From the simplified formula of the direct mask-like transformation of a human face into a tiger face, an endless stream of variations can be generated by altering colors, styles and decorative elements without changing the basic tiger design —in which the human eyes become the tiger eyes, the nose the tiger nose, etc. (For the basic instructions, see the previous post “How to paint a tiger face”) In the working process, as I am facepainting a succession of tiger faces, I will approach each face with a stylistic change (such as “bolder lines” or “asymmetrical”) or a cultural inspiration (such as the swirling lines of Maori tattoo) and use that change in approach to create a new variation on the spot.
Tigers are the most popular request at our Bronx Zoo concession, and for some of the zoo’s special event weekends we have done entire days when all we paint are tigers, so we’re often exploring new ways to paint this iconic animal. In 2010, the zoo hosted a Run For the Wild event to raise awareness of the critical issue of declining tiger populations. Here’s the video of the faces I painted that day:
More examples of tiger faces from 2010 and earlier zoo events.
As to why we should be turning people into tigers, David Brooks has some advice:
https://thestorybehindthefaces.com/2011/03/29/david-brooks-advice-for-facepainters/
For an amazing video on a fully realistic transformation into a tiger, here’s a video from the remarkable bodypainter, Craig Tracy: