Teaching someone going to NY for America's Got Talent

A family member asked me to teach her friend how to paint a mother & daughter with a girly, sparkly Phantom of the Opera type mask as they try out for America's Got Talent. They are gymnists tryiing out for the show doing a "Cirque du Soleil" type act twirling around on silky, hanging material. I'm using those printed blank faces that Denise Cold (Thank You!) posted. Thought I'd try DFX Metallic white & Tag Pearl white for shine w/o glitter, as well as one w/glitter. Will try more swirls on one design & one w/tiny roses. Can match colors to their costumes. Of course, they have no supplies & it's in 2 weeks AND my family member said I'd do it for the hope of future business from this popular gym. I asked her not to offer my services for free again. My own daughters give my card/website out & never mention price...leaving that to me. This is the SIL of one of my daughters. She mentioned it over a month ago & I asked her to let me know details. I just got the text on Friday (the usual means of communication for this one). Found out they wanted to see me tomorrow @ 10 & "...can't pay...it's (the try-out) in 2 weeks". I'm such a wimp...but this young lady is a source of some stress in the family for me. I allowed myself to get into this situation, so I'll make the best of it now:
1- Smile & advise clients on arrival that I only have one hour
2- Display sample pics
3- Paint both faces w/different paint so they can feel it.
4- Demonstrate how to wash off
5- Have them choose a face & let them practice
6- Offer them old materials (paint/glitter/brushes/1/2 full spray bottle of Ben Nye Barrier Spray) to take to NY
7- Ask where I can display my business cards & flyers @ their gym
Otherwise, any advice?

I'd say that you are being very generous. I would ask for a shout out in the next couple of issues of the newsletter, as well as a mention on their website.

I would present them, AND the gym's manager/president with an invoice that details all that you are giving them in physical material, as well as your service with the total of what all of it is actually worth. At the bottom of the invoice, you can say something about it being no charge, and good luck. Hopefully, this will educate the club, and the gymnasts as to what the actual value of the service and product they are receiving is. I'll bet in their minds they are thinking it's only worth a few dollars and would be quite shocked to see the actual price!

I'm struggling to see how this is going to promote your painting at all. It's not like you'll get exposure for your work, because it won't be your work. When fellow gym/club members ask who did the face painting they'll just say they did it themselves won't they? or it'll be: "Affordable Face Magic will show you how to DIY & doesn't charge anything for it."

How is it that we (well many of us) always manage to get conned into doing freebies by family? I always tell myself "That's IT - I'm NOT getting sucked into these situations again!" but then next time I'm not quick enough or firm enough with refusing & it happens again...

sorry you got bamboozled. Loan her the products, tell her to paint them and have them PERFORM while painted (if the sweat, they may decide not to wear it). Under bright lights they may sweat and lot and that would be awful. TELL HER YOU WANT THE PRODUCTS BACK. that way, you aren't starting her up with a kit and if any others want to be painted as such, to contact you. if she wants to be the "go to painter", tell her where she can purchase her own supplies in the future, that this was a one-time deal.

UPDATE: Got the tel# & called the gym owner (we meet tomorrow @ 10am). She thanked me for agreeing to do this for her daughter & an adult. I'll be teaching her. I asked if the event was ..."in 2 weeks?" She said no, they were having a photo shoot, including my face paint tomorrow, & are leaving for NY on Friday! I paused & said, well, I can give you some supplies to use. She said she thought she could just buy some @ a costume store. I explained, not around here, not the quality you need. I'll give you the name of a site (FPF) but there's not enough time now. She immediately offered to pay me for my time (HOORAY ) & I offered her a discount.
***Coral3: Doing this "to promote my business" wasn't my idea, but both area gyms offer a space for $50/6 months to keep a stack of your business cards. It's a fundraiser for the gymnastic team members. I did it last yr @ another gym & it netted me 3 parties. That's what I was looking for as a minimum. It's the only time I've paid for advertisement. My business cards are a gift from well-connected family!
NOW, what I've learned from this is: if ever approached by a friend or family member w/this type of thing, I'll offer to discuss a discount w/the person involved! I never do freebies now, unless it's my grandchildren or my church.
***Kingmead Mama: your suggestion is spot on! Whenever I give a discount, I use my usual invoice & on the price line or in small print say "waived" for extras &/or ___% off Friend/family discount. This does let them know the true value.
***Luvs to paint, I'm getting all supplies back, but giving used stock.
Thanks for your comments. Will post my own pics after & hopefully get permission from the photographer. That would be a huge bonus. This seems to be turning out much better than I thought.Maybe I'll be able to drum up more business for myself and FPF!!!

Wow, you really got roped into that. It takes more time to teach than just to paint them yourself. But it's one thing to paint them or teach them for free. It's another thing to GIVE them supplies, old or not. I'd point them to Amazon to buy a small set of paints. There's no reason why YOU should supply it, teaching them is plenty. After all, I would guess that they're paying a good price for gymnastic classes AND for their trip to try out for the show. Why should they expect YOU to supply them materials? I wouldn't do it

Don't worry, Tina, they're paying me & I'm using supplies I use to train my assistant. They thought they could just pick up their own supplies @ Party City! See, most people don't realize what FP'ing entails. If they had time, they could have ordered from here on FPF. Found out they have Bday parties there. Maybe it WILL mean more gigs? will see.
Here's my samples I'm bringing.






Any advice is welcome...Thanks

those are very pretty! I like the ones with the roses a lot.
In all, you've turned it around very smoothly, well done!

Thanks, Mamakatrien. The roses were lovely but too much for the Mum, So I kept it simple. I changed the shape of the mask & painted them for their try-out video today. They'll get dressed up & the Mum will paint them for a live, on camera interview this weekend in NY. The producers only wanted a "home video" to watch. If they make it past this event, then they perform before an audience in the future. I had an invoice ready, since she had said she'd pay me, so this all worked out. My business cards are next to their flyers AND they do Bday parties! Here's a few pics. They really fly around on those silks , sometimes holding on to each other like a trapeze artist.

It is one of my favourite circus performances too, both my daughters have taken circus "air" classes before and are quite good at this.
I tried it once, I can only do two simple figures, not enough core muscles.....

Nice job, so happy to hear it worked out in your favour. I can imagine they are very pleased.

Oh, Pat, you really got a beautiful and fast mask! I loved the ones w/roses (specially, the black one) but I agree about being too much for the mum. I'm sure they were very happy with their faces