What to charge based on stall fee?

Hi guys, I've read through quite a few threads and have some idea of what people like to charge for PPF. What I'd like to know is how to determine what to charge based on the festival's stall/booth fee. I have my first festival coming up and another soon after. The first is costing me $250, the second $210. Both are including a tent in the cost. From what I've read here, these fees seem high but there didn't seem to be a way around it. I'm really not too sure what to charge given these costs. I've seen that some like to charge $3-5 for something small or cheek art. What I noticed at the recent fundraiser I did, however, was that most people went for the cheapest option ($2). So I'm worried about offering something like that as I could end up working way too hard to even cover costs let alone make a profit. I've also seen that some like to have a certain charge for cheek, half and full. The problem I see with that option is that something smaller can still be more detailed than a whole face. I guess pictures with varied prices solves that, but, again, I can't forget the fundraiser where everyone went for the cheapest option. So, considering what the stall fees are, what would you charge? Each festival is supposedly expecting around 10000 people. The first goes for 12 hours, the second for ten. Also, specifically, what would you charge at the $250 event for a national flag on the cheek? Thanks!

Actually, (according to advice here on the board) you should gague your pricing by the price of concessions.

If people are paying $4 for a soft drink or $6-8 for a beer, you can charge $8-15 per face, depeding upon design.

Of course, if they are paying lower prices, you just adjust accordingly.

Sorry I can't give you a specific amount to charge. I'd likely charge $3 around here.

This might help you http://www.facepaintforum.com/t10095-fast-full-faces-my-epiphany-is-a-long-time-coming-a-little-long

My personal experience: you can only paint so many faces in so many hours. Make it worth your time. Any time we've done festivals or booths, it's a minimum of $5, and it's still a challenge at some events to make $$.

I no longer do events where I have to pay. It's not a bad way to to get out there and show your stuff, but no longer needed for me right now:). I would almost rather paint for a fundraiser and have an artists tip jar.

One more thing- I paint for the local hockey team. They pay me a set rate but I collect $$ for faces that goes to their charity foundation. I do mostly $5 faces but also offer only 4 very easy simple $2 designs. I still do WAY MORE $5 faces.

Glitterfly and I do a festival or two at those prices for a booth bringing our own tent. You should be charging at LEAST $5.. we charge $5 and $10 for those events, $5 and $8 for cheaper rent events.

I have done festivals that are $350-$500 a booth. Granted I was there as an artist, not a face painter. And I would sell 1-3 large original paintings at each event and sold prints and note cards as well. I only stopped because my tent died just as the recession hit and folks were not interested in Originals anymore, which I depended on to cover my booth fees. Having the tent included for only $250 is a pretty good deal for a big event.

You really need to make sure that your cheapest designs aren't any more effort to you than big ones. I like to figure it out by the minutes it takes, $3 for a 3 minute face, $5 for a five minute face etc, that way you are making the same amount no matter what price face you are painting. Often my 3 minute faces are faster than that so can usually make more provided my line stays consistent.

I wouldn't label it at cheek art for cheaper as quite often the cheek art can require just as much work as a full face. I label mine as quick designs and I have a section on my board which shows exactly what a quick design is.

sweetheart.
$250 is way too much. You needed to explain to the organizer - that could be all you make all day.
My first ppf - yeah ok it was my first so I wasn't fast... I made $250.
That was at $5 a face - no matter what they wanted.
Offer them a percentage of your profits instead - or break it down for them. I recent;y did this and got a booth fee down form $370 to $180 and when I told them it would take me minimally two hours of painting just to pay their booth fee they dropped it to under $160.
If I had paid $250 bucks I would be chargeing $10 a face with $5 for cheek/arm art.... might keep your line to a manageable amount. Remeber you can always drop your price but you can't go " oh no my line is over an hour long I"m going to up the price.."

I would also see about another painter comming and splitting the booth fee, and perhaps having someone there to do balloons for the kids waiting or even share your booth with an Airbrush artist or crafter just to save money.
Also becarefull when accepting jobs where they supply the Marquee... I can NEVER use their stalls - quite often they are all closed in on three sides with benches to serve from and are only open in the back.... no good, they are usually only 2.4 x 2.4 as well - not the 3mx3m I"m used to having.... also if they are coloured it will effect your painting... you need it white light and bright.

