Cross with a palm frond on each sideBrown, green. A plain cross on the cheek; a green palm frond curves up on each side of it. John 12:13.
Cross with a heart where the bars meetBrown, red. A plain cross on the cheek with one small red heart painted over the point where the two bars meet.
FAITH with a cross for the letter TAny one color. The word in capitals across the cheek, the letter T drawn as a small cross a little taller than the rest.
Cross of six fingertip dotsAny one color. Four fingertip dots in an upright line on the cheek and one on each side of the second dot: no brush.
Cross outlined in white over a color fadeWhite, pink, orange. Sponge a pink-to-orange fade in a cross shape on the cheek, then outline it in thin white.
Cross with a green sprout at its footBrown, green. A plain cross on the cheek with a green sprout of two leaves on each side of its foot.
Cross with a heart where the bars meetBrown, red. A plain cross on the cheek with one small red heart painted over the point where the two bars meet.
Cross with a palm frond on each sideBrown, green. A plain cross on the cheek; a green palm frond curves up on each side of it. John 12:13.
Cross with a purple cloth over its barBrown, purple. A brown cross on the cheek; a purple cloth hangs in a curve from one arm of the bar to the other.
Cross with a sunrise behind itYellow, orange, brown. A half sun sponged low on the cheek; a brown cross stands in front of it, short rays above.
Cross with rays in its four cornersGold, white. A gold cross on the cheek; three short white rays fan out in each of the four corners between its arms.
Cross wrapped in a flowering vineBrown, green, pink. A brown cross on the cheek; a green vine winds around the upright with three pink blossom dots.
FAITH with a cross for the letter TAny one color. The word in capitals across the cheek, the letter T drawn as a small cross a little taller than the rest.
Matching small cross on each cheekAny one color. One small plain cross on the apple of each cheek, the same size and the same height.
Mosaic cross of small colored squaresAny four colors. Small squares set side by side build the cross on the cheek, five up and three across, colors in turn.
Plain cross on the cheek, upright longer than the barBrown or any color. One upright stroke on the cheek and a shorter bar across it a third of the way down, flat brush.
Small cross on the back of the handAny one color. For a child who will not have a painted face: a plain cross on the back of the hand, top to the wrist.
Three crosses on a green hillGreen, brown. A low green hill along the cheek's lower edge; three small crosses on its crest, the middle one tallest.
Doves, fish and lambs 14
Dove above three wave linesWhite, blue. Three blue wave lines on the lower cheek; a white dove with open wings just above them. Matthew 3:16.
Dove in three strokesWhite, orange. One teardrop stroke for the body and two curved strokes for raised wings on the cheek; an orange beak.
Dove with an olive leaf in its beakWhite, green, gray. A white dove in flight on the cheek, wings up, one green leaf in its beak. Genesis 8:11.
Fish outline with a small cross insideBlue, white. The two-arc fish on the cheek with a tiny white cross where its middle would be.
Fishing boat with a net over the sideBrown, white, blue. A small boat with one sail on a wave line; a net hangs from its side into the water. Matthew 4:19.
Five loaves and two fish in a basketTan, brown, blue. A small basket on the cheek holding five round loaves and two blue fish. John 6:9.
Huge fish under a small boatBlue, dark blue, brown. A wave line across the cheek, a small boat on top and one huge fish below it. Jonah 1:17.
Lamb lying down beside a shepherd's crookWhite, black, brown. A lamb with its legs tucked under on the cheek, woolly loops for a coat, a tall crook. John 10:11.
Net full of fishBrown, blue, silver gray. A net of crossing lines hangs on the cheek, fish heads and tails poking through. John 21:11.
One found sheep with a heart above itWhite, black, red. One sheep on the cheek looking back over its shoulder, a small red heart above its head. Luke 15:4.
Shepherd's crook on its ownBrown. One tall line on the cheek that bends over into a hook at the top. Psalm 23:1.
Sleeping lamb curled under one starWhite, black, yellow. A lamb curled up asleep on the cheek, one yellow star above it. Luke 2:8.
Three fish outlines swimming toward the earAny three colors. Three small two-arc fish in a row along the cheekbone, all facing the ear, each a different color.
Two-arc fish, the old Christian signAny one color. Two curved lines on the cheek meet at one end and cross at the other to leave a tail: a fish outline.
Rainbows and arks 14
Ark door open, a lion looking outBrown, yellow, orange. The side of the ark with its door open; a lion's face and mane fill the doorway.
Ark on the water under a rainbowBrown, blue, rainbow colors. A boat with a house on its deck floats on a wave line, a rainbow over it. Genesis 9:13.
Ark resting on a mountain topBrown, gray, green. A small ark sits on a gray peak on the cheek, green at the mountain's foot. Genesis 8:4.
Ark under a rain cloudBrown, gray, blue. An ark on a wave line under one gray cloud; seven blue drops fall between them.
