About
Bodypaint by Ellen was started by Ellen Devos in 2015 and has since grown into a multifaceted business. The passion for creating began with body paint, but soon expressed itself in other creative fields. From henna tattoos to murals and street theater acts. Where will it stop? No one knows... But where it began, you'll read below.
How it began
Ellen enjoyed working with children and the combination with painting seemed ideal to her. She bought a few basic brushes, a few colors of face paint and began practicing; first on herself, then on friends and family. Gradually she bought more and more professional equipment: glitter tattoos, special effects and false wounds material, material for bodypainting … and started working with it.
At the beginning of her final year of studies “Master in Rehabilitation Sciences and Kinesitherapy” at the University of Ghent, she founded her company “Bodypaint by Ellen” as a student-entrepreneur. After her studies, she worked for several years half-time as a physiotherapist and half-time as a body paint freelancer. Since October 2018, she has been working full-time as a freelance artist.
Training
Ellen is a creative jack-of-all-trades. Ever since she was a child, she had been bitten by drawing, painting and crafts. She has been playing theater since she was 10 years old and earned the degree “Animator in the Youth Network” and “Word Art and Drama. In 2016, she graduated as a physical therapist from UGent. In 2021, she earned the diploma in Basic make-up and make-up at Growth Point Ghent.
References and Belgian champion body paint
After her studies, in addition to a half-time job as a physiotherapist, she built her own business “Bodypaint by Ellen. Meanwhile, she is a regular at festivals such as Werchter, Les Ardentes, WeCanDance, Pukkelpop and Tomorrowland, where she paints the faces and bodies of festival-goers as a makeup artist.
She has also worked as a make-up artist for the international music group “Arsenal” and worked on various film and promotional sets: Kennismakers (VRT), De Morgen, Q-music, Keizersvrouwen (Netflix), Nina Magazine, Durabrik, E-3 price Harelbeke, Vloglab: The Movie, etc.
In the event industry, she has worked for companies such as FastForward, Strange People, Samsung, Siemens, Huawei, Baloise, Telenet, DPG Media, the VRT, etc.
In April 2022, her street theater Act “Les Silhouettes” was selected for the international street theater festival “De Gevleugelde Stad” in Ypres.
In September 2019, Ellen became Belgian Bodypainting Champion. A title she has worked hard for and is quite proud of
Core values
Ellen is a perfectionist who will always strive to do better. She never shies away from a challenge and loves to improve herself and push her limits. She is a hard worker who draws all her energy from passion. Passion for life, passion for her job, passion for all the clean people and things in the world.
Art isn't paint.
It's love.
