Do you refuse to paint certain designs?

What have you been asked to paint, but won't? Why? How did you word it?

Teardrops on teens---just, "sorry, NO". With a "really?!" look. They get it.

I tell them I don't paint anything gang related or that I find offensive.
And also, that I don't do logos, because they are trademarked.

Olaf...

F*** Frozen. LOL!

I try to stay away from anything I don't believe will turn out well. Not your standard bagel on the forehead request, just things that cannot envision or things that I've tried but for the most part don't usually turn out well.

I have refused to paint a penis on someone's arm.

Had a girl sit down in my chair at a busy event where we had the speed designs posted. She scrolls through her smart phone and shows me a Lichtenstein pop art face paint.

I looked at it and flat out just said "NO" and handed her the laminated design sheet (same as on display) to choose from. She picked something.

I don't paint snakes. I really don't like snakes. Eww

A few years ago...
I painted a pink snake on a little girls' forehead.
She was about ten feet away from me and I noticed that the snake looked.... kinda...
phallic.
I WILL paint a snake on children... just NOT pink snakes.  
I guess that kinda blows my previous declaration about painting not a penis...

I painted a bunch of penis's at a bachlorette party! lol

But I won't paint any 'inappropriate' sexy things during my regular gigs. (I had someone ask for 'the shocker' once... didn't happen.)

If i think something is 'too much' i try to get them to simplify their request. If they ask for something I can't paint, I'll tell them so. Usually I like the challenge but if I have a line, I'll ask them to pick something else.

If some one requests a cartoon character and i don't feel like it, (or i KNOW their freaking TWO year old won't sit still for it) I just call it a 'time vampire' and suggest something simpler.

Some parents (lots) pick the design for their young child (the kid doesn't even know where he is lol), and it's always one of the following:
Thomas the Train
Lightning Mcqueen
-something totally simple: flower, lady big-
-your most complex design-

When they ask me to paint one of my complex detailed designs on their child (who is already wiggling is in the chair... and has to sit on moms lap), I use the line "That design is for children a bit older."

Other things I won't paint:
- Guns
- Swastika
- Rebel Flag
- Swear Words
- Insulting Language
- Racist Imagery

Not. Going. To. Happen.

I'd paint swords, bow and arrows, lazer guns (ie: not real), cammo, maybe even a tank! (because you can't buy a real tank lol)

But the topic that always plagues me.... religion. To be honest I don't like painting 'religious stuff', I always feel like someone is going to be offended or think you are taking sides or something. I would avoid it all together but there are so many grey area's, like painting angels or demons. Or there is stuff most people don't know is religious, like yin-yang (symbol of Taoism). Or how do you say no to if some one asks you to paint the Navajo Symbol with out seeming like a racist jerk!?

No one wants to be seen as 'discriminating' against one religion or another. But also we don't want to upset people at a farmers market by painting 'Hellspawn' on the teenagers forehead. So after talking it over, Aryn and I came up with what we feel is the best solution.

Solution: Depends who's asking & Depends on Location

So wouldn't paint like "666" or "I <3 Satan", or pentagram or an upside-down cross etc, on a regular gig because usually who ever wants something like that just wants to upset people, and we want no part of it. But on everyday gigs, I'm not opposed to painting other religious images like Cross's, star of David, Pentacle, Buddha, Angels, Demons, Yin-Yang (Taoism), Navajo Symbol, Moon & Star of Islam, Hindu Ohm, or others (unless I'm at a specific religions picnic, and a sh!t disturber wants something they know would tick off their parents, then i wouldn't paint it).

Generally I don't paint a lot of religious stuff unless I'm hired for a church event or something. It's a really touchy issue with a lot of people. But you know what, say for example the Church of Satan hired me for their church picnic and people actually wanted me to paint 'I <3 Lucifer' or something, I totally would (I am a Christian btw). Because the big difference is the meaning behind it. Some teenager wanting '666' on their face during a farmers market is doing it for shock value and to tick people off. But at a CoS picnic, it's a joke and a political statement because CoS members don't even believe in the existence of the devil. lol

See want I mean? Who's asking, and what is the nature of the event.

So in the end it's just the same as painting d!cks. lol! :p At a bachlorette party, or the Taboo Show (sex trade show) it's totally ok. But not at the farmers market, b-day party, or other event lol.

With that said please enjoy these 'naughty glitter Tattoos' I did at the taboo show this year.

Glitter D!cks!

Where do you get the naughty glitter tats and are we talking about painting "penises" or "painting" penises?

Kal wrote:Where do you get the naughty glitter tats and are we talking about painting "penises" or "painting" penises?

Lol, I don't do either.

Kal wrote:Where do you get the naughty glitter tats and are we talking about painting "penises" or "painting" penises?

