Mouth and foot painting is a technique to create

drawing Drawing is a form of visual art in which an artist uses instruments to mark paper or other two-dimensional surface. Drawing instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, colored pencils, crayons, ...

s, paintings and other works of art by maneuvering brushes and other tools with the mouth or foot. The technique is mostly used by artists who through illness, accident or congenital disability have no use of their hands. The Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (AMFPA) is a worldwide organization representing these artists. The brushes and tools that are used are ordinary artist's implements, but they may be modified in length or width. Mouth painters hold the brush in their mouth or between their teeth and maneuver it with their tongue and cheek muscles. The paper or

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...

is usually mounted vertically on an easel. Mouth painting is strenuous for neck and jaw muscles since the head has to perform the same back and forth movement as a hand does when painting. Foot painting can be done sitting on the floor, at a table or at an easel, as most foot painters use their toes with the same dexterity as people with hands use their fingers, this also helps the brush manoeuvre its self making it be more free with its art..

Notable mouth and foot painters

* Gunwant Singh dewal * Simona Atzori * Sarah Biffen *

Lorenza Böttner Lorenza Böttner (6 March 1959 – January 1994) was a disabled transgender multidisciplinary visual artist. Born in Chile, she later moved to Germany following the amputation of both of her arms, where she studied and began a career in art. Us ...

* Matthias Buchinger * John Carter * Louis Joseph César Ducornet * Alison Lapper *

Edward Rainey Edward Rainey (8July 1961 - 7 May 2014) was a Scottish tetraplegic painter; he used a brush held in his mouth to create his works. Rainey was born in Glasgow, Scotland. At sixteen he left school and after a short time as a trainee butcher he joi ...

Thomas Schweicker Thomas Schweicker (December 21, 1540 – October 7, 1602) was a German artist and calligrapher. He was noted for being a painter even though he had no arms or hands. Life Schweicker was born in Schwäbisch Hall, to Hans and Dorothea Schwei ...

* Steven L. Sles * Arnulf Erich Stegmann *

Charles B. Tripp Charles B. Tripp (1855-1930) was an artist and sideshow performer. A native of Woodstock, Ontario, Tripp was born without arms, but learned to use his legs and feet to perform everyday tasks. He was a skilled carpenter and calligrapher and st ...

Brom Wikstrom Brom Wikstrom is an American artist from Seattle, Washington, who paints by mouth. He is a life member of The International Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. His paintings have been displayed around the world. Early life Wikstrom ...

* Mariam Paré

References

External links

Video of mouth painting
Painting techniques Disability in the arts {{art-technique-stub