SIMILAR BUSINESSES

From my research i found that the majority of face painting business didn't offer any form of photography especially in the Uk, there were other business in the USA that did offer this service but it was more through the documentation of the day rather than in they way i have chose to do.

Purple Sea Facepainting, a USA based company offering facepainting and photography, below is information taken from their website. For details on pricing you needed to contact them directly.

Purple Sea Facepainting is available for events from large to small, personal or private. We can provide custom designs for parties, personalizing faces to fit the occasion, theme or decorations. All products used for face painting by Purple Sea Facepainting are FDA compliant, including products by Kryolan

What they offer:

• face & bodypainting
• custom temporary tattoos,
• glitter tattoos
• custom henna (mendhi) tattoos
• event photography
• Authorized Dealer of Kryolan Professional Products

FACE- ORGANISATION

An association for face painters to join or where members of the public can find registared face painters...

FACE's homepage:

FACE is the home of the Face Painting Association, an organisation created to improve standards and raise the profile of face painting.

Whether you are a Mum needing a painter for a party, an Agent needing a whole bunch of painters for a national chain of stores, or a Painter who is interested in taking their painting to a new level, we are able to help you find them with our easy to use Post Code Search at the top of each page or our alphabetical Membership List to find your nearest painter.

There website also contains a code of conduct and practice which members must follow.

http://www.facepaint.co.uk/

FACE PAINTING

Face painting is the artistic application of cosmetic "paint" to a person's face. There are special water-based cosmetic "paints" made for face painting; people should ask before having face paints applied what products are being used. Acrylic and tempera craft paints are not meant for use on skin and are not acceptable, nor are watercolor pencils or markers. Products not intended for use on skin can cause a variety of issues ranging from discomfort to severe allergic reactions.^[5] Just because the product is marked "non-toxic" does not mean it is meant to be used on the skin.

From ancient times, it has been used for hunting, religious reasons, and military reasons (such as camouflage and to indicate membership in a military unit). Recent archaeological research shows that Neanderthals had the capability and tools for face painting; although they are no longer considered a direct ancestor of homos sapiens, they lived alongside them in some areas and it is a reasonable assumption that humanity has painted faces and bodies since the very beginning. Although it died out in Western culture after the fall of the French aristocracy, face painting re-entered the popular culture during the hippie movement of the late 1960s, when it was common for young women to decorate their cheeks with flowers or peace symbols at anti-war demonstrations. The popular TV variety show, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, featured bodies painted with comedic phrases and jokes during transitions.

For several decades it has been a common entertainment at county fairs, large open-air markets (especially in Europe and the Americas), and other locations that attract children and adolescents. Face painting is very popular among children at theme parks, parties and festivals throughout the Western world. Though the majority of face painting is geared towards children, many teenagers and adults enjoy being painted for special events, such as charity fund raisers. Face painting is also a part of cosplay practice, and is enjoyed yearly by people who dress up as zombies to dance with the annual worldwide "Thrill the World" event on the Saturday before Halloween.

There are many kinds of face paint, including:

• Designs that include the emblems of favorite sports teams, cartoon characters, and other designs that are "cute" or otherwise appealing to the young.
• Dramatic designs that appeal to all ages.
• Costuming designs which transform the wearer into someone/something completely different, such as Jack Haley's silver face makeup as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.
• 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.

Popular face painting designs include;

• Tiger - This design, in most cases, consists of a body of orange and yellow paint, with black stripes painted on. Details include bushy eyebrows and a muzzle or whiskers, alongside a black painted nose.
• Clown - This design, in most cases, consists of a body of white painting. With shapes and features such as a red nose or bright eyes the model is made to take on the features of a circus clown.
• Spider-Man - This is a body of red paint with white eyes and spider like black patterns on the models face. Similar to that of the mask worn by Spider-Man.
• Dog - Commonly a dalmatian, this design is white with large black spots on the eyes and cheeks. A black nose is added along with whisker pores. A tongue is commonly added to give the effect of the model panting, similar to that of a dog.
• Butterfly - A design consisting of the body of the butterfly being painted on the nose and the wings added across the cheeks. Wing patterns vary.
• Cat - Many designs may feature under this heading. It could be a plain black tabby cat or a wild leopard. Either way, it usually consists of a neutral body of paint with bushy eyebrows and a muzzle.

