Body Painting - The Intricacies
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!
In fact we are fond of painting our bodies since prehistoric times. In past we were used to paint our bodies with materials like natural dyes, paints and pigments. In some cases we used ash, and clay, too.
The markings that the people make on their bodies are thought to have magical powers with which one could ward off evil spirits or the tribal enemies. Such was the thinking in past. The painting of bodies was also coined with celebrating of auspicious occasions like New Year or a dance party. Same practice can still observed in the indigenous populations of the countries like New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Islands, and certain parts of Africa.
In India the women and men are fond of using Henna. It is a colour extracted from a plant of Henna; it is also known as Mehandi. This type of body painting with Henna has been a fashion in India and the Middle East since many years. People paint their hands and legs and other parts of body with Henna during auspicious ceremonies like weddings. The use of henna or Mehandi has become popular in the Western countries, too, since last two decades.
The art of body painting is not a new phenomenon in the countries of South America, too. People here have been using indigenous materials to paint their body and body parts. They use wet charcoal and other materials available in the local surrounding. In some parts of America, a material known as Huito is used to paint the bodies and faces. Huito is a black dye, and it takes weeks to fade away.
Body Painting Promo GirlsMiller lite Girls are getting their bodies painted and getting more attention for the Miller lite brand than ever before. Have you happened to see how beautiful a girl looks after she has had her body painted?
Body Painting an attractive promo girl with a hot body is able to stand out among all the advertising noise in the market place. Marketing companies are getting creative by painting their logos on a girls breast to grab the attention of the beverage manufacturers targeted audience.
Body Painting Promo Girls
Beverage Manufacturers have to pocket out $1000 minimum to get a great body paint artist to paint their promo girls. I had 2 Miller lite girls at Dinah shores in Palm Springs and they had their bodies painted to resemble a Miller lite body. The art work was amazing and not to mention the girls bodies really made the body paint artist look really good.
The Miller lite promo girls received $300 per hour for this one weekend event. I have since seen many companies use hot body painted models to gain the attention of their consumers whether at a car show, trade show or a new club grand opening.
These Beverage manufacturers are budgeting millions of dollars towards this type of advertising.
Body Painting Promo Girls
They see the return on investment as an unmeasurable success. I did a casting in Hollywood for 4 girls to get their bodies painted for a major liquor and I had over 200 girls show up. The amount of beautiful girls in Hollywood that wanted to have their bodies painted was astounding. I even had girls that wanted to get their bodies painted for free.
If you would like the opportunity to have your body painted for a major liquor company and make up to $300 per hour, you must have a great body and be willing to expose your body to a crowd or people.
There is a wide range of body painting festivals today. All include painted bodies, of course, and all include some kind of competitions; however there is a quite a range of skills and size among the different festivals, and some are more 'family friendly' than others.
Here's a quick look at the top 6 body painting festivals, where they happen and what you can expect to find there:
1. The World Body Painting Festival
This festival includes some of the most stunning professional body painting to be seen in the world today. A 3 day program includes dance, music and fireworks displays, as well as many competitions. Many of the body paintings here should fall under the category of 'fine art' with some of the dancers body paintings simply defying belief. A very large event and certainly worth traveling for.
Where: Seeboden, Austria
Duration: Three days
Family Friendliness: Not clear, but it is in Europe, so not likely to ban under 18. However this body painting festival does not advertise itself as family friendly, as some others do.
2. The Canadian Body Painting Festival
This is another body painting festival that showcases simply stunning artists and finished work. The quality of the art here is similar to that seen at the World Body Painting Festival. The Festival is themed from year to year, with the recent theme being "It's A Jungle Out There." Also includes the Canadian Body Painting Championships.
Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Competitions in overall body painting, brush and sponge, and airbrush; includes the Canadian body painting Championships
Artistic Range: Most stunning, and one of the best overall. Very life-like and fantastic double-take images.
Family Friendliness: Not stated - would be worth making a call first.
3. The International Body Painting Festival
This festival takes place in Mainz, a city with over two thousand years of history. It is located on the river Rhine, has strong Celtic roots and may have been founded by the Romans as early as 13 BC. One can imagine that body painting has a long history here, if you remember the Celtic tradition of painting their bodies before going into battle. Once again, the artistic ability and range is stunning at this International festival.
Where: Mainz, Germany
Duration: Weekend festival
Events Include: Competitions include special effects and face painting
Artistic Range: Very stunning; high artistic skill.
