Ikea Tall Chair

Is anyone using the Ikea Franklin tall bar chair?
There are 2 heights available and I was thinking about the taller version.
The tall director chairs are scarily expensive here so I'm trying to look for a budget friendly option.
Heres a link to the chair.
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/30199216/

I have three of these, and i use them for body painting, to avoid smearing the body paint with those pesky arms that get in the way in my director's chair. I cover it with a large black bath sheet, and secure it with kilt pins at the back.

I am 5'6", and this chair is too short to prop a child up high enough for me to paint them without straining my back. This is fine for painting adults.

It is surprisingly heavy, as compared to my director's chair. For small children, they have a hard time crawling into the chair. I did sewed velcro straps on an IKEA pillow and attached it into the side bar struts, in order to push a child more forward, closer to me.

This chair takes up less room in my car than my directors chair. This point is not a problem for me, as we have a van, and my whole van is a "Face Painter's Furniture Warehouse" in the summer.

Another face painter posted how she has ordered a step ladder with wheels as her chair. I am interested in finding our how high the top seat height rises to. It appears that children can easily climb into the step ladder seat.

I hope this helps!

xoxo

I've used the taller one for years, the smaller one too short for me and I'm 5'7". I did have to start insisting the child put their face up so I don't find myself bending over too much on a long gig. From what I've seen and TRIED once or twice, I like these better than director's chairs because there is no room for the child to go anywhere. I can also move around this one without running into arm issues.

All that being said, I've been thinking of sitting to paint because I found a really light folding stool...but I've tried it on three gigs and I think I'm going back to this because I'm so much more at ease with it and seem to paint a lot faster because I'm used to moving around and getting the angles I like vs sitting where I'm straight on.

I think it weighs 10 lbs. and it folds up pretty well. I carry it from the middle. I actually liked my first one because I could take the footrest off and slip a stool in between the legs. The new one has a better footrest but it's not really removable. You don't want to have to lift kids into it.

Hope I haven't thoroughly confused you. Here's a photo of my old one where I've removed the foot rest and put a sturdy stool between the legs.

Thanks Fesspenter and Denise.
I was wondering if not having arm rests was going to be a pro or con but thank you for explaining the advantages.
I'm only 5'3" so I think the tall one should be perfect.
I've sat my 6 year old daughter in it and it seems ok.
I might put a firm cushion pad behind to stop them wiggling back. I'm not too sure yet but I know when I get my hands on it.
The pic is great too Denise. It's great to see it in situe.
Thanks again Ladies   

I use to have that chair before we moved. It was OK but it is far from my favorite. I had several people that said it felt like they were going to fall off. Also huskier kids have a hard time getting in the chair. (I had this before I figured out that I could use a step stool) I ended up got to a directors chair that I like but I just found a three step stool from Home Depot that I love. I am not sure about there but the step stool was on sale for $20. And the top step where the kids sit is the same height at the directors chair and there is no need to have an additional stool for the kids to get up.

Well, there's another thing to try. I'll have to stop by Home Depot soon and check them out.

That's great if you live in the US but I'm trying to source something in Australia that doesn't cost $300.

I'm going to try a few DIY stores here to see if there are something similar to the step u suggested Clownarific.

I love the Franklin's bar stool as well.... it fits nicely into my back seat and I haven't had any problems with children sitting in it... they either climb up by themselves or I just lift them up into it.. perfect height for me as I'm 5' 8".... Just make sure when you open it, if you do get one, that you push the seat down till it clicks into place... someone helped me with my stuff one day and I didn't check that the seat had been put up properly and the seat was wobbly when the first child got into it. But it's very sturdy and so cheap!! Mine cost around $30!

I have 2, 1 tall and 1 short, I paint sitting, I use the short to paint adults, and the tall one to paint kids I have seen a lot a face painters using this chair.

I'm a newb, but yes I use this chair. I'm 5'4 so this is perfect.i take this chair and my kit in my black bag and I look scary profesional, they don't even know I'm just a beginner...it is saving my back.

I have this chair in the tall version and the slightly shorter version. I like how professional they are and how minimal they are. That's about it.
I find kids have a hard time getting into it, even though I place a step stool beside it. They always try to climb up from the foot rest. I usually have to prompt parents to help the kids up.
They don't stay folded, when propped against a wall. They can be a pain to carry, when I'm pulling my kit, and all the other stuff I need to carry.
And one of my feet lost the stupid cap. No telling where it came off. I'm sure I could order it, if I wanted to, but I just haven't looked into it.
Honestly, I've been pretty "meh" about them.
I think when I switch over to a gun case, which I plan to do within a month, hubby will create a bracket for it to attach, in transit, and the issues I have with my chair will be moot.
The shorter one I have is for my daughter to do glitter tattoos.

These are the same chairs we had at makeup school. They are pretty uncomfortable to sit in for more in ten min at a time. For your kid clients, it's fine, but if you plan on sitting in it while you have a lull in the line, i would suggest bringing a better chair for yourself.

I worked with stools before. I'm 5'4 so they are a nice height for me, but since I'm pretty tiny myself I have a hard time getting the kids into the chair by myself. I honestly prefer to sit while face painting, I make sure I don't lean too much, and the the kid is sitting up straight and not slouched in the chair. If i need access to one side or another I turn their head, or tell them to turn their head for me. So much easier I think.

Though i remember seeing a photo of a face painter at work (i wish i saved it) she was bending SO much her boobs were on her knees, she was like an old school clothespin bent it half like that, with just her butt on the edge of her chair too! All I could think was "wow".

So to save my back while sitting, i sit up straight, get the kid to sit up straight and even ask them to lean towards me lol. Put their chin up as well, as too many kids think looking at their toes will help some how. Also I make sure that I always work from my right (since i paint with my right), no reaching which also saves my back.

the last time I did a bunch of kids fast (impressed myself with 12 in 45 minutes) I didn't let them sit. I sat and they walked up to me, they had previously picked their design out of my "fast faces" book and I painted. Then they walked away to look in the mirror.

It was the best my back had ever felt painting.