STUDENT Samantha Swift will show off her body painting skills in London next week after scooping first prize in a Coleg Gwent competition.

Her spectacular creation Wise Willow wowed the judges and a full house at Cross Keys campus drama studio during the second annual body painting event.

Twenty-three students, four in their second year and 19 in their first, took part in the Myths and Legends themed event.

The theatrical and media make-up students spent up to three and a half hours preparing the live models for the catwalk show. They also arranged the music, lighting and choreography.

Students on the two-year diploma course are training for careers in the theatre, television or photographic studios. They learn to apply make-up for stage and film, including special effects such as aging, scars and wig-making.

"It was a fantastic event and a chance for our students to show what they are capable of and to experience the thrills of competition work," said event organiser and tutor Maria Retter.

Second year student Samantha, and runner-up Steven Rose, will now compete in the National Student Make-Up 2005 competition in London next Monday.

Last year Coleg Gwent make-up and fashion student Raphaelle Fieldhouse became body painting champion at a championship in Austria which featured 161 artists from 36 nations.

She was one of three judges of this year's Coleg Gwent competition, with theatre director Gordon Collins and film make-up artist Carolyn Hinds.

The results were: 1 Samantha Swift, Wise Willow (model Charlotte Moore); 2 Steven Rose, Satan (model Scott Perry); 3 Jessica Dee, Swan Princess (model Amy Davies); 4 Cerys Tugwell, Singing Siren (model Lauren Talemi).