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June 5, 2006 10:32 PM

Looking for spray-on body paints for stenciling human bodies without an airbrush.

Google sucks, I need real-people brains.

I'll be going to burningman for the first time this year and I'm starting to actuate a few brainstorms. This one is to whip up 5-10 smallish stencils to tag nearby (semi?)naked bodies. Stencils will be fairly easy, but I can't find any spray paint suitable for skin usage.

Ideally they will be: fun colors, non-toxic, (relatively)easily removable(water-soluble?) and spray-on. I think an airbrush is out of the question as, a) I want to be mobile, b) I don't want to deal with an air compressor, and c) I'd like to do this for less than $50 or so.

What are my options? Are there any spray-on body paints? Cheap, portable airbrushes using canned air maybe? Paints that can go in a spray-bottle without clogging it? Easy methods for using a brush and can if I have to, keeping in mind the ever present playa dust(don't really want this option, but...)?

Scooby snacks awarded for all inspired answers, ones with creamy centers for those of you with great ideas for stencils. The theme this year is "Hope and Fear".

posted by a_green_man to media & arts (5 comments total)

I have used this to spray dye on projects before can be charged with bike pump
posted by starvinron at 11:22 PM on June 5, 2006

Hope and fear? Shoot, why not a hurricane symbol?
posted by radioamy at 11:30 PM on June 5, 2006

Possibly even cooler than you were hoping for, or possibly completely useless, your call: a range of various colours of invisible spraycan bodypaints that glow under blacklight.

Another idea (this is probably what I would do, but isn't under $50), would be a canned-air with an airbrush (probably leaning towards more of a spraygun actually), that is bulked-up / dressed up with extra mechanical parts to to look like some kind of intimidating exterminator/ghostbuster gear of unidentifiable but clearly heavy duty purpose. Then you can say fear-inspiring things like "now this won't hurt a bit... as long as you stay VERY still..." then nervously flip down a full face shield (that is part of your outfit) and lean as far back from The Machine as you can when you're about to operate it :)
Like the guy implanting the illegal spinal plug in "eXistenZ".

A spray gun / airbrush rig means you can mix and use any colour of bodypaint, however you'll have to buy good ones for them to have sufficient pigment at the near-water consistancy that is necessary for an airbrush. I think Kryolan Aqua-Liquid range would be good, but I haven't actually put mine through my airbrush.

Also, canned air - the can refridgerates itself during use and gains a sheen of condensation that quickly turns to ice. Strap one (or a few!) of those on your back and they'll become a portable personal refridgeration system to save you from melting in the desert heat :-) Put a metal plate on them to better suck up heat from your back, and insulate it all from the outside heat for an even better system.
You're allowed to go over the $50 budget if you're also getting a personal refridgeration system, right? :-)
posted by -harlequin- at 12:09 AM on June 6, 2006

Rather than canned air I've used CO₂ to power my airbrush. You can get the bottles and all the fittings you'd need at paintball supply places. You would be able to do a ridiculous amount of stencils with a couple 20oz tanks.
posted by Mitheral at 7:00 AM on June 6, 2006

Awesome! Scooby snacks for all of you.

Thinking about it more, an airbrush would fit into my future plans for creation. If I can swing it after all the other expenses, I might go that route and think of it as an investment instead of a one-off.

radioamy - That's definately getting put in the mix. Enjoy the creamy center :)

starvinron - That device looks great. I could get 2 or 3 to keep different colors handy.

harlequin - That's hilarious. One idea for a costume change(You get a creamy center also). I suppose pre-canned body paints don't exist, so just studying up on paints suitable for an airbrush is the way to go(?).

Mitheral - can you elaborate for me? Decent entry level airbrush? Fittings/Adaptors for the CO₂-to-airbrush?

Keep the ideas coming. I will have plenty of ideas for stencils, but more from different perspectives are welcome.

Any additional resources for good paints will also be useful.
posted by a_green_man at 11:27 AM on June 6, 2006