Animal-Themed Face Paint Designs

Popular Animal Face Paint Ideas Guide
Lela Trock, Olga Murasev — 17 August 2023 —

Animal face paint is a wonderful and popular option for boys and girls of any age. A rough n’ tough dad may want a bloody shark attack, while a teenage girl may go for a tropical beach scene with a sea turtle.

Animal designs appeal to kids, teens, and adults, and they’ll never be out of style. So, find a variety that you love to paint, and add them to your menu!

Any of these animals will be a popular addition to your face paint options.

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~ Quick Animal Face Paint Designs Navigation Guide ~

Wild cats face paint: · tiger · lion · cheetah/leopard
Pet face paint: · cat · dog
Wild Animal face paint: · fox · wolf · panda · koala · monkey · elephant · bear · zebra · giraffe · frog · unicorn
Farm Animal Face Paint Ideas: · cow · pig · horse
Reptile face paint: · snake · turtle · lizard · crocodile · dinosaur · dragon
Ocean animal face paint: · shark · dolphin · fish · octopus
Bird face paint: · penguin · owl · swan · peacock · flamingo · eagle · parrot · toucan · other birds
Insects and more face paint: · bee · ladybug · scorpion · butterfly · caterpillar
Holiday Animal face paint: · bunny · bats and spiders · turkey · reindeer
Popular animal print eye design face paint: · snake and dragon eye · tiger stripes · zebra stripes

Wild Cats Face Paint Ideas

Want to paint tigers, lions, and wild cats better and with your own unique flare? We’ve collected designs to inspire you whether you’re looking for cute and cuddly or fierce and bold, these designs are nothing short of impressive. Kids will love transforming into their favorite wild cat, whether it’s a playful cheetah or a regal lion, and parents will love gushing over your artwork.

Tiger face paint

Tiger face paint is so popular that as a professional face painter, you won’t be able to avoid the stripes. But we have great resources here for improving your tiger designs if you need help!

six tiger face painting designs painted on six women
Once you’re confident with your stripes, you can offer both the colorful rainbow tiger, realistic tigers, bold tribal stripe tigers, the more subtle white tiger designs, and appeal to a wide range of clients. These designs are perfect for both kids and adults.
fice different children and a woman with tiger face paint on them

a young girl with a very colorful purple, green, and yellow tiger face painting on her.
Tip: Check out this helpful step-by-step Rainbow Tiger face paint tutorial by Elodie Ternois. With several optional steps to glam up this look, this tiger is versatile. Learn how to make it a quick, on-the-job design or a fabulous face for the guest of honor!

 

 

 

 

Want to improve your tigers dramatically in as little as 3 months? Our Professional Course can take your skill from amateur to master. Make an investment in yourself and your business that will pay off in no time!
four young boys and girls showcasing their tiger face paint desings

Lion face paint

Lions are such an iconic animal with a majesty that appeals to many. Get inspired with realistic lion face paint, creative lion art, and even characters like Simba and Scar from The Lion King. Try combining elements from a few that you love to make something entirely your own!
six images of six children with various lion face paint designs

a girl with a lion face paint design
Need a great simple on-the-job design? This Lion face paint step-by-step by Rosie Lieberman is the perfect size with steps optimized for face painting quickly.

four children wearing face paintings of different characters of the lion king cartoon

Want to play around with placement? A full face isn’t what every child wants, but big isn’t the only way to impress.

four images, three of women and one of a man. they all have different lion face paint designs on them

 

 

More Lion face paint video tutorials to check out:

 

Cheetahs, Leopards, and Wild Cat face paint

Did you know that the main distinction between leopards and cheetahs is that cheetahs have solid spots? These designs can easily be adapted to be either leopards or cheetahs, and you can use the information as a chance to connect with the child in your chair. Kids love to learn new things about what they love, and if they love wild cats, you can teach them a fact they’ll share all day!

a woman and five children with different wild cat face paint designs
two women and four girls with different wild cat face paintings

Also be sure to check out our animal print eye designs at the end of this guide for another great use of cheetah print.

a boy looking at the camera with a cheetach face painting
Prefer step-by-step tutorials with pictures of each step and written instructions so you can paint at your own pace? Wies supplies everything you’re looking for and more in her Fast and Easy Cheetah face paint Tutorial for this design on our blog.

