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!

Body Painting Art - Nude Female and Male Body Painting

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.

New Tattoo Of Canada

New tattoos of Canada
Guiness Rishi, a 67-year-old man, wants to start the Guinness Book of World Records by tattooing himself. Anyone can get tattooed; that doesn’t mean you get the entry ticket for Guinness Book of World Records. But guys, this man seems to be truly passionate. Call it freaky or obsessive; he plans to get the flags of all the countries in the world inscribed on his body. He already has six tattoos of Canada, Union Jack, India, USA, Cyprus and the Indian legislature Party on his face. In all, he plans to cover himself with 220 assorted flags and embellish a walking orbicular flagpole.

Phoenix Tattoo Design

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phoenix tattoo design
A phoenix tattoo design can be such an incredible choice for most people, but finding the quality artwork online can be hard, as you may have seen first hand. Some folks even give up on their search completely. Well, here is what you need to know about a lot of that type of content that litters the web, as well as how to slither right past it while getting to the good stuff.
For something as detailed as a phoenix tattoo design can be, you definitely don't want to "settle" on some random, generic piece that you will regret in the future. If you are not 100% happy with it, don't settle for it just because it seems that is all you could find. The way to avoid this kind of generic Phoenix tattoo design completely is to avoid search engines for the time being. Search engines like Google and MSN will only leads you and your browser straight to the thousands and thousands of cookie-cutter websites that are filled with the same exact designs and content as the next place. Also, most of the designs they do have are well over four year old and plastered on hundreds of other websites already. Who even knows how many people might have that Phoenix tattoo design inked on there skin already? That's not something you want to "settle" for. If you are like most half way sane folks, you want original, quality artwork to choose from, especially for something like a Phoenix tattoo design, which can be insanely detailed at times.
Well, you don't have to worry about having to settle for a generic Phoenix tattoo design you find through search engines, because getting around it is quite easy.
To locate any given quality Phoenix tattoo design while online, you will want to start your search by using internet forums. I can't even begin to tell you how many times they have lead me exactly where I have needed to go. It never seems to fail and I have seen many other friends and acquaintances use them, too. Forums always seem to get me to the hidden websites that feature original, quality designs for tattoos at the blink of an eye. There are hundreds of huge forums on the web and each one of them are loaded with posts form that have information from good people who are more than willing to share their findings. People love to brag to the select few who are looking for the same thing and you can reap the benefits for your Phoenix tattoo design.

Best Gun Tattoo Design

Best gun tattoo DesignWhat if one period you come to undergo that your spouse is cheating on you? You’ll want to kill him or her but you undergo you can’t do anything about it. Meet someone who had two gun tattoo with the articulate “darling” etched in them! Even if you’re planning a murder you would want to remove all the evidence, and the idea of getting this kinda tat is simply insane. Another think could be to just threaten your spouse. Whatever the reason, I encounter it humorously wacky.

Tattoo - Popular Tattoo Designs for Girls

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Tattoos-Popular Tattoo Designs for Girls
Girls are always asking me what tattoos they should get or what I think are the hottest tattoos for girls. Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer simply because there are as many different types of tattoos are there are girls. What one person might find sexy another might consider unattractive or very unfeminine.
Certain styles of tattoos might not suit the image you want to project. For example certain work environments may not accept highly visible tattoos even though tattoos are becoming more and more accepted. It may be wise to hold off getting that sacred heart tattoo emblazoned across your chest if your boss is going to flip out if (s)he sees it!
So in saying that what I hope to do in this short article is offer my insight and experience within the tattoo industry for the past 9 or 10 years and point out the current tattoo trends and what the most popular styles of tattoos are for girls. At the end of the day you want a tattoo that has lasting appeal and not a tattoo that was done on a whim. If I give you some good ideas for your next tattoo all the better...
Trends come and go. What was cool ten years ago is no longer cool. In the nineties certain types of tattoos such as cartoon characters like Betty Boop, barbed wire armbands and dolphins were in. Looking at them now they appear very cheesy and basic.
Tattoo art has come such a long way in the past few years even. Certain styles of tattoos have become perennial and have risen to a point where they are getting the respect and acknowledged they deserve for their intricacy and artistry.
Styles as diverse as Japanese tattoos, Indian/Hindu tattoos, Anime, Traditional American and Floral designs are raising the bar higher and higher and becoming increasingly popular.
Alongside that is the fact that people are beginning to see their skin as a human canvas and not just settling for random tattoos placed haphazardly on a part of the body that is hidden. Nowadays more and more girls are getting larger tattoos and more of them.
This may explain the popularity of Japanese tattoos. In traditional Japanese tattoos each character has a meaning and interacts with the other tattoo designs as part of the whole.
The same is true for Traditional American tattoos. Previously what were once done as individual tattoos from disparate elements of American culture are now being woven into an organic and is more like a story unfolding.
Top Five Most Popular Tattoos for Girls
Irezumi - Traditional Japanese tattoos - More and more girls are asking for large tattoo designs such as koi fish, dragons on their hips, back and arms.
Traditional American tattoos - Old school 'Sailor Jerry' tattoos and images such as classic American cars, pin-ups, swallows and nautical stars are becoming more popular on girls chests, abdomen, back and legs.
Floral tattoos - So many girls are getting flower tattoos as full sleeve tattoos or covering their entire back or legs with floral designs. Flower tattoo designs such as lotus flowers, peonies, orchids, chrysanthemums and flowering vines are the most popular.
Anime - Japanese animation has become massive and doesn't show any sign of disappearing any time soon. As a result Anime tattoos have become popular in the past five years or so. The only risk with Anime tattoo is that unlike other styles will probably age much quicker even though it looks great now.