Lolz!
And I second, where'd you at those naughty tattoos! And I'm so glad you made that distinction, it makes a difference to me where and when, I do not advertise anything but my face painting, glitter tattoos and prenatal bump painting and even feel weird about advertising my body painting at the moment but am slowly getting over it as my name gets out and my skill improves. When ever I get the "can you paint my penis, he he he he" request I talk loudly "oh, I see, Your THAT guy..." they get the hint that it's not witty and now he's the loser at the party who likes to creep out the face painter.

As green eggs and a ham on the backside?

As green eggs and a ham on the backside?

lol I think we were talking about painting penises, not painting ON penises lol

Oh the naughty tats are of my own creation. I made the design selection board myself in photoshop. You like?

As for the tats themselves, I make them in photoshop first, then print/cut them out of adhesive vinyl using my silhouette cameo. I also make other custom glitter tat designs this way (and the ones on the kit poster) because screw paying $1 each for a stencil you can't reuse.  This way is SO much cheaper, and as you can see, I can make designs for any event.  

-sorry double post-

i wont paint Elsa. Seriously, that would take FOREVER.... I have done it on my own arm for fun at home, looked good but took ages, and I am obviously nice and still and nobody waiting lol.

However at a party or festival or something, kiss 10 mins goodbye. I always say "hmm... Elsa takes a very long time to paint... how about olaf? He is super cute and wont take long!" (i can do olaf in under 5 mins. he isnt hard.)

I will not paint penises or swearwords ever, no matter the venue. I wouldn't do a hens party or a sex expo or anything like that because it would be against my personal convictions to put myself in that situation (I have no issue with fun, or sex... however the surrounding seedy stuff that comes with those venues are not something I want to be involved in. I have a nice lady who loves all that who I refer clients to. She will paint a full sex scene on someones back if they want it. So ill leave all that to her hahaha.

I dont mind painting religious symbols on people, as long as it isnt offensive. Satanic symbols are usually offensive, or the kid is trying to be offensive. But most others arent really anything but a show of "this is me... I love my God" be it a cross or an islamic moon/star. so... thats fine.

I have learnt my lesson to not paint anything if I havent done it before and as soon as they say it I think... mmmm.... not gonna work. Coz im always right. Yesterday a child asked for a bicycle on his arm. Like an old fashioned one... though i hadnt done one before, i googled it on my phone and gave it a go as I was confident i could do it. It turned out fine. Another boy asked me for a spiderman on his arm. I mean actual spiderman, climbing a wall. Although it would be totally cool, it would take ages and the first attempt would have sucked. he was 3. no way.

If a parent asks for something too detailed for their insanely wriggly 2 year old, im straight with them that it wont work as its for older kids and I suggest something simple. One lady asked me to do an eye design on her son, however he was hypo, autistic, jiggling around in his seat, wouldnt listen to her let alone me, and there was NO WAY i was going near his eyes with a paintbrush absolutely not. So I offered a similar design on his arm. she wasnt too happy about it and said "just do his face, ill hold him down" I said "no. I will not paint a child who is being forced to hold still by being restrained. I believe he will be afraid if you do that. I wont have it. Now, would you like the arm design?" she kind of looked at me like... oh... you mean it... okay. hahaha.

I thought of more stuff I wouldn't paint! A kid today asked me to paint him a cigarette coming out of his mouth. How about no.

@ bubbleblossom

Instead of Elsa, i do a 'snow queen' design, which is basically just a winter princess design lol. If it has blue and snow flakes, they are down with it.

Also for the little ones i do what i call 'Ice Flowers' which are just blue press flowers with some dots and star bursts. Ta da! it's all 'Froxen' themed now! lol

Just change the name and the presentation and they will buy it all.

As for the spiderman climbing a wall, on a 3 year old.... yeah no. Feel free to use my line here "Hmmm that's a lot of toppings on that pizza." then offer just spidermans head.

OMG, parents asking for detailed things for their two year olds. This drives me crazy. Usually it's like Thomas the Train or Lighting Mcqueen or some other complex character. The kid doesn't know what he wants, they don't even know where they are right now! This painting isn't for them, it's for the parent, so i say 'no'. (but what i really want to say is "Are you crazy?!"

Despise parents who treat their children like an accessory.

Hahaha a lot of toppings on that pizza... Love it.

I do offer a frozen crown, frozen mask and Olaf... Yet kids still ask for Elsa!

Yeh parents can be very selfish sometimea.

I don't paint:

Religious symbols ( I'm pagan)
Lettering (I have horrible writing)
Gang symbols (self explanatory )
Logos
Flags (I'm afraid I'll offend the country if I got it wrong)

There is probably more. I did do a hand holding up a middle finger in henna once for a man with cancer. He's said it was saying f@$& you cancer. And he was 75 it was hilarious.

dear bubbleblossom, if you dress up as elsa to face paint, guess what?!! yaa, the kiddies are going to want you to paint her face!

Dear jlirie,

Guess what? About 1/4 of my jobs are as Elsa.... And 100% of my jobs kids ask for Elsa. Makes no difference :-)