 

 

 

More Wild Cat face paint video tutorials to check out:

Pet face paint

Few things are as loved by children as their own family pet. They are excited to talk about their furry family members, and often request pet face paint! The most popular of these pets by far are cats and dogs. You’ll find a wide selection of each in our gallery, including many breeds and creative interpretations! So whether you need a Rainbow Poodle, a Caticorn, or a reliable OTJ cat and dog face paint for beginners to get you started, you’ll find it here.

Cat Face Paint Ideas

Cats and kitty face paint designs are an incredibly popular option for both girls and boys. It’s good to start off with an excellent basic full face cat that you can paint in 3-5 minutes and then build off of it with special extras. Girly hair bows, hearts, flowers, and swirls are all great ways to add girly elements to your cat. Little fangs are a great add on for boys or girls! You’ll want a cat for every occasion and speed, so find a few of different sizes that suit your style.

six girls wearing colorful cat face paint designs

a woman looking at the camera with a light blue kitty face paint decorated with flowers
Don’t be afraid to do something more adventurous with your cat designs! This Creative Kitty Face Paint by Annabel Hoogeveen is girly, and not your basic kitty. Read the tutorial for great tips on how to make your own designs as well!

three girls and a woman wearing different cat face paint desings

These next designs all end at the nose and totally avoid the mouth area making them perfect for events where kids are eating and drinking and would be smudging the mouth area quickly anyway.

four girls and two women wearing different kitty cat face paint designs

There will always be clients (especially teens!) that are interested in something smaller and not a full face. Here are a few ideas for cat face paint designs that aren’t full face.

a woman and three children wearing different cat face paintings

three images of a woman with a cat face paint design on her forehead
Want to paint something truly memorable? When we give personality to our artwork, we can match it to our client in the best way possible. Follow this Playful Kitten Face Paint step-by-step for a wonderful example of how to do this!

 

 

 

More Cat face paint video tutorials and step-by-steps to check out:

 

Bonus: Caticorn / Uni-kitty Face Paint Ideas

There’s a growing number of kids who know about the magical mashup of cats and unicorns referred to as caticorns, unikitties and even kittycorns. But if they don’t know about it yet, imagine how much they’ll adore you for introducing this incredibly cute creature to them. So whether you have the demand or you create it, you’re going to love having this popular option on your menu!

four girls wearing cat unicorn face paint designs

 

Dog Face Paint Ideas (puppy, pug, Dalmatian, bulldog, husky, poodle)

Dogs and puppy face paint designs are a great way to add some furry fun to your next event. If you saw the dog face paint designs in our Ultimate Face Painting Ideas Guide, and you’re ready to dive deeper this is it! These designs include more breed specific traits that can help you add detail and variety to your dog face paint offerings.

From pugs to Dalmatians, huskies to bulldogs, there are plenty of designs to choose from for both boys and girls.

a woman and five girls wearing puppy face painting designs

a girl looking at the camera with compleated dog face paint on her
Do you still need a great basic dog to start from? Rosie Lieberman’s Cute & Easy Dog Face Paint Tutorial is a perfect starting place with step-by-step pictures that you can easily follow along with at your own pace.

four images of four different dog face paint designs

You can always shake things up with other placements as well. Here’s four different placement variations for dogs.

two girls and two women wearing different dog face painting designs

Last but not least, leveling up your dog face paint doesn’t mean it needs to be totally realistic. Kids will love the fun of rainbow and colorful puppy face paint designs.

six girls wearing different colorful dog face painting designs

 

Popular Wild Animal Face Paint Ideas

You’ll find all sorts of popular, fun, and fierce animals in this face paint inspiration category. While there are hundreds of wild animal varieties in the world, we are focusing on the ones that are most popular for face painters. We’ve even included one or two animals that are only in fantasy but are essential for face painters. See if you can spot them! ;)

Fox face paint

Fox face paint is one of the most popular face paint requests right now for good reason! Foxes have very flattering feline features (even if they are in the dog family) that look beautiful in mask designs. They can also be playful and are very cute to paint with their bodies and big fluffy tails.