Family Friendliness: Not known but again, it's in Europe. I would call ahead.
4. Welsh International Body Painting Festival
This festival is a bit younger and less established than the top 3, although it has some impressive artwork considering that they are just getting started. Also the atmosphere is more 'fun' orinted, less 'high art' and family participation is strongly encouraged. A good festival to consider if you want to make it a family outing and see some amazing work in the process.
Where: Wales (of course)
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Hands on demonstrations; horror specialists and flower specialists
Artistic Range: High, and impressive for a smaller sized event; not as subtle or creative as some of the others
Family Friendliness: Very good; in fact they encourage families and camping, with an 'all ages' atmosphere and events designed for younger participants
5. The UK Body Painting Festival
This festival showcases some of the least impressive - although most amusing - body painting, although it should be said that it is not presented as a stuffy 'high art' affair, but more a circus or county fair type outing for the entire family. Fun, relaxed and un-selfconscious atmosphere allows for some of the more surprising and purely 'fun' body art to be seen. If you're not a supermodel and would like to get your body painted without worrying about snide comments, this might be a good option for you.
Where: Ashford, UK
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Family-oriented face painting, body painting competitions for professional and amateur categories, craft fair, children's activities, workshops, and a 'bouncy castle.'
Artistic Range: Fair; more of a family outing with a lots to do than a showcase of spectacular art.
Family Friendliness: Very high; advertised as family event. Lowest cost of all the body painting festivals - comparable to a movie ticket.
6. The US Bodypainting Festival (or New Mexico Body Painting Festival/US Bodypainting Competition)
There is definitely some impressive body painting to be seen at this festival, and a lot of creative innovation with hair and unusual designs that you won't see anywhere else. One example that springs to mind is a model dressed in racecar theme with red, white and blue hair sprayed out behind her as though flying in the wind. Also, if you're in the US this festival obviously doesn't require a plane ticket. However this is not a family outing, as it explicitly bans anyone under 18.
Where: Alberquerque, New Mexico
Duration: Three days
Events Include: Demonstrations, workshops, competitions in body painting
Artistic Range: Good to poor - there is a mix of very impressive artistic works and things better left unpainted here; although it's all 'interesting.'
Family Friendliness: Not at all. We are in the US remember; no one under 18 allowed.
So that's my brief overview of the top 6 body painting festivals in the world. Would you like to take a vacation this year that's not your ordinary 'hum-drum' trip? Pick one of these festivals and you can pack light (you know, you could just bring a can of paint and a paintbrush for evening wear)!
Face Painting Ideas (2)
There is a wide range of body painting festivals today. All include painted bodies, of course, and all include some kind of competitions; however there is a quite a range of skills and size among the different festivals, and some are more 'family friendly' than others. Here's a quick look at the top 6 body painting festivals, where they happen and what you can expect to find there:
1. The World Body Painting FestivalThis festival includes some of the most stunning professional body painting to be seen in the world today. A 3 day program includes dance, music and fireworks displays, as well as many competitions. Many of the body paintings here should fall under the category of 'fine art' with some of the dancers body paintings simply defying belief. A very large event and certainly worth traveling for.
Festivals in the World Body PaintingDuration: Three days
Events Include: World Championships in 3 categories; night contest for UV effects, Special Effects awards; classes and workshops; BodyCircus (fantasy ball); music and dance performances; an international photo contest; and a huge fireworks show.
Artistic Range: One of the very best, with stunning range of styles and surprising themes.
Family Friendliness: Not clear, but it is in Europe, so not likely to ban under 18. However this body painting festival does not advertise itself as family friendly, as some others do.
2. The Canadian Body Painting Festival
This is another body painting festival that showcases simply stunning artists and finished work. The quality of the art here is similar to that seen at the World Body Painting Festival. The Festival is themed from year to year, with the recent theme being "It's A Jungle Out There." Also includes the Canadian Body Painting Championships.
Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Competitions in overall body painting, brush and sponge, and airbrush; includes the Canadian body painting Championships
Artistic Range: Most stunning, and one of the best overall. Very life-like and fantastic double-take images.
Family Friendliness: Not stated - would be worth making a call first.
3. The International Body Painting Festival
This festival takes place in Mainz, a city with over two thousand years of history. It is located on the river Rhine, has strong Celtic roots and may have been founded by the Romans as early as 13 BC. One can imagine that body painting has a long history here, if you remember the Celtic tradition of painting their bodies before going into battle. Once again, the artistic ability and range is stunning at this International festival.
