5 Incredible Photos of Natalie Coughlin’s Body Paint Photoshoot

The Olympic swimmer was a total natural in the unconventional swim attire.

Natalie Coughlin was photographed by Kayt Jones in New York.Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue has featured a variety of epic athletes over the years, from Olympic skiers to track stars. There have been a number of professional and collegiate swimmers to grace the pages of the issue, too. Their features always present some fun because of their expert knowledge of what makes a good swimsuit—both in technology and style.

But for Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin, her thorough knowledge of a good swimsuit wasn’t of much use in her photoshoot in the New York studio. The 12-time Olympic medalist joined photographer Kayt Jones for an epic body paint session in 2012, earning her spot on the cover of that year’s “Body Issue.”

“When I was asked to do the body paint for Sports Illustrated, I was so excited,” she explained on the set of the New York shoot. “I didn’t even think twice about saying yes.”

Before embarking on the photoshoot, Coughlin was curious about the actual process of making the suit and bringing the paint to life. Afterward, she shared the details of the experience. “As more of the layers got brought in and the different colors, it really brought the image of the water through,” she remarked on the final painted product.

“I was surprised how long the body paint took. I think it ended up taking 12 hours,” she said. “I was just mesmerized by the whole process. It flew by.”

The swimmer may have been mesmerized by the experience, but we are still mesmerized by the stunning photos that came out of it. Below are five incredible photos from the experience.

Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

Kayt Jones/Sports Illustrated

Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!