need them to be bigger. It's just kind of like, "Cool. What am I going to do?"
The fact that I could design, create every single aspect of this, that I could show Trina three different lingeries, saying, "I want the back, butt of this. I want the top part of this, and I want the bra of that" and she could just create that, yeah. So worth it. I have spent much more money on bras than I did on this, to get this shoot.
Would you recommend Trina? Why or why not
Yes. It's not like a "What if" question. I have been recommending her. I send her Instagram to so many people. I mean, I'm like, "Look. She not only does this boudoir stuff, but she, literally, paints people into scenery. This is a genuine artist, and you get to be part of a genuine artist's collection of things. How cool is that?" It's not just some random person. She's super respectful, super kind.
There was no awkward point in her painting me. We met for the first time. I got naked, and she started painting me, in 15 minutes.
There was no awkward part about it. It's really hard to find someone where you can actually feel that comfortable about it. I'm fairly comfortable with my body, but I'm still not getting naked in front of just anyone. That's the really good part and a reason why I'd recommend her. Also, she's just really funny, so you get to have a fun shoot. It's as if you're hanging out with your friends, so that's one reason. Those are some of the main reasons why I would recommend her. Her talent aside.
Why you choose to work with Trina
I said this, before. I'd been following her on Instagram for a bit. Her work is just really gorgeous. For two years, her work has stood out to me. One, to get through the noise of Instagram and be someone that you remember, that I never met her and didn't know her, just, we happened to start following each other.
Following her artwork, respecting her as a person, so in two years, with all the politics going on, I could still respect her and who she is. I could admire her artwork, see how she's evolved. Yeah, I'm going to give my money to this kind of woman.
In 2019, I decided that, if I was going to ever splurge or spend money on things, I was, one, going to try and find women-owned companies, small companies and people who, what they're doing is really based on their living. That's how I would spend my money because I'm an anti-capitalist. And I think, after that time, it just made sense to me that, "You know what? This is something I want to do."
It's not unheard of for me to work with photographers and artists, just for the fun of it. It felt in tune to who I was. I was like, "Okay. We're going to do this, now."
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Hire her. She's awesome, and you won't regret it.