Where: Mainz, Germany
Duration: Weekend festival
Events Include: Competitions include special effects and face painting
Artistic Range: Very stunning; high artistic skill.
Family Friendliness: Not known but again, it's in Europe. I would call ahead.
4. Welsh International Body Painting Festival
This festival is a bit younger and less established than the top 3, although it has some impressive artwork considering that they are just getting started. Also the atmosphere is more 'fun' orinted, less 'high art' and family participation is strongly encouraged. A good festival to consider if you want to make it a family outing and see some amazing work in the process.
Where: Wales (of course)
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Hands on demonstrations; horror specialists and flower specialists
Artistic Range: High, and impressive for a smaller sized event; not as subtle or creative as some of the others
Family Friendliness: Very good; in fact they encourage families and camping, with an 'all ages' atmosphere and events designed for younger participants
5. The UK Body Painting Festival
This festival showcases some of the least impressive - although most amusing - body painting, although it should be said that it is not presented as a stuffy 'high art' affair, but more a circus or county fair type outing for the entire family. Fun, relaxed and un-selfconscious atmosphere allows for some of the more surprising and purely 'fun' body art to be seen. If you're not a supermodel and would like to get your body painted without worrying about snide comments, this might be a good option for you.
Where: Ashford, UK
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Family-oriented face painting, body painting competitions for professional and amateur categories, craft fair, children's activities, workshops, and a 'bouncy castle.'
Artistic Range: Fair; more of a family outing with a lots to do than a showcase of spectacular art.
Family Friendliness: Very high; advertised as family event. Lowest cost of all the body painting festivals - comparable to a movie ticket.
6. The US Bodypainting Festival (or New Mexico Body Painting Festival/US Bodypainting Competition)
There is definitely some impressive body painting to be seen at this festival, and a lot of creative innovation with hair and unusual designs that you won't see anywhere else. One example that springs to mind is a model dressed in racecar theme with red, white and blue hair sprayed out behind her as though flying in the wind. Also, if you're in the US this festival obviously doesn't require a plane ticket. However this is not a family outing, as it explicitly bans anyone under 18.
Step 1. Know what kind of body painting supplies you need:
There are many kinds of paint out there, and most are not for body painting. If you use the wrong kinds of paint, you may end up with you (or whoever you paint) having a mild to severe allergic reaction to the paint.
A mild reaction could be hives or a body rash. A severe reaction could be difficulty breathing. So don't take this lightly, and get the right paints to start with.
The Best Supplies Body PaintingYou will also want to get some good brushes and sponges for body painting. You don't need to invest in very expensive brushes, but I would suggest using natural fibers and not the very cheap kinds of craft brushes that will have the hairs falling out as you are using them. Also, cheap stiff brushes will be uncomfortable for the person you are body painting. So get some soft brushes, of 3 different sizes to start with:
- 1 very small with a pointed tip for fine detail
- 1 about a half inch wide
- 1 'fan' brush for blending
You will also want to get some sponges for body painting, in order to put light coats on and also for covering large areas quickly. You can find sponges in the same places you will find body paint. Which brings us to our next 'secret'...
Step 2. Know where to find materials for body painting:
There are two best suppliers for body paints and body painting that I have found.
If you look either of these names up on the internet you will be able to find the right kind of body painting supplies. (You are not likely to find these locally unless you live in a city that happens to have a body painting store or craft store that carries body painting supplies).
Snazaroo is marketed mostly for face painting, and in particular face painting for children. This is because Snazaroo fully complies with FDA and child safety guidelines. This are the only face paint that holds a "child toy safety rating." So if you are looking for the safest paint this would be a good choice.
The other two face and body painting suppliers that have great reputations out there are Kryolan and Mehron.
Kryolan mainly specializes in theatrical and professional body painting supplies, and Mehron is a pro makeup company that also specializes in body painting needs. You will find everything from paints to sponges to paint removal supplies at any of these suppliers, and the best way to find them is online.
Step 3. Know what kind of supplies will best fit your needs:
The main difference between these 3 face and body painting companies is that Snazaroo leans more toward kids and face painting supplies, While Kryolan and Mehron are marketed toward the adult, professional and theatre face and body painting crowd, and you will find a few more, higher grade options there.
