Body painting is an art form that has been practiced for thousands of years around the world. It consists of using the body as a canvas and painting it with various designs, patterns, and colors. Body paint can be used for artistic expression, cultural and religious rituals, or simply as a form of self-expression. In this blog post, we will explore simple body paint ideas and other body painting concepts that can be used for different occasions.

But, before we dive into the different body painting concepts and ideas, it's critical to understand the basics of body painting. Body painting involves using various materials such as skin-safe paint, brushes, sponges, glitters, and stencils to create a design or pattern on the body. The paint used for body painting must always be cosmetic grade and can be water-based, alcohol-based, powder based, or oil-based, and it comes in different colors.

Here is a great starter kit for a simple and small body paint project.

 

Fusion Body Art | Perfect Face Painting Kit

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One of the most important steps in any body painting is to prepare the skin. The skin should be clean, dry, and free of any oils or lotions. It's also essential to use skin-friendly (makeup grade) body paints that won't cause any irritation or allergic reactions. Once the skin is prepped, the painting process can begin.

If you want to know all about body painting you can read our Body Paint Guide | Everything You Need To Know About Body Painting.

Now let's dive into some simple body paint ideas and other body painting concepts.

Simple Body Paint Ideas for the Beginner Body Painter

Animal Prints Body Painting Ideas

Animal prints are a popular body paint design that can be used for various occasions such as Halloween, costume parties, or photo shoots. Animal prints can be created using stencils, freehand drawings, or a combination of both. Some of the popular animal prints include leopard, tiger, zebra, and snake prints.

To create an animal print design, start by applying a base color on the skin. Once the base color is dry, use a stencil or freehand drawing to create the animal print design. Use contrasting colors to create a bold and vibrant look.

Fantasy Creatures Bodypainting Ideas

Fantasy creatures are another popular body paint concept that can be used for Halloween or costume parties. Fantasy creatures include mermaids, unicorns, fairies, and dragons. These designs can be created using a combination of paint, prosthetics, and accessories such as wigs, horns, and wings.

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

To create a fantasy creature design, start by applying a base color on the skin. Once the base color is dry, use a combination of freehand drawing and stencils to create the design. Use glitter and other accessories to add sparkle and dimension to the design. Always focus on your model's body and looks for ways to enhance it and go with the natural flows.

Sports Body Paint Ideas

The world of sports is perfect for body painting. Fans love to cover themselves with their favorite team's colors, get their logos painted on and some go all the way and get an entire jersey painted on them.

Take a look at these body painting ideas for sports.

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

Artwork by Anna Wilinski

 

Black Light Body Painting Ideas / Neon Body Paint Ideas

Nothing is more interesting looking than a glowing body! UV or neon body paint is very popular nowadays and people love it! You do need a special kind of body paint that will react to black light. Keep in mind that these colors do not glow just in the plain dark, they need a black light to make them glow.

Artowork by: Anna Wilinski

Image Courtesy: Heather Saxon-Porter

 

Superheroes Body Paint Ideas

Creating awesome-looking superheroes is one of the most popular things you can do when body painting. Kids and adults love superheroes and there is so much you can do with body paint. See our images below to get some fresh cool ideas for superhero body painting.

Artwork by: Santiago Massano

Glitter Body Paint Ideas

Another great form of body art is glitter body art. Doing body painting with glitter for the body is one of the most difficult forms of body art and requires a lot of skill. Not many artists dare to do it, but when it is done right the results are outstanding. See our gallery below for amazing glitter body paint ideas. If you want to learn more about body glitter, you can go and read our Body Glitter blog.

 Image courtesy of Sabine Gabrielle Vogel @Dutchglitterqueen

Image courtesy of Sabine Gabrielle Vogel @Dutchglitterqueen

Simple Body Paint Ideas

If you need more inspiration, here are some simple body paint ideas for you to try.

Simple Body Paint Ideas: Cyborg

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

People love to be painted as a cyborg or robots and doing so can be super easy with just a silver base, some black shading, and a few cyborg-like elements that you can add with stencils. Of course, you can create much more intricate designs but this is a simple body paint idea that you can try.

Simple Body Paint Ideas: Elf

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

Elves and other mythical creatures are simple body paint ideas that you can try just for fun or for an event. A metallic green base with some blues and silver, some leaves, branches, and jewels, and you are done!

Simple Body Paint Ideas: Ice Man

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

Many models like designs are inspired by the elements, of earth, wind, and water. Creating an ice-inspired body paint idea is fairly simple. You just need some white and blue paint, lots of blending, and a good eye to create highlights, shadows, and edges.

Simple Body Paint Ideas: Circus Performer

 

Artwork by: Anna Wilinski and Santiago Massano

With the always popular Cirque du Solei going around the world, you might often get requests to create a circus performer using body painting and some props. Above is our simple body paint idea for a circus performer done with a combination of metallic pink and metallic gold and then some black outlines to create a nice flow.

Other Simple and More Detailed Body Paint Ideas for Men and Women

 

Belly Painting

Another popular form of body painting is belly painting. Moms love getting their bellies painted and it can be such a fun and relaxing experience! Always make sure to use makeup-grade body paints when creating a belly painting and when in doubt consult with a doctor.

 

Glow in the Dark Body Paint Ideas

We are now gathering information about glow in the dark body paintings since it has become a popular thing in recent years.