Body painting is a form of body art, considered by some as the most ancient form of art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, painted onto the human skin, and lasts for only several hours, or at most (in the case of Mehndi or "henna tattoo") a couple of weeks.

Traditional body painting

Body painting with clay and other natural pigments existed in most, if not all, primitive cultures, often worn during ceremonies; it still survives in this ancient form among the indigenous people of Australia, the Pacific islands and parts of Africa. A semi-permanent form of body painting known as Mehndi, using dyes made of henna (hence also known rather erroneously as "henna tattoo"), was and is still practised in India and the Middle East, especially on brides. Since the late 1990s, Mehndi has become popular amongst young women in the Western world.

Actors and clowns around the world have painted their faces and sometimes bodies for centuries, and continue to do so today. More subdued form of face paints for everyday occasions evolve into the cosmetics we know today.

Modern body painting

There has been a revival of body painting in the Western society since the 1960s, in part prompted by the liberalization of social mores regarding nudity. Even today there is a constant debate about the legitimacy of body painting as an art form.

Today, body paintings are typically worn at football matches, at rave parties, and at certain festivals. There are also body painting artists who do work for publicity or artistic purposes. Because full body paintings usually involve nudity, most body painting artists would not paint persons under the age of majority. Most body painting models are unpaid, but are volunteers for the unique experience of transformation by the body painting artists. Most body painting artists are also unpaid, the exceptions being professional face painting artists and Mehndi artists.

Body paints

Modern face and body paints are made according to stringent guidelines, meaning these are non-toxic, non-allergenic, and can easily be washed away. These are either applied with hands, paint brush, and natural sea sponge, or alternatively with an airbrush.

Markers

Crayola, along with other companies, makes special markers for kids. These are completely safe, as they are formulated under the assumption that kids will be marking themselves, and moms will need to wash it off. These actually work well at making a translucent effect, similar to tattooing. Once it dries, it stays on till washed off. The biggest drawback is the size of the point. Even the bold markers take an excessive amount of time if a lot of body coverage is needed.

Primary advantage is that they can't peel off as paints can, and also won't pull or wrinkle when the skin stretches. They wash off very easy, but also will smear if they get to moist from water or sweat and are rubbed.

Airbrush Make Up

This is probably the best, for safety, flexibility, and speed. Although more expensive than the airbrush acrylics, this is a better way to go as airbrush textile acrylics, tend to crack and peel at high flexion points. If you are working for a commercial client, doing a photo shoot, then these are what you want to use.

Airbrush Textile Acrylics

These are a great balance between low cost and utility. They dry quickly and don't rub off easy. Because they are made for textiles their flexibility is superior to other paints. Yet they still wash off easily in soap and water. They also work well when applied by regular bristle brush. The key to good airbrush make up is to lay down the thinnest opaque coat you can. Thicker or multiple coats peel and flake more readily. Thin your paint, the concentration in the bottle is usually too thick and will get used up too soon.

Liquid Latex

Liquid Latex has become quite popular in the last couple of years. It has been available as a make-up material for a long time, but now some companies are making it available in several colors, including black and clear, beyond the traditional flesh tone.

Initially it has been promoted as a way of making instant latex clothing. But it has real potential as body paint. Once it sets, it is much less messy than any other paint. And the setting time is quite quick, ten minutes or so. It also cleans off well, if applied to shaved skin! There is even the possibility of creating a reusable painting, but this requires multiple coats and some experimentation. It is actually easier to remove multiple coats than single coats. Multiple coats form a strong layer, which peels off easily.

Another advantage to latex is that it can serve as a protective barrier between the skin and paints or materials that are not as safe as make-up.

REMEMBER! - It is possible for someone to have a latex allergy!

Tempera

Tempera has long been popular as a body paint, because it is very cheap, and very safe. Unfortunately, it looks great wet, but as soon as it dries, it becomes powdery, and flakes off rapidly. Makes a terrible mess. Not Recommended.