These Easy Face Paint Ideas for Kids are the perfect activity for parties, and a fun way to complete a Halloween costume! Follow the simple steps to create the ideas provided, then learn how to create your own designs as well!
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These quick and easy face painting ideas are just what you need to paint all kinds of fun pictures on your favorite kid’s faces this Halloween, Christmas, birthday party, or for any occasion! The free attached templates are small designs and patterns to get you started, but don't stop there - use the step-by-step instructions to paint your own ideas too!
Easy face painting tattoos can be completed in just a few minutes so they are perfect as an activity at a party, or just to add a fun touch to a Halloween costume. In this post you'll find inspiration for face painting pictures like pumpkins, unicorns, spiders, ice cream, fish, flowers, and many more!
I’ve done this activity for a “Welcome Back” night for our children’s program, as a money raiser for my club at school, for birthday parties, and to complete some of the best Halloween costumes. Face painting for kids (and adults) is always a popular choice as an activity! I promise that you will be the hit of the party or a hit with the kids when you pull out your face paint.
You don't need much to get started with face painting! Here are some essentials to get you going:
The free tattoo designs I created can be made from a simple set of face paints, like you would purchase at a craft store. My set has six essential colors - red, yellow, green, blue, white, and black.
Technically you can mix these colors to get any other colors you need, but I purchased an additional set of colored face paint to make the painting process easier and faster. That way you are more likely to have the child's favourite colours when they choose their design.
Some children have skin that is sensitive to face paint, so you will want to make sure you check with the parents before painting. If they do have a sensitivity, try a small face tattoo like the designs I've provided, rather than a large face painting that covers the entire face. This allows you to stay away from their eyes, nose and mouth.
The paints linked in the supply list are described as safe for use on skin and body and are washable with soap and water. I've heard great things about Snazaroo face paints as well. There are lots of kinds out there though, so search for the best face paint brands and choose one that you think would fit your preferences!
Whether you are a painting expert or a beginner face painter just starting out, don't worry! The key here is to not get too hung up on details (sorry my type 1 friends, this is challenging!).
You will get better and better at this as you practice. If the line is a bit wobbly or not exactly on the edge of the design, keep going.
Usually trying to erase the line by rubbing it or going over it again and again just muddies the picture and is frustrating. I’ve found that the overall look in the end is usually fine if left alone.
If you want some great ideas to start with, I created a sheet of easy drawings that include some of the most popular face paint ideas from requests from kids I've worked. This page will get you started - simply click the link here to get the download.
These ideas are small face painting patterns that fit on a cheek that you can print off and paint quickly. This is a great way to learn the process and decide what techniques you would like to learn to do next in face painting.
The small shapes are also great for young children, who have a harder time sitting still for a long time 🙂
Once you've got the method down, you can try branching out by coming up with your own ideas, painting larger designs, or taking requests!
Study the easy face paint tattoo picture you are wanting to copy. Seek to find the main shape of the design. You want to keep the design to about the size of a golf ball or half dollar, depending on the age of the child.
First paint the base color of the main shape of the face paint tattoo. For example, the orange surface of the pumpkin or the white paint of the Hello Kitty face.
Paint this on the cheek or down the side of the face where you want it placed.
A number 2 round water/acrylic/oil paint brush works well.
If doing a design with several colors, choose the one to start first that sets the design, like the white face paint star in the center of the Captain America symbol. Continue to add the other background colors around this first one you paint, like I added the blue then red concentric circles to the white base star.
Clean the brush well between colors in a glass of water. Be sure to wait just a bit for the paint to set if you are layering colors on top of each other.
After the background is done, it often helps to outline the face paint tattoo with a black line, like a cartoon drawing (or outline in a darker color, like blue if you desire). You can outline while the background paint is still drying so don’t think you have to wait.
Many people want to start with the black outline and then fill it in with color. This sounds good in theory, but then the background lighter color picks up the black paint and gets muddy and smeared with black. Not good.
Use a small round brush, like a number 1 round water/acrylic/oil paint brush to do the outlining. You want as narrow a line as possible.
You can place a bit of black paint on a foam plate to dip into if you don’t want to get other colors in your original container of black face paint.
When finished with the design, it is fun to add white highlights, or squiggles, dots, stars, lightning strikes and circles in various colors around the design for decoration. This is a quick extra touch that adds some interest and makes even the simplest design look more complex.
For some extra fun, add some glitter or gem stones. They would be perfect for a pretty design like a fairy, or to complete a princess look!
The smaller "tattoo" designs are a great place to start as you get into face painting, but how about those fun large designs that cover the whole face? Believe it or not, you can apply similar principles from the small designs to the large ones!
Start by painting your background color to either cover the face or create your primary shape (for example - the shape of wings for butterfly face paint ideas). Now begin layering additional colors and shapes according to your desired design.
Lastly, paint on any outlines and accents (for example - a black circle on the tip of the nose for a puppy or other animal face paint ideas) and add your final touches!
With these tools in hand, you can recreate any design you'd like! Why not try a cool face paint idea like a striped tiger design, a green wicked witch, a cute kitten with whiskers coming from the side of the nose, a zombie look, or Mickey or Minnie Mouse?
Here are a few tips to help you along the way as you jump into face painting!
Want to switch things up? Here are a few ways you can customize and play with this craft.
No matter your skill level, you can follow these steps to create a fun and easy face painting! Choose from one of the ideas provided, or learn how to create your own beautiful design using the same steps. Some of the easiest small face paint ideas that are perfect for a party are a pumpkin, rainbow, or smiley face. If you are looking for easy Halloween face paint ideas for costumes, an easy place to start is a whiskered cat face paint design, or striped tiger face painting.
Is face painting for kids easy?Creating some of the best Halloween face paint ideas can be so easy with this step-by-step tutorial! Choose from one of the cute designs provided and follow the steps to create cute face paintings for kids. The smaller size of the designs is the perfect way to start, no matter skill level. Practice your skills with these ideas, then use the same methods to come up with your own designs as well!
Looking to fill out your Halloween party craft and activity lineup? Check out these fun ideas from around the blog:
If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.
Quick & Easy Face Painting Ideas for Kids shows you how to paint all kinds of fun pictures on your favorite kid’s faces this Halloween or for any occasion.