Boys and girls both love foxes, and you’ll love how easy it is to glam up with some bling, flowers, painted eyelashes, or eyeliner.

six colorful fx face painting designs on childen and adults

a girl with a fox face paint design
One-stroke technique is the secret to this Fox design by Simona Rad. Follow along with the detailed tutorial for phenomenal results with this show-stopping design.

six images of six different fox face paint designs

 

Wolf face paint

Wolf face paint can be fierce and even scary, which is part of why it’s a favorite choice for teenage boy face paint. But you’ll find there are plenty of girls and young boys who are also drawn to this option. And once you’ve painted a dog and cat, you’re close to having a basic wolf down. The angry eyebrows and sharp teeth are going to be the key to mastering your wolf design.

four children wearing different wolf face painting designs

When you have the time to go above and beyond, like a small birthday party or with a private client for Halloween makeup, a good realistic wolf face paint will stop everyone in their tracks.

four people wearing different wolf face paint designs

As always, don’t be afraid to shake things up. A full face is never the only option for your animal face paint. They may be easier for a lot of artists, but if you don’t try out other options, you may never discover your style! I hope these very original wolf face paint designs inspire you to try something new.

four children wearing different wolf face paint designs

 

Panda face paint

Panda face paint is a great place to start with your bear face paint offerings. Not only is it more popular with kids than a brown or polar bear, it also has more pattern details that add variation and fun to the design.

four children wearing different panda face paint designs

One of the major downsides of panda face paint is all that black around the eyes can be hard to wash off, especially on little kids. Here are some ideas for panda face paint that don’t involve painting black around the eyes, which will make a lot of parents eternally grateful to you.

two women and two children children wearing different panda face paint designs

 

 

Cute-Panda-face-painting-tutorial
Prefer step-by-step images with detailed explanations to help you have success with new designs? Shawna Fae breaks down every step of this adorable Panda design in the blog post tutorial.

 

 

 

Bear face paint (teddy bear face paint)

You can easily adjust the colors of panda designs to be any other bear as well because the face shape doesn’t need to change. While working hard is inevitable as a professional face painter, we’re all for the shortcuts that help us work smart as well.

two kids and two men with a bear face paint design

If you want to make your bears more cute and cuddly, adding some patches and stitching down the nose can turn a bear into a teddy bear. And if you need a cute and easy face paint, this one-stroke bear by Katie’s Painted Faces is a perfect fast design.

four young kids wearing cute cartoony bear face paint designs

 

 

Koala face paint

Koala face paint can look a lot like bear face paint. To paint a recognizable koala face paint design, be sure to make the nose larger than bear noses and in a rounded triangular or oval shape.

four children having different koala face paint designs on them
Leaves are a great way to fill out a smaller design and make it more complete because eucalyptus leaves are a koalas favorite food!

two women and two girls with different koala face paint designs

 

Monkey and Gorilla face paint

Face painters approach monkey and gorilla face paint in such a huge variety of styles. We’ve brought these ideas together for you so you can see what feels right to you. There’s some whimsical and fun ideas and some highly realistic designs. Consider your audience and time and find inspiration below!

five children and an adult wearing a monkey face paint

four children and two adults wearing a monkey face paint

If you’re struggling with making a full face monkey work for you, this tutorial by Shawna Del Real teaches a cute monkey mask that works for boys and girls!

 

 

 

 

Elephant face paint

Elephant face paint ideas are so unique because the trunk inspires incredible creativity! A simple elephant design for kids on the job is perfect. The addition of mehndi style linework adds the sophistication and grace to make elephant face paint a beautiful option for adult face paint as well.

four images of four different elephant face painting designs

Elephant face paint is also a wonderful menu option for carnival themed party face paint whether you go full face or opt for something smaller like these artists have.

six young girls wearing different elephant faca painting designs

 

 

Zebra face paint

Remember what I said about working smarter and not harder? Zebra is a great face paint menu offering because it’s a combination of painting thin to thick lines like tiger stripes and painting unicorn head and body shapes. You’re more than halfway to fabulous zebra face paint already!

six children wearing different zebra face paint designs

a close-up of a woman with a zebra face paint on her face
There are some tricks to getting zebra stripe placement right. You can learn all the secrets to spectacular Zebra face paint in this helpful tutorial by Simona Rad.