images sourced from google

'MASKS' - Geisha's

Geisha is a classical art of Japan or in other words it is a makeup that is been implemented by most of the Japanese girls. Traditionally, Geisha makeup is one kind of a white paste that is applied on the face, hands and the neck. Even tiny pout lips are being painted over the lips and the eyes are beautifully trimmed in red color.

Initial step is to use oil or a wax substance known as bintsuke-abura which is usually applied on the skin. Next is to use a paste of white powder mixed in the water and apply it on the skin with a bamboo brush. This white powder paste covers the entire face, chest and neck with almost 3 unwhitened areas that form V shape or W shape left on the nape in order to emphasize the erotic area and in the line of the bare skin that creates false impression of a mask.

A fashion take on the traditional Geisha makeup.

Images of the more traditional Geisha makeup.

CULTURAL FACE PAINTING

Tribal or Cultural Face Painting has been used for many motives. For hunting, religious reasons, and military reasons (mainly as a method of camouflaging) or to scare ones enemy. Several of the Indians' fighting techniques were calculatedto strike terror. Some warriors entered battle naked except for a loin cloth, but their bodies were streaked in bizarre examples in red and black paint. Decorating one's face in various patterns and shapes has been a part of thecultural make-up of many societies since the beginning of time. Face paintingis a common theme across cultures as divergent as the Red Indians in North America and varioustribes in Africa and South America. In Native American Tribes, Face Painting has been used for artistic expression since ancient times. The art of transforming ourselves with make-up and masks is a universal phenomenon. Before we sought to vent our artistic impulse on a cave wall, we painted on our faces and bodies. Indians of the Amazon have said that in this power to change ourselves, we demonstrate our humanity and set ourselves apart from the world of the animals.

Patterns developed over time to signify a variety of cultural events and these, conveyed an emotional meaning that was attached to them. The wide range of patterns that a face painter can create, enhance the emotions and meaning of the cultural events. The patterns can be color specific or randomly geometric seemingly without any significance. The shapes and colors convey a strong bond and meaning amongst people who have a face painting tradition. They are a connection to their past and carry a very strong cultural meaning in their lives.

Significance of the Colors

Colors in Native American culture have special significance. Red is a violent color; it is the color of war. Strangely enough black, which is considered to be an inauspicious colors in most cultures, is the color of ‘living’, worn on the face during war preparations. White predictably is the color of peace. The color green when worn under the eyes is believed to empower the wearer with a night vision. Yellow is the most inauspicious color, it is the color of death, as it is the color of "old bones." Care should be taken not to wear a lot of yellow, and is worn only when a person is in mourning. Also yellow, means a man has lived his life and will fight to the finish. Each Indian tribe has its own and unique way of face painting. Face paintings can be the lightest streak of color on the face. It can also mean covering their faces completely.

OTHER SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

whilst reseaching in to varies photographers i also cam across some of these images on google which i found relevant to the concept i had. unfortunatley i was unable to find the photographers for some of the images.

INSPIRATION - IRWIN OLAF

Erwin Olaf's art visualizes implicitly the unspoken, the overlooked, that typically resist easy documentation. Olaf's trademark is to address social issues, taboos, and bourgeois conventions in a highly stylized and cunning mode of image making. With his razor-sharp aesthetic intuition, Olaf purposely conceals his themes, so that the viewer has to accept the initial concealment in Olaf's photo series. Yet in the end, his unconventional style never misses to deliver dramatic visual and emotional impact.By taking care of the scenic and lightning design, and the utmost perfect composition in his typical, immaculate 'Olafian' way, together with his passion for flawlessly conceiving scenarios, Olaf vividly captures the essence of contemporary life.

http://www.erwinolaf.com/#/biography/