It takes me so long to paint.

I have just started out in face painting been practicing for about 4 weeks with the help pf books and videos on you tube, but it takes me about 15 mins or even longer to do simple faces how can speed myself up or does it just come with practice? here's a few of my first goes my friends and family say they are good, but all i can see how bad they are and how i wish i could do better your feed back would be much appreciated.

I can't see your pics, maybe go back and try again?

But either way, 4 weeks is not very long to be painting. Technique with speed take lots of time and practice, so give yourself a break. You'll want to get good at the basics, line and sponge work, before you should worry too much about how long it takes you. And no matter what, you will probably be your own worst critic.

Hang in there... If it were super easy, people wouldn't be hiring us to do it, would they? You'll get it!

Im having trouble puting my pics on, but thanks i am practicing everyday my poor children are starting to get fed up lol.

You'll speed up w/ time. Right now it's better to focus on technique & worry about speed later. Once you're doing a line of kids, you'll learn speed out of necessity.

When I started it would take me 10-15 minutes for designs it takes me 3-5 minutes to do now. It still takes me long to do a new design because I'm slowing down & learning.

I'd love to see the pics of your 1st designs!

finally done it

Very cute! Much better than my 1st faces!

Ditto everyone in that it just takes practice to build up both your skill, and your speed. For example, here's a pic from my first gig, 8 years ago:



And here's a pic from a gig last year:



That first butterfly probably took me somewhere around 8+ minutes to do (and I can't believe I just posted it ::shudder:: ). The second took around 4 minutes, and while it's not super fantabulous, I hope I'm not the only one who thinks I've moved forward...

its fab i hope i will improve as much as you have

I've been FP for almost a decade and I still can take 8 minutes on some things!! Granted I have a selection of "fast faces" that are under 4 and a lot under 2 minutes, but that has taken a lotta time and a lotta practise to get to. And they are simple...

I never worried about speed - it will come with practise, and more practise... and nothing like actually painting when there is a mile long line waiting to increase your speed!

Wow I love the cat face. And you say you've been painting for how long?! Don't sweat it on the speed as everyone has said get the technique down pat the speed will come later. Keep up the great work.

There's at least two threads showing our first faces... you should check them out. Fear not. It'll come with dedication.

Keep your designs very simple for the first year - play up on the color and do designs that have minimal line work. The designs you display I usually don't do at a party as they would take me 5 - 8 minutes to do and when you are starting out it will take you longer to do. Less is best in the beginning.

I have to agree with those that have already spoken, that in your first year only focus on the easier stuff. Work yourself up to the more difficult stuff; we all had to. Amazing and beautiful designs that seem perfect in nearly every way come with tons and Tons and TONS of practice, it will not come over night, and likely not even within a few months or a couple years. This is an art of patience if nothing else. I think the pics you posted look GREAT for just getting started! I think it's safe to say this is another case of how we are our own hardest critics. Don't sweat it, with time, patience and practice you will be doing stuff that makes jaws drop as well. Don't give up!