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Big Nose Buddies Ocean Series: The Swashbuckling Pirate

Avast, ye landlubbers! What would an ocean series be without a pirate clenching a dagger between his teeth as he sets off for the high seas? This jaunty pirate will help you prepare to weigh anchor and get under way at your pirate or adventure parties. 

Materials

Red face paint (Paradise)
White face paint (Wolfe)
Black face paint (Diamond FX)
Silver face paint (Paradise)
Skin tone palette (TAG)
Favorite sunset split cake (SillyFarm Glitter Rainbow)
#2 round brush
#5 round brush
Small filbert brush
Sponge
Cosmetic grade glitter

Tutorial

Load a small filbert brush from the skin tone palette, and drag one edge of the bristles along a darker brown so that when you create the nose and the jaw line, there will be a slight shadow along the edge. Make two ear shapes on either side of where the eyes will be, and only paint in one eye using the white and a round #5 brush. 

Make two shoulders (muscular shoulders, since he's a hard-working pirate) over each of the eyebrows as shown in the image. 

Next load a brush from the red/orange/yellow side of your split cake and create a sunset around the outside of your pirate. Also add some color over the eyelids so that the design doesn't appear to cut off at the eyebrows.

Add a white curve under the nose for the pirate's teeth, and also place a red bandana over the pirate's forehead. Using the small round brush, place the dagger in the pirate's teeth. To do this effectively, make sure you keep the line of the dagger straight. It will only show on either side of the top teeth, but will cover the bottom row. 

Add a black patch with a #2 round brush, and carefully outline the pirate's face. 

The details, such as the scruffy unshaven look and the curly chest hair are what make this design fun. (If you have time and would like to, you can also add a tattoo on your pirate's arm, like I did.) Place some palm trees, grass, and flying bird silhouettes on the sides.

Add white highlights and take one last look to make sure you didn't forget any parts in your design. I added some dots and starbursts, but if you like, you can also give your sunset some glitter to make it sparkle. 

Arg!

Beth MacKinney is the owner of and primary face painter for Face Paint Pizzazz in Elgin, Illinois, and her artwork has appeared in The Colored Palette and SkinMarkz magazines. She services the western and northwestern Chicago suburbs, Chicago’s north side, and the eastern and southeastern suburbs of Rockford. Stop by Clownantics.com to enjoy more of Beth’s face painting tutorials.