Everything You Should Know About Body Painting

While Roman and Greek statues are life-like, body painting literally brings the artwork to life. Body painting has been around since the beginning of humankind as a form of celebration, preparation for war, and funerals in ancient tribes. But in recent years, body painting has become a feminist niche in contemporary art.

Now, body painting is used to celebrate body positivity and the normalization of nude bodies. Over time, female body painting has become increasingly popular, with many female body painters gaining traction on social media. So let’s dive into it. Here is everything you need to know about body painting!

What is Body Painting?

Even though many people are familiar with face painting, the connection between body painting and face painting is usually never made. This is because face painting is typically associated with a quick 10-minute face painting at a carnival. While body painting, on the other hand, is a more refined and impressive form of art that is a much longer process and can take hours. Although they are widely different in purpose, the idea of using the human body as a canvas is relatively the same.

Body painting is similar to face painting, but it extends to the entire body. While body painting is typically done nude, it does not always entail fully naked bodies. Some men and women decide to wear undergarments or even costumes as part of the art.

Body Painting as a live Art

Body painting is live art somewhere between a performance and traditional art such as paintings and photography. In body painting, there are sometimes a few different ways that the audience views the art. The first is when a model is painted out in public. This part of body painting can be considered a performance since people who pass by can watch the art being created. The second occurs after a photograph of the body art is taken. The audience has changed from people who viewed the body painting in-person to those looking at a finished photograph.

How Body Painting Became Popular as an Art Form

Paintings of women’s bodies have always been popular throughout history, but the first modern full female body painting was first created in 1933 by Max Factor Sr. at the World’s Fair in Chicago. Unfortunately, his body painting didn’t get the reaction he wanted. It was considered more of a jarring statement than a form of art respected by the public. Although this incident didn’t popularize body painting as an art, it inspired future artists to utilize his techniques of putting women in body paint.

Body painting actually became popular during the 1960s when people who started to fight for women’s rights would paint their bodies as a social and political statement. These body painters were labeled “hippies,” but the art form was starting to grow as fine art as well as a political tool.

What Type of Paint is Used for Body Painting

Artists use a few different types of body paints, including water-based paint, latex paint, and alcohol-based paint. Water-based paint is best for projects that don’t take as much time since it is easy to rinse off but does not stay on for a long time. Latex paint is good to use since it sets really quickly, but the artist needs to make sure the model is not allergic to latex before starting. Finally, alcohol-based paints are the longest-lasting, but they can be difficult to clean. Each type of body paint has its own pros and cons that make them unique, so it is best for the artist to consider all factors for a project before picking a body paint.

To learn more check out How to Choose Your Bodypaint Guide

Different Types of Body Painting

Within body painting itself, there are many different styles of body painting. If you are looking for body paint ideas, check out the different types of body painting that you can do.

Illusion Body Painting

In illusion body painting, the artist can manipulate the body so that the art appears to be like something else. Artists can use either the entire body and disguise it as an illusion or use parts of the body such as a hand.

Camouflage Body Painting

When it comes to camouflage body painting, the artist picks a specific environment and can blend the person into the environment. The person can be set in a cityscape or landscape.

Fine Art Body Painting

Fine art body painting is when the artist uses their artistic vision to create delicate art with their specific style. This art movement usually has a certain harmony between the different shapes and colors.

Character or Creature Body Painting

If you have ever seen a person painted as a specific character, whether it be from a movie, video game, or mythology, you have seen character body painting.

Fashion Body Painting

Fashion body painting is where body painting is incorporated into a model’s outfit. This type of body painting can be found in fashion shows or photoshoots.

How Body Painting Embodies Female Empowerment

It may initially feel intimidating for models to have their entire body painted since they may feel exposed and vulnerable, but most women who decide to get their body painted end up wanting to do it again. This is because body painting is a great way to celebrate body positivity since artists want all types of bodies to be painted.

Women who model body painting feel the sexiness of the strength and empowerment to be vulnerable enough to allow someone to paint directly on their bodies. Body painting allows women to feel like they can step into their power and claim it for themselves. They realize that their bodies are beautiful and can be pieces of art meant to be cherished. This is why body painting is extremely powerful in political, social, and sexual climates. The power that comes from body painting is often harnessed in critical human rights movements. With body painting, artists declare that women’s bodies are a statement of empowerment. They deserve to be seen, normalized, and celebrated.

