Bird of paradise flower in orange and blueOrange, blue, green. Three orange spikes rising from a green beak shape on the cheek, one blue spike among them.
Crossed palm fronds under a hibiscusGreen, red, yellow. Two feathery fronds crossing on the cheek, a red five-petal bloom painted where they cross.
Fan palm leaf with pleats spreading from one pointGreen, yellow-green. A half circle of narrow pleats fanning from a point near the jaw, each tip ending in a point.
Hibiscus bud and open bloom on one stemOrange, green, yellow. A stem up the cheek, a closed pointed bud low down, an open five-petal bloom at the cheekbone.
Hibiscus in white outline onlyWhite. Five petal outlines on the cheek with wavy edges, a vein line in each, a long stamen tipped with dots.
Monstera leaf with holes and split edgesGreen, dark green. A wide leaf filling the cheek, deep cuts in from the edge, four holes beside the center vein.
Pink hibiscus fading to a white centerPink, white, yellow. Five petals on the cheek, pink at the tips and white where they meet, a short yellow stamen.
Pink plumeria pair at the templePink, yellow, white. Two five-petal blooms side by side at the temple, yellow centers, a white edge on each petal.
Plumeria cluster on a branch tipWhite, yellow, green. Three blooms on a branch tip along the jaw, a fourth still furled, long green leaves behind.
Red hibiscus with a long yellow stamenRed, yellow, green. Five wide petals on the cheek, a long yellow stamen from the center toward the temple, one leaf.
Two monstera leaves overlapping in two greensLight green, dark green. Two split leaves on the cheek, the darker one behind, both stems meeting near the jaw.
White plumeria with a yellow centerWhite, yellow. Five rounded overlapping petals on the cheek, yellow brushed out from the center of each.
Yellow hibiscus at the templeYellow, orange, green. Five yellow petals at the temple, an orange stamen, two green leaves behind the bloom.
Birds and fish 13
Blue tang with a yellow tailRoyal blue, black, yellow. A blue oval fish on the cheek, a black curve along its back, a yellow triangle for a tail.
Butterflyfish with a dark band across its eyeYellow, white, black. A flat yellow and white disc on the cheek, a dark band running across the eye, a small snout.
Coral branch with two tiny fishCoral pink, yellow, blue. A branching coral rising from the jaw, one yellow fish and one blue fish swimming through.
Flamingo pool float with a curved neckPink, white, black. A pink ring on the cheek, an S-shaped neck and head rising from it, a black beak tip, a white shine.
Manta ray gliding with its wing tips curledDark blue, white. A wide diamond on the cheek, both tips curled up, a thin tail toward the ear, a white edge below.
Nene goose with a striped neckBlack, buff, white, gray. A goose on the cheek, black head, buff cheek, slanted black and white stripes on the neck.
Pelican skimming low over a wave lineWhite, yellow, blue. A long-billed bird in flight along the cheekbone, a pouch under the bill, one blue wave line.
Pufferfish puffed up roundYellow, white, brown. A round fish on the cheek, short spikes all around, tiny fins, a small round mouth.
Reef triggerfish with blue lipsOrange-brown, white, blue. An angular fish on the cheek, orange-brown back, white belly, a long snout with blue lips.
Scarlet honeycreeper with a long curved billRed, black, salmon pink. A small scarlet bird on the cheekbone, black wings and tail, a long curved pink bill.
Scarlet macaw tail of long red and blue plumesRed, blue, yellow. Three long feathers falling from the cheekbone toward the jaw, red with blue tips, yellow above.
School of five tiny fish turning togetherAny one color, white. Five small fish along the cheekbone, all bending the same way, a white dot eye on each.
Seagull standing on a postWhite, gray, yellow, brown. A gull on a brown post on the cheek, one leg tucked up, a yellow bill, a gray wing.
Sunsets, palms and waves 13
Beach ball in red, yellow and blue wedgesRed, yellow, blue, white. A circle on the cheek cut into six curved wedges from a white cap, the colors in turn.
Flip-flops side by side in the sandAny two colors, tan. Two sandal soles on the cheek, a V strap on each, tan dots of sand around them.
Green volcano island under one white cloudGreen, brown, white, blue. A cone island on the cheek with a flat top, one cloud above it, a blue water line below.
Island with two palms on a rippleTan, green, blue. A sand hump on the cheek, two palms leaning apart, three blue ripple lines below.
Net hammock hanging between two leaning palmsBrown, green, white. Two palm trunks leaning in from the temple and the jaw, a white net hammock hanging between.
