|
|
Body Painting
Body painting is a temporary form of body art that is painted onto the skin and lasts anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks. If the painting is only on the face it is then known as face painting. Small scale or intricate body painting is generally called a temporary tattoo.
Most tribalist cultures performed some sort of body painting using clay or natural pigments, usually during religious ceremonies. The indigenous people of the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Africa still use body painting as an important part of their traditional rituals and culture. Mehndi, a semi-permanent dye made of henna had been used for centuries in the Middle East and India and is still practiced today, especially on brides. In South America, huito, annatto, or wet charcoal is used to decorate their indigenous people’s faces and bodies.
In Western society there has been a revival of body painting since the 1960’s, coinciding with the sexual revolution and a more liberal view of nudity. As body painting gained popularity, it sparked a debate over its legitimacy as an art form. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, a small alternative art movement involved painting a model’s nude body with one or more colours and then having the model roll on or touch a canvas to transfer the paint. The form and curves of the model, especially when females were used, were then transferred to the canvas. With his series “Anthropometries”, French artist Yves Klein is perhaps the most famous example of this movement. Body painting has become an artistic and interesting way for many magazines and ad campaigns to create interest and skirt around any nudity clauses they might have. Leading body paint artist Joanne Gair has painted many models and had her work shown on the covers of Vanity Fair and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Gair’s work with actress Demi Moore in 1992 with a trompe-d`oeil business suit on garnered much attention and turned Gair into a pop culture icon. Body painting can also be used as a political protest, such as PETA`s campaign against Burberry and the use of fur in their collections. Television and film employs many artists who work as body painters, especially in the science fiction genre.
Both amateurs and professional body painters gather around the world at different body painting festivals. The World Bodypainting Festival in Seeboden, Austria is the largest of its kind and draws thousands of visitors each year. Sporting events, such as football games, and raves are also examples of body painting used in modern life. Face painting is a very popular form of body painting, where a cosmetic paint is applied to a person`s face. Many paints, such as acrylic and tempera, are not acceptable for use on the skin and special water-based paints have been created for face painting. It is very important to inquire about what paint the artist is using before allowing it to be applied, as a variety of issues can arise when using products not intended for the skin. Both body and face paints follow stringent guidelines, being non-toxic, non-allergenic and water soluble. Methods of application can range from hands, sea sponges and paintbrushes to using an airbrush gun.
Face painting has been used from ancient times for religious, hunting and military reasons. Many people are familiar with the camouflage paint used by the army to help them escape notice and blend in with their surroundings. It was also popular with young women during the hippie movement, many of whom painted their faces with peace symbols and flowers while protesting. Face painting is also very popular with children, often being found at county fairs, parties and theme parks. Popular designs for face painting include dogs, cats, tigers, butterflies and rainbows.
Whether using it to support a sports team, make a birthday party memorable or as an artistic endeavour, body painting is a fun and temporary way to express yourself.
|
Home A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte Aachen, Hans von Abstract Impressionism Action Art African Art African Masks Alberta College of Art and Design American Gothic Antique Art Art Deco Art Events in Alberta Art Events in BC Art Informel Art Nouveau Arts and Crafts Ash Can School Barbizon School Baroque Bateman, Robert Bauhaus Black Mountain College Body Art Body Painting Byzantine Art Calligraphy Caravaggio Carr, Emily Castagno, Andrea del Cezanne, Paul Chagall, Marc Classicism Color Field Art Constructivism Cubism Dada Dali, Salvador De Stijl Degas, Edgar Der Blaue Reiter DeviantART Dragon Art Egyptian Art Emily Carr University of Art and Design Expressionism Fantasy Art Fauvism Fine Art Links Fine Art Schools Fluxus Futurism Gauguin, Paul Girl with a Pearl Earring Glass Blowing Gogh, Vincent Van Gothic Art Graffiti Art Grey Art Gallery Group of Seven Hans Holbein the Younger Henna Body Art Herzog, Fred Impressionism Jan van Eyck Joan Miro Juilliard Klee, Paul Koons, Jeff Las Meninas Leonardo da Vinci Liberty Leading the People Liebermann, Max Los Angeles Art Schools Manet, Edouard Mannerism Matisse, Henri Minimalism Mona Lisa Monet, Claude Munch, Edvard Museum for African Art, NYC Naive Art Neoclassicism OKeeffe, Georgia Ontario College of Art and Design Op Art Origami Photography Art Picasso, Pablo Pissarro, Camille Pop Art Post Impressionism Realism Reid, Bill Rembrandt Renoir Rockwell, Norman Rococo Romanticism Rubens San Francisco Art Institute Sand Art Sargent, John Singer Seurat, Georges Surrealism Symbolism Tattoo Art Tattoos The Birth of Venus The Creation of Adam The Frick Collection NYC The Kiss The Renaissance The School of Athens The Scream The Starry Night Velazquez, Diego Vermeer, Johannes Vincent van Gogh Warhol, Andy Watercolor Painting Waterhouse, John William Xian, Gong Partners
|