About

Who's François?

Incubation

In the 1990s, I made my first steps in face-painting thanks to my friend Olivier Zegers, a master face painter. I followed him at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – the first event to host a bodypainting contest ever-, and then to Bicolline, the biggest live action role-playing game in Québec. This allowed me to learn the skills of the trade on the field of fantasy. My first Guinea pigs were my scouts, my friends and my flatmate.

Until then, aside from a varied and unlikely professional life, I had only been painting fantasy miniatures, occasionally drawing and making costumes for live action role-playing games. 

 

Prix du public @ Brussels Fantastic Film Festival

Travail du collectif “Etincelle” avec Houyam Hajlaoui, Marie Fontaine et Caroline Trefois

Outbreak

In 2004, I set up an artists collective called “Étincelle” (sparkle) with other face-painters, in order to bring ourselves to a professional level. We have been organizing 37 bodypaint jams, a face-painting booth for medieval markets and folk/fantasy festivals, several training sessions, sundry experiments and numerous participations to international bodypainting contests.

From animations to festivals, from Halloween make-ups to marketing events, face and body-painting gradually become a real occupation. Personal projets and training courses alternate with professional commissions in various sectors such as private or public events, advertising, photography, live performances and television.

Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

– Forrest Gump

Evolution

Next to this, I participated several times to the face-painting and bodypainting contest of the BIFFF, which I both won in 2006. Then I competed at the World Bodypainting Festival and other international contests with good rankings. Consequently, I was invited as a jury member in bodypainting festivals or in make-up schools.

Since the 2010s, I have been completely dedicated to make-up and bodypainting. I am constantly developping supporting skills (special effects, studio photography, photo retouching) and personal projects where I strive at innovating (staging bodypainting performances, bodyscan and 3D printing of a bodypainted model, set up of a research lab – Labodypainting, etc.).

Expo “Street Fem” @ Galerie G3 Art contemporain

Expression

When the colour fades away under the shower, all you have left are the pictures, which are merely the interpretation of a work gone by. In order to make up for the ephemeral nature of my creations, I have become their photographer. It allows me to ensure the artistic continuity throughout all the steps – painting, photography, retouching – so that these different aspects strengthen each other.

As a photographer, I strive to go beyond the cosmetic devices and show the essence of the characters embodied in my models. I try to illustrate an emotion, a universe, rather than displaying a technical skill.

I regularly exhibit my pictures in Belgium and abroad.

A few references

And so many beautiful encounters

Temoignage d’un client avec qui tu as bossé et qui est super content de la manière dont votre partenariat s’est déroulé. Great Success !

Nathan Jones
Lead Designer @ H&M

Temoignage d’un client avec qui tu as bossé et qui est super content de la manière dont votre partenariat s’est déroulé. Great Success !

Jane Doe
Lead Designer @ H&M

Temoignage d’un client avec qui tu as bossé et qui est super content de la manière dont votre partenariat s’est déroulé. Great Success !

Kathie Evans
Lead Designer @ H&M

Corporate events

Agoria / Bank of New York Mellon / Beiersdorf / Belgacom / BIB Leuven / Bmore Group / BMW / Brightfish Kinepolis / Brico / Bruparck / Canon / Colruytgroup Academy / Danone / Decathlon / Engie / Eurocontrol / HCI / Ici Paris XL / Induscabel / Jean-Paul Gaultier / Knokke Out / LBi / Magritte Museum / Media Markt / Métamorphoses / Philips / Post Luxemburg / Région de Bruxelles-Capitale /  Seat / Solidaris / Solvay / Total / UCB / Ville de Bruxelles / Ville de Mons / Ville de Wavre / VOO / VW / Walibi / Wyeth

Advertizing

      • Evolution Agency Tournai (B)
      • VW
      • Seat

Cinema

      • Switch“, Marion Renard, 2018 (short)

Television

      • Bonnie & Clyde (RTBF), 2007 – Bodypainting for the BIFFF
      • Style Pasifika (New Zealand), 2011 – Bodypainting assistant of Hayley Marlow for the opening show
      • France’s Got Talent, 2013 – UV Bodypainting on Capoeira dancers
      • ITTE-Q (Japanese TV), 2019 – Chocolate Bodypainting

Music

Jury

      • External Jury member at the Make-Up For Ever Academy, Brussels, 2010 and 2014
      • Fantasy World Wide Face-Painting Contest, Bruges, 2013
      • French Bodypainting Awards, Paris, 2016-2019
      • Irish Body Painting Festival, Dublin, 2018

Exhibitions

      • Parallax Art Fair, Chelsea Town Hall, London (UK), 2014 (collective)
      • 1st ever 3D-scanned & printed bodypainting, Vigo Universal, Namur (B), 2014 (solo)
      • Incarnations, Kili Galerie, Brussels (B), 2015 (solo)
      • Salon ChARTme, Liège (B), 2015- 2017 (collective)
      • Cellier des Fripiers, Mons (B), 2016 (solo)
      • La Machine, Brussels (B), 2018 (solo)
      • G3 Gallery, Brussels (B), 2019 (collective)

Awards

      • Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (Belgium)
        • 1st prize Body-painting contest (2006)
        • 1st prize Face painting contest (2006)
        • 1st prize Special Effects contest (2011)
      • Masquerade (Netherlands)
        • 1st prize Face painting, Improvisation contest (2008)
        • 2nd prize Belly-painting contest (2009)
      • World Bodypainting Festival (Austria)
        • 2nd place at first round brush & sponge body-painting contest (2012)
        • 4th place at the UV body-painting contest (2009)
        • 4th place at the Face painting contest (2015)
        • 5th place at the Special Effects Bodypainting contest (2017)
      • NZ Body Art Awards (New Zealand)
        • 3rd prize at the body-painting contest (2011)
      • Festival der Färben (Germany)
        • 4th place in face-painting contests (2008)
      • Winter Body Art Festival, Verona (Italy)
        • 5th place (2015)

Press

      • Etincelle! 2009 – 2010 calendars
      • “Rose ou bleu, je me grime comme je veux” — Campagne contre les stéréotypes de genre dans les maquillages pour enfants, Latitude Jeunes, 2016
      • Responsible Young Drivers — Safety Belt Campaign, 2005
      • Mons 2015 “Ailleurs en Folie” — Programme covers
      • Skin Markz Magazine June 2016 + April 2017 — Personal work
      • Metal’Art Magazine July 2020 — Interview + Personal work
      • Marquis magazine Hiver 2020  — Interview + Personal work

Innovations

      • Scenography and direction of the first face-painting improvisation battle, TяACE festival, 2010
      • Concept and making of the first 3D scanned and printed bodypainting, Vigo Universal, Namur, 2014
      • Artistic direction of “Labodypainting“, first international bodypainting laboratory, Godarville, since 2018

You have a project?

Contact me now