New Design Of Mario Child Tattoo

New Design Of Mario Child TattooGeeky yet cute, the Yoshi Mario tattoo is for all you gaming freaks out there. Whosoever is act this tat surely loves the digit cutest gaming characters. Not that newborn but the geeky gaming tats have always fascinated us, and the trend is sure to last forever.

Body Painting - 7 Tips For Cleaning Up Safely and Easily

If you are just getting started in body painting or face painting, one thing you may not have considered is how you are going to get all that paint off again!

While your client may like being a zombie or a tiger at a party, they may not want to go to work looking like one. In any case, they will want to get cleaned up before going to bed or doing pretty much anything else, and you will be expected to know how to remove the paint you put on them safely and painlessly.

Here are 7 quick tips for removing body paint from the skin, and also for staying clean and neat while you are working.

1. Check your paints and packaging.

Always use safe paints that have been made specifically for face painting and body painting. They should explicitly say that is what they are for. Read what they say, either on the label, or on the website, about how to clean them up. Some body paints are made to be cleaned with water; others may use a special kind of remover that you will have to buy. Be sure you are cleaning them off skin using the methods the packaging says to use.

2. Use warm water, sponges, and cloths.

If your body painting or face painting supplies say to use only water, or mild soap and water, then follow those instructions. Use warm water if possible to make cleanup nicer for your clients, and easier paint removal. Sponges (the same kind you use to apply body paints) and soft cloths are the best tools; you can use paper towels, but why not save the environment a bit and use something re-useable? And using the same types of sponges you use to put paint on will give you the best kinds of shapes for removing it as well.

3. Use non-allergenic, natural, safe skin soaps.

If you've chosen your face and body paints correctly, you have made sure they are meant for face painting and body painted and are almost guaranteed not to cause an allergic reaction. Be sure your clean up soaps follow the same standards. Natural bases like glycerin and castille are good; try to avoid perfumes, artificial colors, and chemicals. If it says 'natural' or 'hypo-allergenic' on the label, you may still want to check the ingredients, they may still include scents or high amounts of alcohol-stearates, which can cause sensitive skin to react.

4. Be careful around the eyes.

Watch cleaning around the eyes especially - of course ask your client to close their eyes, and go slowly. Some makeup suppliers (Mehron, for example) carry special cleaners especially made for cleaning around eyes; you may want to try one of those. You could also look at makeup suppliers for smaller tools meant for cleaning around eyes. The skin around the eyes (and of course the eye itself) is more sensitive than the rest of the skin, so what works on the rest of the skin may not equally well around the eyes.

One good trick is to clean the other areas entirely first, and leave the eyes for very last - that way you will not be getting more paint near the eyes once they are clean, and will only have to clean them once. That way you can avoid repetitive cleaning (and irritation) of the eye area - as well as extra work on your part.

5. Baby Wipes are great, but use the right ones.

Baby wipes are great to have on hand, but remember they were formulated for wiping a very different area of the body than the face. This means they have probably not been tested for facial safety and irritation. I would recommend getting baby wipes that are 'natural,' but again, check the ingredients on the back. You want no fragrances if possible, and no dyes. Sometimes you can get them especially for 'sensitive skin,' again, read the labels. Then try them on your face to see how they work before using them on others.

