This special report dedicates itself to the fashion of body painting.

Goldfinger model in James Bond film

Traditional body painting

Body painting with clay and other natural pigments existed in most, if not all, tribalist cultures, often worn during ceremonies; it still survives in this ancient form among the indigenous people of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands and parts of Africa. A semi-permanent form of body painting known as Mehndi, using dyes made of henna (hence also known rather erroneously as "henna tattoo"), was and is still practised in India and the Middle East, especially on brides. Since the late 1990s, Mehndi has become popular amongst young women in the Western world.

Indigenous peoples of South America traditionally use annatto, huito, or wet charcoal to decorate their face and body. Huito is semi-permanent and it generally takes weeks for this black dye to fade.

Actors and clowns around the world have painted their faces and sometimes bodies for centuries, and continue to do so today. More subdued form of face paints for everyday occasions evolve into the cosmetics we know today.

[edit] Modern body painting

Body painting promoting SuSE Linux.

There has been a revival of body painting in the Western society since the 1960s, in part prompted by the liberalization of social mores regarding nudity. Even today there is a constant debate about the legitimacy of body painting as an art form. The current modern revival could be said to date back to the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago where Max Factor and his model were arrested for causing a public disturbance when he bodypainted her with his new make-up formulated for Hollywood films.

Body art today evolves to the works more directed towards personal mythologies, as Jana Sterbak, Rebecca Horn, Youri Messen-Jaschin or Javier Perez.

Body painting is not always full nude bodies. Body painting includes smaller designs on one area on the body.

A slightly alternative art movement was started in the 1950s or 1960s. It involves covering a model in paint and then having the model touch or roll on a canvas or other medium to transfer the paint there. The effect produced by this technique creates an image-transfer from the model's body to the medium. This includes all the curves of the model's body (typically female) being reflected in the outline of the image. This technique was not necessarily monotone; multiple colors on different body parts sometimes produced interesting effects.

Body painting festivals

Today body painting is huge in both amateur and professional arenas. Body painting festivals happen annually across the world bringing together professional body painters as well as keen amateurs. Body paintings can also typically be seen at football matches, at rave parties, and at certain festivals. The World Bodypainting Festival in Seeboden in Austria is the biggest art event in the bodypainting theme and thousands of visitors admire the wonderful work of the participants.

Bodypaint festivals that take place in the US include American Body Arts Festival in upstate NY and US Bodypainting Festival in Albuquerque, NM.

Fine art body painting

The 1960s supermodel Veruschka is often cited as being many body painters' muse.^{[citation needed]} Her images in the book Transfigurations with photographer Holger Trulzsch have frequently been emulated.^{[citation needed]} Other well-known works include Serge Diakonoff's books A Fleur de Peau and Diakonoff and Joanne Gair's Paint a licious.

Since the early 1990s bodypainting has become more widely accepted in the United States, and more and more body artists are beginning to come onto the national community.

Starting in late 2006 Sacramento art galleries started to use fine art bodypainting as performance art to draw new patrons.

In 2006 the first gallery dedicated exclusively to fine art bodypainting was opened in New Orleans by World Bodypainting Festival Champion and Judge, Craig Tracy. The Painted Alive Gallery is on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

Body painting in the commercial arena

body paint used for advertising Smirnoff vodka

A female model being painted at the World Bodypainting Festival.

Many artists work professionally as body painters across the world. Their work is seen regularly in television commercials, such as the Natrel Plus campaign featuring models camouflaged as trees. Body painters also work frequently in the film arena especially in science fiction with more and more elaborate alien creations being body painted. Stills advertising also used body painting with hundreds of body painting looks on the pages of the world's glossy magazines every year.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, published annually, has in recent years featured a section of models that were body painted, attired in renditions of swimsuits or sports jerseys. Sometimes accessories are used such as bows or buttons. Some allege this allows SI to skirt their own no-nudity guideline.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2005 Playmates at Play at the Playboy Mansion calendar, all Playmates appeared in the calendar wearing bikinis, but Playmates Karen McDougal and Hiromi Oshima were actually appearing in painted on bikinis for their respective months. In October, 2005, the Playboy magazine cover featured a foldout of two models (Sara Jean Underwood and Victoria Thornton) wearing only body paint. These and other body paintings done for Hugh Hefner's parties at the Playboy Mansion are created for Playboy by artist Mark Frazier. Michelle Manhart, Playboy model and former Air Force Staff Sergeant, recently posed in body paint for the cover of a 2008 pin-up calendar (published by Operation Calendar).

