Tree spirits are part of the folklore of many tribes and cultures.
Whether you are creating a tree costume to wear for a party or a theater production, or are planning to dress as a scary tree for Halloween, you will need to decorate your face to blend with your costume. If you have time, you may want to consider making a mask. However painting your face to look like tree bark is another good option, although it may take a little practice to create the desired effect.
Instructions
1. Search online for pictures of tree bark to use as reference while you are working. Decide whether you want to create a naturalistic or a cartoon-type tree bark effect.
2. Tie back long hair or secure short hair away from your face with a hairband so that it doesn't interfere with your makeup.
3. Apply a base coat of medium brown paint over your whole face and the front of your neck using a soft sponge moistened with a little water. Dip one side of the sponge into the face paint and smooth it over your face as evenly as possible, covering all parts of your face, including your lips and eyelids.
4. Load the large brush with dark brown paint and draw wavy vertical lines of varying thickness down your face to represent the patterns of the tree bark. Add some horizontal lines and some knots in the wood. Draw around your facial features with the dark brown paint to emphasize them, shading the sides of your nose, your cheeks and your eyebrows. Add crinkles at the corner of your eyes if you want to.
5. Add highlights using the fine brush loaded with light brown paint. Blend the colors together using the brush or the edge of the sponge. Use touches of black paint to darken shadows.
6. If you are painting a scary tree face, use black face paint to darken your eye sockets and paint on a large, scary mouth.
Tips Warnings
Moisten the sponge with water before dipping it in the face paint.
Spray the surface of the face paint with a fine mist of water to help achieve even coverage.
Test the face paint on a small patch of skin before applying it to sensitive skin.
Do not apply face paint to broken skin.
