First gig today!

Good morning! Well it's finally here. I have my first gig today. I am super excited and terrified at the same time! I know they will love what I do but I am afraid my nerves will get the better of me and cause me to take too long or mess things up. Anyway I know that I need to walk in there with confidence and "never" tell them this is my first one. I think i have everything. Will try to take a picture once I am set up. Thanks to everyone for some fabulous advice. I have contracts, invoices, insurance, photo release forms, Sign-age of all sorts, and I believe I have all of the necessities to make this work. Wish me luck.

Good Luck! Hope it goes well! Can't wait to see the photos!

Have fun..... you'll do great!!!

YAY YOU!!!!! So excited and happy for you! Girl, my first gig, I was shaking so much I litterally dropped my brush, LOL!!!!!!! We all laughed and they were all happy. So even when you think you've blown it, it's still fine! Now go have a great time!!!! And yes, we want pics!!

Good luck and don't be tough on yourself if everything doesn't go perfect, because it hardly ever does for anyone.

Don't panic about anything...

I guess you did think of everything...I still don't have things like contracts, insurance and all that stuff...but then again I don;t have an official business..

YEAH! You'll do great! I'm rooting for you & praying for you too! Your more prepared than me. I had a mini snaz pallet, the brush & sponge that came w/ it, water & baby wipes. It was a PPF event w/ a $3/face plus tips & I was working for someone else. I worked from 10am-5pm & made $200 & thought I was doing great. The kids loved it!
I can't wait to hear all about it!

Phewww! Well it was fantastic! I was super nervous and a little shaky but pulled myself together. I have not had a lot of practice on children so a couple of these are basically a first time design on some one other than myself. lol.
I had technical difficulties with my display board. I thought I was being clever and bought "repositioning glue" (load of crap!) so that my pictures could be taken from the board and given to me to use as a guideline. I know I should've had another copy for my own use but that is another story. Anyway I hadn't even had the board up 30 seconds and they were falling off. Then the board was way too light for outside and blew over so I had to lay it flat on the table. Oh, which by the way, they did not supply me with a table like discussed...they supplied me with a picnic table! I also requested chairs which I did not receive but I was clever enough to bring a tall stool for the children and I stood for the 3 hours. OHHH MY BACK!

Number one mistake when setting up....putting the display board out first!! I had 8 kids badgering me and asking all sorts of questions before I even had the paint out! Next time the pictures come out last and are the first to be put away. I would've taken more pictures but the parents were not standing with the children, as we were in an enclosed area, so I was only able to get a couple of photo waivers signed. a lack in line control caused a couple of tears but when the parents came over to see what the problem was I continued working and said "I am sorry but I can not man the line and paint at the same time". They understood. This was something else I had asked the organizer for and did not receive.

I managed to get all of the kids painted in just the right amount of time and when I was tearing down i was then accosted by some the adult men who wanted their faces painted. I stood my ground and said I am sorry i am only paid for the 3 hours. They wanted to pay me individually extra and kept on pestering me, but I was exhausted and I knew they were not going to let up so I said " Sorry guys I really need to go home and breast feed my baby" HA HA HA HA. They all got a little uncomfortable and left me alone. I didn't really have to feed her but I knew it would work. HA HA HA HA.

The peace sign design was by far the most popular. I need to work on my swirls (can do them on myself, lol). The second fav was the Metallic pink (red) princess crown.

Over all I had a great time and can't wait for the next one.

forgot the rainbow design

Great job, congrats!

Awesome job! Those are so much better than my 1st jobs!
on the "gotta go home & breast feed the baby comment!"
There's not much arguing w/ that... too bad I can't use it anymore
Congrats on your 1st gig!

Nice Job!!!
I love your "Breast feeding" Excuse..I think I'm going to borrow it...

I will have to create a "finished at" sign. With that said the very first little boy (the puppy) came back as I was tearing down and his face was one massive smear. Boys will be boys. He wanted me to do another one on him but I had already said no to others and I didn't want to start something I know would get out of hand. He was sobbing....it broke my heart. Probably the worse part of the job, breaking his heart.

Wow I'm really impressed by your first gig!
Think you may have been ready for awhile now..... just too good for your first time!

I think I'm going to get a sign that says first rule of face painting - NO crying!
I always tell the little ones " Now you know the first rule of face painting is no crying". Then you hear the mums in the background " now you heard the lady - no crying!" It's amazing how many of them start deep breathing to stop the tears coming!
I still find myself thinking I got into this to make kids happy not cry - every time that parent decides to let their kid stand there and cry as you pack up - shame on them!

Wow, beautiful faces, well done!!!
Didn't see anything wrong with your swirls

I explain "no 2nds" because there are kids who haven't had 1st. I also have a no re-do's rule & use the hygienic reasons rule. Once it's all smeared I can't get all the paint into my kit for cleanliness reasons. The moms almost always get it. If they can get it washed off really well & there's time & I'm not turning others away(this is almost never) I will redo. I will fix the bottom of a butterfly if it's an easy fix.

I need a little top 5 rules list or something. I don't want it to be a novel but something that can make things a little easier. It will be hard to narrow down to 5 though. lol

1) No sick kids
2) no 2nds
3) you cannot see yourself till it's all done(if children as watching themselves they're giggling & moving) I had a dad video his child & flipped the screen so she could watch. I was wondering why she was squinting & moving after being so still... What a mess!
4) no chewing gum(if it's in your mouth keep it still as I can't paint a moving target:-)
5) no food or drink in the chair or over my kit(I hate snow cones dripping on my feet)
6) have fun!

Congrats! I love your puppy! Cute!

LOL I love the breatfeeding idea! Haha!

He wanted me to do another one on him but I had already said no to others and I didn't want to start something I know would get out of hand.

Totally. If I'm turning people away, no WAY can I do another one. I'll stop the line so I end on time and either paint like a madwoman, or, slooooow right down - not that it looks like I'm intentionally slowing down, but that I'm taking my time and doing extra details etc, so I end on time. I have a sign the last person wears, and an end time sign on the table, AND coins to hand out as coupons for the remainder of my line - if anyone tries to BS me and say they've been waiting forever...I don't think so!

The crying breaks my heart, too, but I keep reminding myself that A)it's my job and I'm only paid for a certain time and B ) I really don't want to set a precedent of being soft hearted, lol.

Linda - good #3 - I HATE it when they show them before I'm done! Or I'll take a step back to reload, and mom'll take a picture and show them - wtf? and for #5 - on occasion I've had parents try to shovel food in their mouths while they're in my chair. Thanks a lot. Now we all have to wait. Way to go.

And congrats! My board wants to fly away outside sometimes, too - I tie it with a balloon to the leg of the canopy I'm under.