How long....

How long did it take when you officially launched your face paint business to actually book gigs?

Define "gig." lol

I have sought festivals to be at, so I've had a few of those. I've had two events by knowing someone who knew I painted (Avatar opening was a last minute idea and someone in the office is facebook friends with my husband, another was an invite to paint at an art show my husband was showing at). No one has called me out of the blue and asked about parties or anything from the partygras days.

Having said that... I didn't promote it and actively seek out gigs. So we'll see with the new biz.

I painted every Saturday for tips at a restaurant for 2 years before I did my first paying party. It took off from there!

I was asked to paint faces at a cancer benefit on July 18 for a little girl in our church, and so many people kept asking me for a card for my business (and I had such a wonderful time doing the benefit) that I seriously starting thinking about doing it as a business. But I'm a research kind of person and spent the next couple of months researching how to do it, the right tools to use, etc. I ordered a Wolfe palette and painted faces at my family reunion on Oct. 3, but didn't think I would be ready to do this as a business for a long time. But my cousin, who had just returned from Disney World, told me that I was as good as the face painters there and arranged for me to paint in her friend's store booth at our local Street Fair, which was Nov. 7, to see if I would really want to do this for a living. My daughter and I ended up making $250 and having a line a mile long and had a ball! That's when I started seriously thinking of this as a business and began booking gigs. I still have a looooong ways to go to get as good as most of the great artists here, but I'm having a blast and training my 13-year-old for a future business, all in the last 5 months.

I think it depends on you for the most part. You may choose to aggresively seek gigs right away or choose to hold back until everything is well developed. I have found that I get most bookings by being seen on other jobs, either paid, volunteer, or working for tips.

I think the question is, are you ready to accept paying gigs? i.e. know enough designs, have the equipment, have a good kit ect. If you are ready, go for it! Best of luck!

I don't think I'm ready to accept large paying gigs yet. Just anxious. I hate my day job! I guess I'm getting impatient. I have so many ideas in my head just don't have the funds to support them, LOL.

Amen to that, sister!

I started by working for a magician so paid gigs right out of the gate- started my own business a year later. I still have a great relationship and still work with the magician. I work 3-4 times a month when it's slow and I worked non stop in October and December 2 gigs a day on the weekends and some fridays. I Just got my web page up and it has definitely helped. I want to be a working artist so I go out after the work and I see opportunity everywhere.

I volunteered at a Cancer Relay for Life fundraiser. I figured if things were free, no one could get ticked off at me if things didn't turn out. I put out a tip jar and raised about $60 for the Cancer Society, had about 1/2 hour line up wait and when I was suppose to be done, I had kids running to their parents cars looking for flashlights so I could continue!! After that I looked up what community events were happening, contacted them and just jumped right in! The Relay was middle of June and I had a paying gig middle of July. Enough time to get business cards and website up.

Its prob different in the USA but in the Uk you can't paint anyone but your own kids, really, w/o professional insurance...even doing it at your job you should check their insurance covers face painting specifically.

So in the UK many people do it for free until they go pro.

How fast that is/ how soon you get bookings varies on:
how good/ fast etc you are
how many ther painters are around and how good/ fast etc they are
your prices/ local spending
local population - ie if there are a lot of possible bookings
if & how you are advertised/ seen/ promoted
weather
etc etc etc
Its not an easy and exact thing!

Cat x

I started in July on my own kids, and my first public audience was at our family camp site. We were parked near the playground and when I painted our kids a crowd suddenly appeared. By Sept I had a few paid birthday parties from moms I knew from my daughter's school. I didn't really advertise (except on facebook) as I wanted to build up my skill set and reportoire. I did a lot of paid faces around Halloween and then a couple of preschools and many playdates since then. Last night & tonight was my first big public event. It was for charity but I got to advertise. Sunday is my first paid public event for the Olympics Torch Relay. I can't advertise but I'll be making some great connections with the local city organizers. I have a stack of postcards to send to local restaurants and businesses, and the list of contacts, but haven't done it yet. I expect to reap dividends pretty soon after I actually mail them. I know lots of people and now they'll know who to call. Networking is really important. The weather is starting to warm up and festivals will start up again. I made sure to get insured as I am a professional event planner and that's one of the things I'd look for when hiring someone.

Good luck!

