Checker ribbon along one cheekboneAny two colors. Two rows of small squares, colors alternating, from the nose side to the temple, flat brush.
Chevron stack on each cheekAny two colors. Three V shapes one above the other on each cheek, flat brush, colors in turn.
Color-block squares along the cheekboneAny four colors. Four small squares in a row on each cheekbone, flat brush pressed once for each.
Five upright color strokes side by side across the noseRed, orange, yellow, green, blue. Five short upright strokes side by side from cheek to cheek, flat brush.
Pastel sponge dabs in pink, lilac and pale bluePink, lilac, pale blue. Dab three colors with a sponge corner on each cheek, edges overlapping.
Rainbow arc around the outside of one eye socketRed, orange, yellow, green, blue. Five thin arcs from brow bone around the temple to the cheekbone.
Rainbow tear lines down one cheekRed, yellow, green, blue. Four thin lines from the cheekbone to the jaw, each a different length, fine brush.
Rainbow thumbprints along each cheekboneAny five colors. Five thumbprints side by side from the nose side to the temple, one color each.
Ribbon wave from the forehead to the jawAny two colors. One S-shaped double line down the side of the face, round brush.
Single slash across one cheekAny bright color. One loaded brush stroke from beside the nose to the ear, left rough at the end.
Sunset fade on both cheekbonesYellow, orange, pink. Sponge three colors from the nose side out to the temple, blending where they meet.
Two-color band from temple to templeAny two colors. One wide sponge stripe over brow bones and upper cheeks, lids bare, a thin second line under it.
Sun, moon and stars 12
Crescent on each cheek, curved backs outwardWhite or silver gray. One crescent on each cheek, open sides facing the nose, each made with two thumb swipes.
Dot-and-line star map over the nose bridgeWhite. Dots on each cheek and over the nose bridge joined by thin lines, larger dots at the ends.
Fingertip cloud on each cheekboneWhite. Five overlapping fingertip dabs make a small cloud on each cheekbone, no brush.
Half circle on each brow bone with seven short raysYellow, orange. A half circle sits on each brow bone with seven short rays up onto the forehead.
Large, medium and small star toward the earAny one color. Large, medium and small star along the cheekbone toward the ear.
Moon on one cheekbone with a cloud wisp across itSilver gray, white. A full circle on the cheekbone, one soft sponge wisp crossing its lower half.
Moon phases along one cheekboneWhite, silver gray. Five small moons from thin crescent to full, nose side to temple.
One star per temple, three tail lines to the hairlineWhite, pale blue. One star at each temple, three tail lines sweeping back to the hairline.
Rayed circle on the left cheek, crescent on the rightYellow, orange, silver gray. A circle with rays on the left cheek, a crescent and two stars on the right.
Sponge cloud above one brow with five rays behindWhite, yellow. A soft sponge cloud above one brow, half a sun behind it with five rays.
Star crown along the hairlineGold, white. Nine stars from temple to temple, the largest in the middle, dots between.
Sunburst around one templeGold, orange. Long and short rays spread from the temple over the cheekbone and brow bone, fine brush.
Flowers and leaves 12
Berry sprig of fingertip dots on a curved stemRed or purple, green. One curved stem along the cheekbone, seven fingertip dots in pairs along it, round brush.
Blossom constellation of dot flowersAny pastel colors. Tiny four-dot blossoms scattered over the temples and upper cheeks, brush handle end.
Five-dot blooms linked from cheek to cheekPink, white, yellow. Small five-dot flowers linked by a thin green line from cheek to cheek.
Lavender bundle at the jaw cornerPurple, green. Four stems tied with one cross line, dotted heads reaching up the cheek.
Leaf sprays behind the outer eye cornersGreen, gold. Three leaf dabs fan from each cheekbone toward the temple, flat brush pressed and lifted.
Notched-petal rose on the cheek, two leaves belowPink, yellow, green. Five notched petals around a yellow center on the cheek, two leaves below.
Palm leaf on one cheekGreen, dark green. One center line and eight slanted strokes each side, pointing to the ear.
Poppy pair with stems down the cheekRed, black, green. Two poppies on the cheekbone, thin stems curving to the jaw.
Sunflower at the templeYellow, brown, green. A brown dot center with two rings of yellow petal strokes, one leaf to the cheek.
Three leaves on each cheekGreen. Three pressed brush dabs in a fan on each cheek, points outward.
Vine around the hairlineGreen, white. A wavy stem from temple to temple with paired leaves and white buds, fine brush.
Wheat ear on each cheekbone, tips to the templesGold, tan. One center line with paired grain dabs along it on each cheekbone, pointing to the temple, flat brush corner.
Dots and lines 12
Dot pairs stepping from cheekbone to jawWhite or any color. Five pairs of dots step from the cheekbone down to the jaw on each side, brush handle end.
Dot smile under each cheekboneAny one color. Seven dots in a shallow curve under each cheekbone, largest in the middle, brush handle end.
Dot spiral on the cheekAny two colors. Dots spiral out from the apple of the cheek, growing larger, colors in turn.
Dot triangle on each cheekAny one color. Six dots arranged three, two, one on each cheek, point down, brush handle end.
Dotted heart outline on the cheekRed or pink, white. A heart drawn only in dots on one cheek, one white dot inside.
Fingertip prints in three colors around one templeAny three colors. Nine fingertip prints from brow bone to cheekbone, colors in turn.
Five-line fans on the cheekbones, longest in the middleAny two colors. Five short lines fan from each cheekbone to the temple, longest in the middle.
Four-dot diamonds, three to a cheekboneAny two colors. Three diamonds of four dots each from the nose side to the temple, colors in turn, brush handle end.
One zigzag over the nose bridge, white dot per peakAny one color, white. One zigzag from ear to ear over the nose bridge, a white dot in each point.
Plus signs alternating with dots, nose side to templeAny one color. Small plus signs and dots alternate from the nose side to the temple.
Three dashes on the cheekboneAny one color. Three short level dashes stacked under the outer eye corner, flat brush.
Three waves on one cheek, dot rows in the gapsAny two colors. Three wavy lines across one cheek, a row of dots in each gap, fine brush.
How it works
These festival face paint ideas are 48 looks for a festival, a fair or a carnival, sorted by kind of mark: color bands and rainbows, sun, moon and stars, flowers and leaves, dots and lines. Many lines say which finger or brush makes the mark.
Read the full guide
Painting your own face in a mirror
A mirror swaps left and right, so the looks are built from marks that forgive it: dots, dashes, fingerprints and sponge dabs. Dot pairs stepping from cheekbone to jaw uses the handle end of a brush. Rainbow thumbprints along each cheekbone needs no brush at all.
Matching both sides
Paint one mark on the left, then the same mark on the right, before adding the next. Chevron stack on each cheek and Half circle on each brow bone with seven short rays come out more even that way than one whole side at a time.
Questions and answers
What are some simple festival face paint ideas?
Quick marks 16 of the 48: Three dashes on the cheekbone, Dot triangle on each cheek, Three leaves on each cheek, Single slash across one cheek. Each is one color and one tool.
Does the list use glitter or neon colors?
No. It names no glitter and no neon or glow color, and nothing goes on an eyelid or along the lashes. Every look is ordinary face paint in bands, dots, stars and leaves.
What paint is used for a festival look?
Face paint sold for use on skin. The US FDA says not to decorate your face with things that are not intended for your skin, and not to go to bed with makeup on: remove it the way the label says.