Face Painting Ideas for Kids: 10 Designs From 1 Paint to 4

A painted mustache was one of the 4 most-picked designs at one school carnival.

The seller behind My Silly Squirts reports that kids at an elementary school carnival chose it, a rainbow, a unicorn and a “67” most often, out of 30 beginner designs.

So the best face painting ideas aren’t the fanciest ones.

Below are 10 designs ranked from fewest paints to most, each with who it suits and the first stroke to make.

Pick by your situation:

• A long line of kids and only black paint on hand points to #1 or #2.
• Little ones who won’t sit still do best with #3 or #4.
• A themed birthday with more time per child fits #9 or #10.

How These Face Painting Ideas Are Ranked

The face painting ideas on this list are ranked by how many paints each design needs, from 1 to 4 or more. Fewer paints means fewer brush changes and a faster line.

A split cake counts as 1 paint here, because it loads several colors onto one brush in a single dip.

Grown-ups after bolder looks can try these face painting ideas for adults.

10 Face Painting Ideas for Kids, From Fewest Paints to Most

1. Painted Mustache

A mustache is a curl of black paint above the lip, and it takes just one loaded brush.

• Best for: any age, boys or girls. Skip it if the child is sniffly.
• Paints: 1 (black).
• First step: Load a round brush and paint a thick center bump, then flick each end up.

Offer 3 styles, like a handlebar, a curly villain twirl and a thin pencil line, so kids get a choice.

2. Cat Nose and Whiskers

A cat face is a black triangle on the nose tip and 3 whisker lines on each cheek.

• Best for: toddlers and shy kids. Skip it if the child wants a big look.
• Paints: 1 (black), with pink optional for the nose.
• First step: Paint the nose triangle first, so the whiskers line up with it.

Add 2 buck teeth for a bunny, or a floppy ear on the forehead for a puppy.

For more 2-color looks, try these black and white face paint ideas.

3. Hearts and Stars

Simple face painting ideas for cheeks start with a single heart or a cluster of stars, painted in one color on one cheek.

• Best for: toddlers and kids who fidget. Skip it if they asked to “be” something.
• Paints: 1 (red, pink or gold).
• First step: Press the brush down and lift it twice to form the 2 halves of a heart.

For more one-cheek designs, browse these easy cheek face painting ideas.

4. Sports Stripes and Team Numbers

Two black stripes under the eyes make an instant football player.

• Best for: sports fans and boys who say no to everything else.
• Paints: 2 (black plus a team color).
• First step: Ask the child’s favorite team or player number before you load the brush.

A soccer ball or basketball on one cheek works too, and both are on the My Silly Squirts beginner sheet.

5. Rainbow and Cloud

A rainbow is one curved swipe of a split cake, finished with a white cloud at each end.

• Best for: girls and boys alike, at almost any age.
• Paints: 2 (rainbow split cake plus white).
• First step: Dip a flat brush straight down into the split cake so every stripe loads.

The rainbow was one of those 4 carnival favorites. Sweep it from the cheekbone toward the temple, then dab on the clouds.

6. Superhero Eye Mask

A superhero mask is a band of color across the eyes in the hero’s colors: red for Spider-Man, black for Batman.

• Best for: kids who can keep their eyes closed for a few seconds.
• Paints: 2 (red and black, or black and yellow).
• First step: Sponge the mask shape on, then outline it with the round brush.

The idea index for boys at the International Face Painting School runs from superheroes and tigers to dinosaurs and pirates.

Learn the mask shape once, then change the colors for each hero.

7. Princess Crown

A princess crown is 3 teardrop points across the forehead, with dots and glitter on top.

• Best for: kids who want to “be” a princess or a queen.
• Paints: 2 (pink or purple plus white), and cosmetic glitter if you have it.
• First step: Paint the tallest teardrop in the center, then a smaller one on each side.

Face painter Gail Mayer finds that kids usually want to be something, like a princess, a pirate or an animal.

A crown does that with almost no blending.

8. Butterfly Wings

Butterfly wings are 2 large teardrops above each eye and 2 smaller ones below, with a black body down the nose.

• Best for: kids who can sit still for a couple of minutes.
• Paints: 3 (two wing colors plus black).
• First step: Sponge the upper wings on first, keeping both sides the same height.

The wings look hard, but they’re only 4 teardrops and some dots. Swap the colors for a fairy mask.

9. Tiger Face

A tiger is an orange sponge base, a white muzzle and black stripes that come in from the edges.

• Best for: boys and girls who want a full face. Skip it if the line is long.
• Paints: 3 (orange, white and black).
• First step: Sponge orange over the forehead and cheeks, leaving the eyelids and mouth area bare.

Flick each stripe from the outer edge in toward the nose. After that, a lion or a wolf face is a few color swaps away.

10. Unicorn

A unicorn is a pastel base, a gold horn on the forehead and a rainbow mane down one side.

• Best for: unicorn fans at a themed birthday with time per child.
• Paints: 4 or more (pastel base, gold, white and a rainbow cake).
• First step: Paint the horn first, in the center of the forehead, so the mane can frame it.

It sits last for its paint count, not its popularity. Swap the mane for scales and you have a dragon face.

Seasonal Swaps for Holidays

Holiday face painting ideas swap the colors, not the shapes: a pumpkin for Halloween, a snowman or reindeer for Christmas and a flag or fireworks for the 4th of July.

A pumpkin cheek is the rainbow swipe in orange, and easy pumpkin makeup takes it further. A sugar skull from the Day of the Dead needs a white base and more time.

For spookier picks, see these Halloween face paint ideas or these full Halloween makeup looks.

How to Pick Designs for a Party or School Event

The best way to pick face painting designs for an event is to choose about 12, show them on a board and let kids point. Gail Mayer, who paints for free at school and church activities, makes a display board of 12 or so designs and asks kids to choose from those.

A short menu stops requests you can’t paint and keeps the line moving.

Mayer also tweaks each design until she can paint it in about 2 minutes. So mix in plenty of #1 to #5, and keep the full faces for when the line is short.

Key Takeaway: Print your 12-design board before the event, and put the 1-paint designs at the top.

What You Need to Start Face Painting

To start face painting, you need water-activated face paint sold for face and body, 1 round brush, 1 flat brush, a few sponges, a cup of water and wipes.

Here’s what each tool does:

• Round brush: lines, whiskers, dots and teardrops.
• Flat brush: rainbows and stripes from a split cake.
• Sponge: smooth base color for masks and full faces.
• Wipes: quick fixes between kids.

Skip craft paint, even if it says washable or non-toxic, because it isn’t made for skin. If you’d rather buy one box, compare these clown makeup kits for a ready-made palette.

When the party ends, use a gentle makeup remover and warm water, and skip hard scrubbing on young skin.