Face painting

Two children with painted faces.

Two men with painted faces, for the charity Children in Need

Face paint is an artistic application of cosmetic "paint" to a person's face. There are special cosmetic "paints" made just for face painting; people should ask before having face paints applied what kind of paints are being used. "Craft" paints are not meant for use on skin and are not acceptable, nor are watercolor pencils or markers. These can cause staining and allergic reactions.

From ancient times, it has been used for hunting, religious reasons, and military reasons (such as camouflage and membership in a military unit).

Especially in modern times, it is a common entertainment at county fairs, large open-air markets (especially in Europe and the Americas), and other locations where children and adolescents are. Face painting is very popular among children at theme parks, parties and festivals throughout the Western world. Though the majority of face painting is geared towards children, many teenagers and adults enjoy being painted for special events, such as charity fund raisers e.g. Children in Need

There are many kinds of face paint, including:

• Designs that include the emblems of favorite sports teams, cartoon characters, and other designs that are "cute" or otherwise appealing to the young.
• Dramatic designs that appeal to all ages.
• Costuming designs which transform the wearer into someone/something completely different, such as Jack Haley's silver face makeup as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
• Designs that endeavor to color the face in such a way to indicate solidarity with a cause, usually the outcome of a sporting contest or membership in a group.

Most theme parks have booths scattered around where a person can have a design painted on their face. A similar activity is the application of "instant tattoos", which are paint or ink-based designs that are put on as one unit and removed by means of water, alcohol, soap, or another mild solvent.

How to face paint

When learning face painting, you must know about face paints, paint colors, brushes, hygiene and designs.

• Face Paints: Only buy or use face paint that's specially made for the face and body. The most important thing to look out for when buying face paint is whether or not it complies with various authorities in your country (e.g. U.S. FDA) within the guidelines for use on the skin. Water-based face paint is the most popular and easiest to wash off; it's used by people just starting to learn how to face paint and by professional face painters.
• Paint Colors: Start out with getting a palette that has black, white and the primary colors – red, blue and yellow. With these colors you can mix what ever color you need and this will you give you great practice if you have just started learning how to face paint. Then once you’ve started painting quite often you’ll start to notice that you’ll need certain colors more so than others. And you can buy these specific colors in addition to black, white, red, blue and yellow. For example you might find that green is a popular color so instead of constantly mixing blue and yellow together to make green you might want to buy a palette of green paint.
• Brushes: Use a thin brush for detail, a couple of medium-sized brushes for the body of the painting and a large brush for larger areas.
• Hygiene: Hygiene is extremely important in face painting and something you must be aware of when learning how to face paint. Never paint someone who has: any open cuts or sores on their face, a cold sore or conjunctivitis or any other known infectious skin condition, a food allergy or allergic reactions to soaps, skin creams, etc without a prior skin test. Always use a separate sponge on each person you paint to prevent cross-infections.
• Designs: Designs to use can be found online and there are ebooks that have step-by-step face painting designs that reveal how to face paint popular designs.
• Popular brands of face paint include:- Snazaroo, Wolfe Brothers, Grimas, Mehron, and Kryolan.
• Never be tempted to use art or craft paints - these are not designed for use as cosmetics and you run the risk of reactions.

Use in military

It is common in militaries all over the world for soldiers in combat scenarios to paint their faces and other exposed body parts (hands, for example) in natural colors such as green, tan, and loam for camouflage purposes.

Goldy Hawn in 1960s with body paint

Chinese body painting in traditional patterns

Hand body painting - a hawk

Montage of body painting and artistic designs on bodies

Cyclists body painted

Beautiful body paint designs at a fashion  show

Very famous body painting of the actress Demi Moore

Gorgous body painting of two Chinese ladies 

A cola aderts body painting

US sports shirt body painting 

Demin jeans body painting

Very intricate body painting of the US flag

Body painting of a motor cyclist's leathers develops a sporting theme

Beautiful Chinese designs on a ladies back

Traditional African body painting

Car advertisement - Peugeot - with a lady in body paint as part of their theme

Ballerina - dancers in body paint