
Move over chocolate paint and fluffy handcuffs, this Valentine's Day couples with an adventurous side can cover themselves in paint and turn their sheets into a work of art.

New York artist Alexander Esguerra, 34, launched the Love and Paint kits after he coated his partner's body in non-toxic hues before they had sex and was impressed with the visual effect that was left long after their moment of passion had ended.

And now he he's offering other passionate duos the chance to immortalise their own physical unions with a $250 (£173) pack that includes a cotton canvas, organic body paint and a protective tarpaulin.

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Couples are taking art into the bedroom as a new trend sees partners cover themselves in paint before having sex to produce unique art

Initially Alexander was inspired by his own experience to start an art project involving other couples for his first exhibition 'It's Just Sex' that would 'capture the beauty and passion of the physical act of love through art.'

He invited around 50 couples to enter a private setting with low lighting, candles and a heated canvas to create their own work of art. But after meeting business partner Tyler Peters, he turned his project into a kit that anyone could use at home.

Love and Paint includes a clear tarpaulin, terrycloth slippers, a signature artist brush, a hand-dyed canvas and and 'three jars of masterfully blended organic body paints' mixed by Alexander himself.

And on his website he promises, 'we've taken our proven artistic method and created a limited-edition kit that includes everything you need to safely create a piece of abstract art with your partner.'

The Love and Paint kits were launched after a New York artist invited couples to cover themselves in pigment and have sex on a canvas

Arist Alexander Esguerra teamed up with business partner Tyler Peters to give couples the chance to make their own artwork

Couples volunteered to take part in Alexander Esguerra's show which was first exhibited in New York's Soho in 2010

He adds: 'Experience a truly memorable night and discover the artist inside.'

The protective sheeting and supplied canvas might more of an inducement for couples worried about irreparably staining their linens.

Tyler remarked that despite using the same technique, each couple's 'work' is entirely different.

Each Love and Paint kit includes three jars of hand-mixed, non-toxic pigment (left); The kit (right) also includes a black canvas, protective plastic tarpaulin, slippers and a brush

Tyler says that each painting is completely unique comparing some to Jackson Pollock's work while he says others are more gentle

Here a couple admire their finished artwork after a steamy session of creating it together for Alexander's exhibition

He said: 'Some of the paintings are wild explosions of colour that look like something that would've come from the likes of Jackson Pollock, while others are very soft, gentle and full of little moments like hand and body prints.

'It's like visual representations of the couple's personality. The body during sex is very honest like that and makes for the perfect paintbrush.

'The artwork is incredible because it is so unique even though the process is always the same.

'I've seen hundreds of paintings and each couple's painting tells its own story. We call it finger painting for adults.'

Tyler says that he has seen hundreds of couples' paintings and no two are alike with each telling a different story. Pictured: Examples of couples' own individual artistic endeavours

The idea may seem spontaneous and romantic but it doesn't come cheap with the kit, which includes a cotton canvas, three jars of organic body paints a protective tarpaulin, terrycloth slippers and a paint brush, coming to $250 (£173)

This couple stand proudly in front of their finished work which the creators describe as 'finger painting for adults'

Alexander isn't the first artist to use the naked body as a means of daubing paint on to a surface.

New York-based 'boob' artist Marcey Hawk smears her cleavage with paint and then presses her chest against a canvas.