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Face Painting

Module 01

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1. Module 01: What is face painting

Table of Contents

1. Module 01: What is face painting ...................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Introduction to Face Painting .................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Overview of Paints and Glitters ................................................................................................................. 4

1.3 Overview of Tools, Kits, and Supplies ........................................................................................................ 6

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1.1 Introduction to Face Painting

Hello!

Welcome to our Face Painting Course! Thank you for joining us for this fun, creative, and sometimes spooky

course – we’re going to show you the ins and outs of face painting, how to create amazing looks for both

kids and adults, and how you can turn your face painting passion into a business!

Let’s meet the artists behind the looks!

Tessa Morrison is a well-rounded nerd, writer, cosplayer, and artists. Her work has been featured in

numerous galleries including Spoke Art Gallery, Gallery 1988, Bold Hype Gallery, and Hero Complex Gallery

to name a few. One of her pieces even made it into art book Bad Dads: Art Inspired by the Films of Wes

Anderson, part of the official Wes Anderson Collection.

Heather Glass, The Ginger Artist, has been drawing ever since she could hold a crayon, continuing to expand

and refine her craft eventually becoming a talented self taught Makeup Artist by 29. Her art is an extension

of her eye, contorting larger than life concepts and placing them in front of expressive, untamed backdrops.

The Ginger Artist draws inspiration from everywhere and churns it into a colorful punk rock celebration. Her

work off canvas continues that theme. As a body painter this redhead rock star transforms flesh and face

into playful masks and aggressive expressions of beauty, movement and emotion.

Tessa and Heather will guide you through this course. At the end of this course, you’ll be able to confidently

go forth into the world, painting faces and bringing joy!

Grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started!

Face painting is a marvelously versatile art. What you do with it only depends on the limits of your

imagination! Do you want to go into business as a festival face painter? Perhaps you would like to take over

Instagram and build a fabulous following? Or are you interested in horror makeup, cosplay, and transforming

into something otherworldly? All of these – and more – can be achieved with hard work, practice, and this

course!

In module one, we’ll introduce you to the basics of face painting, including the tools, techniques, and

practices that will help you be the best face painter you can be!

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Topics in this module:

Overview of Paints and Glitters

Overview of Tools, Kits, and Supplies

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1.2 Overview of Paints and Glitters

Before you go shopping for supplies, you should know your goal. What kind of face painting do you want to

do? The supplies for festival painting will be different to what you’ll need for horror looks. No matter what

type of face painting you want to do, however, there are some basic rules that apply!

First of all – Not all paints are created equal! You should never use paint that is not specifically designed to

be used on people. Using acrylic, oil, or any other type of paint can be extremely dangerous! Even if paint

says ‘non-toxic’ or ‘washable’ that doesn’t mean it’s safe for skin. For example, washable refers to fabrics,

not skin.

Face paint will be labelled as ‘safe for skin’ or ‘face paint’ and is usually water based, so it can be removed

easily with soap and water or moist towelettes. There are many reputable brands out there, including

Mehron Paradise, TAG, Diamond FX, and Snazaroo. Most brands offer beginners kits, as well as themed kits.

You can also buy multicolor paint palettes, called ‘split cakes’ for different effects. As with all art supplies,

it’s hard to buy just a few! Try and start slowly, though. Working with a limited palette can seem frustrating

at first, but it helps build your skills as an artist.

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You should follow these same rules when it comes to glitter. Some craft glitters can contain glass or harmful

chemicals. Make sure you’re buying cosmetic glitter that is labeled as safe for use on skin. It will be made of

polyester and explicitly labelled as ‘cosmetic glitter’. If you’re only buying one glitter, holographic is the way

to go! Layered on top of paint, it enhances any color.

Always make sure that you’re using quality paint and glitter. Especially when it comes to younger kids, bad

reactions to paint can mean a bad experience for everyone.

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1.3 Overview of Tools, Kits, and Supplies

While some beginner’s kits come with a couple brushes, it’s always a good idea to invest in some nice ones.

This is definitely an area where quality is important! If you buy low quality brushes, you’ll spend more

replacing them often than you would if you simply bought good brushes to start with.

For brushes, look for acrylic fibers, rather than animal hair. They should be sturdy enough to keep their

shape, even with heavy use. Round brushes are your most important and versatile brush. You’ll use these to

do details and line work. A small and a medium round brush will be important additions to your kit. You’ll

also want a filbert brush. These are flat and wide, good for filling in larger areas and blending.

You’ll need sponges, for creating bases and filling in larger areas. High density and anti-bacterial are the two

most commonly used sponges for face painting. You should experiment with both to see which you like

better. For sponges also, you want to invest in quality sponges. Because you’ll be washing your brushes and

sponges often, the cheaper ones simply won’t last long! For high volume festivals, however, single use

sponges are a great and very handy tool.

Stencils are a very useful addition to a kit. For mermaid scales, cheetah spots, or polka dots, a stencil can

save time, add a cool effect, and make your overall look pop! Quality acrylic stencils can be bought from craft

stores and face paint supply stores.

Be sure to include cups for water in your kit, so you can activate the paints and wash your brushes in between

faces! Having moist novelettes on hand is a great idea, in case of mistakes and to clean faces before your

start painting, and be sure to bring a mirror, so your client can see your handiwork!

Some people choose to buy a practice head, which can save your skin from the effects of constantly having

paint on it. Those can be tough to clean, however, but a mix of a Mr. Clean magic eraser and Eucalyptus Oil

can usually get even stubborn darker colors off. Another option is a practice mat, a plastic sheet with the

black outline of a face which can be used as a flat surface to practice on.

Beginners kit:

Small paint palette of primary & secondary colors + black and white

2 round brushes, one small, one medium

1 filbert brush

3 sponges

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Water and Cups

Holographic glitter

Stencils

Wet Wipes

Hand Mirror