Outside in the cold weather

As anyone ever did face painting in the winter outside. I have this Winter Festival to attend and they want me outside. With the very bad weather we have been having this winter it could get really cold, like around -30 degree Celsius. I'm wondering if it will be to cold for the paint and on top that imagine the wet paint that I have to put on children's faces, how cold that will be for them. Any suggestions or tip?

Put up a tent? With some kind of heater inside?
Otherwise I think it is too inhumane to do it outside!
WHAt are they thinking?
You can't have them kids freezing outside for a facepaint!
Aspecially when they have to wait in line or sit still for as long as you need for you doing a face.

Personally, I think it is insane!

That's a good idea, only thing is we are not allow to bring our tents. As the yard is a bit slopped they said good luck to put a tent there, and for safety reason they do not allow it. But I like the heater idea.

And the paint will probably freeze so you can't even use them.

The water to rince your brushes will freeze too I think.
To me it sounds like a job not done!

Goodluck anyway with it!

You won't be able to paint if you don't have a heather, and a water warm, I was at Christmas Market in Germany once, at -14C, I was in an open cabin with those heaters that blow hot air, my water was frozen and I didn't paint anyone cause everybody was wearing scarves up to the nose and hats with ear muffs, so good luck in your adventure.

Last Winter, my team and I were hired to face paint on Front Street, for a Stanley Cup street festival.
We were in a tent, and it was snowing, sleeting, raining, hailing and windy. We were placed in a 12x12 tent, open on all sides, unless you count the lovely Kuerigmobile parked about 3' away on one side. The wind was howling and blowing boxes, Tim Horton's and StarBuck's coffee cups, foam fingers, cardboard boxes...which smacked one of our little clients in the face so they put tarps up on 2 and a half sides.

Our paint was frozen so we could not get a great applcation, once it was wet enough to move onto a brush or sponge it was too wet to paint on a face and it would run in sloppy blorpy blarts (I made up those words) until it froze in a warty blob on the child's face. We were not very busy, until the Blue Jays game let out and we got to paint Blue Jay logos on inebriated adults.

I learned...
Battery operated socks from Mark's Work Wearhouse are sent from heaven.
We kept our glitter glue in our bras to keep it warm.
Down coats are amazing.
Mittens that flip back to reveal fingerless gloves were amazing.
We also wrapped our tiny clients up in my hockey stadium blankets as the children were shivering.

I will not do that again...
unless we are inside the Metro Convention Centre.
My team was amazing and did not complain.
I think they were quiet because their mouths were frozen shut.
Our work looked poopy.

xoxo

I did a gig outside a Chicago soccer stadium. Nothing blocks the wind there and it was a cold day; but NOT winter cold. But even maybe 40 degrees and windy, I was freezing. My hands were RAW, red and throbbing.
People were jumping when I was putting my hands on their faces. Then put cold water and makeup; lots more jumping clients.

One suggestion that no one has made so far...what about star blends? I use them in the heat to stop the sweating (don't have to worry about that, do you?). But being a powder would feel a LOT nice than a wet sponge or brush. Do simple designs. It could work and everyone would be a lot warmer!

I would never, ever do another event outside in the cold weather. I did a 4 hour outdoor event one day that was a little above freezing and I was so cold. My whole body was shivering and I could hardly move the next 3 days because my muscles were so sore from so much shivering. I felt sick for the rest of the day. Never again. Now I always require reasonable temperatures or indoors.

Did it once...but it was October and unseasonably cold and VERY windy. It was like 40. I was frozen and wearing lots of clothes. No one wanted to be painted and everyone was shivering.
I would not do outside in -30. Its in my contract ....and if it is not...I'm going to add it

Party Picassos wrote:
One suggestion that no one has made so far...what about star blends? I use them in the heat to stop the sweating (don't have to worry about that, do you?). But being a powder would feel a LOT nice than a wet sponge or brush. Do simple designs. It could work and everyone would be a lot warmer!