6. Protect clothing while painting - and washing up.

Paints made for face painting and body painting should never stain the face, but the same can't be said for clothing. Even water based body paints can still stain clothing. Keep clothing away from the paint as it is being applied, of course - but you will want to watch it when you are cleaning up as well. Soaking paints with water and washing them off can be a drippy process, and colors are even more likely to get on clothes then than when painting. Consider using covering cloths while you are cleaning, even if you didn't when painting.

7. And Last But Not Least: Don't Scrub!

Don't scrub the skin, even if the paints are not coming off properly. Scrubbing can cause bad reactions even if everything else is safe for skin. If your paint is not coming off quickly, be patient, let it soak a bit and try again, gently. Try using something else to clean such as baby wipes or a cloth with a little soap squirted directly on it. You may also want to take a look at the paint's instructions on cleaning up again - maybe you missed something on cleaning up. In any case, don't get frustrated and scrub! Your client will appreciate it.

So that's it - 7 best tips for cleaning up safely and easily after face painting or body painting. You may want to print these out as a reminder sheet to include in your painting supplies, that way if you have a cleaning problem, you can consult them quickly!

gz-Body Painting or All Women Body Painting Pictures




Adult Body Painting - What's the Fuss About?

Did you ever want to be a cowboy? Maybe a rain forests? What about trading your skin in to become a seductive tigress ready to pounce on fresh meat? Well, whatever your adult fantasy may be, adult body painting may be the temporary and fun solution.

Though this art form has been around for centuries, many people haven't tuned-in to this creative outlet. Some people claim that body painting is actually the oldest art form (Considering that people were painting their bodies pre-anno domini. Just think of early century Egyptians). And, with adult body painting companies and artist all around the globe, one would probably have little difficulty finding an artist close by.

Adult body painting is an art that uniquely transforms your everyday skin into a beautiful picturesque scene or life form. How? Glad you asked. By using safe, FDA approved make-up, oils, and other various paints and applying it directly to your skin. Any part of your skin. Oh yes, that's right, any part. Body painting artists are extremely professional and willing to cover any part of your body that you so desire, from head to toe. Or, if you can't make your mind up on which body part to paint, you can have your entire body brushed with a plethora of colors that completely disguises the real you underneath. Unless, of course, you really are Smokey the Bear. Which can be done. By method of airbrushing, painting, and drawing, your body can soon be entirely transformed into your fantasy.

Depending on the piece of art you choose, the process can take from a few minutes to a few hours. The Hanging Gardens weren't grown in fifteen minutes and either is the mastery of adult body painting when given the task of turning you into a fire-breathing dragon. Which can also be done.

However, don't misunderstand. Not all body painting means having to get nude. In fact, any small portion of your skin can be painted into a beautiful piece. For instance, many people who want to see what a tattoo would look like on the arm, hand, foot, shoulder, neck, or elsewhere often choose to have their body painted first to make sure they will like it for the rest of their lives. Others just appreciate the art and have paintings done on parts of their body for display or to be kept private. Whatever the case may be, there really is not a limit to what a person can have painted on their body. A butterfly or the Sears Tower, or anything in between.

Body painting typically will last for a couple of days and can easily be removed. Because body painting is not permanent, you have the option to become many things over the course of time. The only thing that should be holding you up from getting painted is choosing what you want to be next!

Free Face Painting Ideas

Free Face Painting Ideas

Here are some excellent free face painting ideas that will make you a smash hit at your next party or event!

When face painting, don’t stop with the face, include body painting also. This is always a hit. Kids go crazy for body painting. This is great to do because it makes the kids feel like they are wearing a costume and they really have fun with the character that they have been painted as. Whether it be a king or a witch, this idea is a “no fail” when it comes to pleasing youngsters. And don’t worry about the time this may take. Just keep it simple, short, and sweet and it’s a snap!

Another of the free face painting ideas is for you to try mixing and using makeup with your face painting. Taking some cosmetic makeup and combining it with face painting is an awesome idea. You can use blush to create rosy cheeks on a princess or eye liner pencil to create whiskers on a cat. Using makeup creatively and in combination with face painting can save you time and effort. Beginners may also find this easier than using paint on certain designs. Simply test out and experiment with different cosmetics to find what works best for you.