Ark window with a dove on the sillBrown, white, blue. A square window in brown planks on the cheek, blue sky inside it, a dove perched on the sill.
Ark with an animal in each round windowBrown, mixed colors. A long ark on the cheek with four round windows; a different animal face looks out of each.
Dove flying back to the ark with a leafBrown, white, green. A small ark on the cheek; a dove above it carries a green leaf toward the window. Genesis 8:11.
Pair of elephants walking up the rampGray, brown. Two small elephants, one behind the other, walk up a ramp line toward the ark's open door. Genesis 7:9.
Rainbow over the word PROMISERainbow colors, any dark color. A small rainbow on the cheek with PROMISE lettered in capitals under it.
Rainbow over three wave linesRainbow colors, blue. Three blue wave lines on the lower cheek and a rainbow arching from one end of them to the other.
Rainbow with a dove flying over itRainbow colors, white. A small rainbow on the cheek, a white dove in three strokes above its highest point.
Three animal pairs in a line, big to smallMixed colors. Two elephants, two sheep and two mice in a line along the cheekbone, each pair side by side. Genesis 7:9.
Three-shape ark: hull, cabin and roofBrown, red. A half circle hull on the cheek, a square cabin on it and a triangle roof: three shapes and one wave line.
Two giraffes looking out over the ark's roofBrown, yellow, blue. A wooden ark on the cheek; two spotted giraffe necks stick up side by side through the roof.
Hearts and stars 14
Angel holding up a starWhite, yellow. A triangle robe, a round head and two wings on the cheek; a yellow star held above its head.
FAITH HOPE LOVE stacked beside one heartAny color, red. The three words in small capitals one above the other, a red heart after the last. 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Heart circled by HE FIRST LOVED USRed, any dark color. A red heart on the cheek, the four words in small capitals curving around it. 1 John 4:19.
Heart with a dove insideRed, white. A red heart outline on the cheek with a small white dove, wings up, inside it.
Heart with a small wing on each sideRed, white. A red heart on the cheek with one small white feathered wing on each side of it.
Morning star low over a hillYellow, green. A green hill line low on the cheek; one bright star just above it, short rays around. Revelation 22:16.
Red heart with a white cross in its middleRed, white. A solid red heart on the cheek with a small white cross painted in its middle.
Small round earth with a heart on itBlue, green, red. A round blue earth on the cheek, green land shapes on it, one red heart over the middle.
Star in three crossing strokesYellow, white. One upright stroke and two slanted ones cross at one point on the cheek; a white dot where they meet.
Star over the word SHINEYellow, any dark color. A five-point star on the cheek, SHINE lettered under it in capitals. Matthew 5:16.
Star standing over a small houseYellow, brown. A small flat-roofed house low on the cheek, one bright star straight above its roof. Matthew 2:9.
Star with one long ray reaching downYellow, white. A four-point star on the temple with its lowest ray drawn long, down to the cheekbone. Matthew 2:9.
Three crowns under one bright starGold, purple, yellow. Three small crowns in a row on the cheek, one bright star above the middle one.
Yellow star with light lines between its pointsYellow, white. A five-point star on the cheek, a white dot at its center, a short line of light between the points.
How it works
These cross face painting ideas are 57 Christian designs for a cheek: 15 crosses, 14 doves, fish and lambs, 14 rainbows and arks, and 14 hearts and stars. A design drawn from a Bible verse ends with its chapter and verse.
Read the full guide
Easy cross face paint design ideas
The Easy group holds 12. Cross of six fingertip dots needs no brush, Matching small cross on each cheek is four strokes, and Red heart with a white cross in its middle is a heart and two short lines.
Christian face painting ideas beyond the cross
The fish drawn from two crossing arcs is the ichthys, a sign Christians have used since the 2nd century. The dove brings an olive leaf back to the ark in Genesis 8:11, and the rainbow in the cloud is the sign of Genesis 9:13. Star with one long ray reaching down follows Matthew 2:9.
Questions and answers
What are simple Christian face painting ideas for a church fair?
Four from the Easy group, each in one or two colors: Dove in three strokes, Shepherd's crook on its own, Star in three crossing strokes and Cross with a heart where the bars meet.
Where do you paint a cross on a face?
On a cheek, or on the back of a hand for a child who will not have a painted face. This list keeps crosses off the forehead, where many churches mark a cross in ash on Ash Wednesday.
Which Bible verses do the designs come from?
22 lines name one. Genesis 7 to 9 gives the animal pairs, the dove's olive leaf and the rainbow; John 6:9 the five loaves and two fish; Luke 15:4 the lost sheep; Matthew 2:9 the star. References follow the World English Bible.
What paint is used for face painting at a church event?
Face paint sold for use on skin. At a table that paints many children, the US FDA's advice holds for every pot: follow all directions, and if a paint has a very bad smell it may be contaminated, so throw it away.