Easter Face Painting Designs: Leanne Courtney's Rainbow Bunny Step-by-Step Tutorial
The Easter bunny is the most requested design at Easter events — and the rainbow bunny takes it further, combining two things children love into a single design that works on any size forehead and adapts easily to a cheek placement. In this tutorial, Leanne Courtney — Australian face painting artist and designer of Leanne's Collection for Fusion Body Art — walks through her Easter face painting approach using Fusion Body Art's Leanne's Rainbow Bliss and the Princess Palette, with the minimum line work and maximum impact that event painters need.
Easter falls between late March and late April each year in Australia — often during warm autumn weather that is ideal for outdoor events, school fetes, and community Easter activities. This tutorial is designed for Australian face painters working at these events, with techniques suited to outdoor conditions and high-volume queues.
What You Need
| Product | Role in the Design |
|---|---|
| Leanne's Rainbow Bliss (50g) | The rainbow arc across the forehead — spring tones from blue through pink to yellow |
| Leanne's Princess Palette | Secondary colour source for flowers, leaves, and nose colour variation |
| Fusion Prime Paraffin White | Bunny body, ears, double-dip flower base, dots and whisker highlights |
| Fusion Petal Sponges | Dorber bunny head technique and ear stamping — one per client |
| Fusion face painting brushes | 3/4 angle or 1-inch flat for rainbow loading — flower brush for double-dip flowers — No. 3 round for fine lines — No. 4 round for dots and teardrops |
| Fusion Clear Mist Spritzer Bottle | Activating the one-stroke and sponge between uses |
| Cosmetic-grade glitter (puffer bottle) | Finishing detail — always use cosmetic-grade glitter from a reputable face paint supplier |
Rainbow Bliss for Easter Designs
Leanne's Rainbow Bliss is a one-stroke split cake running from blue through to yellow — designed by Leanne Courtney specifically for rainbow and butterfly designs, but perfectly suited to Easter work because its spring colour palette complements bunny pinks, Easter egg pastels, and flower designs naturally. It is available in the standard size and a larger 50g size for high-volume event use. All Fusion Body Art face paints are water-activated, cosmetic-grade, and formulated for safe use on children's skin.
For the rainbow arc, always use a flat brush — load Rainbow Bliss with straight up-and-down strokes to keep the colour bands in clean, separated lines. The petal sponge is used for the bunny head and ears, not the rainbow arc. With a sponge, press and lift — never drag — to pick up colour evenly across the sponge face for the dorber technique.
The Brush Choice for Rainbow Loading
Leanne uses two brushes for one-stroke work depending on the size of the child's forehead — a choice she explains directly in the tutorial:
3/4 inch angle brush — for flow and movement
Leanne's preferred brush for most one-stroke designs. The longer length of the 3/4 angle gives a flowing, curved effect when loaded with Rainbow Bliss — the colours stay distinct but the brush movement creates beautiful curved shapes, petal effects, and rainbow arcs with natural movement. For smaller foreheads and children, this brush gives the right amount of coverage with elegant flow.
Bolt firm 1-inch flat brush — for coverage on larger foreheads
For children with wider foreheads, Leanne uses a short, firm 1-inch flat brush that loads straight and wide across the full width of Rainbow Bliss in one pass. The width of this brush picks up all the colours simultaneously, producing an even, bold rainbow arc in one stroke rather than two or three. Because it is shorter and stiffer, it loads straighter — ideal when a clean, wide rainbow arc is the priority over flowing movement.
Step by Step: The Rainbow Bunny
Spritz Rainbow Bliss from a moderate distance — not too close, not too far. Load the flat brush in straight up-and-down strokes until the colour on the bristle face matches the cake. Check the placement before applying: for a full-forehead design, the rainbow starts at one temple, arcs over the brow line, and comes down to the other temple. If there is a design element below (the bunny), leave room in the lower forehead for the bunny body.
Start at one side — push the brush up, arc over the brow line, and bring it down on the other side. Do not pull the brush in a continuous sweep; instead push and lift as you follow the arc. The push motion keeps the colour loading even and prevents the colours from blending into each other. Add embellishment strokes at each end — spinning the brush sideways on the downswing creates small leaf or petal shapes that make the design look more finished without extra time.
