what do you sit on when you paint if you use a directors chair for the client?

I definitely prefer to sit when I paint (though I want the option to stand too)

I was thinking of maybe finding an adjustable stool for me to sit on? like the kind hair stylists sometimes use but without wheels..

what do you use?

I used to use 2 stools from walmart(usually found near the furniture section on an endcap). They're black & fold. It doesn't give the child the option to recline waayyyy back. I now use a directors chair & walk around the child as I paint. I love it! It gives me the range of motion to get a better design than when I was planted in one place. Also, my body is in a happier state! Since I'm moving from table to child/adult & not sitting & twisting in the same position I'm not all soar & cramped at the end of a long gig. I did get very good shoe inserts & for the summer very cushey flip flops.

I have 3 chairs... 2 short fold up ones and 1 Director chair. I put them both out and switch up sitting while painting and standing so that I don't get too sore. hmmmm... maybe a bar stool or something like that would work?

I saw an awesome bar stool that went up and down with a lever, but it was heavy and took up too much space in the car.
Really need to get a high directors chair and paint standing.

I stand. At 5'9 the director's chair put the child right where I need him. I keep a stool nearby just in case I need to give my feet a break, but I rarely use it.

once upon a time I found avery cool barstool at a yard sale paid 2.00 for it. It raised up to barstool hight or lowered to chair hight and it swiveled and it was cushy and had a great back support. I used that thing for 10 years or more. When we moved I tossed it thinking I'll find another once we get settled... no luck, I've bought so many chairs and none are as comfy or as versitile. I sure miss that ugly old thing.

I was looking at getting a directors chair. Is there a brand that is preferred?
Right now I have two folding chairs that I covered in lime green sunbrella fabric.

I had thought if I get a directors chair, I could alternate between that and my folding chairs so my back doesn't get tired.

Off topic...

I like your snake/skull mask, Liz.

I stand... the whole time and don't realize I'm sore until I stop painting.

Unfortunately my days of standing long hours are over. (especially while pregnant) but I do like to stand maybe once or twice an hour when painting and stretch but my knees and ankles are shot from my hairdressing (and before that ballet) days..

I stand the whole time ,but when i'm at my day job i have to stand so i'm used to it.

I use a director's chair now and just stand the whole time. When I started I sat in a folding chair and had the child sit in another folding chair. Now I'm thinking it might have worked better if I'd had the child stand. That way I wouldn't have had to lean way over to reach them in their chair.

I currently sit on a chair and have the kids stand (unless they're too tall, then I stand too)....
But I've got my eye on a director's chair right now.... just need to figure out some shipping issues....

aprilmoonflower wrote:Unfortunately my days of standing long hours are over. (especially while pregnant) but I do like to stand maybe once or twice an hour when painting and stretch but my knees and ankles are shot from my hairdressing (and before that ballet) days..

I know this is off topic, but ballet? Cool! My son dances ballet 6 out of 7 days a week. He was the Prince in the Nutcracker 2 yrs in a row & just got done w/ competition in NYC Youth American Grad Prix. He's 13.

I can work sitting or standing, it makes no real difference to me. I have a director's chair that I use, but I'm almost 6" tall, so sometimes I have to bend over to get to the kid, so my back still hurts sometimes.

I stand to use my tall director's chairs when I'm doing regular make-up and theatre but for face painting I sit.

Chairs of the same height facing each other... I can't bend over to paint the kids for that length of time!! They are too short in the tall chairs and I end up leaning over which KILLS my back and knees.

The tall chairs put adults at the right level to paint but when you are doing 4-9 hour gigs it is just too long for me to be standing. I can be on my feet that long, but have to be moving.

When i'm using my directors chair(32 inches tall) I stand, but I discovered being 6ft tall is way too tall, when working on very little people, and I caught myself kneeling on the floor. It puts me at the right angle to get to that small head with out 'hulking it' over them, and the partents appreciate the fact they can stand back and see every stroke I make. Now to figure out what to use as a kneel pad for my prayer bones

len sherrard wrote:When i'm using my directors chair(32 inches tall) I stand, but I discovered being 6ft tall is way too tall, when working on very little people, and I caught myself kneeling on the floor. It puts me at the right angle to get to that small head with out 'hulking it' over them, and the partents appreciate the fact they can stand back and see every stroke I make. Now to figure out what to use as a kneel pad for my prayer bones

There are knee pads/shield that construction workers/floor installers/roofers use. It'll save your knees.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=knee+pads&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I'm getting a director's chair (my husband said it can be my mother's day present, yay!) but at 5'2", I'm actually a little worried they'll be too tall for me LOL

I'm 5' 3" & my director's chair has been great for kids. I make adults turn their head to the side & look down at me. I did have a very TALL man & he had to lean forward & look down. I might need a step stool...

I found some adjustable portable chairs that should work..they are for musicians and dj's.. seems like there are lots of options under portable medical stools too weirdly enough!

Perry Noia wrote:I'm getting a director's chair (my husband said it can be my mother's day present, yay!) but at 5'2", I'm actually a little worried they'll be too tall for me LOL

I'm 5'3 and use a tall director's chair. I put a stadium seat on it and secured it so the kids can't lean too far back. I also bring a little step stool for the kids to use to climb up and into it.... more to carry but so far it's working. Can still haul everything in one trip. Haven't had to use the step stool for me to stand on yet.... lol

I am five feet plain. I had a horrible time finding a comfortable seating or standing arrangement. I found and ordered a MID-HEIGHT directors chair for about $60 and it looks very good, I haven't tried it yet; has a fold out table on one side and pockets on the other. as a cup holder too. It also has straight horizontal bars across the feet/legs that look like they will keep the chair level on grass.

Can't wait to try it.

I sit for face painting. I can't handle standing for 8 hours - walking and working on my feet, yes, but standing in one place, no.

I use the client's chairs - so I can be sitting on anything from milk crates to dining room chairs to picnic tables to circa 1970 moulded plastic scoop chairs... one for me and one for the customer.

I use tall director's chairs to apply make-up as the jobs are shorter duration.

I have the Earths (something) forget the rest of the name heavy duty tall directors chair. I love that thing very strudy and lighweight. I am 6ft tall and I now prefer to stand and paint. I used to sit but it was too much of a toll on my back at the end of the day being hunched over for so long. I have two extra regular height chairs with me but those are just for me and the next person in line to sit in. My mom loved the tall chair so much that she bought me another one for doing the glitter tattoos.