There was once a time where face-painting kids at parties, fairs, and carnivals were a huge trend. The decorating of children's faces with flowers, hearts, dragons, and a host of other things was the thing to do. Not to be outdone, adults began taking a keen interest in the hobby as well. Adults however, have turned simple face painting into a more expressive hobby, that hobby being body painting.
Whereas only faces were being painted now there are those artists that are turning to use the entire body as a canvas on which to create. Globally the interest has become so keen that there are festivals where the majority of those in attendance come in either partially painted bodies, or totally painted bodies. Gone are the days where simplicity and modest designs, today, lovers of the art are turning to a variety of interesting trends.
Outfit
One of the most common and fun means of using body painting is outfit body painting. This trend is as simple as it sounds. Instead of painting unique items on a body, the artist creates the illusion of an outfit on the individual's body. Some of the most common ideas for outfits include bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, and shirts. These outfits are so well done; it literally looks like the individual has on real clothing.
Graffiti
A fun and unique trend that has gained a large following is urban graffiti body painting. The artist creates a design on the individual reminiscent of graffiti found in busy cities on the sides of walls, overpasses, and other remote areas. The words are created with bold looking fonts, rich with colors, yet with a unique edge to their designs. The urban graffiti is placed on arms, legs, backs, and even the front of the individual's torso. This gritty street-style art is gaining a tremendous following in this type of art.
Optical Illusion
Unlike other forms of body painting, the trend of optical illusion requires multiple people in order to create the masterpiece. For example, three different individuals will bear it all to create the illusion of one image. Animals, such as tigers and lions, are one of the favorites for this trend. Each person is situated together, the outline is drawn on the three people positioned together, and once all pieces are completed, one design is created.
As long as people have an imagination, trends in body painting will continue to evolve and become more expressive.
