Traditional face paint designs are instantly familiar to many people.
Face painting is a staple of carnivals and parties, and is enjoyed by both adults and children alike. While some face painting designs are wild, wacky and obscure, others are classics, and have been seen all over the world in various forms throughout the years. Some of these traditional ideas originate in ancient cultures, while others are simply popular designs which appear again and again.
Halloween
Halloween designs are intended to look gruesome, scary, or both. The basic skull look is a highly suitable fallback. Starting with a white undercoat which covers the entire face, black can be added around the eyes and mouth to create shadow. Shapes such as scars can also be added in black. A vampire design is very similar to the skull look, beginning with white as before. This time, the artist adds red blood around the mouth. Spider web designs, drawn on either cheek, are another traditional Halloween favorite.
Animals
Animals are popular thanks to the sheer variety of creatures found in nature. A cat design features a black nose and whiskers, while white paint around the chin, eyes and mouth offsets the black. A dog design can come in many varieties; at a basic level, the artist simply chooses two suitable colors, brown and yellow for example, and paints wide vertical stripes down the face, adding a black nose, and a lolling tongue if desired.
Cultural
Many ancient cultures have used face paint in rituals, festivals and as symbols of hierarchy, and these designs can be a fertile ground for ideas. Native American designs, for example, are typically applied to areas such as the chin, forehead and around the eyes. Colors utilized are based on those found in nature, so browns and reds are commonly seen. Designs could include curving lines painted vertically from forehead to mouth along the eye, as well as branch-like designs located on the cheeks.
In Chinese culture, face paint designs are linked to dramatic performances, and are often very complex and ornate. Typically, multiple contrasting colors are used and between them cover the entirety of the face. For example, the face might be painted red, black and white. These colors have come to denote personality. For example, the color red symbolizes royalty. Designs include the butterfly face and the three-tile.
Clowns
Clown designs range from the simple and cartoony for kids, to the more strange and possibly frightening for adults. Ideas include the whiteface, in which white paint covers the face, and black or red colors are used for accents, often coupled with a dab of red on the nose. The Auguste clown has distorted features; the eyes are painted to stretch upward while the red mouth becomes exaggerated.
