JONATHAN POSTAL:THE FLAMING HEAD

THE FLAMING HEAD:I had been photographing the best of issue for the Miami New Times. The theme was Hot, Hot , Hot and so I found this magical formula commonly used in movies called Zel Gel. You put a layer a flame retardant (retard being the key concept here) and then coat what you want to set on fire with a rubber cement type of solution. Then you light er up.
I tried it first on my finger then my hand and it seemed to be only moderatly dangerious.
We lit guitars on fire, we lit basket balls on fire, we lit anything laying about on fire.
It's about 10:30 at night now and we ave an italian makeup artist that has to leave for NYC at first light.
I kind of need this guy as he does movie as well as fashion makeup and our cover girl is going to be made up as a devil girl lighting a cigarette with a flame eminating from her finger.
So the model shows up with her mom at and we start putting on the makeup at about 10:45 and we are talking horns attached directly to the skull here. So far we have been getting her ready for about an hour.
About this time she decided to check herself out in the mirror. It is not compleatly inappropreate that it is almost midnight when she first really studies her image in the mirror.
She is horrified and in fear for her mortal soul and decides there is no way she will risk brimstone for a tear sheet.
We try and explane that there is no way the Italian will be here tomorrow and it is midnight and the magazine has to ship-it would be safe to say she doesn't care so she scoops up her mother and departs. Not sure what to do I start calling every club girl I have met in Miami before that I have run into at 3 or 4 AM drinking and doing what ever elze is nessisary to to keep awake while you are drinking.
We have some luck and Karen answers her cell phone (a mirical already) and agrees to come right over. To be made up, be dressed in red laytex have horns attached to her head and her finger set on fire to ignite a cigarette. It is 4 in the morning and we can all use a light.
At this point if feel there is only one way to properly sanctify the evening so I decide to light my head on fire. I spread the Zel Gel on my dome, then a layer of the semi-cool burning fire agent and light up.
And it was good.