 

 

 

Giraffe face paint

Who knew giraffe face paint could be so totally adorable? Well, once you try these designs out and add giraffe face paint to your menu, all your clients will! Eye catching and fun, giraffe face paint is a must (especially if you are a Zoo face painter!).

four giraffe face paint designs

four people wearing different giraffe face paint designs

 

 

Frog face paint

Boys and girls will both go for a fun frog face paint! It’s fun to dress up the design with flowers, greenery, or water to paint something sure to delight whoever may be in your chair. And don’t limit yourself to green. In real life, frogs come in all sorts of fun, bright colors.

six children wearing different frog face paint designs

 

Unicorn face paint (less popular: pegasus / alicorn)

While unicorn may not be the most popular animal you can see at your local zoo, it is the most popular animal face paint at fairs, festivals, and birthday parties with little girls. Our animal guide would be missing an important piece if we left out this magical and majestic creature.

six children wearing different unicorn face paint designs

Unicorn “crown” face paint is a very popular and cute way to turn little girls into Unicorns! This could easily be the most popular way to face paint a unicorn, but it’s definitely not the only way. These other designs are just as lovable and beautiful. Be sure to have a variety of options up your sleeve for this incredibly popular face paint request.

two children and four women with different whimsical unicorn face painting designs

four children and two women with different whimsical unicorn face painting designs

 

 

More Unicorn face paint video tutorials to check out:

Feeling totally inspired by these teardrop masks and elegant linework? They’re a magic all on their own! Master artists including Elodie Ternois (also known as Lodie Up and the Unicorn Queen) and Svetlana Keller have improved their linework with our paid course.

Right now, we’re offering a FREE Linework course to help you improve your linework in just 3 days! Be sure to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.Free Online Workshop - Improve Your Linework in 3 Days

Farm Animal Face Paint Ideas

Farm Animal face paint smallest category because many of the animals that could be here fit better somewhere else! If you’re looking for more “on-the-farm” face paint ideas for a themed party, be sure to check out our ideas for Cats, Dogs, Rabbits, and Turkey face paint too!

Cow face paint

Cow face paint for kids could easily be a full face cow, cow cheek art, or for a really fast design just cow print. Cow print has been really trending in the makeup world for a few years now, so don’t be surprised if a woman asks for cow print face paint too! At the end of this guide, we’ll cover more of the animal print eye designs that are very popular with teens and adults.

six images of people wearing different cow face paint designs

Pig face paint

When doing a full face pig face paint, you can achieve a more flattering look for the child (or adult) you’re painting on by not painting below the lip line. This placement helps keep the design lifted. However, pigs make chubby look cute, and painting the cheeks all the way down to the chin does emphasize that chubbiness.

4 different designs of a pig face paint painted on 4 different girls

Horse face paint

While horse face paint can be very similar to unicorn face paint, a unicorn crown can’t easily be adapted to a noble stallion. Here are some beautiful horse face paint designs to inspire you in your color choices, placement, and more!

two women and two girls with different horse face paint designs

Reptile Face Paint Ideas

While most of the designs in this guide are not stenciled animals, many do use stencils to achieve realistic textures quickly and easily. This is especially true of reptile scales, which is the 1st recommendation of ours for “must-have” stencils for beginners and professionals!

Be sure to check out our recommendations for everything you need in your beginner face painting kit or professional face painting kit and where to easily buy it all!
Best Face Painting Kits

Snake face paint

Being asked to paint a snake in your professional career is pretty much guaranteed, but how it turns out is not… It’s a striking and fierce animal that clients assume is easy to paint, but without the right techniques it can come out pretty bland.

