Face Paint a Clown

Clowns are comic performers that are easily identified by their stylistic makeup, brightly colored wigs, humorous outfits and comedic antics. Part of the process of becoming a clown is the application of the stylistic makeup. While every clown face is unique, there is a unified and specific way to apply the face paint. To learn how to face paint a clown, follow these steps.

Steps

Classic Clown

1. Draft an outline on your face. The classic, auguste-style clown is they type you see at circuses. Auguste clowns have exaggerated makeup and are clumsy and bumbling, using on physical comedy to get audiences to laugh. To create an auguste look, map out the following plan to exaggerate your eyes, mouth and nose by using a black grease pencil to create outlines on your face.
   • Draw domes over your eyes. Start about half an inch from the outside corner of one eye, draw a dome whose peak ends somewhere between your eyebrow and your hairline, and end the dome at the inner corner of the same eye. Make a dome of the same size around the other eye.
   • Draw an exaggerated smile on your lower face. Start under your nose, and draw a line that curves up past your nostril and just under the apple of your cheek. Swoop the line down to create a big loop at your chin, then bring it up past your mouth, under the apple of the other cheek, and end just under your nose. The shape should resemble a big, exaggerated, open-mouthed smile.
2. Fill in the outlines with white paint. Spread a layer of white base makeup inside the eye and smile outlines using a makeup sponge. The makeup should fully obscure your eyebrows. Evenly distribute the makeup inside the penciled outlines so that those areas seem to pop.
   • If you want a less traditional look, you can use a color other than white to fill in the outlines. Go for yellow or a light pastel color to make your features stand out.
   • Using black, purple, blue, or another dark-colored paint to fill in the outlines can also have a dramatic effect. If you choose this route, you'll want to invert the rest of the color scheme, too, to create a balance overall look and make sure each component is visible.
   • Consider setting your base makeup. This is done with theatrical face powder and a powder puff; the powder holds the makeup in place all day long. Use powder that matches the paint you are setting.
     • Pour approximately 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) of theatrical face powder on to the powder puff. Rub both sides of the powder puff together until it appears that the face powder has disappeared within the powder puff.
     • Pat the powder puff on your face until the entire area covered with base makeup has been in contact with the powder puff.
3. Use black paint to define the eyebrows. Dip an application brush in black face paint. Run the brush from the bottom of the dome at the outer edge of your eye, up to the forehead, and back to the inner corner of your eye. Make the line as thin or as thick as you want. Repeat on the other side to define the other eyebrow.
   • Some Auguste clowns 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, at the bottom of the dome.
   • If you filled in the eye area with a dark paint color, instead of using white, use white or another bright color to define the eyebrows.
4. Outline the smile and mouth. Dip the applicator brush in black paint again, and this time use it to trace around the exaggerated smile shape you created. Make a thick line all the way around the shape. Try to make it symmetrical so that it looks the same on both sides.
5. Rouge the cheeks, lips and nose. Use a clean makeup sponge to dab red paint lightly on the apples of your cheeks, above the black outline you made. Dab more red paint on the tip of your nose. When it dries, add a second layer so that it really stands out. Lastly, use red paint or lipstick to make your lips red as cherries.
   • Some clowns use black paint on their lips instead of red.
   • If you'd like, you can wear a red rubber or foam nose, but painting it red is perfectly acceptable.
6. Correct any smudges. Check out your clown face in the mirror. If you see spots 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 makeup.

Character Clown

1. Choose a character. Character clowns are simply clowns that look like exaggerated versions of people, stereotypes, or emotions. For example, the classic "sad clown" look is a type of character clown. You could also be a perplexed clown, an angry clown, a doctor clown, or a sexy clown - you get the picture.
2. Make your face into a canvas. Spread a thin layer of white base makeup on your face. Use the makeup sponge to evenly distribute the white base makeup to all areas of your face, covering your eyebrows as well. Most clowns will stop the application of the base makeup at their hairline, slightly below the jaw line and right in front of the earlobes.
   • Even out inconsistencies in the base makeup. Take a closer look at your base makeup and retouch any areas that have more or less makeup on them by patting them with the makeup sponge.
   • Remember to set your base makeup using theatrical face powder and a powder puff.
3. Create exaggerated features. Based on the character you have chosen to become, apply different colors of makeup and makeup designs to areas of your face you want to highlight.
   • If you're going to be a sad clown, choose a color to outline a frown around your mouth and down to your chin. Sad clowns often have black paint on the bottom half of their face, around the mouth, to indicate that they are unshaven.
   • If you want to be a perplexed clown, draw a thick, cocked eyebrow on your forehead, and a regular eyebrow on the other side.
   • To be a sexy clown, draw exaggerated black eyelashes above and blow your eyes, and use red to make large, luscious lips.
4. Set your makeup each time you add a color. Patting the powder puff on each different colored area will ensure the colors won't run together.
5. Smooth or fill in any inconsistencies. Double check your clown makeup to make sure the lines are sharp and the colors aren't bleeding into the surrounding makeup.

Pierrot Clown

1. Paint your face white. Pierrot clowns are sophisticated, quiet, and tend to be dressed elegantly, with features that are understated instead of exaggerated. They look like ghosts. Their makeup usually involves a full face of white paint with delicate colors. The first step is to paint your entire face white, from the top of your forehead to below your chin, and from earlobe to earlobe. Be sure your eyebrows are covered. Set the paint using powder and a puff.
2. Outline your eyes with black. Make your eyes look hollowed by rimming them with black paint. Line the top and bottom of your eyes and paint your eyelids black. Use mascara to cover your eyelashes in black, too.
3. Paint small features in black. Dip your applicator brush in black paint and make a pair of small, downward-sweeping eyebrows about an inch above your real eyebrows. The eyebrows should give you the appearance of being sad and serious. You can use the black paint to create other small features, like a black teardrop flowing from one or both eyes. Some people simply draw a black dot on both cheeks.
4. Make your lips red. Use lipstick or red paint to make a small, rose-colored mouth, about half the length of your real lips. You can also lightly rouge your cheeks or make a defined red dot on each one.

Tips

• Use two different theatrical face powders when patting your makeup base and colors. When patting your makeup base, use white powder. When patting your colored areas, use a face powder that has a neutral color.
• For application of makeup in smaller areas, use a paintbrush or cotton swab.
• If you have any facial hair, shave it off before applying any makeup.

Warnings

• Don't forget or skip the setting of your makeup. Not setting your makeup will tend to soften it and the colors will start to blend together. This will create a melting effect on your face.

Things You'll Need

• Makeup sponge
• White makeup base
• Theatrical face powder
• Colored cream liner clown makeup
• Powder puff
• Paintbrush
• Cotton swabs

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Your Own Face Paint
• Face Paint
• Paint a Face Like Spiderman