These quick and easy last-minute Halloween face-painting ideas are sure to be loved by all.
Cat Face How-To
1. For the eyes, shape by painting upward and outward onto the forehead from the center of the eyebrows.
2. Fill in the eye areas with color, and add accents with black makeup highlights.
3. Next, you can paint the entire face another color, or just stick to the eyes and muzzle for a simpler look. Create the muzzle by painting the upper lip white. Then draw a black line down the center and across the upper lip. Add black dots to either side to simulate the whisker lines.
4. For the nose, paint the nostrils and the underside of the nose black. Alternately, you can simply draw an inverted triangle on the nose
Butterfly, Fairy, or Princess Eyes How-To
1. The shape around the eyes starts by imagining an X that crisscrosses through the bridge of the nose between the eyes.
2. To start this shape, paint a swipe of color outward from the eyes, using one color on the top and a different color on the bottom.
3. Next, outline the tops and bottoms of the X with black, and draw scalloped edges around the outer edges of the colors. You can embellish this with black or accent colors, or just leave it as is.
4. To create the butterfly body, draw a line down the bridge of the nose, and then two curly lines upward onto the forehead.
5. Create magic by adding cosmetic glitter, if desired.
Human Spider How-To
1. Start by creating large teardrop shapes around the eyes and above the eyebrows.
2. Add red (or pink or blue) to the rest of the face. You can also leave the lower half of the face clean if the kids are going to be eating and don't want their makeup smudged around the mouth. With black, outline the white areas.
3. Next, create the webs by painting black radiating lines straight out from the bridge of the nose onto the forehead, and onto the cheeks. Attach these lines with "webs" by adding slightly curved black lines in between.
4. You can highlight these with white to add some unique and interesting contrast.
Monster How-To
1. Start by adding black around the eyes in a triangular shape and filling in to create hollowed look. You can add "tendrils" of black off the edges to embellish.
2. Next, paint the rest of the face with whatever colors you desire.
3. To create the scales, use a curved brush to paint half-moon shapes on the forehead or cheeks. Add black to the edges of these half-moon shapes to add contrast.
4. To create the monster nose, paint the outside of each nostril black, and then paint the underside of the nose black.
5. You can also paint the bottom half of the face black to make it "disappear."
Skull How-To
1. You can paint your child's entire face, or just half of it, as a skull. Start with the black eyes, and draw a triangular shape coming from the bridge of the nose (similar to the monster's eyes). Fill with black to create a hollowed look.
2. Paint the rest of the skull area white, accenting with pale colors. Take black and follow the natural lines of the cheekbones and jawbones to create the hollows of the skull.
3. For the teeth, make black triangular shapes, painting oversize teeth on the upper and lower lips.
4. If you're doing half of a face, you can paint stitches across the middle of the face by drawing a few small white lines horizontally across the chin, nose, and forehead, and accenting with black.
Safety Tips
Use only water-based makeup that is safe to use on faces. If you're adding glitter, avoid the eye area, and use only glitter that is meant for cosmetic use (not craft glitter.) Do not go too near eyes with makeup. Parents should always supervise application of makeup.
Special Thanks
Many thanks to Derrick Little. Find out more information about his work at derricklittle.com.
Resources
Find out more about the types of makeup Derrick uses in his Halloween face painting atmehron.com/retail. If you're in the New York City area, visit Abracadabra or Halloween Adventurefor makeup.