I'm a bit late piping in on this, but I was just wondering what sort of advertising you have done for yourself CABBYJ?
Even before I got my website up and running I had a facebook page for people to see my work. I advertised in all the free classifieds on the net, and put a few signs up in local parks and outside schools.
I only started this bis about 6 months ago and have found people are finding me by themselves...... google searching, just because I get my bis name out there as much as possible. I'm doing everything from Wedding s to festivals and birthday parties. I think I should of waited to advertise I do fetes and festivals because I haven't gotten a booth together yet, I'll be doing that this week for a big school festival. The only things that may hold you back are things in your kit (meaning you may not be able to do specific events like masquerades, or create zombies with sfx or body painting that want glitter tats without buying more expensive things for your kit) or not having things to set up a booth like me...... or not being fast enough.... which has been my downfall..... I"m such a perfectionist when it comes to my art I'm never satisfied. I knew it was time to start charging when my "free" party mums insisted in giving me money as a tip or bunches of flowers etc.
- P.s Funny but while I was typing this a client just called to book me for a 30th PINK (the singer) themed birthday party, from the signs in the park!!!
YAY for free signage!!!
Tash

Hi Tash, I'm interested in what's unsaid in your post. Namely, about insurance - I'm curious as to what the situation is in Oz. We have "no fault" Accident Compensation for injuries here in NZ, and if anything should happen - i.e. reaction to the paint, poke in the eye, etc. - then everything is covered and there are no worries for the painter.

The worry would possibly come if you got paint on their white carpet, etc. That, not being an injury, is treated differently, and the customer may well hold you responsible, though they would of course presumably have household insurance.

I've been told by the FP big guns here that we don't need insurance for private parties, but do for big public and corporate events. How does it work over there? I mean, I assume you possibly didn't have cover for these free birthday parties you were doing. What have you got now, and how much did it cost?

Kat

In Oz there is a performing artist’s guild which each year negotiates a group cover "DuckForCover". For a face painter is costs about $170 per year, cheaper if you get early bird discount and sign on at the start of the year.

Premiums may go up if you do more than just face painting. They rate performing artists into 3 risk categories face painting in lowest, sword swallowing in highest.

And swaping back topics, 3 months after I did my first face I just did a 3 day event. To help ease the nerves and risk I asked Tasha to share the event with me.

ChrisD wrote:
Premiums may go up if you do more than just face painting. They rate performing artists into 3 risk categories face painting in lowest, sword swallowing in highest.

Oh, wow! I'm so glad they don't rate FP up there with sword swallowing!

ChrisD wrote:
And swaping back topics, 3 months after I did my first face I just did a 3 day event. To help ease the nerves and risk I asked Tasha to share the event with me.

This is great, Chris and Tash! I think that's wonderful to get a gig like that after three months FP, but also scary!

Kat

Hi Kat,
I only just got my public liability insurance because I needed it for a couple of gigs I've l booked. You are correct about you not needing it in a legal' sense but a lot of event organizers ask for it and if you say... "oh I've been advised I don't HAVE to have it as the event insurance should cover all artist working there" i'm pretty sure they'll just go with the next one who does.
I use "duck for cover" they are a group that gives liability insurance for a group of entertainers, and it cost me around $185 like Chris said. Don't think they cover NZ though.

I say a few months - I started in May and was doing a festival by July.
I owned an bounce house and balloon business at the time so I'd say that gave me a heads up advantage to advertising.

Any new venture takes time - your best work comes from word of mouth - so you have to put yourself out there in more ways than one - through traditional advertising and guerrilla marketing methods. While doing that you get all your ducks in a row with insurance, licensing, learning and establishing your look and style (along with your system of working. This isn't a quick fix make a quick buck business.

If you're not ready to accept big jobs alone I highly suggest networking with locals and pooling efforts or asking to assist them on big jobs. This is a great start because they may have more equipment ans systems to make big jobs go easier.

Hi Cabby,

I sure do like that dummy head thing you've got for practicing. Where did you get it? Was it expensive, is the paint easy or hard to clean off, and does it soak up a lot of paint, or not much? And, do I ask too many questions?

Kat

Kath I didn't know about that Duck for cover insurance and went with the insurance company that I have other insurance with. $544 this year but it is for 10 million and is international.

Thanks for that info, Juanita. I definitely couldn't afford that kind of money. I think there must be a cheaper option here, as we already have ACC to cover us for personal injuries.

I should point out that my husband and I already pay several hundred each per year for our ACC coverage. We have to pay as both employees and employers as we are self-employed. So, the Public Liability will be in addition to this.

Kat

http://www.duckforcover.com.au

for coverage if you are going to work in australia.

You can call the insurance ombudsman, and they will tell you which companies offer cover for you and who is the cheapest.
Easier then shopping around.
I spoke to one that wanted over $800!

koolkatkiwi wrote:Hi Cabby,

I sure do like that dummy head thing you've got for practicing. Where did you get it? Was it expensive, is the paint easy or hard to clean off, and does it soak up a lot of paint, or not much? And, do I ask too many questions?

Kat

you're not asking too many questions, that's the only way to get answers!

I purchased the head through wimex beauty supplyhttp://salon.wimexbeauty.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=7508

They are also sold in the forum shop as well. Similar pricing, free shipping! Plus Metina is Awesome

As far as staininig goes, don't use Wolfe! LOL, I learned that the hard way, but given the skins don't cost much I don't mind replacing them.

Gee, I wish I could replace the skin on my face that easily. I'd go for one without any wrinkles, sags, bags and pouches for a start. Hee-hee-hee.

Kat