I’m attending a wedding at the Denver Renn Faire in July and all the guests are supposed to come in costume. Rather than put on layers of leather, chainmail, etc. and get heat stroke, I have decided to come as a barbarian…still working on the costume but in terms of body coverage it will be similar to shorts. Ahhh…so cool.
In order to jazz up the costume a bit I’m planning on also wearing a lot of body paint, e.g, war paint.
I’m seeking suggestions for a brand/type of body paint/makeup that would work well for this. The body paint is going to be applied with fingers or brush (I’m trying for a crude/barbarian look) and would hopefully look good and last for many hours.
Any design suggestions would be welcome as well. I’m not looking to represent a specific tribe/ethnic group…just generic Northern barbarian along the lines of Conan.
Not to rain on your parade, but will that costume be acceptable for attending the wedding? Just because someone is having their reception at a beach doesn’t mean you can show up in a swimsuit. Likewise, a Renn Faire wedding doesn’t give you permission to show up wearing nothing but shorts and war paint. (Not to mention that the costume will be off by many centuries and miles. Are you thinking the 14th/15th/16th century Vikings ran around bare-chested and -legged that close to the arctic circle?)
But if that type of costume is acceptable to the bride and groom, go for it.
I’m not worried about be historically accurate, it is the Renn faire after all. The bride and groom are fine with it.
Kaio, do you have personal experience with the waterproof paint? I’m most curious about how easy it is to get off.
Any suggestions for waterbased paints? That just feels safer (in terms of removal later) and I’m not to worried about the paint running…I figure I can always throw on another layer.
You seem not to care, but as a three year Ren Faire veteran, and married to a man who is a veteran of five different Ren Faires (including Colorado), I think you are very wrong. Guests who show up that far out of period are mocked - if not to their face, behind their back. And the attitude is frankly, sort of offensive. I took a lot of effort when I did Ren Faires (and most people I know do) to have a semblance of historical accuracy.
Historically accurate would have everyone be peasants wearing rags. Last Rennfaire I attended, the vast majority (75+%) of those in costumes were all done up as nobles, knights, etc. Or dwarfs or elves for that matter.
Renn Faire is about dress up and fantasy. And I feel like dressing up like a barbarian with body paint. More power to you it you seek to make your costume accurate but I’m there for the fun not history (of dubious quality).
**Dangerosa **raises a good point. It’s only polite to find out what the ground rules are. The B&G may be fine with it, but is it so far outside the norm as to detract from the experience for others?
Hell, go as a ragged peasant. That would be cool and breezy.
The OP appears to be confusing fantasy fairs that may have a Renaissance theme with Renaissance Faires.
That said, if they can get their hands on Kryolan Aquacolor makeup, that’s one of the better brands available. Some friends of mine do face painting, and they swear by it. You’d need to hit it with setting spray to have any hopes of surviving rain.
But, but, but the Ren Faire people might MOCK you. BEHIND YOUR BACK, even. You would be mocked by Ren Faire people. That made my whole day.
I say have fun. If your friends who are getting married don’t care, I say go how you’re comfortable even if you have to absorb the cutting mockery of the offended Ren Faire folks.
I don’t have personal experience with the body paints, no. I have experience with her henna, though, and can say she ships quality product.
I’ve also had experience with various types of waterproof makeup, which also require some form of oil to remove. It’s easy enough, but it’s likely to be a bit messy, particularly if you use a lot of it over large areas. The oil basically makes the paint smeary, so you’d have to coat with oil, wipe off with a paper towel or rag, and repeat until you got it all off. You wouldn’t be able to just stand in the shower and wash it off down the drain, obviously.
I don’t think it would be difficult in terms of it not coming off at all. From the photos on the website a lot of the color was gone after just three days of regular handwashing with soap and water, so the oil would take it right off.
Also, maybe midwesterners are just more laid back about these things, but there are indeed fairies at the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, WI.
I’ve seen Klingons at my Ren Faire, and that’s not the stupidest-costumed people I’ve seen there, either.
You can simulate Woad face paint using a bright blue watercolor crayon, such a Caran d’Ache Neocolor II or similar*. Dip it in water a few times, then draw right on your face. Using that method on your whole body is possible, if not convenient; you could just try dissolving a whole crayon in a small amount of water to create a paint-like consistency.
Call around to local art supply stores and ask if they sell them individually.
