Body painting, is the art of painting on the body with paints, considered by some as one of the oldest forms of art. Unlike tattoos, body painting is temporary and depending on the technique used, can disappear within a few hours to a few weeks, for example with henna. The executed painting must be of high and professional quality to avoid association with striptease. Models often appear only in thongs, or sometimes even less. Therefore, for the whole to be tasteful and professional, we must start with a good professional model.
The concept of bodypainting is closely related to various body decoration techniques and often combines tattooing and makeup, as body painting frequently draws inspiration from tattoo designs such as Japanese, Polynesian, or Celtic tattoos. Motifs drawn from tattoo ornamentation of many cultures still function and often serve as inspiration for many creators of colorful body artworks. Creating body paintings requires the same pigments used in makeup. Of course, in recent decades, it has become such a popular technique worldwide that cosmetics and tools have been adapted or produced to meet its needs. Various body painting paints and even airbrushes have been developed. Airbrushes are helpful for covering larger body areas with paint.
The model should be tall, slender but not anorexic, with a beautiful face. She should also be able to move on stage and behave as if she were clothed. Good body makeup provides this comfort to the model. But the model alone is not enough. The final effect is greatly influenced by properly designed hairstyles, footwear, appropriate accessories to enhance the artistic values of the performance, and of course, choreography, lighting, and musical composition. All of this contributes to the whole. The artist creating body painting should design and arrange all these elements into an artistic whole.
The technique of applying body makeup itself is very simple and uncomplicated, using brushes or airbrushes. It can be applied similarly to easel painting: collage, which is a composition of various materials and substances glued onto canvas or other surfaces, often combined with drawing and painting. The brush is the most basic painting tool, consisting of a handle, ferrule, and bristles, used for carrying and applying paint to the painted surface. An airbrush is a miniature painting gun used for precision painting. It's a small handheld tool used for painting by spraying paint through an airstream. The paint trail is characterized by even coverage with blurred edges. Paint can be applied freely directly to the surface being covered or through appropriate stencils. An airbrush can be used for painting both flat surfaces and objects with complicated shapes, allowing for precise detailing. The effects can be amazing and surprising, especially lighting, shine, and shading effects. Collage is an artistic technique involving forming a composition from various materials and substances (newspapers, fabrics, photographs, small everyday objects). They are glued to the body and combined with traditional plastic techniques such as oil paint, acrylic paint, or watercolor. It requires a remarkable sense of what and where to stick on the model to avoid disfiguring or distorting her anatomical values.
After many hours of painting, it's time for the most important stage of our work, which is the presentation to the audience. The model comes out on stage, beautiful, intriguing, incredible, and not wearing a jumpsuit, but viewers only realize this after a while. The optical illusion is greater when using makeup that imitates clothing. For the body painting performer, the greatest satisfaction is observing the audience's reaction, which only after some time realizes that the model is not wearing any clothes. The joy of a well-painted picture is truly amazing.