Is It Art?

Author: Abbie Beane

Anyone still searching for last minute Halloween costume ideas? Well, who knew that dressing up as Catwoman, a red rubber ball or a condom could be so frightening? A new form of body painting involving liquid latex takes "horror" to a new level.

This simple rubber compound is a fluid medium you simply paint on the skin and allow to dry. By building up layers, whole outfits can be made and worn out in public, or in private if you so desire. Although this unique material is normally only popular for painted-on costuming effects in movies, music videos and on the fetish dance club scene (with which some are more familiar than others), it's so easily transportable, what's stopping it from bouncing onto the Middlebury College scene as well? I mean, besides the fact that it's 30 degrees outside and no one wants to see you walking around in the dining hall in skintight latex?

There are some technical concerns, however, that branch out beyond the "bashful box." The first concern of working with liquid latex is latex sensitivity. Firstly, you must patch test your model, painting a small area onto an arm or leg, leaving it on long enough to see if it causes any reddening or irritation, to check for product reaction. The product label warns that anyone with a known latex allergy should avoid any and all contact with liquid latex.

A secondary concern is that liquid latex can be absorbed into anything made of cloth or with a fabric surface.

As a precaution, put down some sort of plastic tarp or drop cloth in the painting area. And unless asphyxiation is your goal, do your painting in a properly ventilated area as liquid latex lets off a small amount of ammonia vapors. Be sure to let each coat dry completely before applying the next one, and use three or more coats for the best solid coverage.

The last concern is, you guessed it, body hair. No worries, it can be dealt with in several ways, either by shaving, trimming short or painting onto a bare area only. Applying a liberal amount of body lotion is also necessary.

Bristle brushes, sponges and fingers all work for applying liquid latex, and each ushers in a different effect and texture. Liquid latex looks almost pastel when it's wet and dries to a much darker shade, so you'll have to think out your designs to decide if it's better to layer dark colors over light or vice versa. Some liquid latex colors are even black-light sensitive, and stripes and spots can get quite exciting in the dark, particularly at McCullough dance parties.

Once you paint on your latex, the surface needs to be sealed or finished to prevent the sticking and tearing. Liquid latex advises using a water/silicone-based polish, like on your car, or a product from Deviant Liquid Latex called "Stardust," a metallic powder. Make sure that no one area of latex touches another while it's still wet or it will stick!

The unfortunate news is that the personalized outfit is destroyed as soon as you cut it off or tear it by pulling. The longer the latex has been worn, the more perspiration will have built up, and the easier it will be to pull off the body.

Yet if you're a boring, rigid person who simply cannot bear parting with your colorful, flexible other self, find a spandex/nylon stretch cat-suit that fits you snugly and has a zipper down the torso that lets you in and out of the garment. All you have to do is put on the cat-suit and paint the entire thing with liquid latex, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next one. Polish the entire surface when you are done painting, unzip, climb out and store the suit away from sunlight and contact with anything metallic or oily to allow it the longest life.

Some would even argue that this will transform you into a living, breathing, walking piece of artwork - or one sick puppy.