Using stencils and shading well to add the scaly texture and create a more complex and dynamic image will help your art convey the mysterious and dangerous nature of these creatures.

four people wearing different snake face paint designs

a man and three children wearing different snake face paint designs

So many artists paint snakes as easy beginner face paint with a big squiggly one stroke body. Sometimes even as we improve our skills, we get stuck in what worked for us and forget to try something new. These fierce full face snake face paint designs are seriously worth trying though.

six different people wearing snake face paint design over their whole faces

 

 

 

 

Turtle face paint

Raise your hand if you’ve ever googled “turtle face paint ideas” during an event! Me too. And let’s just say if you weren’t hoping for a mutant ninja turtle, the results may have been a bit disappointing. These turtle designs won’t let you down.

two women and two girls wearing different turtle face paint designs

a woman and three girls wearing different turtle face paint designs

 

Lizard face paint (gecko)

Lizard designs are a great place to add humor to your face paint options. While a realistic 3D spider has a very creepy vibe, a lizard with a good shadow to give it a 3D effect can be very funny! And don’t even get me started about what those long tongues could get up to in a little boy’s nose…

a man and five children wearing different lizard face painting designs

Crocodile / Alligator face paint

Perspective and placement can be so fun with crocodile face paint designs! Aligning the crocodile mouth with a child’s mouth is a favorite face paint design for boys, but the crocodile eating his eye is sure to delight as well.

four images of different age people with four different crocodile face paint designs

Dinosaur face paint (trex, triceratops)

No one will be surprised to learn that dinosaur face paint is one of the most popular face paint for boys. If your’e a professional face painter, you will need several good dinosaur designs you can paint on the job, and we have many styles to inspire you whatever your skill and style!

six images, three men and three boys wearing different dinosaur face painting designs

T-rex is the most well-known and popular dinosaur for face paint, and most kids will choose a mean T-rex with scary, sharp teeth. But every once in awhile a child will want a dinosaur that’s cute, friendly, or even cool.

four boys wearing different cartoony dinosaur face painting designs

If you have the time, don’t be afraid to do full face dino face paint. It’s a really epic and fun look, and it works really well with triceratops face paint designs too.

six images of people wearing different dinosaur face paint designs

 

More Dinosaur face paint video tutorials to check out:

 

Dragon face paint

Maybe a dragon isn’t the most traditional reptile in the real world, but in the face painting world it’s the most popular of them all!

There’s a lot of interplay between dragons and other reptiles we’ve covered here, and with fantasy creatures you can get creative and play to your own strengths. Mix and match elements of your favorite designs to create a fearsome dragon face paint that’s all your own.

two men, a woman and three children wearing different dragon face paint designs

six people wearing different dragon face paint designs

four images of different dragon face paint designs

 

 

 

More Dragon face paint Video Tutorials:

Ocean Animals Face Paint Ideas

Under the sea themed birthday parties are all the rage! Especially for little girl mermaid parties. But, what about all the little boys and girls that don’t want to be mermaids? Well, there’s loads of under the sea animal face paint ideas that can delight kids and adults alike! These are some of the most popular Ocean animal face paints that kids request: shark, dolphin, fish, octopus, and turtle!

Shark face paint (baby shark)

Placing sharks near dinosaurs, and crocodiles is no accident. Some of the most popular placements for these toothy predators work wonderfully for shark face paint too! This is also very popular boy face paint request. Here’s some inspiration to help you capture the strength and power of this iconic ocean predator.

4 design versions of shark face paintings on a man, two children and a woman

six different people wearing different shark face paint designs

Cartoon characters are also a fun direction to go with shark face paint and a perfect chance to add some humor to your art.

four different people wearing different shark face paint designs

 

More shark face paint tutorials on Youtube and Instagram:

 

Dolphin face paint

Painting dolphins with one-stroke technique is one of the fastest animal designs and can be done in under 2 minutes by many professional artists! This easy and simple face paint idea is also graceful and beautiful and a favorite for girls.

a woman and three children wearing different dolphin face paint designs

a man, woman and two children wearing different dolphin face paint designs

 

 

 