Very Much agree- I do a few colder events: your feet and fingers get the coldest. Wear a hat (wool is good) have pocket warmers and extra sock layers. If you are prepared, it isn't as bad as you think. Over prepare. Have a couple good fleecy blankets- the kind that always feel warm, and swaddle the kid in your chair. I've had kids not want to get down because they were so warm. If you can find a battery opperated candle warmer, I have heard they keep your water warm. Thermos of hot chocolate/cambells chicken noodle soup, etc.
All that being said, have an out clause. Let them know, if it gets too cold for your products, you will close up shop. Waiting for nothing in the freezing cold is dumb.
Good Luck!

Never never never never again.
  

And that was INSIDE an open lit cabin unit with a heater.

Several weekends running.

It's the seasonal aspect. I have never experienced so many people hurrying by, scuttling along, and heard kids moaning for and parents yanking them on by.

And I get it. It's cold. They're bundled. It's not the best time for it.

That said, the night of the whippingest winds, when I was fed up a half hour into it, and ready to pack it in and leave because I'd already been through two crappy weekends, as I was preparing to put my kit away, a family stopped in. Then another, and another, and another. It was the best night of the five weekends.

So who can ever figure?

But the end result was poor money, lots of work (set-up, etc.) and lesson learned.

I am intrepid. I will try many things, with a bold dash of optimism. So I don't want to discourage you. Because maybe you want to give it a try. But that's my experience. And the weather only got to about 15 degrees coldest, and was often at around 30.

Can't they work with you on this? Get you inside? Can you condense your set-up and find a small location inside?

Another idea that doesn't include using water: the Kryolan Skinwriters. They are like face painting Markers. You could cover big areas with starblends and do the line work with the skin writers. There is another brand of markers sold at Jest Paint. They even have more colors.

I do outdoor painting.

I only do it at high noon, and only when the sun is out and ONLY when the wind isn't blowing.
I go out with HOT HOT HOT water.


yes, my paints freeze.

yes, my snazaroo shatters like pizza pie.

yes, there is not much of a crowd-BUT THERE IS STILL BUSINESS.
it comes in rushes-there will be nobody at all, but as soon as you get 1 taker, you have 5 more waiting.



the whole time I paint, I think "thank god for people who still want their face painted even though it is freezing"

I paint til I run out of warm water or til my fingers and cheeks freeze.

Thanks a lot guys for sharing your stories.  It will be my first one outside.  I do too have a contract for winter face painting and mine does not involved doing face painting outdoor for all the reasons you guys have mentionned.  However this face painting is a last minute booking from a huge bouncy castle company in the area and they where looking for a face painter so I agreed to do the face painting for them.  However my condition was if it is too cold, I have the right to stop face painting and if they have an indoor accomodation I will be happy to continue but indoor.  At least they agreed and they found an indoor accomodation if it's not working outside.

Like many said I will sure go prepared with snowsuit, gloves, boots, water warmer and the bouncy castle company is suppose to provide me with a heater so we will see and I will keep  you guys posted on how it went.

You do that! I'd love to hear how it went!

Go for it! Have an adventure!   

Did a 5 degree event this morning. Tag does good in cold. Kryolan & Wolfe (unless the Wolfe is in Metina's Dippy pot) do not. They will both freeze in your brushes & make you regret touching them. Cheek art is wise...took out a sponge once & it froze to the case when I laid it down. Absolutely would never work a cold event without an hourly wage. Wool socks & ski pants!

Well here is the verdict.  Over all it was not bad as mother nature decided to be in my favor and weather went up to +5 degree Celsius.  It was a major turn around for that day as it was -23 when I got there and within 1h temperature changed drasticly.

The only thing I found was the paint was making kind of chuncky splot on the brush and felt like I was painting the kids face with chalks.  After a while the wind died down and the paint was great to paint with.  The only problem I had throughout the day was that the sole of one of my boot broke and water was getting in it.  I sure used quite a bit of pair of socks but at least my foot was always staying warm.  It was a good experience.  However not sure it would have been the same if the weather would have remained cold.  

If someone asks me if I would do another one outside.  I guess it will depends.  If the weather will be like it was, I might.  But I do not see myself painting faces outside with temperatures below 0.  To cold for the paint.

Oh wow. That almost sounds like a miracle that the temperature went up so fast!
Lucky for you!
Glad it went that well!