Pine shapes standing along the beard's top edgeDark green, black. Small pine shapes stand along the beard's upper edge, tallest by the ears.
Fine-line wave with three dotsBlue, white. A single wave line on the cheekbone, three dots above the crest.
Sound-wave line across the forehead, above the framesAny one color. One line from temple to temple that jumps into tall and short peaks in the middle, above the frames.
Butterfly wing over one cheek and brow, body on the noseBlue, purple, black. One wing covers the cheek and brow bone on one side, its body line along the nose.
Deep blue half with white stars and a cheek crescentDeep blue, white, silver gray. Blue sponged over one side off the lid, white stars, a crescent on the cheek.
Half disc beside the nose with rays over one sideYellow, orange, gold. A half disc beside the nose, long rays over the cheek, temple and half the forehead.
Half face of blooming rosesRed, pink, green. Five spiral roses and leaves cover the cheek and temple on one side.
Half face of koi and ripplesOrange, white, blue. Two fish circle on the cheek, ripple rings reaching the brow bone and jaw.
Half face of ocean wavesTeal, blue, white. Curling wave lines stack from the jaw to the brow bone on one side, white foam tips.
Half mask of overlapping leavesGreen, olive, gold. Leaves layered from the hairline to the jaw on one side, tips pointing outward.
Half peacock fanTeal, blue, gold. Feather eyes fan from beside the nose out to the ear and hairline on one side.
Half tiger, half bareOrange, black, white. Orange with black stripes on one side, white at the jaw, a clean edge down the nose.
One side divided into flat-color panes by black linesBlack, red, blue, yellow. Black lines divide one side into panes, each filled with one flat color.
Teal and gold tile squares thinning toward the noseTeal, white, gold. Small squares with gaps between cover one side, thinning out toward the nose.
Wavy contour rings widening from one cheekboneBrown, tan, green. Wavy rings like a hill map spread from the cheekbone over one side.
Fine line and floral 12
Baby's-breath sprays behind the ear lineWhite, green. Fine forked stems tipped with white dots, from the jaw corner up to the temple.
Eucalyptus sprig down one sideGray green, white. Round paired leaves on a thin stem from the temple to the jaw.
Fern along the cheekbone with paired leafletsGreen. One frond along the cheekbone with paired leaflets, its tip curled.
Fine-line wave with three dotsBlue, white. A single wave line on the cheekbone, three dots above the crest.
Five thin wildflowers of different heights on the jawGreen, yellow, blue, pink. Five thin stems of different heights with a small bloom on each.
Garland over one brow bonePink, white, green. Tiny flowers and leaves follow the arch above one brow, ending at the temple.
Ginkgo leaf pair at the templeGreen, gold. Two fan-shaped leaves on thin stalks at the temple, fine vein lines from stalk to edge.
Lavender stems at the templePurple, green. Three thin stems with dotted heads fan from the temple toward the cheekbone.
Line-drawn mountain range on the cheekBlack or white. Three peaks in one zigzag line, a small circle sun above.
Olive leaves following the hairline from one templeOlive, dark green. A branch follows the hairline from one temple to the middle, small oval leaves.
Origami crane in fine straight strokes on the cheekboneBlack or white. A folded crane drawn in straight fine lines on the cheekbone, wings up, beak toward the nose.
Small profile in one unbroken line on the cheekBlack. One unbroken line draws a small face in profile, forehead to chin.
Works with a beard or glasses 16
Barcode of thin lines at one templeBlack. Seven upright lines of different widths at one temple, outside the frames and above a beard.
Circuit lines over one browSilver gray, blue. Straight lines with right-angle turns and end dots run from the temple above one brow.
Compass rose on the foreheadBlack, red, gold. An eight-point star between the hairline and brows, north point up.
Double brush arc high on the forehead, clear of glassesAny two colors. Two loaded brush arcs from temple to temple high on the forehead, one over the other, above the frames.
Five stars between the frames and the beardGold, white. Five stars between the lower frame edge and the beard line on one side.
Flames climbing from the beard edgeRed, orange, yellow. Flame tongues begin where the beard ends and rise to the cheekbones.
Laurel wreath around the hairlineGreen, gold. Leaf pairs from each temple meet above the middle of the forehead.
Lightning bolt down one templeYellow, white. One bolt from the hairline down the temple to the top of the cheekbone; outside frames, above a beard.
Mask whose lower edge is the beard lineDeep blue, silver gray. A band over brow bones and upper cheeks, lids bare; the beard forms its bottom edge.
Mountains rising out of the beardGray, white, blue. Peaks start at the beard's top edge and climb the cheeks, snow caps at the cheekbones.
Pine shapes standing along the beard's top edgeDark green, black. Small pine shapes stand along the beard's upper edge, tallest by the ears.
Sound-wave line across the forehead, above the framesAny one color. One line from temple to temple that jumps into tall and short peaks in the middle, above the frames.
