Throughout the world, it is common for people to gather and celebrate with fairs and festivals. There is something culturally and socially reassuring about having a community get together and enjoy each other and the food, crafts, music, and art individuals have produced.
One hallmark of such gatherings has been the use of paint to decorate the face and body. Body-painting has become a favorite activity for people to express themselves through pictures by turning themselves into portable art. Normally reserved members of a society can experiment with becoming someone new for a day, and those of the more adventurous spirit can take their excitement of the day to the next level.
Perhaps the most ubiquitous use of body paint is face painting. How many times have you been to a fair and suddenly come across a pack of wild animals, giggling and eating cotton candy? These animals are in fact children, with their faces designed to look like tigers, bears, and dogs, and they are enjoying the sensation and knowledge that they are in disguise and celebrating life.
Another common sight is going to a sporting event, and seeing "those guys" with their chests painted in the team's colors, a letter on each torso to spell our a message of support. Some may think they're crazy, and maybe they are, but they are also having a great time at the game, and adding excitement to their experience and amusement to others'.
What's amazing is the amount of festivals dedicated to body-painting. In America, thousands of people each year show up in a scorching desert to enjoy art of all kind. The Burning Man Festival, held each year the week leading up to labor day in the Nevada desert, is a living art festival, where body painting is often the mode of attire for many there. Equally as impressive is the World Bodypainting Festival held in Austria, where people from around the world show off their talents and their artistic bodies - for money!
So the next time you find yourself at a carnival or sporting event, and want to express yourself in a new way, give body-paint a try. You'd be following in a long and proud tradition of the human spirit, and you may discover something about yourself.