Humidity and setting Face Paint?

Hey Cheryl - no - no electricity.. We have a small battery operated fan. I think it runs off of 6 D Batteries and can be purchased at wal-mart. They tend to eat batteries so I only turn it on when I sit down to do a face.

I was at a soccer tournament this weekend, and on the Saturday, I wished I had your fan! Not for the customers, but for me... I can't believe how hot it's getting already!

Hmmmm.....maybe invest in one of those battery operated fans to dry it before you turn them loose. The best success I have had in the heat is making sure the face is DRY before you put it on. I dry the face, set the fan to my side behind me (this is also great to keep the hair out of the face) and paint away on a dry, happy face - cause they get to sit in front of the fan (customer bonus!). Then I set it in front of the fan and give it just a few minutes. My face lasted in 102 degree weather (and at least 60% humidity) for three hours.

Here is a link to a fan SIMILAR to what I have

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10817195&findingMethod=rr#ProductDetail

Its also nice to turn the fan on yourself when you don't have a customer! LOL

It sure is hot here in Florida and it is hard to paint those kids that have sweat dripping down their face before you even paint them. Occasionally I will use Pro Face No Sweat. It is a sweat blocker which helps your design stay on a bit longer. Heather from SillyFarm told me she uses it in Miami where it is scorching hot. It's time consuming (you apply the clear liquid with a cotton ball you have to let it dry a bit before painting) and expensive to use on every kid so I reserve it for special occasions like painting the guest of honor.

I really don't get the whole wanting to 'set' faces for normal gigs. I mainly work in Hong Kong, 90% humidity on a GOOD day, high temp on top of that much of the year.

I don't even set body paint, most times. You get wayyyy more complaints it if doesn't come off than you do if it does. Parents EXPECT it to sweat off, even if its almost off before I finish as sometimes does happen!
My big tips;
take a photo (with permission) before they leave your chair. I generally have the camera in my other hand as I show them the mirror so it doesn't waste my painting time. Then I email it to the parent/ host- nice gesture, means they keep my card to email me too!

Stick to brands like Grimas and Kryolan Aquacolour - they are more 'powdery; unlike Snaz which goes to goo at he 1st sign of heat/ humidity, shame as I love Snaz sparkles but it won't go liquid, which I could use, just stringy!

Steer clear of painting right up the sweatiest patches - forehead and temples.

Work with a fan (paper or electric!) or even sell fans - easy to do in HK! Also helps cool your paints/ stop moisture forming on them. The whole iceblock under them thing just makes it worse due to condensation...


Cat x

Taking the photos and emailing them has DEFINITELY got me some repeat business!

I haven't had any complaints yet about the sweating and kid rubbing it off. I am considering adding pics with a personal5x7 printer and selling them for like 1-2 dollars though

eva wrote:I haven't had any complaints yet about the sweating and kid rubbing it off. I am considering adding pics with a personal5x7 printer and selling them for like 1-2 dollars though

I've used this at birthday parties as a special treat, but I didn't have much luck selling them individually at festivals (I've tried this at several festivals). What I have had luck doing though is using it as an "extra" to entice people to buy the highest price design at PPF festivals. Basically, the pricing board tells people that they get a free framed photo of their child if they pick one of the designs with a pink dot (the $15 designs). I purchased folder envelope frames to hold the pics, and then I i printed out the 3 x 5 (?) sized clear labels with my contact info and slapped one on the back. If I were ever to do this again, I'd probably have the frames printed with my contact info instead, just to make it look a little more professional.

I'll probably be offering them at the 3-day festival next weekend, but that's only because my line assitant is really keen on doing them (I've told her she can keep whatever money she makes off of them).

I have considered this as well but haven't fleshed it out. Do you think people would bite if you mailed it to them? I wanted to get their contact info and be able to frame the photo in photoshop with my contact info.

Metina