Body painting, or body art, is a temporary painted design applied to human skin. Body painting is largely a creative expression however there are applications outside of the art world… Other forms of body artinclude the application of colored clay, charcoal, dyes and “henna” tattoos which are practiced mainly in India and the Middle East. A special kind of body art is the body painting and makeup. This is the easiest and most common kind of body art. There are thousands of events where body is painted. Sporting events, such as football games, and raves are also examples of body painting used in modern life. There are also different body painting festivals, like festival in Seeboden- Austria, which is largest of its kind. People prefer painting their body and makeup for many reasons which include portraying their thoughts and feeling or just expressing their creativity. The process of body painting and makeup requires skills which take years to master. Many people paint their bodies to make them look special and exceptional, or just for fun. Face painting is a very popular form of body painting. 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. 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 paintingas 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.
