Many people, having heard the combination of "body art", immediately imagine a naked girl painted with paints. But it is not so. This term covers much more.
What is body art? This is one of the amazing forms of art in which the main body of artists, or even sculptors, is the human body. You may mistakenly think that this is modern avant-garde art, but remember the painted Indians or Papuans with drooping ears, tribes where women have a long neck stretched by putting on rings.
Often, even now you can meet peoples leading a primitive lifestyle, who draw patterns on the body with scarring or insert rings into their nose. Such images were usually religious in nature, drawings on the body were used to perform rituals or indicated belonging to some tribe.
Since the twentieth century, such art has become widely distributed throughout Europe and America. What is body art these days? First, drawings on the body were used as part of actions in the struggle for individual freedom, then they served as a means to stand out from the crowd of peers, to attract universal attention. However, now it is used only as art, for photo shoots and exhibitions, performances and commercials. Painted bodies are found in song clips and commercials on television. There are many types of this art.
In the article, we will consider what body art is, take a closer look, get acquainted with the types of body modifications with the help of various artistic means. You will learn the technique of performing work by specialists, look at body art samples in the photographs.
Body painting or body painting
This is a very bright and colorful direction of body art. The painting on the skin is applied temporarily, so any person would agree to try himself as a model. Fans of football teams paint their faces in the colors of the uniform of their favorite players, at carnivals or festivities street artists for a fee pay on the body of butterflies or a bright ornament. The paintings made on the whole body of the girl by professional artists look very beautiful. Now they are organizing special shows, complementing the views with musical accompaniment and lighting effects.
For drawings on the body using a variety of materials. This is face painting and simple gouache, theatrical makeup or marker for tattooing, glitter and special glue to hold sparkling particles on the skin. The drawing lasts for several hours, and then it is easily washed off with soap. If you want to do body art for a longer period, then use henna. Consider this method in more detail below.
Mehndi or henna drawings
Unlike body painting, henna body painting lasts up to 3 weeks. There was such a body art in eastern countries. Mehndi, or mehendi in another way, has gained popularity around the world. The patterns make thin and graceful, reminiscent of lace.
Natural henna does not cause allergies, in addition, many are afraid to make real tattoos on the body, and it’s easier to try temporary painting. The prepared paste from henna powder is applied with a thin stick or brush, depending on the selected pattern. This type of art is used only by women (body art photo can be viewed above). After drawing the henna should dry. The longer they hold it on the skin, the longer the pattern will remain. Henna is then cleaned dry with any scraper. Do not rinse with water!
Tattoos
Recently, a widespread direction of body art called tattoo. This clogging of the coloring pigment under the skin with a special machine. There are many tattoo artists and salons that perform drawings in different styles. This is realism and old school, geometry and finish, tribal and traditional, engraving and Chicano. You can list for a long time, because a huge number of them were invented. Before going to the master, you need to take care of the sketch, think about the style and place for the drawing on the body.
Although there is now a laser removal of patterns, and tattoos are no longer considered a permanent image on the skin, it is advisable to treat the choice of sketch wisely, take the time to consult with the master. In addition, prepare yourself before applying mentally, since clogging the pigment under the skin is a rather painful procedure.
Looking through the photo of body art in the master’s portfolio, you can see how skillfully he draws lines. Go to a consultation only with trusted tattoos, so as not to get on the table to a novice non-professional.
Piercings
Body jewelry, attached to the skin using specially perforated holes, are called "piercing". If earlier girls pierced themselves one hole in the earlobe to wear earrings, now they make up to 10 holes along the entire edge of the auricle.
Piercing is practiced on other parts of the body. The most popular place is the navel. However, they often pierce the tongue and eyebrow, the skin of the forehead and back, cheeks and even intimate parts of the body. Both women and men are keen on piercing. Such body art is associated with the possibility of allergic reactions, infection with a bacterial or fungal infection and the appearance of scar tissue on the skin. Therefore, think three times before rushing into the cabin to make a hole in the body. Rings, earrings and other jewelry should not cause skin irritation, otherwise the piercing holes will begin to fester.
Implantation
You can decorate the body by attaching implants. Most often they are placed under the skin layer in an operative way. One of the most common operations in the world to change the appearance is breast augmentation.
But some extremes went much further. With the help of artificial inserts, horns are formed, the superciliary arches are increased. Body art of lips is very popular among women. With the help of implants, they make them voluminous and curly.
Body modifications
A special type of body art can distinguish body modifications. Only a few are capable of this, because it will no longer be possible to regain its normal appearance.
Such individuals make huge fangs from their teeth, cut their tongue in half, insert huge tunnels into their earlobes or lower lip, lengthen their ears, giving them the shape of a fairy elf. For such people there is no limit. They combine several types of body art on their body.
In the article we examined in detail what body art is and what its types are most popular in the world.