A Private Body Painting Adventure With Assless Pants

Where​ It​ All​ Began​ For​ This​ ​Ginger​ ​Ninja. A​ ​long​ ​time​ ​ago,​ ​in​ ​a​ ​BDSM headspace​ ​far,​ ​far​ ​away,​ ​I​ ​stumbled​ ​into​ ​the​ ​Sydney​ ​kink​ ​scene​ ​so hard​ ​I​ ​gagged​ ​myself​ ​upon​ ​entry. Let me take you into the kinky tale of my body painting adventure.

I​ ​would​ ​have​ ​been​ ​​21​ ​and​ ​my​ ​partner​ ​was​ ​19.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​been​ ​playing,​ ​let’s​ ​pretend,​ ​at knowing​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​a​ ​camera​ ​to​ ​make​ ​art​ ​for​ ​about​ ​a​ ​year​ ​but​ ​was​ ​not​ ​yet​ ​really working​ ​professionally​ ​as​ ​a​ ​photographer.​ ​I was very​ ​much​ ​still​ ​finding​ ​my​ ​way.​ ​Luckily​ ​for me,​ ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​few​ ​very​ ​useful​ ​perks​ ​up​ ​my​ ​sleeve​ ​that​ ​allowed​ ​me​ ​to​ ​thrive​ ​as​ ​a​ ​creative​ ​in a​ ​short​ ​period​ ​of​ ​time.

• I​ ​could​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​anyone​ ​about​ ​anything.
• I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​partner​ ​who​ ​was​ ​a​ ​makeup​ ​artist/body​ ​painter.
• ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​free​ ​time.
• I​ ​was​ ​very,​ ​very​ ​lucky.

So​ ​where​ ​does​ ​this​ ​lead?

​ ​Down​ ​a​ ​rather​ ​well​ ​lit​ ​and​ ​friendly​ ​rabbit​ ​hole​ ​in​ ​my​ ​personal experiences.​ ​My​ ​entry​ ​into​ ​the​ ​Kink​ ​world​ ​was​ ​as​ ​a​ ​spectator.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​always​ ​“behind​ ​the rope”​ ​with​ ​people​ ​who​ ​“rig”​ ​professionally​ ​and​ ​rigorously​ ​practiced​ ​“Safe,​ ​Sane, Consensual”​ ​like​ ​a​ ​religious​ ​mantra.​ ​I​ ​could​ ​hide​ ​safely​ ​behind​ ​my​ ​camera​ ​as​ ​I​ ​realised that​ ​all​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​had​ ​been​ ​demonized​ ​by​ ​society​ ​were​ ​in​ ​fact,​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​fun.

A Body Painting Adventure With Assless And Crotchless Pants

We​ ​were​ ​working​ ​with​ ​other​ ​photographers,​ ​models​ ​and​ ​creatives​ ​in​ ​Sydney​ ​when​ ​we met​ ​this​ ​couple​ ​who​ ​were​ ​aged​ ​45ish (female)​ ​and​ ​55ish (male)​ ​at​ ​a​ ​studio​ ​photo​ ​session​ ​where my​ ​partner​ ​was​ ​doing​ ​a​ ​mermaid​ ​body​ ​paint.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​assisting​ ​with​ ​lights​ ​on​ ​this​ ​one​ ​and not​ ​actually​ ​taking​ ​any​ ​photos.​ ​There​ ​was​ ​nothing​ ​sexual,​ ​sensual​ ​or​ ​provocative​ ​about this​ ​particular​ ​day​ ​whatsoever.

During​ ​the​ ​session​ ​we​ ​organised​ ​to​ ​do​ ​a​ ​large​ ​scale​ ​body​ ​paint​ ​of​ ​a​ ​Snow​ ​Leopard​ ​for the​ ​model​ ​at​ ​a​ ​later​ ​date.​ ​Specifically,​ ​they​ ​invited​ ​us​ ​to​ ​-​​ their​ house -​ ​situated​ ​in​ ​a lovely​ ​private​ ​scenic​ ​location​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​Sydney.​ ​Nothing​ ​clicked.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​just​ ​another cool​ ​job/experience.

The​ ​day​ ​came​ ​and​ ​upon​ ​arrival​ ​we​ ​were​ ​assured​ ​in​ ​a​ ​jovial​ ​state​ ​of​ ​merriment​ ​that pants​ ​were​ ​entirely​ ​optional​ ​in​ ​this​ ​household.​ ​Nothing​ ​clicked.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​young​ ​and​ ​shy​ ​and so​ ​was​ ​my​ ​partner​ ​so​ ​we​ ​kept​ ​them​ ​on!