An entirely new and incredible dimension to add to your face painting routine that has been tried and tested is the use of stick-on-jewels. What’s great about stick-on-jewels is that they are simple and incredibly effective. Kids love them and it escalates the look of any face painting from amateur to pro. They are also very simple to use. Just remove the paper backing and apply to the desired area. This is one of the best and most effective of the free face painting ideas.

Try to use costumes with your face painting for an incredible combination that delights every time! Finding simple costumes is the key to this favorite of all the free face painting ideas. You don’t have to go all out and spend a lot of money. That’s not necessary at all.

Some costume ideas:

    • A simple black cape for a vampire.

    • A paper crown for a king

    • Paper bunny ears for a rabbit

    • A paper or plastic tiara for a princess

    • Stripes painted on t-shirts to look like a zebra or tiger

    • Or an old sock or stocking stuffed with tissues, magazine pages, or newspaper to look like a tail for a monkey, lion, or tiger.

And the last of the free face painting ideas is for you to use good old glitter! It’s simple, cheap, and incredibly easy. You can find glitter gel, glitter powders, and glitter dust that all work well (you just need to decide which one works best for you). Just as the stick-on-jewelry can improve the look of your face painting, glitter can make your painting look highly professional.

There are endless free face painting ideas, you just need to be creative, use your imagination, and most importantly, have fun and enjoy your art!

How To Get Started With Face Painting

So you’ve decided you would like to learn how to paint faces. You want to see your painting bringing joy and delight to young children, maybe at your child’s birthday party. Or maybe you want to be a professional face painter.

Face painting really can be a very fun and fulfilling job, but it can also be a lot of hard work.

But if you’re a beginner, how do you get started? This is what I’m going to answer for you in this article.

One of the best ways of learning is to take a face painting class. It’s hard to say where to find a face painting class near you. Sometimes you can take face and body painting classes at college. Sometimes you can get free face painting classes at certain events. If you were to search Google for “face painting class + your area” you may be able to find someone who can give you some tuition.

If you want to learn advanced face painting techniques, classes are one of the best ways of learning, especially if you want to improve your painting skills quickly.

If you can’t find face painting classes in your area (they aren’t always many around, so it’s certainly no crime if you can’t fine one) then you may like to learn from face painting instructional books.

If you search a popular book site like Amazon, you’ll be able to find a whole host of books to do with face painting. Read the reviews to find out which is best suited for you.

Another good way for a beginner to learn face painting, is with instructional videos. The obvious benefit over books is that you can actually see how something is done in a video, as apposed to just reading about it.

But sometimes, if you’ve already got some face painting skills, all you need is a little experience to help you build your confidence.

Would you like to know the quickest way to get lots of practice?

It’s simply this: Contact your local children’s school and offer to do free face painting for an afternoon. Now you may get turned down… but most likely, they will be very keen to let you do this if you aren’t charging anything. This is a powerful way to gain experience fast.

Body Painting

With the World Body Painting Festival (and of course the Body Painting Award) coming up on the 17th of July, it's about time to get you all fired up in your body painting know-how.

More about this festival coming soon, but first a short introduction in the art of body painting.

Body painting is a form of body art, and has probably been around since the beginning of civilization. In almost every tribalist culture, body painting was performed during ceremonies or merely just for the beauty of it. Back then they used clay and other natural pigments.
Body painting still survives in parts of the world, and especially 'Mehndi', the form of body painting that uses henna dyes, is now very popular in the western world. The henna tattoo is semi-permanent.

Since the 1960's, body painting emerged as an actual art form. However, there is the never-ending discussion about it's social acceptability because body painting practically always involves nudity.

But no art without paint of course, and you'll be happy to know that the paint is restricted to guidelines: the body paint has to be non-toxic and non-allergenic. The paint easily washes of with water and soap.

As for the henna dyes, which Mehndi uses, there's a difference between the synthetic black henna, and the natural brown henna. The natural henna dye is completely safe when body painting, but the synthetic black henna dye could cause allergic reactions. You should have yourself patch tested before using these at body painting.

This should get you started, next time, more about the festival!

Body Art

There are several forms of body art. Body art can be temporary, for example, body painting, or permanent, such as shaping, dyeing, and scarification, tattooing, and piercing. This article will provide some insight into body art.

Body art painting and shaping

Body painting transforms a person into a spirit or work of art; this can include another gender or a sacred place. Emphasizing on the visual appeal of the subject, the protective body paint is what gives it the appeal.