The dorber technique is the fastest way to paint a perfect bunny head without outlining a circle. Load the flat end of a Fusion Body Art petal sponge with Fusion Prime Paraffin White — wet the paint on the very end of the sponge. Place the loaded sponge end below the rainbow arc, press gently, and spin it in a circular motion to stamp a round white circle. If the shape is not perfectly round, squeeze the sponge slightly tighter and spin again at the edge to correct the outline. This takes seconds and produces a cleaner result than painting the circle freehand.
Load the edge of the petal sponge with white paint. Turn the sponge so the curved edge faces upward and press it into position above the bunny head on each side. The curved sponge edge naturally creates the rounded ear shape. For inner ear colour, pick up a small amount of pink from the Princess Palette or from the pink end of Rainbow Bliss on the corner of the sponge and press into the centre of each ear.
Using the No. 3 round brush loaded with pink paint from the Princess Palette, paint a small heart-shaped or oval nose on the lower centre of the bunny head. Fine whisker lines extend outward from each side of the nose — use the round brush with a light hand, pulling the stroke outward in a single confident movement. If you are adding a bunny face (eyes, mouth), Leanne recommends using the No. 3 brush for fine detail and keeping lines minimal — the simpler the face detail, the faster the design and the less that can go wrong when children move.
Load the corner of the petal sponge or the No. 4 round brush with white paint and a small amount of pink from the split cake. Press a small fluffy dot below the bunny body on one side — this is the tail. Leanne loads the brush with white and just touches the pink end for a soft two-tone fluff effect.
Load the flower brush with white paint and work it to a creamy paste. Dip just the tip into a colour from the Princess Palette — purple, blue, or pink — and stamp five-petal flowers where the rainbow meets the bunny body, covering any awkward join between the two design elements. Rotate the brush sideways for leaf shapes: load with a small amount of green and white mixed on the tip, and fan outward in single curved strokes. Green lifts and completes the whole design.
Using the No. 4 round brush with white paint, place dots along the rainbow arc — press straight down and lift cleanly. For teardrops, press down firmly then pull and lift in one motion. Apply cosmetic-grade glitter last — cover the child's eyes before puffing glitter, and always use cosmetic-grade glitter sourced from a reputable face paint supplier. Holographic white glitter picks up all the colours underneath and catches the light without overpowering the design.
Cheek and Smaller Forehead Placement
The Fusion Body Art rainbow bunny works equally well as a cheek design or on children with smaller foreheads — the same design, adjusted in scale and placement.
- Smaller forehead: For Easter face painting on smaller foreheads, scale the rainbow arc down — bring the starting and ending points closer together. Use the 3/4 angle brush rather than the 1-inch flat so the arc does not extend beyond the forehead width. Bring the bunny body lower so it sits on the upper cheek rather than the lower forehead.
- Cheek placement: Run a smaller rainbow arc from the outer cheek, arching up toward the temple and coming back down. Place the bunny body at the end of the rainbow rather than below it — as if the bunny is sitting at the end of the rainbow. This cheek version takes under 90 seconds and is ideal for events with long queues.
- No forehead space at all: Put the full design on the arm. The same technique transfers — rainbow arc along the forearm, bunny at one end. Children with hair covering their foreheads or headbands appreciate this option.
How to Keep Designs Looking Different Across Multiple Children
At Easter face painting events, many children will want the same bunny design. Leanne's approach to creating variety without slowing down:
| What to Change | How | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Nose colour | Switch between pink, purple, or blue from the palette | Immediately makes each bunny look distinct without any design change |
| Flower colour | Double-dip into a different split cake colour for each child | Rainbow + purple flowers, rainbow + blue flowers, rainbow + pink flowers — three different-looking designs from one technique |
| Split cake used | Use Rainbow Bliss on some, the Princess Palette rainbow on others | Different colour warmth and tone on the rainbow arc |
| Placement | Full forehead, cheek, or arm | Creates visual variety for parents watching — each child's design looks like it was chosen just for them |
| Add or remove the bunny face | Some bunnies get a nose and whiskers; others get just ears and a tail | Simple or detailed based on queue length without changing the core design |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular Easter face painting design?
