Western Body Painting 2011

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Western Body Painting 2011

Body Painting - The Intricacies

The origin of body painting is unknown, but its use has been widespread - sometimes as an art form, sometimes as a part of tradition, and the other times, as a necessity. The evidence of body painting is found in ancient practices across various cultures and remains a popular fashion statement in the present times. There is no set style or technique for body painting. It can be a localized design or a fuller one, covering the entire body in some cases. The color pigments used can be natural or synthetic. Similarly, it can be a work of an expert or an amateurish hand of a novice. However, unlike permanent tattoos, body paints are temporary or semi-permanent in nature.

The Geographical Spread

Painting the body was prevalent in ancient Egyptian civilization, where Pharaohs and high-class individuals painted their faces in red ochre & white pigments, and eyes in kohl. The Himba group of Namibia also generously uses red ochre. These people paint their entire bodies in the uniform pigment, as a traditional practice. In India, body painting is an elaborate work of expertise, which requires training and a lot of experience. One of the best examples of this art is the make-up of Kathakali dancers that involves the use of white, red, black, and yellow colors against a base of bottle green color, on face.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Western Body Painting 2011

The use of 'henna,' a natural plant extract, is very popular among the Indian women across the country and is again, done by trained experts. Henna is used for decorating the hands and feet in beautiful, complex designs. Native Americans use streaks, concentric circles, and other patterns of colors, which include red, white, yellow, blue, and black. The indigenous Yolngu people of Australia use detailed and painstaking technique to embellish their bodies. It is an inspiration for many other art forms and a job that only the experts can do.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

 Western Body Painting 2011

Painted faces have been a trademark of comedians and mimics, throughout the history of performing arts. Body painting has found as much use in military operations, as in local communities. Facial colors, particularly in nature tones are heavily employed as camouflage by almost all armies in the world. Now days, this art has become a fad, especially among the youth and is treated more as an avant-garde fashion accessory, rather than as a religious belief. Across the US and Europe, body painting is used in theatre, cinema, fashion, carnivals, and body painting festivals. Despite facing criticism and rejection from various corners, this art continued to grow and is still evolving!

Related article about : A Contemporary Yet Ancient Style of Being a Canvas

Beauty Woman Body Painting

Since the beginning of time, humans have always had the desire to create art. Through this desire body painting was born, making the human body the first canvass. The history of this craft stretches so far back that historians consider it to be the earliest form of art. Compared to other types of body art like tattoos or piercing, this is impermanent. It lasts only for a few hours at most.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

During the ancient times, tribes would often use this during celebrations and important ceremonies. Each color had its own corresponding meaning. Chieftains and warriors commonly had their own styles to indicate their status in the tribe. Around the 12th century, a new kind of body painting known as the Mehendi became popular. The Mehendi is an extremely old ritual that originated from Egypt. It is the art of using henna to paint the body. This type of dye usually lasts a little longer, about a 1-2 weeks before fading.  Natives of South America also had their own methods of ornamenting their bodies. They would use wet charcoal also known as huito. Like henna, huito is also semi-permanent lasting for a few weeks.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

In today's modern era, this has become a way of self-expression. This has been spurred on by the liberality of modern society. If before nudity was deemed by society as inappropriate and improper, now it is something to be flaunted. In the guise of self-expression and the practice of human freedom, this has become a means of grabbing the public's attention. This is especially effective during protests and rallies. Instead of bringing placards and sign boards, the protesters would instead paint on themselves.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

The art of body painting can morph a human being into a beautiful work of art. It can make a statement that words alone cannot express, create a more appealing presentation, and add meaning and significance to an important occasion. It is used not only for the living, but also to preserve the dead. Truly it has attained world wide significance that will last till the end of time. 

Related article about : The Beauty of Body Paint Art

The Top Art of Body Painting

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

The Top Art of Body Painting

Amazing Body Painting and Bibles 2011

I love traveling, not the fact of going somewhere else, but the action of traveling from one place to another. My fascination is of being anonymous, and of course the time spent “people watching”. This is often done alone, which I think is more entertaining as you are not distracted from the serious business of observing.

