How Much Is Your Kit Worth?

Our kits are priceless, I know, but how much did it cost you to put together?

Just about to write back a potential (well, not, actually) client and after she asked me for any tips to paint her own Avatar faces, decided to figure out how much my working kit actually costs.

Looking at my paints only, and thinking in terms of a fully stocked palette, I carry about $600 worth of face paints to jobs with me - not counting the extra containers with ingredients listed on them. Add in the sponges ($20), brushes (oh man...$200?), glitter ($20), tool box ($60), brush basin ($6), mirror ($2), wipes ($2), spray bottles ($3), Liquid Bling ($40) and gems/bobby pins/paper towels etc, that's nearly $900 worth of stuff rolling around with me. (The $200 chair, $400 for balloons/kit and $200 floor pump make this almost ridiculous! Then we get into the easels and display boards...gah.)

Make me feel better, or at least ok! How much is your working kit worth?

Well...just looking at what I spent last year...

...I started this crazy ride July 2009 and by Dec 31st I'd spent $1500. I know I've spent a lot this year too. I'm a little afraid to go add it all up...don't make me do it!

Haha, oh, how much STOCK I have altogether is a totally different story! I'm just talking about what you take on gigs with you

My spending is mostly petering out...I think I've got everything I NEED - now it's a matter of what I WANT, haha.

Tally up!

I have a Fat Max that actually fits most of my stuff. I have some extra paints of my favourites so I don't run out and partials that I've cut up for splits, but most of it is in my kit. That's what's troubling me for when I go to Bodyssey...how can I take just the minimum? I want it all!

NEED is such a subjective term!

The paints and the container they're in ... I think around $200.
brushes.... maybe $30?
FatMax... about $100
sponges ... no idea
brush basin... maybe $5?
water container... recycled juice bottle.
glitter.... prize from a forum contest.
balloon stuff.... about $50 every 2 months (need to replenish often)
tent... $200
table... $50
director's chair... $200
banner ... about $30?
small A frame sign ... $25
mirror... $1

I'm sure I'm probably forgetting a bunch of my supplies there, but... short story, I don't have that much in paints compared to some and I still worry terribly about something happening to them.

Hmmm... a lot!
$700+
It's probably more, but that just paint, glitter, brushes, Fatmax, containers/brush holders, books(just in case I get an odd request), chair(it's a lot more if I bring the tent), towels, wipes, costume, etc...

I bring about $400 in paints - that's Aussie money so it's probably about $350 U.S - my case $130 - my Desiel backpack for my pallets - $150 ( I love my back pack!) - brushes - $100 - sponges $30 - glitters $25 - water aqua tote - $15
extras like brush holder, brush carrier, spray bottles and mirrors ( keep breaking them), towels, etc probably about $60-
so for my walking kit - approx just over $800 Aust.
If I have to include my booth $200- 6ft table $50 - chairs $100 - banners $160- signs $50 - bubble machine $60....... another $500 woah baby.... I could of lived without knowing.
If people ask I usually say my whole set up is worth over $1200.... and that doesn't include - website, bis cards, insurance etc.

Well... what I carry in my FP kit ONLY...about $1500-2000 worth (replacement value). I've got about 90 colours total (cakes and liquids, plus split cakes), about 50 brushes, 100 sponges, towels, palettes, glitters, powders, etc.

My make-up kit is probably more like $10,000 in one toolbox.

I have kit replacement insurance of $10,000 which is to cover theft or losing it in a car accident or fire. But it would only replace enough to get a starter kit going again, it would NOT replace everything.

If I took inventory and priced EVERYTHING - airbrush kit, special effects, tattoos, make-up, face painting, all my equipment and display items... probably close to $25,000+++

I've probably got around $1,000 worth of FP stuff. A lot of it I don't need, but it's so hard to say no to all the pretty new things I see.

I have a good $1500 invested in my kit easily.

lol. i meant to post this smiley

After seeing Shannon's response.......I'm definitely not feeling so bad about my investment!!

I have about $1000 worth of stuff. That includes tent, table, chairs.......everything.

