Do any of you refuse to deviate from your design board?

[Facepainting by Tina]

Just wondering if it's rude to tell a kid no, if they want a design that's not on your board? What if they suggest something you have no idea how to do? Is it normal, or unheard of, to ONLY do the designs you show that you can do. Generally at church functions we don't deviate, because kids want crazy demonic stuff lol...but what about at regular gigs? I don't want to seem rude but I carefully calculate what designs I am willing to do for the price based on the event. Is that odd? I am a newbie

[Face Painting by Jessica]

I tell them that I'm just doing designs on the board for today, but I can paint whatever they want when I paint at birthday parties.

What bugs me is when they want something so simple as their name or homeland... I CAN do that... but I don't want to... stick to your sign.

[ParTIA]

I usually will do it for them- but this is where I end up kicking myself. It is hard to tell them no, I always want to please the customer. At at PPF event I have nearly 40 designs (which is still too many)- so more than anything it annoys me that they can't find one they like.

There are some requests that are just a pain and I am going to have to start saying "I would be happy to try that at a birthday party, but right now I need to stick to the designs". It's a hard one for me!

I would love to hear how others handle it?

[Facepainting by Tina]

That is what I was wondering about, I have about 40 designs for my boards (my poor son and daughter are in all of them...hahah..so I tried to crop out portions of their face so it's not so obvious that it's the same kids) so I am thinking they should be able to find something on there that they like. I think I'm going to stick to my guns and try it...this is my first paid gig coming up, ppf gig, and I'm trying to do the cheek/one eye (the quick flower stuff on the one eye) for $5 and masks for $8, I am doing temp tattoos (misc. pics) for $1 each and also mustaches for $1 each (hand or face). I want to keep it pretty simple, but like I said I have about 40 designs available in those areas on my boards, so we will see. I will have to keep track of how many people try to deviate. All the free gigs I have done, it seemed like I spent most of the time painting butterflies (which I'm way better/quicker at anyhow) than any other design..and I'm making those $8 so hopefully I can rake in some good money. Our local carnivals charge $10 for butterflies and they stencil them on and don't do any line work or anything...I also add glitter and gems to the antennaes (gems if time allows)

[Luvs to paint]

I stick to my board. at PPF and free events, I don't want anything to bog me down and stopping and "thinking" about what the design should look like bogs me down. I tell them, sorry, but you'll have to pick from my board. I had one child this past weekend pitch a a little temper fit wanting lightening mcqueen from cars, I told him NO, and unless you pick another design, I'll have to paint someone else. he changed his tune quickly. I just don't have time to try and figure out a new design on the fly. there are always exceptions, some are so obvious that it's a no-brainer on whipping it out quickly. it's the ones that make me stop and think that I say no to.

[Guest]

I've started using a small photo display of 32 fast designs (all under 4 min, most under 2 mins) for my public gigs. I will paint requests, but when we are down to the last hour it is restricted to the board choices in order to get as many as possible painted before we are finished.

I never do PPF, so this is just a regular public/event gig.

For the private parties I paint anything they want and put up my 180+ image display.

[Perry Noia]

If I need to go quickly for an hourly paid event, I have limited choices. If I'm at a party or pay per face, I will paint almost anything. If there is something that I'm not comfortable with, I will either say I'd rather not or tell them that I'll try to learn it for next time. Usually though, as long as I'm not in a rush, I'll paint anything that I can look up on my phone.

[Misha]

What Perry said! If I not comfy painting it, I won't. I usually am not happy with how it comes out and it always seems to be the one painting that everyone notices.

Btw, don't overlook painting names or such on the forearms! A well painted name with star bursts some highlights, maybe a spider, flowers, or butterfly- those are some of my most requested. Especially with teens who might not otherwise get painted.

[Facepainting by Tina]

Thanks for all of the replied, if you professionals stick to the board..then I won't feel so bad doing it.

[skjfunny]

After many answers to requests we found titling our board "Today's Choices" was the answer. Many realize then that you do other faces, just NOT today.
Often giving in can ruin the speed of your line and the quality of your work...sounds like fun, but then you are in trouble. If you go to a pizza place you can't order Greek Food...you take what is on the menu. We are a business and NO you can't please everyone, but you can do your very best each and every time. It is not about disappointing a child or being rude,
as much as being part of their learning process...they don't get what they
want every time...that's life.
'

[Facepainting by Tina]

Awesome wording, love it!! Do you mind if I use that wording as well???

