So, I had this random urge the other day. You see these cool, subtle face paint things on guys, not like full-on clown makeup, but something more… tribal or just, you know, a bit edgy for a festival or something. And I thought, “Hey, I could try that.” Didn’t have a big event or anything, just felt like messing around.
Getting Started, Kinda
First off, I didn’t want to spend a fortune. Went down to the local craft store and grabbed one of those cheap, water-based face paint palettes. The kind they sell for kids’ parties. Figured if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for a first go for me. Got a pack with a few basic colors: black, white, red, blue. And a couple of those flimsy brushes they always include.
Got home, sat in front of the bathroom mirror. And just kinda stared at my own face for a bit. Felt a bit daft, if I’m honest. Where do you even begin?
The Actual Messing About
I decided to keep it super simple. No intricate skull designs or anything like that. I remembered seeing some guys with just a couple of bold stripes under their eyes or along the jawline. So, that was my first attempt.
- The Jawline Stripes: Tried to do two sharp black lines. Ha! Easier said than done. My hand was a bit shaky. One line was thicker than the other, and not exactly straight. Looked less “fierce warrior” and more “toddler got hold of a marker.”
- Under-Eye Smudges (Intentional, sort of): Then I thought, okay, maybe something a bit more rugged, like a dark smudge under the eyes. Used the black paint, dabbed it on with my finger. That was actually a bit easier to make look “deliberately messy.”
- A Simple Symbol: I tried a very basic, angular symbol on my cheekbone using the blue. Getting the paint consistency right was a bit of a learning curve. Too watery and it dripped. Too thick and it caked.
The black paint was pretty decent, actually. Good coverage. The white, though, that was a bit rubbish. Very thin, almost see-through. I guess you get what you pay for.
What I Figured Out
Patience, man. You need patience. And maybe a steadier hand than mine. I realized those cool, clean lines you see? That takes practice. Or maybe better brushes. Those little plastic ones that came with the set weren’t exactly precision instruments.
Also, working on your own face, looking in a mirror, it’s a bit disorienting. Everything’s reversed. My brain got confused a few times trying to get things symmetrical, or even just on the right spot.
I didn’t try anything too wild. Mostly just played around with some simple, bold shapes. One thing I did was like a half-mask sort of thing, just some black shapes around one eye. That looked kinda cool, in a “I’m not leaving the house like this” sort of way.
Clean-up was an adventure in itself. That water-based stuff claimed to wash off easily. “Easily” is a relative term, I discovered. Needed a good scrub with soap and water to get all the black pigment off. My face was a bit pink afterwards.
So, The Grand Result?
Well, I didn’t suddenly become a face painting artist. Not by a long shot. But it was a bit of fun for an afternoon. Mostly, I learned that even simple designs can be tricky. And I have a newfound respect for people who do this stuff well. My attempts were pretty amateurish, but hey, it killed some time. And I didn’t scare the cat too much, so I’m calling that a win.
Would I do it for a proper event? Maybe, if it was something really basic. But I think I’d need a lot more practice, or just get someone else to do it for me! For now, it was just a good laugh in front of the mirror.
