Body Painting - A Look at the Top 6 Festivals in the World

Dragonmen, Alien Mermaids, Fantastic Fire Dancers, Barebacked Santas, and even a Painted Labrador Retriever; you can see all these and more at the fantastic body painting festivals now occurring annually around the world.

There is a wide range of body painting festivals today. All include painted bodies, of course, and all include some kind of competitions; however there is a quite a range of skills and size among the different festivals, and some are more 'family friendly' than others.

Here's a quick look at the top 6 body painting festivals, where they happen and what you can expect to find there:

1. The World Body Painting Festival

This festival includes some of the most stunning professional body painting to be seen in the world today. A 3 day program includes dance, music and fireworks displays, as well as many competitions. Many of the body paintings here should fall under the category of 'fine art' with some of the dancers body paintings simply defying belief. A very large event and certainly worth traveling for.

Where: Seeboden, Austria

Duration: Three days

Events Include: World Championships in 3 categories; night contest for UV effects, Special Effects awards; classes and workshops; BodyCircus (fantasy ball); music and dance performances; an international photo contest; and a huge fireworks show.
Artistic Range: One of the very best, with stunning range of styles and surprising themes.
Family Friendliness: Not clear, but it is in Europe, so not likely to ban under 18. However this body painting festival does not advertise itself as family friendly, as some others do.

2. The Canadian Body Painting Festival

This is another body painting festival that showcases simply stunning artists and finished work. The quality of the art here is similar to that seen at the World Body Painting Festival. The Festival is themed from year to year, with the recent theme being "It's A Jungle Out There." Also includes the Canadian Body Painting Championships.

Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia

Duration: Two days

Events Include: Competitions in overall body painting, brush and sponge, and airbrush; includes the Canadian body painting Championships
Artistic Range: Most stunning, and one of the best overall. Very life-like and fantastic double-take images.
Family Friendliness: Not stated - would be worth making a call first.

3. The International Body Painting Festival

This festival takes place in Mainz, a city with over two thousand years of history. It is located on the river Rhine, has strong Celtic roots and may have been founded by the Romans as early as 13 BC. One can imagine that body painting has a long history here, if you remember the Celtic tradition of painting their bodies before going into battle. Once again, the artistic ability and range is stunning at this International festival.

Where: Mainz, Germany
Duration: Weekend festival
Events Include: Competitions include special effects and face painting
Artistic Range: Very stunning; high artistic skill.
Family Friendliness: Not known but again, it's in Europe. I would call ahead.

4. Welsh International Body Painting Festival

This festival is a bit younger and less established than the top 3, although it has some impressive artwork considering that they are just getting started. Also the atmosphere is more 'fun' orinted, less 'high art' and family participation is strongly encouraged. A good festival to consider if you want to make it a family outing and see some amazing work in the process.
Where: Wales (of course)
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Hands on demonstrations; horror specialists and flower specialists
Artistic Range: High, and impressive for a smaller sized event; not as subtle or creative as some of the others
Family Friendliness: Very good; in fact they encourage families and camping, with an 'all ages' atmosphere and events designed for younger participants

5. The UK Body Painting Festival

This festival showcases some of the least impressive - although most amusing - body painting, although it should be said that it is not presented as a stuffy 'high art' affair, but more a circus or county fair type outing for the entire family. Fun, relaxed and un-selfconscious atmosphere allows for some of the more surprising and purely 'fun' body art to be seen. If you're not a supermodel and would like to get your body painted without worrying about snide comments, this might be a good option for you.

Where: Ashford, UK

Duration: Two days

Events Include: Family-oriented face painting, body painting competitions for professional and amateur categories, craft fair, children's activities, workshops, and a 'bouncy castle.'
Artistic Range: Fair; more of a family outing with a lots to do than a showcase of spectacular art.
Family Friendliness: Very high; advertised as family event. Lowest cost of all the body painting festivals - comparable to a movie ticket.