[PaintedFaces]

That is another good way of putting it. "Today's Choices" I like it.

[skjfunny]

Taken years and trying everything that came along to get those very simple words...and they WORK. Please use them to make your gigs a little easier.
We do our company name at the bottom of the poster and the heading is "Today's Choices". Even the print out for birthday parties we do this and then if we want to do custom we can but we don't have to if there are a lot of guests. Seems most hostesses can't count...often have more guests than they tell you. Go for it Khalstead!

[Tweetsie]

I wish I thought of that yesterday when the child wanted an airplane full face.

[fesspenter]

A full face airplane?!!?!?
Oh, Tweetsie, my heart goes out to you.
xoxo

[Gretchen]

I never refuse to deviate! After 18+ years of face painting, I absolutely love to have the chance to paint something totally new. If I need a reference photo, I simply pull out my iPhone and do a Google image search. I find that the unusual special requests are always my favorites of the day. As for time and detail, I just adapt the design to be as detailed or as quick as time and lines allow. The only time I say no is if it's some punk who is just trying to come up with something inappropriate to see if I'll do it. ;-)

[JJJJJ]

SOmetimes I do and sometimes I don't. I may just explain that what they are asking is too complex and that I want everyone to not have to wait in line any longer than anyone else, or something along those lines. Once I invented a dragon design (before I had a standard one on my board and before it was quick for me). I got into it, for JUST THAT ONE TIME (so I thought), and did a nice job and added all sorts of sparkle to the wings, and etc. I was inwardly so relieved when it was done, because it took too long, and my line was long, and I wanted to get back to whipping out what was on my boards. Wellllll, the NEXT kid (or rather his mom) had been watching, and they stepped right up and ordered the dragon design too! Inward groan. As the second kid walked away with his design, I said a prayer and the universe listened, and the next up was "Butterfly." I also said a prayer that the two dragon kids would leave the festival quickly. I did NOT want to repeat that dragon again!

[anniel]

Tina, maybe it's just me but I HATE figuring out $--I do full face & cheek art. 2 prices. (7 & 10--because I also would rather do full face) .That being said, I don't haggle over mustaches, they are not full face & because it it posted (laminated printed sign) I usually don't get asked. I am amazed at what is paid for them....happily! It takes just as long to get them in and out of my chair, tell me exactly what kind of mustache they want etc. as most cheek art... (I will often stipple in a beard & add eyebrows, rouge & a red bottom lip if I can talk them into it.)

[nikkili26]

I admit, if I don't know a design, I will make up a fib.....what I say is "oh no, that's too scary for me, how about this instead", or if time is ticking, I'll say "oh, but that won't match your cool outfit....I've got a perfect design for you, trust me!" 

I try to paint every request I get, but sometimes I have to set the pace.....after all, they are walking advertisements.the last thing I want is a poorly painted crocodile when I know I can easily do an awesome and impressive Dragon.

[nikkili26]

And after a gig, the first thing I do I google up pictures of the requests that stump me! Like yesterday, I had a request for the scream mask, a Jason mask, a cheetahs, an iron man, and a goatee....lol.....I attempted the cheetahs, really just a leopard with spots, and the Jason mask....the goatee was simple but I added some fake diamond earrings and thicker eyebrows...I didn't even attempt the scream mask, just did a cute rainbow eye with flowers and glitter that her mom absolutely adored and she ended up loving it because all the other girls were saying how beautiful it was.  The Jason mask kid was thrilled to have so much more face paint than the other boys.....

Just have fun with it. Also, I discovered if you tell kids rules, they will follow them!so don't be afraid to tell them "this is what I'm painting TODAY, but if your parents invite me to your birthday party, I'll definitely paint that for you then "

[nikkili26]

Also, like many others, cheek art is too time consuming for me. I charge less for full face. Lol. It works for me, because I get to spend longer on fewer cheek requests and they get very very high quality designs for my time.....and it doesn't interrupt my speed quote since most kids DO want the full face....and they tend to copy each other. By the third time I do the same full face accessing in a row, I'm a whiz!

