Whether for a holiday or just for fun, belly painting is a fun activity that’s particularly suited to late pregnancy.
Here is some inspiration for creative ways that you can make a unique memory of all the time you spent pregnant!
What will you paint?
If you want to paint your belly — or get an artist or body painting pro to help you — the big question: What design will you get?
Some moms choose to depict a version of baby’s life in the womb, an image of baby bundled in a blanket, or simply paint a welcome message with lip-prints kisses, handprints and hearts. Paint a landscape of an ocean view, a mountain range or even a sunset. Draw a bird flying through clouds, a bunch of flowers or even a rainbow.
Pregnant belly painting: Photo gallery
Pregnant belly painting: Have a ball!
Almost nothing suits a bulging belly more than playing up its spherical shape! Go for anything from a beach ball to the ball for your favorite sport (such as baseball, basketball, bowling, soccer or tennis).
You can also decorate yourself with a sports team emblem or a side-view of a helmet. Or go national with a flag or country’s symbol — such as the Stars and Stripes, the Union Jack or a maple leaf.
Here are some more pregnant belly painting ideas — from the silly to the sublime:
Mother Nature
Moon
Stars
Planets
Sun
Daisy
Sunflower
Snowflake
Angel or baby face
Owl or other animal face
An egg cracking open
Life as art
Globe
CD (or vinyl record)
Crystal ball
Fishbowl
Jack o’ Lantern
Lightbulb
Nose of a plane
Snowglobe
TV screen
Hat (Stetson or sombrero)
Food
Pumpkin
Pizza
Cookie
Apple/orange
Top of a cake
Dinner plate
Scoop of ice cream
Ice cream sundae
Donut with sprinkles
Bagel with cream cheese
Free-form
Still, nothing says you always have to think “round” when you paint your belly. Paint whatever you like — whatever means something to you. Sunbursts, spirals and kaleidoscopic images of all kinds are also other great fun.
While simplicity is an asset for such a convex canvas (one with a sometimes-wiggling occupant, no less), sometimes you might want to do something different.
And remember: You don’t have to paint with traditional strokes, either. For example, you can use the brush end-on to make pointillism art (paint in dots). Also think about trying other techniques, such as using sponges or stencils… or even just your fingers!
What you need to paint your belly during pregnancy
Where to begin? To start, you can either make your own face/body paint or buy some face/body paints. Amazon, for example, offers a wide range of body paints — including day-glo colors — some of which might work for you.
For black lines, you can use something as simple as an inexpensive black eyeliner pencil. (You might have a use for other colors of eyeliner, too, depending on your design.)
Face paints are made to be gentle on the skin, and shouldn’t stain. (That said, test any paint on a hidden section of your body before slathering your belly in blue and orange if you’re concerned about a skin reaction, or that it might not all come off right away.) Cold cream works well for face paint removal.
Before you start to paint, protect the entire area with a dropcloth. You will probably want to sit down, so make sure you’re comfortable. (And if your belly is very big, you may not be able to color the underside where it touches the tops of your thighs without a little work.)
Just as important as the paint is the camera. When photographing your belly, be sure to get shots from several angles and some close-ups.
You might want to hold up an empty picture frame to “frame” your belly art. Alternatively, you can pose next to a mirror to get both sides of your tummy in the shot.