The​ ​girls​ ​started​ ​body​ ​painting​ ​and​ ​I​ ​spent​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​time​ ​speaking​ ​with​ ​the gentleman.​ ​If​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​worn​ ​my​ ​best​ ​poker​ ​face​ ​that​ ​day,​ ​my​ ​eyes​ ​would​ ​have​ ​bulged from​ ​my​ ​skull​ ​as​ ​he​ ​showed​ ​me​ ​through​ ​his​ ​collection.​ ​Primarily​ ​comprised​ ​of​ ​large scale​ ​rigging​ ​apparatus​ ​that​ ​would​ ​have​ ​looked​ ​well​ ​and​ ​truly​ ​at​ ​home​ ​in​ ​a​ ​medieval torturers​ ​dungeon.​ ​As​ ​well​ ​as​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​stainless​ ​steel​ ​things​ ​that​ ​were​ ​very​ ​shiny​ ​and pointy.​ ​It​ ​still​ ​hadn’t​ ​clicked.

The​ ​paint​ ​was​ ​complete,​ ​it​ ​didn’t​ ​take​ ​too​ ​long.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​mostly​ ​white​ ​with​ ​a​ ​stencil​ ​leopard pattern​ ​after​ ​all​ ​and​ ​so​ ​off​ ​we​ ​trundled​ ​into​ ​the​ ​“jungle”​ ​that​ ​was​ ​their​ ​back​ ​yard.

He​ ​brought​ ​with​ ​his​ ​own​ ​camera​ ​and​ ​snapped​ ​a​ ​few​ ​shots​ ​for​ ​himself.​ ​I​ ​should​ ​note here​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​wearing​ ​leather​ ​chaps​ ​and​ ​a​ ​pair​ ​of​ ​running​ ​shorts​ ​over​ ​the​ ​top.​ ​No Clicking.

From​ ​this​ ​shoot​ ​in​ ​2009.

So​ ​it​ ​went​ ​like​ ​any​ ​shoot​ ​I​ ​had​ ​done​ ​at​ ​the​ ​time.​ ​I​ ​pretended​ ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​clue​ ​what​ ​I​ ​was doing​ ​and​ ​directed​ ​the​ ​model.​ ​Some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​photos​ ​were​ ​bad,​ ​most​ ​were​ ​awful.​ ​The couple​ ​were​ ​ecstatic​ ​with​ ​the​ ​results.

Then​ ​he​ ​asked​ ​if​ ​he​ ​could​ ​jump​ ​in​ ​a​ ​few​ ​of​ ​the​ ​shots.​ ​I​ ​agreed​ ​and​ ​he​ ​handed​ ​me​ ​his camera.​ ​My​ ​naive​ ​mind​ ​thought​ ​he​ ​just​ ​wanted​ ​a​ ​few​ ​simple​ ​snapshots​ ​of​ ​his​ ​partner and​ ​himself​ ​in​ ​commemoration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​event.

I​ ​was​ ​wrong.​ ​Off​ ​came​ ​the​ ​shorts.​ ​Those​ ​chaps​ ​I​ ​mentioned.

Assless…

 …​ ​and​ ​…

 CROTCHLESS.

He​ ​asked​ ​very​ ​politely​ ​if​ ​I​ ​would​ ​mind​ ​if​ ​they​ ​“interacted​ ​in​ ​a​ ​sexual​ ​way.”​ ​I​ ​checked​ ​with my​ ​partner​ ​and​ ​she​ ​was​ ​ok​ ​with​ ​it​ ​so​ ​I​ ​gave​ ​a​ ​timid​ ​nod​ ​of​ ​assurance.

​It​ ​didn’t​ ​however​ ​go​ ​any​ ​further.​ ​Right​ ​at​ ​that​ ​time​ ​his​ ​partner,​ ​the​ ​model,​ ​tripped,​ ​fell and​ ​cut​ ​her​ ​knee​ ​up​ ​quite​ ​badly​ ​and​ ​we​ ​had​ ​to​ ​retreat​ ​to​ ​safety​ ​to​ ​tend​ ​the​ ​wound.

So,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a​ ​non-event​ ​same​ ​old​ ​shoot​ ​I​ ​was​ ​used​ ​to​ ​after​ ​all.

​But…

​something​ ​had​ ​clicked.