6. The US Bodypainting Festival (or New Mexico Body Painting Festival/US Bodypainting Competition)

There is definitely some impressive body painting to be seen at this festival, and a lot of creative innovation with hair and unusual designs that you won't see anywhere else. One example that springs to mind is a model dressed in racecar theme with red, white and blue hair sprayed out behind her as though flying in the wind. Also, if you're in the US this festival obviously doesn't require a plane ticket. However this is not a family outing, as it explicitly bans anyone under 18.

Where: Alberquerque, New Mexico
Duration: Three days
Events Include: Demonstrations, workshops, competitions in body painting
Artistic Range: Good to poor - there is a mix of very impressive artistic works and things better left unpainted here; although it's all 'interesting.'
Family Friendliness: Not at all. We are in the US remember; no one under 18 allowed.

So that's my brief overview of the top 6 body painting festivals in the world. Would you like to take a vacation this year that's not your ordinary 'hum-drum' trip? Pick one of these festivals and you can pack light (you know, you could just bring a can of paint and a paintbrush for evening wear)!

Body Painting - 3 Steps to Find the Best Supplies

Ready to get started body painting, but don't know what to use, how to get started or where to find the right supplies? Here's the 3 steps to finding and using good body painting supplies.

Step 1. Know what kind of body painting supplies you need:

There are many kinds of paint out there, and most are not for body painting. If you use the wrong kinds of paint, you may end up with you (or whoever you paint) having a mild to severe allergic reaction to the paint.

A mild reaction could be hives or a body rash. A severe reaction could be difficulty breathing. So don't take this lightly, and get the right paints to start with.

The right kind of body paint is tested for use on human skin and safe to use for overall body painting. They say they are for body painting specifically. Personally I would not go for the 'cheap' good deals on body paint, but would get the best to start with. It's not much more money, and you may as well be safe.

You will also want to get some good brushes and sponges for body painting. You don't need to invest in very expensive brushes, but I would suggest using natural fibers and not the very cheap kinds of craft brushes that will have the hairs falling out as you are using them. Also, cheap stiff brushes will be uncomfortable for the person you are body painting. So get some soft brushes, of 3 different sizes to start with:

- 1 very small with a pointed tip for fine detail
- 1 about a half inch wide
- 1 'fan' brush for blending

You will also want to get some sponges for body painting, in order to put light coats on and also for covering large areas quickly. You can find sponges in the same places you will find body paint. Which brings us to our next 'secret'...

Step 2. Know where to find materials for body painting:

There are two best suppliers for body paints and body painting that I have found.
If you look either of these names up on the internet you will be able to find the right kind of body painting supplies. (You are not likely to find these locally unless you live in a city that happens to have a body painting store or craft store that carries body painting supplies).

Snazaroo is marketed mostly for face painting, and in particular face painting for children. This is because Snazaroo fully complies with FDA and child safety guidelines. This are the only face paint that holds a "child toy safety rating." So if you are looking for the safest paint this would be a good choice.

The other two face and body painting suppliers that have great reputations out there are Kryolan and Mehron.

Kryolan mainly specializes in theatrical and professional body painting supplies, and Mehron is a pro makeup company that also specializes in body painting needs. You will find everything from paints to sponges to paint removal supplies at any of these suppliers, and the best way to find them is online.

Step 3. Know what kind of supplies will best fit your needs:

The main difference between these 3 face and body painting companies is that Snazaroo leans more toward kids and face painting supplies, While Kryolan and Mehron are marketed toward the adult, professional and theatre face and body painting crowd, and you will find a few more, higher grade options there.

Think about what you want to use your face or body paints for. Are you mainly going to be painting kid's faces at a birthday party? Or are you hoping to go into business as a pro body painter for a dance company?

If you're on a budget and want to just get started without investing too much, yet have good quality safe body paints, go with Snazaroo; if you're professional (or want more pro options) and are willing to spend a little more on your body painting, go with Kryolan or Mehron.

So that's it - go take a look and see what supplies would work best for you!

Bonus Tip: Get some baby wipes (natural ones, not the perfumed ones) to remove the paint quickly and easily.

Adult Body Painting - What's the Fuss About?

Did you ever want to be a cowboy? Maybe a rain forests? What about trading your skin in to become a seductive tigress ready to pounce on fresh meat? Well, whatever your adult fantasy may be, adult body painting may be the temporary and fun solution.