Pail and shovel in the sandRed, yellow, tan. A red pail on the cheek with a yellow handle, a yellow shovel standing beside it, a tan sand line.
Palm tree silhouette on an orange sun discOrange, yellow, black. A round sun on the cheek, yellow at the bottom, one leaning black palm drawn across it.
Postcard frame with sun, sea and one palmWhite, yellow, blue, green. A small white-edged rectangle on the cheek, a sun in one corner, a palm, a band of sea.
Sailboat crossing the setting sunOrange, pink, white, blue. A low sun on a blue water line on the cheek, a white sail in front of it, pink sky dabs.
Sand castle with a shell on its towerTan, brown, pink. Three square towers on the cheek with notched tops, an arched door, a pink shell on the tallest.
Striped surfboard planted tail-down in the sandAny two colors, tan. A tall pointed board upright on the cheek, a stripe along its middle, a tan sand line at its foot.
Sun sinking into the sea over a ladder of dashesYellow, orange, blue. A sun cut off by a blue line on the cheek, orange dashes stacked below it, each one narrower.
Tiny surfer cutting across a waveBlue, teal, white, red. A tall wave curling over the cheek, white foam on its lip, a red board with a rider dot.
Fruit 13
Banana bunch of threeYellow, brown, green. Three curved bananas joined at one brown stalk on the cheek, the tips still a little green.
Coconut split in two with white insideBrown, white. Two half shells side by side on the cheek, a white lining in each, short brown fiber ticks outside.
Dragon fruit half with black specksPink, white, black, green. A half oval on the cheek, a pink rim with green-tipped scales, white inside, black specks.
Fruit skewer of four piecesYellow, red, green, orange. A thin stick slanting up the cheek, a pineapple chunk, a strawberry, a grape, a melon ball.
Kiwi slice with a ring of seedsGreen, white, black, brown. A green disc on the cheek, a white center, tiny black seeds in a ring, a thin brown edge.
Lemon, lime and orange slices overlappingYellow, green, orange, white. Three rounds in a row on the cheekbone, each overlapping the next, white spokes in each.
Mango blushing from yellow to redYellow, orange, red, green. A plump tilted oval on the cheek, yellow below, red at the top, one leaf on the stalk.
Papaya half with black seedsOrange, green, black. A long half fruit on the cheek, orange flesh, a thin green skin line, black seed dots inside.
Pineapple chunk on a pick with a paper umbrellaYellow, pink, tan. A yellow wedge on the cheek, a pick through it, a small pink paper umbrella open at the top.
Pineapple ring with a hole in the middleYellow, pale yellow. A ring on the cheek, bare skin showing through the hole, short lines running from hole to edge.
Pineapple with crisscross skin and a spiky crownYellow, brown, green. An oval on the cheek crossed with brown diagonals, a dot in each diamond, five green leaves above.
Small pineapple in black sunglassesYellow, green, black, white. A small pineapple on the cheek, black sunglasses across it, a white dash on each lens.
Star fruit sliceYellow, pale yellow. A five-point star on the cheek with rounded points, a small seed mark at the base of each.
How it works
These tropical face painting ideas are 52 designs for a luau or a beach party: 13 of hibiscus, plumeria and leaves, 13 birds and fish, 13 of sunsets, palms and waves, and 13 of fruit.
Read the full guide
Hawaiian face painting ideas
Three designs are symbols of Hawaii. Yellow hibiscus at the temple is the state flower. Nene goose with a striped neck is the Hawaiian goose, the state bird since 1957. Reef triggerfish with blue lips is the state fish, with an orange-brown back and a white belly.
Hibiscus, plumeria or monstera
A hibiscus is trumpet-shaped with five or more petals; every one here is painted with five, as in Red hibiscus with a long yellow stamen. A plumeria has five rounded petals that overlap, as in White plumeria with a yellow center. A monstera leaf is the one with holes.
Questions and answers
What are easy luau face painting ideas?
A luau is a Hawaiian party or feast. For a line of guests, Pineapple ring with a hole in the middle is two yellows, Star fruit slice is one star, and Banana bunch of three is three curves.
What colors do tropical face paint ideas need?
Yellow, white and green are the colors this list names most, then blue. Red and pink paint the hibiscus, and brown paints the coconut and the palm trunks.
How do you paint a hibiscus on a cheek?
Paint five wide petals around one point, leaving a thin gap between them. Pull one line from the center out toward the temple for the stamen and tip it with dots, then tuck a leaf behind.
What paint is used for tropical face painting?
Paint made for skin and sold as face paint. The US FDA says to remove makeup the way its label says: with cold cream if it says cold cream, with soap and water if it says soap and water.