I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​to​ ​think​ ​about.​ ​Figuring​ ​out​ ​the​ ​legal​ ​side​ ​of​ ​what​ ​I​ ​might​ ​be​ ​getting​ ​myself into​ ​was​ ​then​ ​and​ ​to​ ​this​ ​day​ ​a​ ​minefield​ ​to​ ​navigate.​ ​Creating​ ​any​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​erotica​ ​or pornography​ ​in​ ​Australia​ ​is​ ​riddled​ ​with​ ​outdated​ ​legislation,​ ​​ ​blurry​ ​legalese​ ​that​ ​is​ ​also weighted​ ​down​ ​with​ ​so​ ​much​ ​censorship​ ​and​ ​expensive​ ​classification​ ​that​ ​I​ ​never​ ​have crossed​ ​into​ ​the​ ​territory.​ ​I​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​err​ ​on​ ​the​ ​side​ ​of​ ​caution​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​out​ ​of​ ​trouble and​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​other​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​business.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​met​ ​with​ ​several​ ​lawyers​ ​and​ ​have never​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​get​ ​any​ ​cut​ ​and​ ​dry,​ ​black​ ​and​ ​white​ ​legal​ ​advice​ ​on​ ​the​ ​matter.

Why I Am Heavily Drawn To Shibari

There​ ​are​ ​many​ ​more​ ​stories​ ​for​ ​another​ ​time.​ ​Over​ ​the​ ​years,​ ​I​ ​realised​ ​I​ ​was​ ​primarily interested​ ​in​ ​the​ ​aesthetic​ ​element​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Kink​ ​world​ ​and​ ​became​ ​drawn​ ​heavily​ ​to​ ​what is​ ​known​ ​as​ ​“Shibari.” In​ ​Japan,​ ​“Shibari”​ ​simply​ ​means​ ​“to​ ​tie”.​ ​The​ ​contemporary​ ​meaning​ ​of​ ​Shibari is described as​ ​an​ ​ancient​ ​Japanese​ ​artistic​ ​form​ ​of​ ​rope​ ​bondage.

The​ ​origin​ ​of​ ​Shibari​ ​comes​ ​from​ ​Hojo-jutsu,​ ​the​ ​martial​ ​art​ ​of​ ​restraining​ ​captives.​ ​In Japan​ ​from​ ​1400​ ​to​ ​1700,​ ​while​ ​the​ ​local​ ​police​ ​and​ ​Samurai​ ​used​ ​Hojo-jutsu​ ​as​ ​a​ ​form of​ ​imprisonment​ ​and​ ​torture,​ ​the​ ​honor​ ​of​ ​these​ ​ancient​ ​Samurai​ ​warriors​ ​required​ ​them to​ ​treat​ ​their​ ​prisoners​ ​well.​ ​So,​ ​they​ ​used​ ​different​ ​techniques​ ​to​ ​tie​ ​their​ ​prisoners, showing​ ​the​ ​honor​ ​and​ ​status​ ​of​ ​their​ ​captured​ ​prisoner.

​The​ ​key​ ​elements​ ​I​ ​love​ ​are​ ​the​ ​methodical,​ ​meditative​ ​approach​ ​along​ ​with​ ​the​ ​artistic expression​ ​of​ ​sensuality​ ​and​ ​trust​ ​between​ ​the​ ​people​ ​involved.​ ​It​ ​also​ ​creates incredible​ ​visual​ ​feasts​ ​that​ ​simply​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​found​ ​in​ ​many​ ​other​ ​mediums.

The Difference Between Synthetic And Natural Fibre Ropes

One​ ​aspect​ ​that​ ​many​ ​people​ ​would​ ​never​ ​really​ ​consider​ ​that​ ​I​ ​find​ ​very​ ​intriguing​ ​is preparing​ ​new​ ​rope. Buying​ ​and​ ​preparing​ ​rope​ ​is​ ​an​ ​art form​ ​in​ ​itself.​ ​You​ ​have​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​the​ ​differences​ ​in the​ ​tooth​ ​of​ ​the​ ​rope​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​feel​ ​that​ ​varies​ ​drastically​ ​between​ ​synthetic​ ​and natural​ ​fibres.