Though this art form has been around for centuries, many people haven't tuned-in to this creative outlet. Some people claim that body painting is actually the oldest art form (Considering that people were painting their bodies pre-anno domini. Just think of early century Egyptians). And, with adult body painting companies and artist all around the globe, one would probably have little difficulty finding an artist close by.

Adult body painting is an art that uniquely transforms your everyday skin into a beautiful picturesque scene or life form. How? Glad you asked. By using safe, FDA approved make-up, oils, and other various paints and applying it directly to your skin. Any part of your skin. Oh yes, that's right, any part. Body painting artists are extremely professional and willing to cover any part of your body that you so desire, from head to toe. Or, if you can't make your mind up on which body part to paint, you can have your entire body brushed with a plethora of colors that completely disguises the real you underneath. Unless, of course, you really are Smokey the Bear. Which can be done. By method of airbrushing, painting, and drawing, your body can soon be entirely transformed into your fantasy.

Depending on the piece of art you choose, the process can take from a few minutes to a few hours. The Hanging Gardens weren't grown in fifteen minutes and either is the mastery of adult body painting when given the task of turning you into a fire-breathing dragon. Which can also be done.

However, don't misunderstand. Not all body painting means having to get nude. In fact, any small portion of your skin can be painted into a beautiful piece. For instance, many people who want to see what a tattoo would look like on the arm, hand, foot, shoulder, neck, or elsewhere often choose to have their body painted first to make sure they will like it for the rest of their lives. Others just appreciate the art and have paintings done on parts of their body for display or to be kept private. Whatever the case may be, there really is not a limit to what a person can have painted on their body. A butterfly or the Sears Tower, or anything in between.

Body painting typically will last for a couple of days and can easily be removed. Because body painting is not permanent, you have the option to become many things over the course of time. The only thing that should be holding you up from getting painted is choosing what you want to be next!

Free Face Painting Ideas

Here are some excellent free face painting ideas that will make you a smash hit at your next party or event!

When face painting, don’t stop with the face, include body painting also. This is always a hit. Kids go crazy for body painting. This is great to do because it makes the kids feel like they are wearing a costume and they really have fun with the character that they have been painted as. Whether it be a king or a witch, this idea is a “no fail” when it comes to pleasing youngsters. And don’t worry about the time this may take. Just keep it simple, short, and sweet and it’s a snap!

Another of the free face painting ideas is for you to try mixing and using makeup with your face painting. Taking some cosmetic makeup and combining it with face painting is an awesome idea. You can use blush to create rosy cheeks on a princess or eye liner pencil to create whiskers on a cat. Using makeup creatively and in combination with face painting can save you time and effort. Beginners may also find this easier than using paint on certain designs. Simply test out and experiment with different cosmetics to find what works best for you.

An entirely new and incredible dimension to add to your face painting routine that has been tried and tested is the use of stick-on-jewels. What’s great about stick-on-jewels is that they are simple and incredibly effective. Kids love them and it escalates the look of any face painting from amateur to pro. They are also very simple to use. Just remove the paper backing and apply to the desired area. This is one of the best and most effective of the free face painting ideas.

Try to use costumes with your face painting for an incredible combination that delights every time! Finding simple costumes is the key to this favorite of all the free face painting ideas. You don’t have to go all out and spend a lot of money. That’s not necessary at all.

Some costume ideas:

• A simple black cape for a vampire.


• A paper crown for a king


• Paper bunny ears for a rabbit


• A paper or plastic tiara for a princess


• Stripes painted on t-shirts to look like a zebra or tiger


• Or an old sock or stocking stuffed with tissues, magazine pages, or newspaper to look like a tail for a monkey, lion, or tiger.

And the last of the free face painting ideas is for you to use good old glitter! It’s simple, cheap, and incredibly easy. You can find glitter gel, glitter powders, and glitter dust that all work well (you just need to decide which one works best for you). Just as the stick-on-jewelry can improve the look of your face painting, glitter can make your painting look highly professional.

There are endless free face painting ideas, you just need to be creative, use your imagination, and most importantly, have fun and enjoy your art!