Two journeys this year, one to the UK and one day trip to Barcelona.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Picture of Amazing Body Painting

The UK bound trip started with the normal commotion I always achieve at airports. This is caused by the habit of wearing as much as I can to avoid carrying it or more to the point paying the dreaded extortionate fees “excess baggage” what an awful term...nothing I carry is excess to my needs! So off go the alarms, I could offer my services to test their equipment because no matter what I remove I always set the systems blaring. After the “pat down” with nothing found to attribute to the noise I always hear myself apologise! With the current state of the world I am not complaining about these security measures I just would like to get through, just once, without this hullabaloo!

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Picture of Amazing Body Painting

Then homeward bound, the UK airport tempted me with Marks and Spencer food outlet just before you go through customs control. Great idea, buy lunch, and a few presents to bring back, a thought of what you are allowed to have in hand luggage I avoided drinks but settle on a sandwich, fruit, biscuits etc plus cheeses and chutneys for friends. So I discover this is a ploy by airport staff to get free lunches, they confiscated the lot. Nowhere could I see on the list of banned items M&S lunch! I wanted to say “stop let me back over the barrier and I will eat it first” but the fear of not being let through to travel was greater than hunger.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Picture of Amazing Body Painting

The day trip to Barcelona was just as eventful for different reasons. An unscheduled change of trains half way meant a different set of traveling companions. Sitting ourselves by the door, with an empty seat in front and two to the side, the carriage was almost full. Then, three young, smartly dressed men boarded, taking up the only empty seats. The first oddness I noticed they all wore the same jackets and had name badges so without further thought I assumed they were security or police. Then I saw the bibles they all started to read as we started out of the station. With an hours non stop journey to Barcelona in a full carriage, we start to realize that our traveling companions had a mission or should I say, they were missionaries. Within minutes they struck up conversation with us.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

Picture of Amazing Body Painting

Caught off guard, but fascinated to understand why these three young American men were in Spain. To counter their obvious objective to discuss The Lord, we asked them many questions on their background, my friend and I taking it in turn to question them. The first thought that ran through my head was the “good cop bad cop” ploy we naturally adopted. The friend was gentle in the questioning I was not so! Why was I allowing myself to be drawn into this exchange? Not wanting my religious believes to be questioned or was I feeling confronted?

With the journey over, ahead of us the serious task of shopping. We starting walking from the station in the crowds of city folks going about their business. I could not believe what I saw next, as nobody else seemed to notice, I began to wonder if my eyes deceived me. “Did you see that”? “Was he wearing anything”? Not a pretty sight, just a man with clothes painted on his naked body. To add to the amusing spectacle...not a head was turned. Just like the earlier time in the train carriage I felt the day was going to be different, and it certainly was!

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

 Picture of Amazing Body Painting

Maybe that is the reason I love traveling, you cannot control what you may encounter only how you react to it.

Nude Woman's Body Painting in 2011

Were we to make a list of the main post-Impressionist painters, the name of Paul Gauguin would be on top of the list. He is known for his innovative and bold experimental use of colours.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

 Picture of Nude Woman's Body Painting in 2011

But the prime thing that made Paul Gauguin such a renowned artist was his capability to understand the inherent meaning of the subjects he painted. He caught the very meaning of the subjects he painted; and then he uploaded that onto the canvas, expressing the same with his impressionist style of painting.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

 Picture of Nude Woman's Body Painting in 2011

The subject of painting human body has remained the most beautiful and perfect subject for depiction of their artistic prowess. The artists since the ages have exploited this subject and the human form through its depiction in their paintings. The human body, especially nude female body is a subject of first choice among the artists for the element of mysterious allure. But very few of these artists have done perfect justice to the natural beauty of women's body as the master painter Paul Gauguin has done through his artistic nude paintings.

TEMPORARY BODY PAINTING

  Picture of Nude Woman's Body Painting in 2011

Many painters have spent their entire life painting nude bodies of the female models. They respected and adored the women sitting for them; and they tried hard to beautify their looks. These painters tried laboriously for injecting liveliness into the portraits of the nude females they painted. The great painters from the time of renaissance have done much artistic endeavours to immortalise a simple smile on the face of the beautiful women or the alluring curves of the bodies of those fatal fames. Numbers of painters have used this subject of painting natural beauties of women, but very few have succeeded in the job as Paul Gauguin.