Fair prices to charge?

I researched Face Painters in my area and the fees seem to be around $75-100 an hour for most, so I decided to start my fees at $50 an hour. Seemed fair, I am fairly new to Face Painting at parties, but have been face painting for years. I advertise on a few local Facebook sites and today someone thought my fees were too high. We live in a fairly high cost of living area as well on the East Coast. Can I ask what you all think is a fair price per hour for gigs? Thanks!

$50 / hour does not seem too high for a beginner with professional paints, cosmetic glitter and good hygiene.

Kris5115 wrote:$50 / hour does not seem too high for a beginner with professional paints, cosmetic glitter and good hygiene.  

Thanks! I have Diamond FX and some Paradise, also some Rainbow splits. Glitter of course. And yes practice good hygiene.

You will ALWAYS find people that think your prices are too high because they have no respect for what we do. I started at $50. an hour two years ago and just raised my rates to $75. an hour (for Saturdays only). I know my prices are fair according to my experience and speed. I will raise my prices again next year if my speed increases. Once I can paint as many faces per hour as the more experienced painters, I will match what they charge.

Charge what you feel is fair for your experience and speed and ignore those that think you are priced too high. You’ll come across plenty of people that feel you are SO reasonable.

Thank you! I didn't respond to the person. LOL I don't think I am the best by any means, but I think I am pretty decent. LOL

When I moved to the city and started taking face painting more seriously, I started at $60/hr per painter for the first year. The year after i split into private and public events prices (like malls VS birthday parties)
Public events $75/hr, min 2hrs. (2 painters is double)
Private events $100 for 1hr, and $150 for 2 hours $200 for 3 hours (2 painters was an extra $50/hr)

Did that for a long while. Now my prices are:
Public events $100/hr, min 2 hours (2 painters is double)
Private events $125 for 1 hr, $200 for 2 hours. (2 painters for 1 hr is $200, 2 for 2hrs is $400)

My advice would be don't start too low. If you are using professional paints, you have talent, and you can paint 10-12 faces per hour, charge more. Then as you get more successful and better at the craft raise your prices to reflect your quality, then raise again to reflect new benefits you bring to your client.

People will have more respect for you if your prices aren't low. And trust me they will pay it.

Most people only want an hour, so i make the 1 hour a bit more, and you seem to get a 'deal' if you book 2 hours.

Also, people don't take into consideration all the time you spend behind the scenes on your paperwork, marketing, kit preparation (and cleaning before/after). Plus the yearly costs of insurance, supplies which always need to stay topped up and if you have business cards those too.

I agree there will always be stingey people who don't value face painting, but thankfully I think face painting is becoming more widely appreciated which is good news for us!

$50 sounds fair to me (working out the exchange rate in my head - I'm in the UK)

I am new to face painting also but I have similar experience with my photography business. I started low but had other photographers approach me about my pricing and let me know that they felt my work warranted more and I was essentially undercutting them. I raised my prices (quite a bit) and have continued to get clients. I have lost some who thought I was too pricy but I would have worked just as hard for them as I do for those who value my work more. It took me years to learn to let them go though.

well said staley

I started my prices at $50/hr and the more experienced i got, and the more high end my kit became, I upped to $75/hr. In time, i will be upping those prices again.
If i am booked for 3 hours or more, I drop it to $65/hr. And belly paintings I charge up to $100 per belly (depending on design wanted)

I have never had a complaint about cost yet

I would argue that $50 is really low to begin. You have the equiptment, you have the insurance (right?), you're in a high socio-economic area. So, you're probably undercutting the resident painters by about 50% - that's a huge margin, AND it's not leaving you with much (if any) profit to invest in your company and yourself. You don't have half the business, you have 75% of the business structure and equipment in place (if not more), so don't charge half. FairyFox had a really good statement about how to figure out what percentage to charge when you're new - I'll see if I can find it.

I think I'm with GlidedCat on this one. $50/hr is pretty low. in my area that's what the undercutting capitalistic people charge.

Raise to at least 75 i say.

Id say charge what you feel your art warrants, and dont budge on your price for those who are saying its too expensive. I've found the ones who complain about the pricing, are the biggest complainers about anything, they complain about gas prices, about food service, about the cable bill, about insurance prices, they complain about their coworkers, boss, friends, kids, etc etc. And ive found that if you bend for them, and discount your price, it only leads you to more people like them, who want to get champagne for a kool aid price.
I charge $60 an hour, and the only time i change that price is for good friends, and organizations that are close to my heart. And they know not to share that info.

I know that feeling, "I'm not good enough to charge". In order not to undercut, i found another facepainter who books the jobs, handles insurance, paperwork, billing, invoicing, phone calls. She charges the decent amount ($100phr) and asks me if I'm free or not. A lot les stress. It made me realise I am worth $100phr; people always say its the best face painting they've ever seen. (I of course have seen what aaaallll the face painters can do, am very flattered. They don't know but they knoe enough ).

On another note, I once had a photographer tell me if he put prices up til people stopped complaining: if something is cheap, they look for reasons why. And vice versa. If something is expensive, people ask why. Have some good reasons . ( you are good, paint is good, dedicate yourself etc).

I love being able to share this. I think everyone goes through the same thing

Definitely keep those prices up. Also, consider - at many many many of the parties you paint, there are all sorts of other services there too. Bounce house. Super ultra deluxe bounce house.     Magician. Expensive decorations. Balloon arches. Balloonist. Costumed character. Lots and lots of trays of great catered food. Little girl in a special dress just for that day. Etc. Now, this isn't always, and it's often just one or two other of these things. But my point is, if you are a great artist and running a professional face art service (insured, trained, best paints, etc., etc.), then you must first respect yourself, always deliver (read: over deliver), love the work, and be paid well for it.