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Can You Body Paint on Twitch?

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Body painting is a popular activity that many cosplayers enjoy on Twitch. You can paint yourself as a character or paint landscapes on yourself. It is a temporary form of artistic expression that many people enjoy watching. However, with bans happening here and there, people can't help asking: is it okay to do body painting on Twitch? Does Twitch allow body painting, and if it does, how can streamers avoid risking bans while still being able to stream?

Although nudity is not allowed on Twitch, people are allowed to paint their bodies topless, creating a grey area in Twitch’s terms. There is a divide among the community as to whether or not body painting should fall under “sexually suggestive content,” but as long as the streamer isn’t doing anything extra to draw attention to their body, body painting is allowed.

In other words, as long as it’s handled tastefully, you can do body painting. Twitch won’t bat an eye, right?

Well, turns out, not really. Even streamers who felt they had followed the TOS and Twitch guidelines to the letter could still somehow get banned. On the other hand, Twitch hadn’t explicitly banned this type of content, so anyone’s still welcome to join this community.

Because it’s quite a complicated issue to tackle, people are left questioning what’s allowed or not on Twitch. In this post, you will find the do’s, don’ts, and everything you need to know before starting as a body painting streamer on Twitch. Let’s dive in.

Is Body Painting Allowed on Twitch?

Body painting is allowed on Twitch and many streamers earn a fair bit doing so. Twitch even has a category that includes it, the “Beauty and Body Art” category. That being said, there are several guidelines you must follow in order to remain in Twitch’s ToS.

For example, you must have a base layer of paint over yourself at the beginning of the stream and your nipples must be covered by pasties. It’s mandatory for your nipples to be covered and for you to have a base layer of paint over your torso if you decide to body paint on Twitch.

You can also only paint topless as exposure of your buttocks or genitals is still strictly forbidden with or without paint.

Aside from pasties, using opaque paint or a layer of latex to cover your nipples and areola is required.

You can read Twitch’s Terms of Service here to know the guidelines before starting or preparing to body paint stream.

Does this guarantee that you won’t be banned from Twitch, though? It turns out, not all the time, as we will soon find out in the next section. However, following the TOS mitigates the risk of running afoul with the platform.

Can You Be Banned for Body Painting on Twitch?

While body painting is allowed, there have been a few times when streamers have been banned on Twitch. Generally, in those instances, the underlayer of paint wasn’t thick enough or there was “too much cleavage” that wasn’t painted. These bans are generally overturned in a day or two, such as with the case of Forkgirl which was banned in February 2020. 

In January 2021, DelightfullyDani was banned on Twitch despite her following Twitch TOS. She stated she wore nipple pasties, and two layers of latex, and made sure everything was correctly covered. As of this update, the ban has yet to be lifted.

5 Popular Body Painters on Twitch

Here are five popular body painters on Twitch:

  1. 1 . MizzyRose

    MizzyRose is a Canadian streamer who has body-painted on Twitch for some time. She has been formerly banned on Twitch and it took her a long time to receive partner status despite her averaging thousands of views.

  2. 2. Djarii

    Djarii is a member of Method and the girlfriend of Method’s founder, Scott “Sco” McMillan. She paints herself on Twitch and often posts on Instagram, growing both platforms substantially. She was one of Twitch’s first ambassadors in 2018 and has the largest following growth for UK female streamers.

  3. 3. Andyraecosplay

    Andyraecosplay is known for her stunning cosplay and body art compilations. She has a pure dedication to her craft and is always pushing to become better. She is from British Columbia Canada and frequently showcases her art on her Instagram.

  4. 4. AriaNina

    Known as Shay Carl Butler’s adult cam girl, AriaNina grew in popularity when she exposed her online fling. She now body paints on Twitch. She used to upload images to Instagram but it has been deleted due to it being hacked.

  5. 5. Forkgirl

    Forkgirl is a talented body painter who has been previously banned on Twitch. After her ban, she painted one of Twitch’s tweets as her way of protesting and was subsequently reestablished on the platform.

face painting twitch

Best Characters to Paint on Yourself?

Popular choices for body painting are Marvel/DC characters, animated Disney princesses, and avatars from video games. Many streamers use an image of the character as an overlay so that their viewers can compare their work to the character. Some body painters don’t use characters. Instead, they will paint florals, shapes, or other interesting designs on their bodies. 

Popular options include Harley Quinn, Catwoman, Daenerys, Poison Ivy, Mystique, and Wonder Woman.

How to Body Paint Yourself on Stream

In order to comply with Twitch’s Terms and Conditions, you need to do the first three steps first:  

  1. Step 1

    Prepare your skin. All artists need to prepare their canvas, and body painters are no different. You will have an easier job painting yourself if your skin is clean, exfoliated, and moisturized. Use a light lotion to avoid greasy skin from thick creams. If you have naturally oily skin, use a setting powder to give your work a longer-lasting effect. 

  2. Step 2

    Put on pasties (nipple covers).

  3. Step 3

    Paint the base layer for your design over your chest, making sure that breasts are fully covered and it looks like you are wearing a crop top at the minimum. After you have coverage, you can begin to stream. 

  4. Step 4

    Start your stream and paint yourself. Use the directions on the paint’s packaging to get the best results. 

  5. Step 5

    When the stream has ended, carefully remove the paint from your skin based on the instructions recommended by the paint’s manufacturer. 

Note: Before you get into body painting, it is a good idea to test the paint on a small portion of your skin to see if you have any negative reactions to the products. 

Best Body Paints for Streamers

Water-based paints are typically best as they are easy to apply and remove and are non-allergenic and non-toxic. If you sweat a lot, however, you will need to touch it up more often. If you sweat a lot, you may want to look into alcohol-based paint, but be sure to avoid your eyes.  

  • Mehron – this paint is a high-quality, water-activated product that paints smoothly. There are many colors available and you can mix them to create your own unique shades.
  • Madisi – this is a great product for budding streamers who want to try body painting without investing too much into your first few streams.
  • Blue Squid Pro – you can buy these professional-grade paints color by color, only getting the shades you need for your masterpieces. They have both classic and metallic colors available. 
body paint brushes

Best Body Painting Brushes and Sponges

Another important tool in your body painting venture are body painting brushes and sponges.

  • Artify Brush Setthis set of brushes offers a variety of shapes and colors, allowing you to add the finer details of your design to your art. The handy case helps to keep you organized.
  • Kryvaline Face Paint Sponges – these high-quality sponges have a medium-high density of pores that allow them to keep their shape while they are in use. Their color hides the fact that they have been used multiple times, allowing for your fans to appreciate them stream after stream.
  • Adi’s Art Pro Paint BrushesThese beautiful brushes have high-quality nylon tips designed to keep your lines smooth and even. 

Accessories Needed for Body Painting

Here are some other items you may need for your body painting stream:

  • Pasties (Nipple covers) – while you can appear topless (as long as you are painted) on stream, it is mandatory that your nipples are covered and not showing.
  • Pros-Aide Glue and Remover – this glue will keep your nipple covers (and any other accessories) in place through the duration of your stream. At the end of the stream, use the remover to take them off.
  • Scar wax – if you want to add some cosmetic effects to your art, use high-quality modeling wax to add or change features. 

Conclusion

Body painting streams are growing in popularity on Twitch. It even has its own category on the platform. Find challenging characters to paint to keep things fun for you and your chat.

About the Author

Chris

Chris is a digital marketer with a strong background in small business and influencer branding. He applies his knowledge of content and promotional strategies to design actionable advice for new and intermediate streamers. When he’s not busy crunching analytics, he can be found in the salt pits of League of Legends.

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