Fish face paint

Many kids will love the recognizable characters of Nemo or Dory, but other ways to appeal to kids with fish face paint include bright colors, fun patterns, and glitter. A scales stencil is an easy and fast way to add texture, but if you don’t have one, you can paint beautiful scales with your linework! The sparkly shimmer of fine or chunky glitter is also perfect to create the beautiful effect of water sparkling on shiny scales.

seven different fish face painting designs on six children

 

Octopus face paint

Octopus is another wonderful option for getting playful, silly, and even funny with your designs. But that’s not the only way you can go with this request. A monstrous or angry octopus can also be a crowd pleaser! Know your audience and adjust the expression and color to win over your crowd.

four face painting designs of an octopus, three are purple and one is a red octopus

four different images of various octopus face paint design

 

 

Bird Face Paint Ideas

Bird face paint is such a fun category with so much variation that there really is something for every person (and most holidays!) within this feathery bunch. Whether you’re face painting a Christmas penguin, a pair of swans for Valentine’s, or a noble eagle for American Independence Day, we’ve gathered inspiration for you! Find even more popular bird face paint ideas below!

Penguin face paint

Penguin face paint is a wonderful design in winter and all year. Penguins are so cute and playful, and the simple colors and smooth shapes are also very beginner friendly. While penguins are traditionally black and white, definitely offer color variations to keep the option fun and fresh any time of year!

six penguin face painting designs on children and women

 

 

Owl face paint

Owls can be elegant and glamorous or cute and cuddly depending on your style. Owls make especially wonderful mask designs, as seen below. But if masks aren’t your cup of tea, there’s plenty of other options for owl face paint. Don’t limit your creativity!

four people wearing different owl face paint designs

Notice that if you capture the features of an owl well (large round eyes and head, small pointy ears and beak) you can use any color and still create a recognizable owl face paint!

two women and two girls wearing different owl face pain designs

 

 

Swan face paint

Swan face paint is especially popular for little girls and pairs nicely with a crown for swan princess face art! Swans are often painted in pairs because they are a symbol of love in many cultures. Swan face paint is a great starting place for beginners because they are also quite simple to paint! More advanced painters will love how beautifully they pair with linework like in these crowns and masks.

a woman and three girls wearing different swan face paint designs

two women and two girls wearing different swan face paint designs

 

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Peacock face paint

Peacock face paint for girls and women is also a wonderful place to show off your skill with linework. Consider using one strokes with greens, blues, and purples for creating their vibrant and colorful feathers quickly on the job. Be wary of one-strokes that place purple right next to yellow, as the mixture will form a muddy brown color.

a woman and five girls wearin different designs of peacock face paintings

three women and a child with different peacock face paint designs

 

 

Flamingo face paint

Flamingo face paint is perfect for summer and also for any girl whose favorite color is pink! These birds pair nicely with tropical flowers and leaves, and even beachy sunsets.

four girls with different flamingo face paint designs

four different flamingo face paint designs on 4 people

 

Eagle face paint

Eagles have a fierceness that makes them perfect for boys and men. They pair nicely with tribal lines. These birds are also a popular 4th of July face paint for the US Independence Day celebration!

a man and three boys wearing different eagle face paint designs

 

 

 

Parrot face paint

Parrot face paint is another wonderful design to play with your bright and vibrant face paint colors. It’s perfect for a colorful, happy boy face paint design, and for girls too.

four women and two girls wearing different parrot face paint designs

To get bright and vibrant designs like these, you need the highest quality paints. We’ve compiled a guide to the best face paint brands on the market to help you build your perfect face painting kit.Face Paint Buying Guide

Toucan face paint

I was amazed by how cute Toucan face paint is when done well. It pairs so well with the jungle leaves and tropical flowers, and their colors are bold and vibrant. If you love painting bright birds like parrots and flamingos, you’ve got to try Toucans.

three women and a girl wearing different tucan face paint designs

Other Bird face paint ideas

There are so many stunning birds and ways to incorporate them into face paint. The head, beak, and wings shapes are easy to adapt once you’ve learned them, and the variations for color are endless. Here are some more ideas for different types of birds you may want to face paint (like robins and hummingbirds).

five women and a girl with bird face paint designs

six women wearing different bird face painting designs

 

Insects & More Face Paint Ideas

Bug face paint may not sound exciting and colorful, but don’t discount these little guys. Arachnids (spiders and scorpions) are very popular with boys and teens, while bees and ladybugs make a lovely compliment to flowers. And, of course, the most popular face paint of all: Butterfly!

