I'm finally "the better face painter" at a fair!

So basically I did some research online a month ago, found out about this spring fair, and emailed the council of arts and ask if I could be present. They emailed me back two weeks later, happily accepting my help, without mentioning my wage. Then they sent me another email saying that the council is willing to pay up to $100 for my services. After a night of research on the forum, I wrote back to them, politely sealed the deal and pointed out how much I've invested in this, and they upped their offer to $200+$20 travel fee, and lowered the hours from 6 to 4. I know it's still not my full rate, but it's decent compensation, and I DO need to open more doors in this area!

Anyway, I did some research, practiced the designs, and the day was a blast! It was raining off and on, mostly on, through out the fair. But it's nice in a way, for I was already paid, and could take the leisure of relaxation and grabbing some photos. None of us knew that somewhere at the fair someone else was also offering face paintings! When the first girl who got a green smudge on her face came to me to get painted, I was so worried that the paint was acrylic! Thankfully it seemed to be just the regular store-bought palmer paints. I wiped it off and gave her a kitty cat and she was sooo happy!

I didn't want to be disrespectful to the other people's work; we all started somewhere! But it did make me feel good and proud to know that all the hard (and super fun!) work I put into face painting shows and pays! When they complimented on my talent, I'd tell them it's just plain old solid work. For the only hour where the sun shone, I instantly got a line and lots and lots of "ooohs" and "awwws". It was wonderful.

This was what I painted on myself as advertisement:

Linda(Psalmbook)'s famous horse; have been wanting to try it for a while:

Ninja mom, in pink:

Kitty cat:

fluttering eye; the green blotch was from another painter:

Still need to work on line works and confidence; thanks to the fp community for all the mutual-supports! I love you guys!

Nice job. Good for you for getting more money and good for you for doing such good work and creating lots of smiles.

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I know that feeling!
I did a festival last summer that had 3 other face painters also. It was a Large festival that shut down the whole downtown area. About halfway through the event, and my only break as i was jam packed the whole time and a guy walked up and started checking out my paints and display, he then started asking some really odd questions about where i get them, how i did my display, did i paint the kids in the pictures myself and so on.
I then tell him just google professional pants and you can find what works best for the individual and yes i painted each and every photo myself...
I then find out he's a friend of one of the other face painters who was NOT happy with me as some of my clients would walk past her line see my paintings ask where they got them and left to come to my booth.
I was shocked! I seriously had no idea it was going on till that point. It secretly did feel good tho but i also did not want to alien-ate myself from the other face painters in the area as that was my first year in business.
I did get ALOT of bookings out of that event too, it was a blast!

Great job! Hard work and practice pays off in the end!

I specially love, love, love the design you painted on yourself!!
That's soooo pretty!!

Kalei, I just recently found your page on Facebook and love your works! Especially the misty arm arts using FAB. And thanks everybody for sharing your thoughts and stories!

What an awesome feeling! You go girl!