Body shaping is a technique in which to sculpt the body. Culturally defined ideals of beauty have caused people to bind the soft bones of children's skulls and feet, stretched necks with rings, and removed ribs to make their waist smaller. The most common method today of body sculpting is plastic surgery. Plastic surgery can sculpt and define almost any part of the body.

Skin Dyeing

Henna, is used as a temporary skin dye, in which different patterns and designs are applied to the body. The crushed leaves of the henna plant, when mixed with other natural ingredients, provides a thick, aromatic paste used for painting hands and feet. The olive green, dried out henna powder, mixed with such ingredients as black tea and coffee turns dark. When applied to the skin and left on overnight, it will harden and when pealed leaves a red tone to the skin.

Body art piercing, tattooing, and scarification

Piercing is ornamental as it allows the body to hold certain kinds of ornaments, which are inserted through the skin. The most common parts of the body that are pierced is the face although you will often find ear, nose and lip ornaments. Piercing is often part of a ceremony marking the coming of age. Ornaments might be limited to certain people or worn only on certain occasions

Tattoos are intended to be permanent and the patterns and techniques have varied over the years. The effects of tattooing depend on the country you live in. As an example, in the United States, tattooing is typically looked upon as being rebellious. Tattooing, in the last decade, has become a very popular form of body art throughout the world.

Scarification is much like tattooing, instead of placing a color into the skin with a tattoo needle, the color, or substance is placed into the wound or cut. Once the wound has healed, a permanent mark will remain on the skin

All of the forms of body art listed above can have adverse effects on individuals. There are health concerns with types of body art. If you are contemplating any of the above procedures, be sure to consider all the risks and facts before making any commitments.

Unique Butterfly Tattoo Today

Unique Butterfly Tattoo Today
Unique Butterfly Tattoo Today
A lot of people are flocking to the tattoo parlors these days to get inked. Why do people get inked in the first place? Some say it is for recognition, other for attention, & yet some people need to follow the crowd. No matter what your reason is for getting inked, be sure you actually browse through a reputable gallery of designs before you select on what you need. You cannot erase a design you don't like so think carefully. If you need to check out tons of butterfly tattoos,
Humans have had their bodies inked for thousands of years so this is not something new at all. Designs have been used as a way of expressing personal religious belief, signification of a tribe or group, cultural status, punishment, or out of love. There's been mummies found from 5,200 years ago that have tattoos on them.

The earliest known examples that plenty of people site for tattoos were on plenty of female mummies which date back to about 2000 BC. As stated though, there was a recent discovery along the Austrian border which found a mummy that dates back about 5,200 years & this mummy also has patterns designed on it. So these "inks" go way back!

On top of this, in 1948, a 2,400 year elderly body was found in the frozen ice of Siberia. This ancient male was covered in tattoos on his limbs & torso, representing ancient mythical animals & beliefs. So as you see, tattoos, whether they be butterfly tattoos or otherwise, are a sizable role in society - both past & present.

Body adornment was the main form & reason for tattoos in the ancient world. Today, symbols like butterfly tattoos are merely a form of joy or are done because the person wants that look. In ancient times, women used to have a sure arrangement of dots across their stomach, to symbolize some sort of stature in society.

gz-Body Painting or tribal body painting for girls

Long tribal body painting for girls

gz-Body Painting or I Made Their Day, They Made Mine

I must admit I questioned the sanity of taking on a gig in the late afternoon on a day when I had to be on stage that night. Yeah, yeah, this was nowhere near as crazy as taking on the Tribeca Film Festival gig the day of my opening night, but this was booked even before that.

It was so worth it.

The kids, the adults, they were all great! There weren't that many kids, so they were actually getting their faces washed and coming back for second helpings of face paint! Like this cutie, a natural model, who first wanted a cupcake on one cheek and an ice cream cone on the other.


But then this young man wanted a green and blue tiger. Once the dessert fan saw that, she

wanted a tiger too! So she washed her face, and came on back.

Meanwhile, my tiger then decided he wanted to be a panda! Off he was to wash his face, and a panda he became.


Meanwhile, the party boy - he'd received his first communion today - decided that he'd had enough of being good for one day and it was time to be a monster.


And of course, we had our requisite superhero, to save us all from said monster.


Then the bigger kids (read: adults) got into the act too. Mom got flowers on her arm, and some others requested shamrocks. The best sport, though, was grandma, who let her granddaughter pick her face design, and agreed to match the kiddo, except in pink.


Yup, this was my original cupcake & ice cream girl! I really do love it when the adults get in on the action! I left the party with a smile on my face while they dug into their cake.