Body Painting Techniques

Remember Rebecca Romijn in X-Men series of movies, in which she played the role of Mystique. She is the perfect example where body painting was utilized to give her an extra ordinary look. I can still remember the deadly yet sultry look that body painting technique gave her.

Body painting is an ancient art but, the surprising fact is, very little information is available on it. Anyone who starts with body painting soon discovers the lack of useful information on the subject. However, in recent years, the situation has improved. There are methods which are faster, while there are few which are slower. You need to choose your way of painting and check whether it’s under your budget or exceeds it. Some techniques that get the job done in minimum time are discussed below.

Markers

Using markers is one of the most affordable way of body painting. Crayola markers are very popular for body painting and are completely safe. They give an effect similar to that of tattooing and they stay on until they are washed. Their only drawback is its size. If a lot of body is to be covered, it gets difficult and time consuming. The advantage is that they don’t peel of like paints do, and also do not wrinkle when the skin stretches or bends.

Textile Acrylics

Textile acrylics can be applied with the help of airbrush or paintbrushes. The process is cheap, giving satisfactorily results. Although, these paints are non-toxic, they aren’t designed for the human skin. Always be sure to check the labels while buying them. These colors dry quickly and wash off only with the help of a soap.

Tempera

Tempera has been a favorite for body painting from long, the reason could be because it’s very cheap! The painted body looks extremely beautiful till the color is wet but, once it dries, it begins to flake off easily and the result is a great mess. Because of this property, many artists don’t recommend it.

Liquid Latex

Although, liquid latex has been popular from long, recently, only few companies have made it available in several colors, beyond the traditional flesh tone. Latex has been promoted as a way to make instant latex clothing but, it has real potential to become a great body paint. If applied on a shaved skin, it peels off quickly. Also it is much easier to remove multiple coats of paint rather than the single paint coat. It is because multiple coats form a strong layer, that is easily removed. Sponge brushes are used to apply the paint but, the brushes don’t leave a smooth surface. Latex paint can also be used as a barrier between the skin and the paints that are harmful to skin.

Airbrush Acrylics

This is the safest method which drys quickly. These colors offer great flexibility and don’t wrinkle even if the skin is stretched. The style is used to give a professional finishing touch to the painting. The only con is that they are costlier than the above mentioned techniques.

It’s not necessary that you have to use only one kind of technique, you can use a mix of these techniques provided you are comfortable and capable of mixing them. They give you versatility to express your art in a more vibrant and clear style.