The Easter bunny is the most requested Easter face painting design. The rainbow bunny — a rainbow arc across the forehead with a simple bunny below — combines two favourite elements and works on full-face and cheek placements. It can be completed in under 2 minutes at event pace and adapts easily by changing the nose or flower colour between children.
How do you face paint an Easter bunny?
Using Leanne Courtney's rainbow bunny technique: paint a rainbow arc across the upper forehead with a flat brush loaded with Rainbow Bliss. Use the back of a petal sponge loaded with white paint and spin it in a circular motion to create the round bunny head. Add ears using the curved edge of the sponge. Paint a pink nose with a round brush, add whiskers, a fluffy tail, and double-dip flowers where the rainbow meets the bunny to cover the join.
What face paint colours do you need for Easter designs?
A spring-toned one-stroke split cake like Leanne's Rainbow Bliss for the rainbow, Fusion Prime Paraffin White for the bunny body, a pink or purple from the Princess Palette for the nose, green for leaves, and cosmetic-grade glitter for finishing. Most Easter designs can be completed from Rainbow Bliss and white alone.
Can you face paint an Easter design on a cheek instead of a full face?
Yes — Leanne Courtney demonstrates both placements. Scale the rainbow arc to fit the cheek width, bring the bunny body lower to cheek level, and use the edge of the petal sponge rather than the full face for the smaller bunny head. The same technique works as a full-face, half-face, or cheek design with only placement adjustments needed.
How long does Easter face painting take at events?
Easter face painting using Leanne Courtney's rainbow bunny takes approximately 90 seconds to 2 minutes at event pace once practised — rainbow arc 20 to 30 seconds, bunny head and ears with the sponge 20 to 30 seconds, nose and whiskers 15 seconds, flowers and dots 20 to 30 seconds depending on decoration level. The cheek version is faster — under 90 seconds.
What is the dorber technique in face painting?
A dorber (also spelled dauber) is a round foam tool that stamps perfect circles — ideal for bunny heads and Easter eggs. Load the flat end with white paint and spin it in place to create a round circle. Leanne demonstrates using the back of a petal sponge as an improvised dorber — it produces the same result and is a useful technique when a dedicated tool is not available.
How do you keep Easter face painting designs looking different across multiple children?
Change the colour rather than the design. Vary the nose colour, the flower colour, or which split cake is used for the rainbow between children. Change the placement — forehead, cheek, or arm — for visual variety. These changes create visibly different results for watching parents while keeping the underlying technique consistent and fast.
Is Easter face painting suitable for beginners?
Yes. The rainbow bunny design uses minimal line work — the rainbow is a single arc with a flat brush, the bunny body is stamped with a sponge, and the ears are sponge impressions. Leanne recommends beginners avoid a full bunny face and focus on the rainbow with simple bunny elements below, which is fast, achievable, and crowd-pleasing without needing confident fine linework.
Shop the Products Used in This Tutorial
All products used by Leanne Courtney in this Easter tutorial are available from Fusion Body Art:
→ Leanne's Rainbow Bliss 50g — the one-stroke split cake for the rainbow arc. Spring tones from blue through pink to yellow.
→ Leanne's Princess Petal Palette — secondary colour source for flowers, leaf details, and nose colour variation
→ Fusion Prime Paraffin White — bunny body, ears, double-dip flower base, and dots
→ Fusion Petal Sponges 6 Pack — for the dorber bunny head technique and ear stamping
→ Fusion Face Painting Brushes — angle brushes for rainbow loading, flower brush for double-dip flowers, round brushes for detail
→ Fusion Clear Mist Spritzer Bottle — for activating Rainbow Bliss and maintaining paint consistency throughout the event
Browse Leanne's full Fusion Body Art collection at fusionbodyart.com
More Leanne Courtney tutorials: How to Face Paint a Butterfly · How to Use Split Cakes for Face Painting
