Western Painting - Body Painting - A Contemporary Yet Ancient Style of Being a Canvas

Western Painting - Body Painting - A Contemporary Yet Ancient Style of Being a Canvas

Body Painting - The Intricacies
The origin of body painting is unknown, but its use has been widespread - sometimes as an art form, sometimes as a part of tradition, and the other times, as a necessity. The evidence of body painting is found in ancient practices across various cultures and remains a popular fashion statement in the present times. There is no set style or technique for body painting. It can be a localized design or a fuller one, covering the entire body in some cases. The color pigments used can be natural or synthetic. Similarly, it can be a work of an expert or an amateurish hand of a novice. However, unlike permanent tattoos, body paints are temporary or semi-permanent in nature.

The Geographical Spread
Painting the body was prevalent in ancient Egyptian civilization, where Pharaohs and high-class individuals painted their faces in red ochre & white pigments, and eyes in kohl. The Himba group of Namibia also generously uses red ochre. These people paint their entire bodies in the uniform pigment, as a traditional practice. In India, body painting is an elaborate work of expertise, which requires training and a lot of experience. One of the best examples of this art is the make-up of Kathakali dancers that involves the use of white, red, black, and yellow colors against a base of bottle green color, on face.

The use of 'henna,' a natural plant extract, is very popular among the Indian women across the country and is again, done by trained experts. Henna is used for decorating the hands and feet in beautiful, complex designs. Native Americans use streaks, concentric circles, and other patterns of colors, which include red, white, yellow, blue, and black. The indigenous Yolngu people of Australia use detailed and painstaking technique to embellish their bodies. It is an inspiration for many other art forms and a job that only the experts can do.

Painted faces have been a trademark of comedians and mimics, throughout the history of performing arts. Body painting has found as much use in military operations, as in local communities. Facial colors, particularly in nature tones are heavily employed as camouflage by almost all armies in the world. Now days, this art has become a fad, especially among the youth and is treated more as an avant-garde fashion accessory, rather than as a religious belief. Across the US and Europe, body painting is used in theatre, cinema, fashion, carnivals, and body painting festivals. Despite facing criticism and rejection from various corners, this art continued to grow and is still evolving!

Face And Body Painting For Kids - Valuable Tips For You

Face And Body Painting For Kids - Valuable Tips For You

Most kids and even adults who are young at heart always enjoy face and body painting. It is a nice way for them to express their creativity and style. There are a lot of designs that you can actually use to be able to do it. Keep in mind that it is not that easy to do face painting. You need to have that skill to become successful in it. You also need to take precautions. There are some tips that you need to remember.

PLAN

It is very important that you have plans regarding the design that you will paint. Make sure that the execution of the planned design will be good. This will prevent disappointment from kids and to anyone. Try to practice as much as you can and draw the design to serve as your guide.

APPROPRIATE PAINTS

Keep in mind that you need to choose the paints that are appropriate for the skin. Kids have delicate and sensitive skins. You need to consider this. You cannot use the ordinary paints that you see in the market. Try to look for those that are really used for face painting to avoid any danger.

USE SPONGES

Body painting will surely need sponges since it will cover a large area. Make sure that you use sponges since the brush method will never be effective in body paining. It has a rough surface so it will not be appropriate for large areas. The sponge will keep the outcome smooth.

AVOID MESS

It is very important that you avoid mess in face painting. This will help you to have a nice outcome for the design that you make. Try to prepare wipes and tissue paper to remove the messy part. You need to do this so that you will not ruin the design in the end.

There are some valuable tips that you have to keep in mind if you want to do face painting. Try to remember them for you to have a guide. These will surely help you in creating nice looking designs that kids and even adults will love.

The Beauty of Body Paint Art

The Beauty of Body Paint Art

Since the beginning of time, humans have always had the desire to create art. Through this desire body painting was born, making the human body the first canvass. The history of this craft stretches so far back that historians consider it to be the earliest form of art. Compared to other types of body art like tattoos or piercing, this is impermanent. It lasts only for a few hours at most.