[razmatattz]

I am not afraid to say no to a design if I can't do it or I feel it is inappropriate. I haven't had anyone upset because I couldn't do something, but I had one teen that kept bugging me about putting designs on him I would not do. He wanted a pot leaf and when I wouldn't do that, he kept asking if I would put F--- cops and stuff like that on him. He came back like 5 times to try to get me to do something like that and I held my ground.  

I will deviate from my board designs, as like others, I love to do a new design, that's how I get my designs for my boards. I don't have enough time or people at home for photo ops and when someone asks for something I don't have I jump at it. (as long as I can paint it and I don't have people waiting, unless I know I can do it fast.)

I am currently redesigning my boards as the old ones are wearing out. I have decided to make several main boards for a draw tool to get people to check me out and have 8 1/2 x 11 cards hanging below them for more example ideas. On my main boards I am going to write out a brief statement about the designs being examples of what I can do, but I can do more, etc. Not sure how to word it yet. I will put the prices for my designs on the main boards. I will probably make the design cards by topic - dragons, unicorns, hearts etc. and have cheek art, full faces, masks and half face designs on each for suggestions.

I feel it is a big draw at PPF events to see the designs and have a bunch of them. People like choices. I have been to events where there are more than one face painter and I truly believe that having a bunch of designs to look at draws people in and gives them something to do while waiting. I have had people leave my space and come back because I have "better designs" or something they saw that others didn't have. It's amazing how people think. There are many people that can't "see" a design unless they actually see it, or they think that you are limited to the designs on your board (and maybe some painters can or want to only do a few designs and that's OK, and I know I do have my limits too.) Yet I can't possibly put all the designs I have done on displays. So this way they can see what I can do, it gives them suggestions and I get to be creative and put as much or little into a design. I think too that the kids themselves are my design boards. I remember the first time I ventured from my board I did a full face mermaid design. I must have had 4 other girls come in and ask for the same design because they saw it on her. Since that time, I take pics of new designs because I know someone may come in and say they saw it on someone else and want the same thing. If enough people ask for it, It goes on the board.

[FacepaintingByTanya]

It was really interesting to read other artist's responses to this question. My setup's a bit different than a lot of other painters. I do not have a design board. I have two large vertical banners with 8x10 portfolio pieces attached to show what kind of work I can do (I usually use my most showy and intricate designs, because it draws people over).

I have a large album on a table which is organized by category, showing examples of many designs I have done (with no prices listed), and I always offer to do custom designs (as long as they are appropriate to the venue... there's always one person that has to test the boundaries of my "No Stencils. No Limits" tagline).

My pricing starts and $10 and up (with family discounts available) and I quote per-client, per-piece.

Many people select from the designs on the display banners and the portfolio book, and I quote the price per-person (or my booth manager does, if I have one there).

If they want something custom, I discuss it with them and quote it per-piece.

Does this slow me down compared to folks with design boards? Absolutely. But even on custom work I am pretty quick, and my pricing scale makes up for the time I spend interacting with each client.

To me, their experience from chair to mirror is as much what they're paying for as the custom artwork I provide, and while I do get impatient people who don't understand why they might have to wait a little longer in line than they'd like, they generally understand once it's their turn (or leave the line, which is fine).

At private parties, I bring my book, but am totally open to doing custom work as well, and book and bill for my time accordingly.

My reason behind running things this way is that I didn't get into facepainting to paint the same design over and over - I enjoy being challenged on the spot, and the kids (and adults) who come to me are so full of new and interesting ideas it makes me love what I do, not ever bored or feel like it's a "job."

I realize that if I had a design board and only did custom work occasionally, I'd spend less time interacting and be able to take more people and paint faster...  but honestly this is what I've found works for me best, and I do just fine

Oh, and when I do something custom, I always (with permission) take a photo, and add it to my book (that's why it's a big book...)   

[Tineke]

I don't use a design board... and i rarely refuse to paint special requests...
The last one I refused to do was: a monkey wearing a business suit and smoking a cigar.
I sternly told him that smoking isn't cool, he agreed, so I did the design without the smoking instead

[Luvs to paint]

I painted at a company Christmas party yesterday and one child walked up and said " I know exactly what I want, blah-blah-blah on the right cheek and blah-blah-blah on the left cheek." I told him "cool ideas, but here is the board for TODAY'S designs and neither of those you want are available. ... you need to choose something from this board."

I think it's cool to be challenged, but not when I have a million kids waiting in line.

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