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STEPS
TOOLS

Find and print out an image of a skull. When face painting something with dimension like this, it's helpful to work off a picture. Prep your palette with a white cream makeup base.

Find and print out an image of a skull. When face painting something with dimension like this, it's helpful to work off a picture. Prep your palette with a white cream makeup base.

Gently blend in the brush strokes with the broken edge of a makeup sponge.

Gently blend in the brush strokes with the broken edge of a makeup sponge.

Set with a translucent face powder.

Set with a translucent face powder.

Start with drawing a crack down the middle of the face with a black kajal pencil.

Start with drawing a crack down the middle of the face with a black kajal pencil.

Work off the picture as you go, using it as a reference for where there are deep recesses to draw.

Work off the picture as you go, using it as a reference for where there are deep recesses to draw.

Using the pencil, draw the skull's negative spaces onto the face, like the eye sockets, temple recess, and contours of the cheek bone.

Using the pencil, draw the skull's negative spaces onto the face, like the eye sockets, temple recess, and contours of the cheek bone.

Draw a line from the corner of the mouth to where the teeth will eventually connect to the jawbone. You'll use this as a reference point for drawing on teeth later.

There's the tooth line. Now fill the darkest contours in with Black Aquacolor water activated makeup. It's perfect for thick, inky color. You can also paint the neck black to draw on vertebrae later.

There's the tooth line. Now fill the darkest contours in with Black Aquacolor water activated makeup. It's perfect for thick, inky color. You can also paint the neck black to draw on vertebrae later.

Only fill in the darkest parts of the contours and the neck with the black Aquacolor.

Only fill in the darkest parts of the contours and the neck with the black Aquacolor.

Take a look at the shading of the skull. Now that we've drawn on the deepest parts of the shadows, we can start to shade the more shallow, grey areas.

Take a look at the shading of the skull. Now that we've drawn on the deepest parts of the shadows, we can start to shade the more shallow, grey areas.

Use a black eye shadow to assist in shading. It has a more grey appearance and is perfect for giving a more shallow sense depth.

Use a black eye shadow to assist in shading. It has a more grey appearance and is perfect for giving a more shallow sense depth.

Now dip a fine synthetic makeup brush into your black water-activated Aquacolor.

Now dip a fine synthetic makeup brush into your black water-activated Aquacolor.

Draw on details like the teeth. Notice on your skull picture that teeth are not square and perfect. They are more irregular and rounded. Draw them along the tooth line you created earlier.

Draw on details like the teeth. Notice on your skull picture that teeth are not square and perfect. They are more irregular and rounded. Draw them along the tooth line you created earlier.

Now use white water-activated Aquacolor to fill in the teeth to make them pop.

Now use white water-activated Aquacolor to fill in the teeth to make them pop.

Do some more shading with black Aquacolor. Fine straight lines like this around the teeth are good for shading and giving some bone-like texture.

Do some more shading with black Aquacolor. Fine straight lines like this around the teeth are good for shading and giving some bone-like texture.

Here you have a creepy skull with realistic shading. Optional: you can paint any exposed skin with black and draw white bone over it with aquacolor. The neck would be a great spot for vertebrae!

  • Clown white cream makeup
  • Translucent setting powder
  • Aquacolor palette (or water-activated makeup)
  • Synthetic bristled brushes
  • Latex makeup sponge
  • Powder brush