Pooling tips together when working with multiple artists

Well I thought I was just trying to help others out to stay positive about their art and to keep it up by splitting what I earned in tips with them when they recieve less.

I do consider myself a master painter I have been painting for over 16 years and I am the one sacrificing my tips towards the new painters that have just started out.

That sounded a bit high and mighty, considering CKC wasn't saying she DOES take 20 minutes to paint a face.
She was referring to the amount of effort that goes into one design, vs. another.
I've seen her work, and she's no slouch.
Besides. The consensus seems to be that pooling tips is not something they would do, not that someone who does it is wrong.
Personally, I would not.
If you do, congratulations to the newbies working under you.

I was at an ice cream shop once and the young man that served us was so warm and entertaining. I tried to give him a $10 tip and he said that it will be pooled with the others. I went to the table, grabbed a napkin and wrote a note to the manager that I wanted this particular man to have my tip. I told him to put it with the tip and if questioned, he was to have the manager call me.
Next time I went in, he said the manager was okay with the tip but not to make a habit of it. WTF? Don;t make a habit of being so good at your job people tip you $10? Ugh....management.

facetheart wrote:In a line of 50 people though you can't be painting a face for 20 mins when we have to be fast and keep the line moving or the corporate client that is paying our hrly fee for their corporate event wouldn't be pleased that only 3 faces are done per hr. If at an event for 7 hrs and with 30000 guests with possibly 2500 faces that have to be painted we have to be super fast. So it's quality and speed all at the same time. Of course thats where those amazing blends come in.

Wow Yes, I was talking about quality. I'm assuming you do some private face painting gigs that take longer then 5 minutes. Well, I do. Halloween faces take me as much as 30 minutes sometimes, but those are for contest entries. 3 of them won first place last yr.

I'm going to overlook the snooty remark assuming that I'm a new face painter. I'm sure there are new face painters offended by that remark, but I'll be cool about it.

I wasn't trying to be snooty at all and if it came across that way CKC I apologize.

I was just saying that at my event I couldn't take 20 mins per face and if someone else was taking 20 mins when others were doing 5 mins faces the corporate vendor paying us to entertain its employees wouldn't of been pleased, as well as I. I would much rather pull off an awesome face than having to be quick at it to get through the line.
That's what I thought you were replying.
I understand when booked personally we must take longer because we want to do an amazing job and help them win those contests and congrats, that's awesome.
I never that you weren't fast or gave quality your work looks amazing.

I never thought that me giving up my tips and pooling them all together with others was such a big deal we all get tons of tips and I thought I was doing something positive so painters that might not get as much felt equal and not inadequate since they received less than I or others.

I just want to say that I didn't intend for an argument between painters.. I started this thread because I wanted some feedback on my situation.

I haven't said who this painter is, nor will I, because I don't have any intention of embarrassing them or calling them out.

I am not trying to make them feel bad. That is how they run their business (which is successful), and it works for them.

In all honesty... if the people I HIRE to work with me and I pooled our tips at our last gig... we'd both have ZIP.

I get tips occasionally... I think the largest haul I ever had at a regular gig was a total of $12.

ONCE, I worked a non-profit event where I gave them a discount and had permission to put out a tip jar - people THOUGHT I was painting for tips so I did make enough to bring my total up to my regular hourly rate.

Tips are a reward, not an expectation. I've only ever put out the tip jar that one time. I work by the hour and am paid well. If people offer a tip I will accept it and thank them.

I would never think of splitting them, or asking my crew to split their's with me! They earned them, and I earned mine. (Minimal though they are! )

When I do private appointments THAT'S when I get great tips. And they are MINE, ALL MINE... WHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

You are right. I don't normally out out tip jars unless we work super long hours. The last gig I did was 10 hrs a day for 2 days all together and with all the face painters pooled together came to $792. So we pooled it and all got $45 each out of it. Was a pretty good haul.

When it's just family we pool but when we work with an outside painter or twister we don't. The next 2 festivals we will training a new assistant that can jump in when the line backs up and because she's my Daughters BF so my kid by extension the pooling of tips will extend to her. If I have to feed her she's mine.

definitely

I'm in Australia and although we don't have much of a tipping culture, I have received tips occasionally. I think it's horrible that you were asked to share your tips, but well done for saying no. I don't think I would have spoken up about it, I'd have felt too uncomfortable and I want to be on good terms with my fellow painters. I would want to say something though, so good on you. I would be really angry, especially because of how a lot of multiple-painter events seem to go. Some are great, with everyone sharing an equal load. At other events, some painters will sit there for 20 or so minutes working on a masterpiece while I have to deal with the pressure of getting through the line alone. I end up working way harder in those situations and would not want to share my tips!

Yes that is how I feel alot of times. One time I organized a multiple artist event and the were 9 face painters. I recieved a child to paint and noticed the one behind wearing a mario shirt then i finished my face and called next and it was the mario shirt child how when there are 8 other face painters could I have done 1 and then the next as well. I don't like carrying the burden of moving the line faster. I am not sharing my tips ever again. I decided if I work like that, I always waws thinking I was being kind but after this thread not anymore.

Your heart was in the right place but you're probably doing them more of a favour encouraging them to strive for the tips