Have you been inspired by some of the stunning face painting ideas around? Do you want to learn how to face paint? It really is such fun to do and a great way to give pleasure to others.

Here are my top tips to improve face painting success for beginners.

Tip 1: you cannot learn to face paint by merely reading a book or watching a video. You have to get the paints, brushes and sponges out and practice often.

Tip 2: it's best to practice on an adult or older child. Young children have a very low attention span. It's not easy to face paint if the child is fidgeting about.

Tip 3: apply thin layers of face paint. A thick layer can cake and crack, spoiling the design.

Tip 4: always allow one layer to dry before applying the next layer.

Tip 5: use a make up pencil to lightly draw the outlines of shapes.

Tip 6: avoid symmetrical face painting designs such as butterflies until you are more experienced. Animals make good face painting ideas for beginners as it is not necessary to have both sides on the animal face matching perfectly.

Tip 7: even a beginner can create amazing face painting ideas. Simply supplement your basic face painting skills by using temporary tattoos and stamps. They come in a huge range of designs including lizard, snake, spider and butterfly. Only use ones specifically designed for faces.

Bonus Tip: if a face painting idea turns out really well then take a photograph of your creation so you can start building up your very own collection of face painting ideas.