First ever sugar skull.

...and it's nowhere near good enough to put in the main section! However, I wanted to share it for posterity with the other newbies here. Just finished this - unfortunately some of the colours are shimmer and really don't photograph well, especially in our dour Scottish weather and consequent grey cast.

In any case, for better or worse....here's little old me as a sugar skull!

And just for silliness' sake, here's the same little old me, with my VERY SMEARED skull of a little boy. He wanted his face painted, but wouldn't sit still long enough for anything fancy, so it's only half-finished...and then he kept rubbing his nose. Oh well, he's cute anyway:

Doing these has made me really lust after some white and black starblends...

You did great. My line work was so thick and crazy when I did my first, yours is delicate and fun. I actually like his skull. I hope he lets you keep painting him.

Denise Cold wrote:You did great. My line work was so thick and crazy when I did my first, yours is delicate and fun. I actually like his skull. I hope he lets you keep painting him.

Thank you, Denise! That means a lot, coming from you. As for my son, it's still enough of a novelty that he pretty much demands I paint his face every day! I've only been painting a few weeks...but give it a few more, and I'm sure he'll be running every time I brandish a brush at him.

Kammy,
I'm no expert like Denise (love your work Denise, and your youtubes with your sweet Emma!!! warms my heart ) but I still know GOOD work when I see it!! I think you are such a natural for face painting!! You've taken to it like a duck to water! You'll be right up there with the "big kids" any minute, I'm sure!

Sweet that your hubby let you paint him...and your son is TOOO cute! (I left a note over in FP withdrawal about how kids and first love our painting them and THEN they start to run...check it out if you have time.) I'm excited to hear you have your first gig and especially for such a nice cause.

That is your first?!?!??! THAT IS SO AWESOME!

NieleA wrote:Kammy,
I'm no expert like Denise (love your work Denise, and your youtubes with your sweet Emma!!! warms my heart ) but I still know GOOD work when I see it!! I think you are such a natural for face painting!! You've taken to it like a duck to water! You'll be right up there with the "big kids" any minute, I'm sure!

I'm totally making SQUEE noises right now at the ego-boost you just gave me. Thank you so much, Niele - what a lovely thing to say! I'm really enjoying my face painting journey, and feel like I have so much support and encouragement on this forum. I'm very lucky.

Sweet that your hubby let you paint him...and your son is TOOO cute! (I left a note over in FP withdrawal about how kids and first love our painting them and THEN they start to run...check it out if you have time.) I'm excited to hear you have your first gig and especially for such a nice cause.

Nooo, the other half will NOT let me paint him! I got away with it once, but only because I offered to do a skull that he wanted for his FB avatar. Our son got him to promise I could paint Daddy as a kitten (muahahahaaaa)......but he's made excuses so far, so I haven't got him to make good on the pledge. Yet.

Thank you for the comment about my little lad. Obviously I'm biased, but I think he's beautiful. He's also very loving and tells me how much he loves me alllll the time. Again...I'm far luckier than I have any right to be.

I'll let you all know how the gig goes on Saturday! I'm nervous, but also excited. I made a simple design board but I'm going to add a piece that says:

"These designs are just representations. Your face is unique, and your face painting will be, too!"

...in the hope that they'll let me have artistic license! It's a very good cause, raising money for a little girl (2 next month!) who was born in the same hospital Cian (my son) was, but was later discovered to have germ cell cancer. I know I'm just a newbie, but I hope I can make the kids smile and at least I'm using safe, professional paints.

Argh. I'm rambling. I do that when I'm hurty. Sorry!

Kammy x

Manabanana wrote:That is your first?!?!??! THAT IS SO AWESOME!

Certainly is! Thank you so much for your compliment.

BTW, I've been meaning to tell you - your avatar is A-MA-ZING! I love that "zipping off human skin" look. So talented!

Kammy x

I think that piece you are going to add: "These designs are just representations. Your face is unique, and your face painting will be, too!" is a great idea! I didn't realize until reading these threads that some people get worked up about not being EXACTLY like the design board pictures! Sheesh. Anyway your "disclaimer" covers that nicely.

Opps! I thought I saw a picture of a man painted with your son...musta got the wrong person!

Everyone has been so happy at the parties I've done, some even exclaiming how great I paint--HA HA! Just cos they don't know any better!! [hope they never stumble across this forum ] or they just aren't the least bit artistic themselves. And You paint soooo much better than I do, so I just know you will do well at your gig!

How tragic for that little girl and her family to be dealing with such a devastating disease! You will be bringing "light" into their lives by your kindness in doing this to help out. So just take a deep breath on Saturday and dive right in! And when you do your first child there and see their joy, you will relax more.

I had a loving little boy like yours once...and you know what? He grew up (all too quickly) and became a loving BIG "boy." In fact a few weeks ago a package came in the mail with over $100 worth of face painting supplies and I thought "What on earth!? Where did this come from!?" and finally inside I found a note from the shipper: "This was a gift for you from Brett." Wow! He's always been sweet like that, but I just had no idea he was really noticing what excitement I was having over face painting....but I guess it really emanates from us newbies

There is a photo of a man (my friend Bryan) painted as a tiger with my son, in the Newbie Challenge #2 thread, so you're not going crazy. Is that the one you remember him from?

I don't think I paint better than you at all, but thank you for that! And thanks also for your good wishes for the Roma Chooses Life event. She deserves a good chance at life, and though I can't raise much face painting, I'll do what I can and maybe persuade a few more people to come to the event, too.

Cian has no problem letting me paint him - he's only 4. He wants to be a rainbow tiger today, which is good because I've never painted one! If only I could convince his Daddy to loan me HIS skin, too...

How wonderful that Brett sent you face painting supplies! You've obviously raised a sweetheart there.

Kammy x

Yep, this IS the one...glad to know I've not gone completely insane. Well, Bryan is a good sport!

Have fun with your little rainbow tiger boy today! (btw how is Cian pronounced? I've not heard that name before.)

NieleA wrote:Yep, this IS the one...glad to know I've not gone completely insane. Well, Bryan is a good sport!

Have fun with your little rainbow tiger boy today! (btw how is Cian pronounced? I've not heard that name before.)

In the fickleness of youth, Cian decided to forgo the rainbow tiger and have a simple dragon on his chest instead. I, on the other hand, was indeed a rainbow tiger - I put my (not very good) effort in the Newbie Challenge #2 thread if you're curious. After I was painted up, an unexpected delivery arrived and I swear the poor man got a bit startled when I answered the door...

Cian is a traditional Irish name and is pronounced very much as it looks - KEY-un, sort of. Like "Ian" but with a hard C at the start. Does that help?

Kammy x

Loved the delivery man story!! That had to be a shock when you opened the door! Well, it will give him a great story to tell all his friends!!! (I'll go check it out on the challenge to see what what he saw...)

That is a very nice name! I don't think I would have ever figured the pronunciation on my own...but it is so simple really. Happy dragon painting!