Hope this helps babe - but if you are anything like me you'll want to learn those lessons the hard way. Something about being previously screwed over gives you the motivation to argue for what you need to make it work for both of you - the organiser and your self.
Good luck chicky - far out you have been working your butt off lately!
Love as always
xxx

$3-$5 is wayyy too cheap clowngirl

My first ever market gig I charged $5 and $7. I got these prices because I asked a bunch of friends with kids what they would be willing to pay. $5 is a nice round number.

I was swamped. So I figured, well, if they will pay $5 they will pay $6 and so on. Still busy, so I upped it again and still was busy. Goes to show how much we don't realise the value of it.

Too many people? Up the price and keep it consistent and confident- "Oh I just want her to have little flowers" "Sure no prob it will still be $ so I will also add a little crown and some stars and glitter, she will just look so beautiful".

Too little people but busy event? Too expensive, reduce it slightly.

I have a variety of price tags depending on the event.

That seems steep to me too. In my area, the county fair booth fee is about that much, but it's for five days. There was one event that wanted that much plus 10% of my profits! I told them the price was outrageous and that I wasn't interested.

Last year, I had a $3/$5/$8 pricing (prices tend to be lower in my area). This year I'm thinking about just doing $5 across the board. I think this will make it easier to manage my money/change and also keep my line a little more reasonable. I'm also considering offering extra "up selling" additions for slightly more and offering a family special (5 faces for $20) to help out families that have a lot of kids and might not otherwise want to buy.

That's way too much for a one-day event. Let's do the math a bit like we did for the Easter event mentioned in another post.

You would have to make $81 dollars per hour to pay for the tent/space and still make an average painter's wage of $60 per hour. If you can paint 12 5-minute faces (3 minutes painting, roughly 2 minutes in and out of chair) in an hour then you would have to charge at least $6.75 per 5-minute face. If you are doing more complicated designs that take 7-minutes (5 min painting, 2 min in and out) you could complete about 9 per hour and so you would have to charge $9.00 per design to make rate. It sounds like your area may not support that pricing so the booth fees they are charging are too high.

This is all assuming this is a busy event where you will have a line out the door. The problem with fairs is you are out the money EVEN IF the weather is bad, people don't want face paint that day, there are other face painters, etc. Also, you would lose money when you take breaks or pay for food so you might want to factor that in.

I would try to negotiate a more reasonable rate like 20% of intake UP TO a reasonable booth fee of $100 or so.

Good luck.

I forgot to say to becarefull of what happened to me at the Dulwich Hill fair - if another booth/ sponsor/ or church group decide to offer free face painting it can really damage your profit margin. Try to make sure the organizer agree to not allow this - that way when the sneaky booth holder does it you at least have a right to complain.
Xx

I hate to say it - I really really do, I do mean that but.....

But if this is the Fairfield gig there is a reason I avoided it. and it was due to vendor fees and the demographic.
The reason is The worst areas to do PPF are Campbelltown, Liverpool/Fairfield.
It seems the local population just dosn't want to pay and the vendors want to charge.

At the pashur workshop I had the chat with Annie about the rose - As shes campbelltown way. If you can remember her say "yes Pashur I see and don't doubt that it is worth $15 But some people just wouldnt pay that. it's got nothing to do with your skill and I think it is worth $15"
The chat we had was about the areas we are in and we would be hard pressed to get $8 - despite how great it was.(and it was great- guys)

Liverpool is also the only place I have got into arguements with a mothers about $5 being too much for a white Tiger. Fairfield They try to haggle (less forcefull same meaning) and tell you it is too much etc.

seriously talk to the vendor if you can about the price and explain to him that you will be lucky to break even. As I remeber he was the one who went looking for a facepainter not the other way around.

mabye explain to him why he had to go to them measure si.e. his fee is too high.

I hung back on saying this as I don't like being negative, and I hope I am wrong in all truth.