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Have you seen the trend of thermal body art going around TikTok and Instagram? It’s a fun and rewarding process that encourages self-love.
You’re sure to enjoy the process and enjoy having a beautiful piece to display in your home. But how do you make this beautiful art?
We’ll look at what you need to start and the process of creating thermal body art in this article!

What is Thermal Body Art?
Thermal body art is a type of painting that mimics the effect of a thermal camera on a body. Colors represent areas of heat and cool and make an interesting and appealing contrast.
The painting can be done on the body, or on canvas and other materials. It’s unique and can be done on anyone or anything.
How to Create Thermal Body Art
Creating thermal body art is easier than you may think! You’ve already got your subject in mind, and all that’s left to do is to choose your colors and start creating.
First, decide how you’ll create your thermal body painting. Will you paint on yourself or someone else and then transfer it to the canvas? Or will you recreate it on the canvas with a paintbrush yourself?
There’s no right or wrong answer, and be sure to be creative!
Remember to choose body-safe paint if you’re planning to paint on yourself or someone else.
You can start by choosing a color palette that you like. Maybe you’ll go with the theme of spring colors or stick to the common thermal imaging color palette. No matter what you choose, be sure to plan it out and have the colors on hand.
What Do I Need to Start?
With the colors chosen, you’re ready to start creating your painting. You’ll need to have some of these materials on hand:
- Canvas
- Body Paint/Acrylic Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Soap
- Cloths
Black Canvas
Black canvas can make your colors stand out boldly and complete the effect of your thermal painting. These are our personal favorites.
UV Glow Paint
UV glow paint is safe for your body and will glow under UV light. It’s perfect for painting your body directly.
Acrylic Paint
A variety of acrylic paint can be helpful in choosing the right palette for your painting. This set comes with many colors to choose from. It also comes with paintbrushes!
Drop Cloths
Drop cloths can help you keep the area clean when working with paint. It can be especially helpful if you’re using the method of pressing your body to the canvas.
With these tools on hand, you will be prepared to paint and clean up afterward. Thermal body painting can get messy!
Create Your Thermal Body Painting
It’s now time to start painting. This will be different for everyone depending on the method that you take, but here are a few methods that you can use:
You can paint the design that you want onto your body, then transfer it to the canvas. This can mean sitting on the canvas or laying across it. This is an easy way to get a beautiful result. The tricky part can be ensuring that you make a clean transfer.
You can also draw the outlines first onto the canvas, then paint it yourself. This can make the art very clean and it’s wonderful for those who love the painting process.
No matter which method you use, all will have their beauty.
Why Should You Make Thermal Body Art?
There are many reasons to make thermal body art. It’s a beautiful and unique way to express yourself and promote self-love and care.
It’s also a great way to connect with yourself or others. Thermal body art can be done on a commission-type basis as well. Many people would love to have a gorgeous representation of this art to display.
Once you develop your skills, you can consider selling your skills and expertise with this amazing method or art.

Will You Make Thermal Body Art?
There are many reasons to start creating thermal body art, and everyone can enjoy this fun and rewarding process.
Whether you’re looking to connect with yourself or others, want to create something beautiful, or simply love the challenge of learning new techniques, give thermal body art a try.
What’s your favorite thermal body art technique? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re looking to try something new today, be sure to check out the Beginability of other activities on our blog!