Very frustrated!!!

I don't know if this is the right place to write this.. So if it's not Sorry!!

I'm so frustrated. About three days ago a got a call from a friend who told me that she knew somebody who needed a face painter on short term and she thought of me. So i contacted the person who needed a face painter and found out that it's for an institution and she needs a painter for 2 to 3 hours to paint 30 kids.

Normally I would ask for about €180,- (2 hours) including tax for this .
Now I thought ok I'll lower my rate because I know an institution like this doesn't has alot of budget and said I would paint there regardless if it's for 2 or 3 hours for €100,-
I thought that this was a very generous offer.

First of al I don't hear back until I send another email. Then I get the answer: Unfortunatly our budget is much smaller and that they will look for other possibilities
I aswered back that this is fine and wise them luck.

But what do they expect... that I'm going to paint 30 kids for just €50,- they must be out of their minds really!!

I find it so frustrating that here (Holland/Europe) face painting is so underrated.
I mean I'm reading here on the forum that face painting in the states and australia is about €100 per hour.
I can never ask that, my business will go under.
For birthday party's I charge €60 for the first two hours and after that €25 per additional hour. I find that these prices are very fair.

I swaer my goal is get people here appriciate face painting as much as in the states an other countries abroad.
And if that means turning down jobs for peanuts I will!
Sorry for this long thread, but I just had to get this of my chest!!

xoxoxox Carmen

Hope it gets better no matter where you go what country you live in you will encounter that.

I know many people think us Aussies get alot but.. we pay $15 per pot of paradise, $11.00 for wolf $15 for a standard onestroke more for a custom. our flat rate postage is $10.

Add to that we are spaced out I drove a 284km round trip to a job the other day, and the petrol price was $1.55 per litre- yep we charge some travel but really thats just petrol, not to mention I just paid $988 to cover all stuff for car on the road for a year (not including repairs) car wear an tear gos on our price.
a 2 day workshop costs betwen $300 and $400 and will be a drive. as we are paying for artists to travel out here there flights cost.

I get $100 per first hour $80 there after. I average $90 per hour and I am expensive thats about 72 euros

or $100 for corporate of which you have to have 20 million public liability insurance to get jobs at alot of places- 5 million just for some reason is not enough? (personal gripe I fail to see how I can do 20 million damage with 1 brush) and we rarely if ever get tips- tipping is not part of our culture not expected and not considered rude if you don't, you may get them sometimes. to get to this rate I have to paint a minimum of 15 per hour decent designs maintaining quality- this is not face faces or speed painting that gets even worse.

Either way I typed this so you can have some prespective as to what we pay vs our costs, so that hopefully you can feel a little more appreciated I have no real Idea of your overheads or those in Europe but thought mabye knowing mine may help you in some way. and help you feel better in your head.

and I do turn down jobs I don't haggle, if they haggle I put it up.

Hope it helps

Hi Elantaura,

Yes it helps thank you.
I never thought of the distences you have to drive in Australia.
And I didn't mean that you make big bucks I meant that it seems that people there or in the states are willing to pay alot more for face painters the they do here.

And about the prices of the paint.. you're right they are more expensive in australia. Here in Holland I pay for a pot of paradise €10,-, Wolfe I can't get in here in Holland and the rainbowcakes are about €13 and splitcakes/artycakes are between €6 and €11 (depends on the brand). Our shippingcost are €7,-.

I´m just so frustrated that people don´t seen us face painters as a real profession. They just think that it´s something that anyone can do, that you don´t need to practise or take classes. And that our supplies aren´t expensive.
They think that we buy all our stuff at a dollar store or something.

But ones the see your work and your supplies. they often come around and understand why I charge what I charge and that I am a profesional.

It´s just the first reaction from people when they here the prices.
I probably have to get a thinker skin also hihihi

A well we all have stuff to b*tch about. I´m just glad I have a place where I can tell my frustrating and be understand by fellow face painters

xoxoxoxo

I get the same thing with rentals too. I have a "not for profit/Charty event" rate, and still they want the product for a reduced rate too. I explain that I can not get a reduced rate from my supplier so I can only reduce the rental rate and they still complain or try to get it for next to free. I am getting tougher at saying no though. I have checked around and the other companies DO NOT reduce their rates for charity or anything, I am the only one as far as I know. They always say they have no budget, but I know better. They often just want charity but my small business can only afford so much charity.

People are in shock when they find out what the materials cost!
They are in shock when they find out what my kit is worth.
But.. they don't want to pay enough for me (or us) to make it a living.

You are struggling about 100...
Last Halloween... grrrr it's stil frustrating.
There this kids club here, one of the organizors (my babysit as well ) asked me to paint them, I told her.. oke, I just want payment to cover the paints. And it was very very very fair! It was going to cost them € 30,- (for me it was a great experience in painting a couple of scary faces and a lot of fun).
First she told me it was fine.. later she told me no.. they don't want to pay.
Later I found out that my teamleader (!!!!) from "tussen schoolse opvang" had painted them for free, but not with her paint, no she wouldn't do that either. They've bought cheap naughty word paints. And another teammember from me initiated that!! (oke.. and now they sometimes tell me "we are a team"... a team my naughty word, you don't go behind someones back, and just smile at them).

I don't believe that you can earn a living with facepainting in Holland. You need a webshop (but.. all of the others have one as well).. you need to do something extra (like all the others as well).. and the people don't want to pay.
I want to make money, and Carmen and I are living in the same area, so we work in the same area, same potential customers, same walls.
Today I had to say no to an gig .. it was on the same day as my youngest daughter her birthday. I've send them to Carmen. And I want to go to a market in a town nearby together with Carmen (I have to convince my husband.. he has to be at home with the kids.. but maybe my parent will take care of them).