During the ancient times, tribes would often use this during celebrations and important ceremonies. Each color had its own corresponding meaning. Chieftains and warriors commonly had their own styles to indicate their status in the tribe. Around the 12th century, a new kind of body painting known as the Mehendi became popular. The Mehendi is an extremely old ritual that originated from Egypt. It is the art of using henna to paint the body. This type of dye usually lasts a little longer, about a 1-2 weeks before fading. Natives of South America also had their own methods of ornamenting their bodies. They would use wet charcoal also known as huito. Like henna, huito is also semi-permanent lasting for a few weeks.

In today's modern era, this has become a way of self-expression. This has been spurred on by the liberality of modern society. If before nudity was deemed by society as inappropriate and improper, now it is something to be flaunted. In the guise of self-expression and the practice of human freedom, this has become a means of grabbing the public's attention. This is especially effective during protests and rallies. Instead of bringing placards and sign boards, the protesters would instead paint on themselves.

The art of body painting can morph a human being into a beautiful work of art. It can make a statement that words alone cannot express, create a more appealing presentation, and add meaning and significance to an important occasion. It is used not only for the living, but also to preserve the dead. Truly it has attained world wide significance that will last till the end of time.

Body Painting With Henna

Body Painting With Henna

Painting body with henna is an increasing trend in many countries. Mostly women living in Middle East and Far East paint their bodies with henna. Some do it as a ritual and other do it for fun. The exquisite and delicate designs are what make painting the body with henna so much interesting. The custom of painting the body with henna dates back 5000 years. The interesting thing about this kind of painting is that it is temporary and one can create new designs every four weeks. So people looking for temporary tattoo and painting can opt for henna body painting as it is safe, reliable, cheap and easy to use. Also it provides the exquisite and imaginative look which people really love.

Painting your body with henna can be time consuming if you opt for difficult and delicate designs. There are certain things that one must be aware off before painting their body with henna. One can buy henna online from many websites but the important thing to be considered is that the quality should be exemplary in order to get the best reddish-brown color. If henna paste is applied for a small period of time and then washed it will leave a pale color. Similarly if it is applied for a longer period of time like several hours then it will leave a dark reddish-brown color which will take about 4 to 6 weeks to wear off. Also the process of painting body with henna is painless. It is only applied on the surface of the skin and not injected into the skin like other body art.

An important thing to remember here is that one must be aware of their allergies. Sometimes the oils in henna paste cause rashes and other allergic reactions, to avoid such situations these people can use purified henna. Traditionally henna was applied to the hair, foot and hands and mostly during special events like weeding and other ritualistic events. These days the trend is increasing solely because of the quality and advantages of painting the body with henna over other forms of body art. Painting the body with henna portrays creativity and delicacy.

Face And Body Painting Guide

Face And Body Painting Guide

There are a lot of activities that are indeed fun and exciting. You will surely appreciate body and face painting. This way, you will be able to express your emotions. It is also one good way to be creative and artistic in some ways. You just need to realize that you have to be cautious with regards to the things and materials that you will use. Make sure that they are not sensitive to the skin. There are some things that you always need to keep in mind.

PLAN

The first thing that you need to do is to plan for the activity that you want to do. Make sure that you will be able to formulate the plan way ahead of the date of the activity. You have to consider a lot of things with regards to the plan that you will do such as the materials that you will use. The participants preference and many more.

USE CORRECT PAINTS

It is very vital that you will only use the paints that are appropriate for the skin of the models or participants. Make sure that the paints are hypoallergenic and will not cause any allergies especially to kids. Try to look for these paints in stores near you. There are also online sites that will help you buy the best paints to use for the activity. The colors of the paint must also be considered. Red, blue and yellow are very important colors that you need to consider.

SPONGES AND BRUSHES

There are materials that you will need to be able to perform this activity. Sponges are very important for some designs especially those that will cover large areas of the body. Brushes are also important for the details of each design that you will paint. Make sure that you have various sizes of sponges and brushes.

There are a few things that you have to keep in mind if you want to do face and body painting. You need to plan ahead of time for the activity that you will do. You also need to use correct paints, sponges and brushes. Try to remember the tips to have a guide for the activity.