Bee face paint

Bumblebee face paint is such a cute pairing with flowers, but it doesn’t have to be girly. Many children learn about bees in school and know that bumblebee conservation and support is really important. Being enthusiastic about these incredible creatures is one of the ways children support those conservation efforts! Whether they want mean, cute, realistic, or cartoony bee face paint, there are great ways to make bees the subject of their designs.

four different bee face paint designs presented on a woman and three children

four bee face paint designs. two are black and yellow, one is blue and one is purple

Ladybug face paint

Ladybug face paint has it’s strength in the stunning color contrast of a red ladybug with green leaves and plants around it. It’s an opportunity to use red and green together for a summer face paint design that’s sweet and cute.

two women and two girls with different ladybug face paint designs

Scorpion face paint

Scorpion face paint is very impressive, but also simple enough for even beginners to master! For kids who may be wary of having paint on their face, you can offer a scorpion design with confidence that the shape will work well as an arm design too.

six different people wearing different scorpion face paint designs

Here’s a fun fact about scorpions that you can share with your clients: they are not insects, they’re arachnids like spiders.

 

 

Butterfly face paint

Butterfly face paint is one of the most popular face paint designs in the whole world. It’s such a flattering shape on the face, when done well. If you need help with butterfly face painting, then today is the day to rescue your poor butterfly art and make friends with it. Check out these 3 secrets to mastering your butterflies!

Full face butterfly face paint designs:

a woman and five children with different colored butterfly face paint designs

Want to feel confident about your butterflies? This Easy One-Stroke Butterfly step-by-step by Elodie Ternois is beginner friendly, but flawless enough to look advanced! It’s a great starting place for anyone who wants to try one-stroke outlining for quick, colorful butterflies!

 

Rainbow butterflies are an especial favorite, especially when they look this beautiful. Practice along with this Rainbow Butterfly Face Paint tutorial so you can offer it on-the-job and delight your clients!

 

Half face butterfly face paint designs:

six different versions of a butterfly face pain designs

Small butterfly face paint designs:

four girls with four different butterfly face paint designs

 

 

 

More butterfly face paint video tutorials on Instagram and Youtube:

 

Caterpillar and other bugs face paint

Insects and bugs can be a lot of fun for kids. At that age, it’s fun to interact with anything smaller than you. And bugs are a way to explore and be a part of the outside world that kids love! So, don’t be surprised if you get asked for a snail face paint (I have!) and don’t be afraid to adapt your butterfly to a dragonfly.

two girls with flowers face paintings and two women with caterpillar face paint designs

Also, if you want to check out a quick and easy design that can be a blast to paint, these caterpillar face paint designs are so beginner-friendly with a round dauber.

 

 

Holiday Animal Face Paint Ideas

Many holidays have animals included in the celebration, which is a treat for face painters as animals are very popular in face paint for kids and adults! When you make themed menus for holidays, be sure to include some animal designs whatever the season.

Bunny face paint for Easter (Easter bunny & rabbit)

Easter is an incredibly popular time for face paint, and bunnies are the animal mascot for this season. When creating an Easter face painting menu, add a few different bunny designs for kids to choose from! A bunny ear design or bunny mask as well as bunny art dressed up with linework, flowers, or rainbows will help you create a full menu while staying true to the Easter theme your client has requested.

six girls wearing different bunny face paint designs

a girl with a cat face paint design on her face
This colorful, spring bunny by Shawna Fae has everything! Flowers, spring colors, rainbow, a heart nose, lipstick and the cutest big teeth! Learn the process for how to create this design including the rainbow ears and eye shadow in the tutorial!

a man and fice women wearing bunny face paint designs

a woman and three girls with cute bunny face paint designs

While sometimes you’ll have plenty of time for the details, these last ones are some great quick bunny face paint designs for the festival with long lines.

