Face paint
Face paint is an artistic application of paint to a person's face.
From ancient times, it has been used for hunting, religious reasons, and military reasons (such as camouflage and membership in a military unit).
Especially in modern times, it is a common entertainment at county fairs, large open-air markets (especially in Europe and the Americas), and other locations where children and adolescents are.
There are two basic kinds of face paint.
- Designs that include the emblems of favorite sports teams, cartoon characters, and other designs that are 'cute' or otherwise appealing to the young.
- Designs that endeavor to color the face in such a way to indicate solidarity with a cause, usually the outcome of a sporting contest or membership in a group.
Most theme parks have booths scattered around where a person can have a design painted on their face.
A similar activity is the application of 'instant tattoos', which are paint or ink-based designs that are put on as one unit and removed by means of water, alcohol, soap, or another mild solvent.