Art is the language that fuses creativity and pictures to drive a message home. Popular modern artists like Trina Merry has using art to depict various emotions, appearances, and actions of people. Female body painting is one of the most used approach and here are the 35 most intriguing female body painting designs that create realistic impressions.

1. The Goddess Bodypaint- Kali

The Goddess avatar is a famous female body painting design that depicts a Goddess.

2. Animal Body Paint Tiger

Body painting art animals are popular choices. The portrait paints a woman in fabulous and wild black and orange tones.

3. World Map Painting

This impressive full-body art design features maps and navigation on a female body.

4. Body painting festival

This impressive female paint design from Riina Laine was the winner at the World Bodypaint Festival. Pictures of female body painting contest are very popular with the media.

5. Non toxic body paint for pregnancy

This is body paint animal art design of a mother and child giraffes creates a tender moment against a sunset basecoat.

6. Flower body paint

This sexy female body paint image depicts a woman painted in white flowers to form a tropical gaia mother earth image.

7. Abstract female body painting

This abstract female body painting image combines colors and textures for a dynamic image.

8. African body paint designs

The painting showcases tribal body paint using African body paint designs

9. Spiderman cosplay body paint

A female painting design depicts a sexy spider man cosplay, perfect for female body paint halloween costumes or alter ego play.

10. Metallic Sexy body paint

This couple’s embrace is made even sensual by the light reflected off the silver metallic body paint.

11. The Galaxy Woman

The universe is inside us and we are all made of stars in this blacklight body paint pics

12. Anatomy body painting

Pictures of female body painting contest- female anatomy is depicted in this beautiful body paint.

13. Lion Body Paint

Body art animals are stunning and this illusion bodypaint lion delights.

14. Sexy Chinese Dragon Body Paint

This warm-toned Chinese dragon snaking on paintings of women's bodies

15. Avatar cosplay bodypaint

In this Neyitiri cosplay bodypainting (Avatar) the model can really step into character for Halloween.

16. Native American body paint

Tribal body painting art

17. The Cheetah woman

This female painting design depicts a woman painted like a cheetah.

18. Female body outline painting

This abstract female body painting combines sexy body paint with mask lace elements to blur the lines of where the model’s body paint begins and the satin fabric ends.

19. Chinese artists body paint

This China Doll style dress body painting was created for a MAC in person experience but can help bring out an exotic alter ego or geisha body paint cosplay.

20. Thermal female body painting

Thermal painting has gained virality for its depictions of heat across the body. This abstract body painting highlights the body in a sexy way.

21. Tree branch fairy body painting

This nymph twists and turns with branches outlining the bodies curves. If you are looking for a design inspired by mother nature, this is a fabulous style that looks great on your wall.

22. Illustrative style body paint: blacklight floating lanterns

Blacklight body paint pics- this floating lantern piece could have been inspired by the movie Tangled.

23. Body paint wedding

Could you imagine your wedding in full body paint? This beautiful bridal female body painting design portrays three happy women and their grooms in bodypaint.

24. Typography body paint

This typography body painting says “talk less, say more”, in this

25. Waterfall nymph in the form of a Female Body Art

26. Cleopatra body paint

Ancient woman goddess body painting.

27. Hand Painted Lingerie Body Art

Perfect for sexy boudoir photography sessions.

28. Camouflage body paint into cherry blossoms

This body painting in NYC has a model blending into the cherry blossoms in Central Park

29. Robot Cyborg body paint

This airbrush body painting has enormous stencilled details transforming the model into her cyborg alter ego.

30. Mother Earth bodypainting

This body paint for pregnancy combines various gaia and nature elements to show the beauty of giving birth, creation and the connection to the planet.

31. Jean Grey X Men cosplay body painting

What a fantastic Female body paint halloween costumes

32. Camouflage soldier body paint

This brown and green illusion body paint pattern makes this body painted woman look like she’s actually wearing a shirt!

33. Pop Art Body Painting

Inspired by the likes of Roy Litchenstein, this women in body paint creates a living pop art painting with her custom painted backdrop.

34. Sexy Dallas Cowboys sports jersey body paint

This artistic and stunning female painting creates a sexy tribute to the Dallas Cowboys. A perfect surprise gift for a sports fan spouse or significant other!

35. Dia De Los Muertos Body Art