I would love to get more things, but until I'm booking more gigs, I'm holding out!

I applaud your restraint Dixie...my husband wishes I had some too

About $1000. But I still don't have a tent set-up and so far have gotten all of my promotional material dirt cheap.

Let me change that, priceless!

Restraint? What's that? Is that like will power?

Forgot about the $100 tent, $50 table, and something like $60 for palettes.

Magna, that's what I wondered about Vegas! I wanted to bring everything. I ended up making a couple of travel palettes (whoops, make that $85 in palettes) to take. But really, you're driving, so who's to stop you from taking it all?!

Promo stuff is another matter altogether - I've spent so much on display photos already...

my kit added up today 15 minutes ago costs about $ 2000. and that is after 1 year of facepainting ! yikes ! it seems like such an ... er... "unreasonable" amount of money, until i take a moment and reflect (more like justify lol) on the demands of being a face painter and what i "need" to become a really great artist ! lol i can convince myself i "need" to have any color i see ! not to mention brushes, gems, glitter, sponges, gagets lol Well, you get the picture ... i am hopeless ... i am addicted to all of it !
Dawny

OK after a serious look, while I had time, It's around $1000(this includes chair & Fatmax... but not the $95 I just spent in FPF Shop).

OK OK who's bright idea was it to start this thread???? Why must we all admit to the shopaholics we are. I was happy to keep my FP addiction all to myself..........and now look BAM!!! outted & exposed for all the world to see.

After looking at allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the stuff I have...smh sheesh I would tally up just over $1200.00. How did I get here??? You start out buying one lil ole palette and blam it's over 1200 dollars later.

I think we need a meeting.... sighhhhhhhhhhh

addendum

I didn't even think about the logistical stuff....I thought we were just talking about our working kit. If I have to add in for the tent, tables. and chairs umbrella/stand, accessories, signage, car door advertising magnets, company shirts and hats pens, so on, and so on, and on, and on your looking at about another $600 - $700 beans on top of everything else.

My birthday party kit contains approx. $1800 worth of supplies (2 director's chairs, glitter tattoo supplies, table, makeup, etc).

My princess party kit contains all that plus another $400 worth of accessories.

My festival kit contains all of that plus another $600 worth of stuff (tent, towers for the castle turrets, banners, displays, weights, cash register, etc).

So total, I have nearly $3000 invested in this business, and I haven't even been in business a year yet!

I hope my hubby never finds this thread.....

Well... I've been at this professionally for 13 years... things accumulate no idea how, they just suddenly don't fit in the kit containers anymore.

So I had to start using the shelves to hold stuff... then, I had to have more shelves, storage bins in the garage, old dressers in the garage, more storage bins... took over the basement to make my studio with shelves and more storage...

Frankly I probably don't need to buy anything else for a decade.

About four years ago I put myself on a buying moratoruim. I do not buy unless it is for a show (thus being paid for by the theatre), for a cost recovery job (special order being paid by the client) or I am absolutely out of an item with no suitable substitute.

I admit that I have made a few exceptions to my "no new purchases" rule - generally picking up stock when I am attending a convention to save shipping, etc.

I reduced my spending on consumable supplies by about 80%.

The only things I have to buy on a regular basis are wipes, tissues and replacement brushes.

I barter and trade all the time. I am not spending money but still get new stuff to satisfy the urge.

Shannon,
I'm so proud of you! I'm almost there... I have almost everything on my wish list. I just want a few more paint colors(I'm lacking in pastels) & a good camara & I'll have to take a break(as long as Metina stops here great sales...).

I guess I don't feel bad I am planning on adding some must haves to my kit in August. lol. I have really had to limit myself in the last few months though as I went crazy last fall putting my kit together!

btw, how much does your kit weight? mine is right around 20 lbs. but that is not everything, just the stuff in my one case. (I am adding a train case to my setup soon for my glitters, sponges,etc)

I've never weighed it, but it's pretty heavy.

I'm thinking mines around 30lb, but that includes my fat max and it's contents so I don't think it's too bad.