four girls with bunny ears face paint designs

 

More Easter Bunny face paint ideas on Instagram:

 

Spider & Bat face paint for Halloween

Halloween and face paint go together like paints and brushes. Bats and spiders are a great way to offer something spooky and creepy that isn’t bloody or gruesome. Spiders are also a great boy design for the rest of the year as well! If you’re putting together a Halloween face painting menu and want to know what to offer this season, check out our popular and amazing face paint ideas for Halloween for kids and for adults!

a woman and five children with different spider face paintings

six different cartoony face paint designs

 

More Spider and Bat face paint video tutorials from Instagram:

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If you’re in the spooky season, you’ve got to check out our Ultimate Halloween Face Painting Ideas Guide for hundreds more quality face painting designs for kids and adults!

Turkey face paint for Thanksgiving

While turkeys aren’t a popular bird all year, they do have their time in the spotlight for Thanksgiving! If you’re painting for Thanksgiving this year, be sure to check out our complete Thanksgiving Face Paint Ideas Guide.

three women and three children with different thanksgiving turkey face paint designs

Reindeer face paint for Christmas

Reindeer are the unicorns of Christmas. They represent magic and kindness in true Christmas spirit, and they are a top face paint request for both boys and girls this season! We’ve got several cute reindeer designs to share with you here! But if you’re painting this Christmas season, don’t miss our complete guide of Christmas face paint ideas for adults and kids.

three women and three girls wearing different designs of reindeer face paint

a woman looking at the camera with a reindeer face pain on her
Ready for a step-by-step? By now, you probably know we have dozens of incredible tutorials on our blog for designs from leading artists and face painting instructors! And you bet right if you guessed we have a great tutorial for this Cute and Easy Reindeer Face Paint.

 

 

Animal Print Eye Design Face Paint Ideas

When you face paint children, parents and older siblings are often nearby. It’s a compliment to your skill when your art inspires them to want to join in the fun! Most adults will shy away from a full face outside of Halloween, but love eye designs like these. Animal print can be beautiful and sophisticated or fierce and intense, and it’s a favorite of adults and teens. These designs are also great quick face paint animal designs for anyone in your line.

Snake & Dragon Eye face paint

This face paint is a favorite for teen boys! Painting the dragon eye over their eyelid absolutely blows their mind. You are sure to get some extra big kids in line if you offer this epic take on a dragon or snake face paint!

six people with different lizard face paint designs

 

Tiger Stripes and Leopard/Cheetah Print eye design face paint

You may be excited to learn that these animal textures that you have nailed for popular kids designs are also great for fast and popular adult designs! The glitter really makes this look. You can go crazy with, fine glitter, chunky glitter, and glitter gel, and you’ll make some mom feel totally gorgeous.

a man and five women wearing cheetah and tiger eye face paint designs

Is glitter a fabulous new world for you? Learn more about all the glitter options for fabulous festival looks here and here! Even if you’re an experienced pro face painter, you may learn something about glitter and bling that you didn’t know before. Go check it out! ;)a banner with a caption "Festival Glitter part 1: types of glitter and adhesives"a banner with a caption "Festival Glitter part 2: shopping guide & offerings"

 

 

 

Feather and Zebra Print Eye Designs face paint

Though not as popular as the wild cats, these two last two animal textures can be very elegant and glamorous, especially when you glam them up with glitter and gold. It’s all very black tie affair. So, if you’re looking for fancy adult eye designs for a wedding, masquerade, or dress up occasion, look no further. Zebra and Peacock eye designs will steal the show!

six girls with face paintings on their eyes. three have zebra face paintings and three have peacock

 

 

 

What an amazing trip through the animal kingdom of face painting!

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Learn how to take the best of a design you like and use it to inspire your own unique artwork! It’s a chance to get to know yourself as an artist while you build the skill of viewing inspiration like an innovator.

Want more quality designs like this one? Get inspired by designs, tutorials, and videos from top face painters from all over the world in our Ultimate Face Painting Ideas Guide!
Face paint ideas guide with a preview of seven different designs

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