Kids Face Paint- Clown Face
Clown face ideas for kids face paint fun don’t need to be complicated. We’ve created some simple versions of the classic face paint styles used by the professionals so you can bring the circus to town!
Classic Clown Face Paint
There are several classic clown styles we are used to seeing on stage. The ‘Auguste’ style is the traditional circus clown. Begin with white (or another very light colour) over the eyes in a large arched-window or dome shape, extending well into the forehead and completely covering the eyebrows. Next a huge white smile is applied to the lower face. Outline both shapes in black. Make a vertical black line running from just above the upper eyelid, down the middle of the eyelid, and ending about half an inch below the eye. Complete the mouth by drawing a dark outline of a smile shape around the mouth (within the larger white mouth shape). Fill this in with bright red. Finish the face by brushing on red blush to the apples of the cheeks and adding a red nose. Now you are ready to squirt water at anyone who sniffs your plastic flowers!
Character Clown Face Paint
Character clowns are simply exaggerated versions of people, like the classic "sad clown". Let your child’s mood guide you! Start with a blank canvas of white face paint all over the face, from hairline to just below the jaw. Create exaggerated features, based on the character or emotion you are portraying.
For a traditional sad clown, blend black with the white face paint on the lower half of the face to produce an unshaven look. Leave the area around the mouth clear for a downturned smile in white (outlined in black), with a smaller red downturned smile inside it. Fill the eye sockets with bright blue or green and add sad eyebrows and perhaps a tear or two. A red nose completes the face.
Whiteface or Pierrot Face Paint
French mime, Marcel Marceau is a well known example of a whiteface clown. Their makeup usually involves a full face of white paint with very little colour or just a few understated features.
The first step is to paint the entire face white, ensuring eyebrows are covered. Hollow out the eyes by rimming them with black paint. Add a pair of small eyebrows about an inch above the real eyebrows. Use black to create other small features, like a teardrop flowing from one or both eyes. Some people simply draw a black or red dot on both cheeks. Make a small red pout about half the length of your child’s real lips to finish the design.
Top Tips
Top tip 1: If you see areas that look smudged or uneven, use a sponge and a little water to wipe away the paint in that area. Dab the area dry with a towel, then reapply the face paint.
Top tip 2: Using lots of dark colours, especially in the eye area, can quickly transform your amusing clown face into something quite sinister. Unless you are going for a Joker-style scary clown, best to avoid heavy eye makeup!
Top tip 3: Clown face paint is usually quite thick and can take a bit of work to remove. Using a kids face paint product that comes off easily (like Pure Poppet’s natural play makeup will make clean up time easier.
