Although difficult to define any genre of art, Pop Art is particularly elusive in that it reflects the current fads and imagery associated with consumerism and popular culture. Today, Pop Art can be characterized by its vibrant colors, dark outlines and often playful content that make it so attractive to the general public. As a growing and constantly evolving movement, few people realize it was founded over five decades ago.

The Golden Age of the movement took place between 1958 and 1975. It was one of the biggest art movements of the twentieth century, despite many critics denouncing this new style as “kitsch”, or a tasteless and cheap imitation of true, valuable art. The term Pop Art was first coined by Lawrence Alloway, an English art critic, in an edition of Architectural Digest. He used this phrase to describe a break from the elitism that was associated with the predominant art of the time.

The Pop Art movement was the result of a combination of two factors: the 1950′s postwar economic boom and a general frustration among artists with Abstract Expressionism. After World War II, the market for consumer goods ballooned as a growing middle class began to indulge in luxury items. As a result, advertising agencies expanded their grasp on the American landscape and utilized radio, television and print to drive demand. This led to products being mass marketed and advertised like never before.

During this boom many artists were becoming frustrated with the predominant art style of the time, Abstract Expressionism. Abstract Expressionism was a nontraditional art form popular in the early half of the twentieth century. It expressed ideas and emotions through abstract or non representational means. A backlash developed against this style, first in Britain and then the United States. Many artists believed it was elitist and exclusionary, as its content was often left to scholars for interpretation. Others noted that these pieces were solely found in the galleries of renowned museums, or in the expensive homes of private collectors.

A desire emerged to make art more accessible to the average American. Pop Art artists wanted to take their work out of galleries, and allow them to be appreciated in everyday homes. They began to create content and imagery that was familiar to the blue-collar consumer, with a message or meaning that was decipherable. A handful of artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Tom Wesselmann were pioneers in the history of Pop Art. They recognized the value of comic book pages and modern advertising, and drew inspiration from magazines, television and even film.

Since this Golden Age, a number of waves have come after it. Each generation of Pop Art artists have interpreted the influence of mass media on society differently. Today, artists such as Romero Britto, Carlos Navarro and Tim Rogerson are a part of the new wave of artists. This new generation of artists utilize vibrant colors and cartoon themes to convey often complex forms and ideas. Although Pop Art spans over 50 years and has evolved greatly, the original objective of bringing art in to the home of the average American persists

Body art is the decoration of the human body. The most common forms of body art are tattoos, professional makeup, body painting, fashion makeup, face painting and temporary airbrush tattoos. Body painting is a form of temporary body art. Unlike permanent tattoos, body painting can lasts for several hours. Body painting has been a significant part of rituals dating back thousands of years. Body painting and face painting, along with dancing and drumming, were the means for some cultures to reach specific altered state of consciousness. In this state, group members would lose the sensation of fear and pain and become fully dedicated to the group interests. This state was crucial for physical survival and as a defense from predators, enemies or other forces of the nature.

In today’s world body painting is largely used in the fashion and film industry. It is also commonly used as a method of gaining attention in political protests or expressing rage, beliefs or feelings. Painting that is restricted to the face is known as face painting, professional makeup or fashion makeup. Traditional face painting is applied with face makeup, brush and sponge. The more contemporary form of face painting utilizes Vibe airbrush face makeup and an airbrush. Fashion makeup, also known as extreme beauty makeup, consist primarily of designs applied around the eye area using highly pigmented colors and shimmers.

While permanent tattoos have been around for thousands of years, the desire to remove or cover permanent tattoos has likely existed almost as long. The same desire that exists to remove or cover permanent tattoos also applies to scars or skin imperfections that may exist on an individual’s skin. Typical processes for removing permanent tattoos or correcting or hiding scars or skin imperfections include painful and expensive surgical procedures, such as laser removal, that can result in scarring. Less permanent methods involve the application of professional makeup. There are many different types of professional makeup including foundation, powders, lip sticks, mascaras and bronzers. Most of the professional makeup media can be applied with a brush and sponge. Yet, the fastest and smoothest application can be achieved with an airbrush.

The most common form of body painting is temporary airbrush tattoos. Temporary airbrush tattoos are quickly applied using an airbrush and stencils. Airbrush tattoos can last for days and are removable with rubbing alcohol. Temporary airbrush tattoos have been applied for a variety of different purposes, including decoration, social status, and as a sign of endearment.