Use a water-soluble and FDA-approved face paint. Wash your face and pull back your hair prior to applying the makeup.
Assign a sponge or brush to each color to avoid cross contamination. Common colors used with clown face painting include white, red, blue and black, although these can vary.
Cover the face with white face paint, dabbing the paint on instead of dragging or rubbing, for an even, all-over application. According to Kids-Party-Paradise.com, it is easier to apply the base coat of the main color first, then add the smaller details over it, rather than trying to fill in areas with the base color.
Coat the face with a dusting of baby powder with the makeup brush to set the white face paint.
Dab a round red circle onto the top of the nose and large red circles onto either cheek.
Draw an exaggerated outline of a mouth around the individual's own mouth in red and fill it in with more red paint.
Outline the eye with lines of black paint, drawing in eye lashes above the eye and extending the outside creases of the eye. Fill in the eyebrows and eye lids with blue paint. Format the blue paint into a shape, such as a star, outlining the eye if desired.
Brush the face with baby powder to set the paint again.