Three chevrons on each temple aimed at the earsBlack, any color. Three chevrons on each temple pointing to the ears, outside the frames.
Three short stripes angled up over each browAny two colors. Three short stripes above each brow, angled up to the temples.
Triangle row on the upper cheek, under the framesBlack, any color. Seven small triangles stand in a row from nose side to temple, under the frames and above the beard.
Wave crest at the hairlineBlue, white. A wave rolls along the hairline from one temple and breaks above the opposite brow.
Makeup-style 12
Beauty mark as a tiny starBlack or gold. One small star on the upper cheek below the outer corner of the eye.
Contour as three unblended bands in the cheek hollowBronze, tan, gold. Three thin sponge bands stacked in the hollow of each cheek, darkest lowest, edges left unblended.
Freckles in two metallic tonesGold, bronze. Small dots over the nose and upper cheeks, denser in the middle.
Graphic dot pair under the outer eye cornerWhite, any color. Two dots, one large and one small, on the cheekbone at each side.
Highlight dashes on the cheekbonesWhite, pearl, gold. Three short slanted dashes on the top of each cheekbone.
Lace patch in fine loops at one templeWhite or black. A coin-size patch of fine loops and dots at one temple, like a scrap of lace.
Lentil-size crescent and two dots on the upper cheekWhite, silver gray. A crescent the size of a lentil and two dots on one upper cheek.
Loose petal dabs from cheek to cheek as blushPink, white. Loose petal dabs spread from one cheek over the nose to the other.
Painted blush as two soft heartsPink, red. A heart on the apple of each cheek, sponged soft at the edges like blush.
Painted flick from outer brow to temple, on bone onlyAny one color, white. A flick painted from above the outer brow to the temple, on the bone only.
Sunset blush fading to the templesCoral, orange, pink. Color sponged from the apple of the cheek up and back, darkest by the ear.
Watercolor wash on one cheekboneBlue, purple, pink. Three thin colors blended wet from the cheek to the temple, no hard edge.
Bold and graphic 12
Bold check mark on each cheekAny one color, black. A thick check mark on each cheek with a thin black edge on one side.
Brushstroke slash across the noseAny one color. One loaded stroke from one cheekbone over the nose bridge to the other, dry at the end.
Color block triangle from jaw to templeAny one bright color. A solid triangle with its base on the jaw and its point at the temple.
Even rows of print-style dots in an outlined cheek patchRed, white, black. Even rows of dots over one cheek, a black outline around the patch.
Four widening rings from the apple of the cheekBlack, white, red. Four rings in turn widen from the apple of the cheek to the jaw and nose side.
Grid of nine squares on the foreheadBlack, red, yellow, blue. A three-by-three grid above the brows, four squares filled, five bare.
Hard-edged color block from one brow bone to the hairlineAny one color, white. A hard-edged block from the brow bone up to the hairline on one side, a thin white line under it.
Jigsaw pieces fitting over the jawAny three colors, black. Six puzzle pieces along one jaw and cheek, one left out as a gap.
Paint-drip fringe from the hairlineAny two colors. Wide drips of different lengths run down the forehead and stop at the brow.
Parallel stripes over the nose and cheeksBlack, white. Five level stripes from ear to ear between the under-eye and the mouth.
Triangles marching down one sideBlack, white. Five triangles in a line from the temple to the jaw, each pointing down.
Two-tone split with a zigzag joinAny two colors. One color on each half of the face off the lids, the join running down the nose in a zigzag.
How it works
These face paint ideas for adults are 64 designs sized and placed for a grown face, sorted by how they are worn. 16 work with a beard or glasses and say where they stop.
Read the full guide
Half face paint ideas
A half-face design covers one side and stops at a clean line down the nose. Half face holds 12: Half mask of overlapping leaves, Half face of ocean waves, Half tiger, half bare. Paint the edge along the nose first, then fill outward.
Face paint ideas for guys with beards
Works with a beard or glasses keeps to the forehead, temples, brow bone and upper cheek. Four designs use the beard's edge as part of the picture: Mask whose lower edge is the beard line, Mountains rising out of the beard, Flames climbing from the beard edge, Pine shapes standing along the beard's top edge.
Questions and answers
Which are the face paint ideas for women?
None is set aside: every design is for whoever wants it. Fine line and floral holds 12 small designs, such as Garland over one brow bone and Lavender stems at the temple.
What are makeup face paint ideas?
Painted shapes worn like blush, contour or a beauty mark: Painted blush as two soft hearts, Beauty mark as a tiny star, Highlight dashes on the cheekbones. None goes on an eyelid, as a liner or along the lashes.
Which designs clear a pair of glasses?
Those on the forehead and temples: Double brush arc high on the forehead, clear of glasses, Compass rose on the forehead, Laurel wreath around the hairline. Each says where it stops.
What paint is used on an adult's face?
The same as for a child: face paint sold for use on skin. The US FDA says to follow all directions, and suggests trying a dab on your arm for a couple of days before using something new.