Let's face it; Halloween is about seeing and being seen. And you can't do that comfortably from behind a mask, so why bother. Face painting is fast becoming the family favourite way to complete any Halloween look. Face paints also have the benefit of being body paints and are great where little ones don't want to wear gloves.
And as a final safety point, if you are planning to take children 'trick or treating' face painting is the safer option than a mask as there is little or no restriction in visibility and also less scary and intimidating to a homeowner opening the door to a youngster in a mask. And don't forget, face painting is a great way to achieve a low budget finishing look for your costume.
Here are a few simple steps to help you achieve the desired result this Halloween and every Halloween from now on.
1) To prevent a tearful occasion, it's important to read all of the manufacturer's instructions before you start, not even the cutest of devils to be will sit still whilst you read instructions 'on the go'.
2) Practice and then practice some more. It's always advisable to practice your designs before applying make-up for the actual event, not only will you get quicker - quicker painting less fractious child (and that's a very definite link), you will also start to adapt the design to your own style as you become more positive with brush and sponge.
3) When painting on a large area of face or body, for example a background colour wash, use a sponge rather than a brush. This allows you to blend the colour better and will be smoother and more comfortable on the face. Keep the sponge fairly dry to avoid runs and streaks.
4) When colour washing a face take the colour up to the hairline and just under the chin. For adult models painting the neck and nap may produce a more complete result but for children around the chin is fine.
5) It is vital that brushes and sponges are clean before each change of colour. If this is an art form you are likely to continue, it maybe worthwhile investing in one sponge to be used exclusively with a colour or colour palette. This would avoid the need to continually be cleaning a single sponge during application.
6) Ensure that you have everything you will need close to hand before you start. Quick checklist would be; face paints, sponges, brushes, water bowls, clean water as well as a pack of paper towels or kitchen towel roll. A good roll of plain kitchen towel will be invaluable as face painting can be messy at times.
7) Face paint should always be applied in thin layers as this makes it less likely to crack and will also increase the overall comfort. Thin layers of paint dry quicker which is important given that as each layer of paint should be dry before applying the next layer avoid runs and inadvertent colour mixing on the face/body.
8) Create a series of templates for often repeated shapes, or find suitable stencils to use as cheats when creating a face pattern. These speed the overall process and are a great aid if you are not confident in your ability to paint the shape accurately in freehand.
9) Do not be afraid to deliberately mix your own shade of face paint from others in your kit or collection. Face paints come in a variety of colours and are suitable for mixing allowing you to create a unique shade as required.
10) For some most occasions manufacturers have pre-assembled collections of face paints for sale. These are either available suited to a generic theme, Halloween, Christmas etc or to a character, witch, ghost, devil etc. These make a perfect introduction to face painting and usually come with simple to follow instructions and step-by-step guides.
So some simple steps to get you started in this fascinating art form which will almost certainly mean that you have an unending procession of eager models once you've mastered the basics. And don't forget, you'll be the star parent at any party for years to come.