Synthetic​ ​ropes​ ​have​ ​less​ ​bite​ ​in​ ​the​ ​tooth​ ​so​ ​they​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​become​ ​looser​ ​over​ ​time rather​ ​than​ ​tighter.​ ​However​ ​they​ ​are​ ​far​ ​less​ ​comfortable​ ​and​ ​much​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​burn the​ ​person​ ​being​ ​tied.​ ​They​ ​are​ ​good​ ​for​ ​beginners​ ​as​ ​they​ ​are​ ​usually​ ​cheap​ ​and​ ​much easier​ ​to​ ​undo.​ ​It​ ​also​ ​doesn’t​ ​matter​ ​so​ ​drastically​ ​if​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​cut​ ​your​ ​subject​ ​free​ ​of cheap​ ​rope.

Natural​ ​fibre​ ​ropes​ ​are​ ​usually​ ​the​ ​preferred​ ​medium​ ​with​ ​the​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​being​ ​hemp, jute​ ​and​ ​cotton.​ ​Typically​ ​being​ ​softer​ ​to​ ​touch​ ​and​ ​with​ ​a​ ​medium​ ​tooth,​ ​cotton​ ​is​ ​less expensive​ ​but​ ​requires​ ​more​ ​prep​ ​work​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​comfortable.

BOIL​ ​YOUR​ ​ROPE!​ ​

To​ ​soften​ ​the​ ​feel,​ ​you​ ​boil​ ​your​ ​rope​ ​but​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​dry​ ​it​ ​under tension​ ​or​ ​it​ ​will​ ​become​ ​weak​ ​and​ ​prone​ ​to​ ​snapping​ ​under​ ​pressure.​ ​So​ ​tightly​ ​wind​ ​it around​ ​a​ ​hula​ ​hoop​ ​or​ ​a​ ​clothing​ ​rack​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​it​ ​strong.​ ​Weak​ ​rope​ ​can​ ​become​ ​very dangerous​ ​and​ ​so​ ​is​ ​definitely​ ​not​ ​a​ ​good​ ​idea​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​doing​ ​any​ ​suspension​ ​work.

OIL​ ​YOUR​ ​ROPE!​ ​

You​ ​can​ ​also​ ​oil,​ ​wax,​ ​perfume​ ​and​ ​dye​ ​your​ ​rope​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​even softer​ ​to​ ​touch​ ​and​ ​smell​ ​lovely.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​very​ ​common​ ​to​ ​rub​ ​down​ ​the​ ​length​ ​of​ ​rope​ ​with your​ ​favourite​ ​mixtures​ ​and​ ​then​ ​bake​ ​it​ ​in​ ​the​ ​oven​ ​at​ ​a​ ​low​ ​temperature​ ​to​ ​make​ ​the concoction​ ​soak​ ​all​ ​the​ ​way​ ​through.

Boiling​ ​and​ ​oiling​ ​rope​ ​can​ ​take​ ​10-20​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​work​ ​for​ ​50-100​ ​meters​ ​and​ ​so​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a meditative​ ​process​ ​that​ ​is​ ​very​ ​involving.​ ​You​ ​put​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​love​ ​and​ ​consideration​ ​into your​ ​rope​ ​and​ ​that​ ​transfers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​tying​ ​​ ​process​ ​itself​ ​but​ ​I​ ​will​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​that​ ​some other​ ​time.

This​ ​shot​ ​is​ ​from​ ​2014​ ​at​ ​the​ ​now​ ​closed​ ​“Sydney​ ​Rope​ ​Dojo.”

On​ ​a​ ​final​ ​note,​ ​I​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​iterate​ ​that​ ​my​ ​absolute​ ​favourite​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​kink community​ ​is​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​for​ ​the​ ​most​ ​part,​ ​inclusive,​ ​non​ ​exclusionary,​ ​friendly​ ​and​ ​full​ ​of passionate,​ ​caring​ ​individuals​ ​who​ ​celebrate​ ​sexuality​ ​in​ ​all​ ​of​ ​its​ ​forms.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​met many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​intelligent,​ ​caring​ ​well​ ​rounded​ ​people​ ​in​ ​this​ ​world​ ​and​ ​I​ ​strongly recommend​ ​checking​ ​out​ ​fetlife.com,​ ​heading​ ​to​ ​a​ ​local​ ​munch​ ​and​ ​becoming​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of the​ ​community​ ​to​ ​any​ ​and​ ​all.​ ​Just​ ​keep​ ​in​ ​mind​ ​most​ ​communities​ ​are​ ​very​ ​self-preserving​ ​and​ ​toxicity​ ​and​ ​bad​ ​behaviour​ ​is​ ​never​ ​tolerated.​ ​Just​ ​as​ ​it​ ​should​ ​be!