Market stalls

I'm at a market this morning and unfortunately it's one of the ones that makes you get there at 6am even though it doesn't open till 8. My question is, what the hell am I supposed to do for the next 4 hours or so before I even stand a chance of a customer? Any hints on killing time?

Been there.

I do many things. Mainly I just deep clean my kit. It's all laid out, so i wash the signs, get water droplet marks off all my stuff. Clean all the edges of my one strokes lol. But I also bring a book, or my Nintendo DS  .

One time I just covered my stuff with an large cloth put out a sign that said when I was open, put in my head phones on low with an audio book, and took a nap until my alarm woke me up.

But yeah bring a book. :/

practice?

You could have yourself covered in a head to toe full on body paint by the time you get your first customer! 6AM would probably be a no-deal for me, lol!

I do a market every Tuesday morning in the summer. We have to be lined up at 5am to get our spot. The market opens at 7am. Not too many Mennonites want to be painted at 7am. I do not have any jobs until 10 or 11am. I practice teardrops, one stroke roses, put UV paint over, and under designs, and see how they perform with my handy-dandy UV flashlight, all while listening to my audiobooks.
It is not the most exciting life I have...
and,
I love it!
xoxox

and if she stays until sunset, fesspenter glows in the dark..

Thanks for all the insight. Its very interesting how a market works compared to a festival... I had not one person till around 11.30 then I was flat out until 12.30 and then had no one till i was nearly packed up and they were doing the whole " just something quick, please!" and there were three of them..... i spent something like six hours waiting around for one good hour of painting.. My setup needs a lot of work though and that is the focus for this week.

Time to network! Go talk to everyone. EVERYONE!

If they're creepy politely cut the conversation short. If they bore you, politely pretend to listen until you notice that they've stopped talking. Some of them you'll love conversing with, some of them not so much. Some will ask for your card. You'll learn stuff, see some cool things and get your name out there all at the same time.

Fellow market and festival vendors are an amazing wealth of info about upcoming events and they're also people who might need a face painter at some point. If you're friendly to them you'll be the first person they contact when the need arises.

Thanks for the tips Kal. Everyone gathers around the coffee guy in the morning because he has a heater and chairs and tables etc. so I will get the ball rolling over there

Thankfully the two markets I paint at are fairly flexible with the start time... as long as I get there before they collect the money! I normally roll up at around 8.30am with my flask of hot coffee, good book and 'Hot Hands' warmers... by the time I've set up, I normally have a little customer or two waiting for me! Because I have a very small set up space required, I can basically slot in anywhere.. no big tent or gazebo to find room for! I really can't fathom why the markets have to start so early!!!! Not many shoppers wandering around at 6.00 am!!!

Yes better option take a cup of coffee to feel fresh before work or you can do your work practice.

www.soperfectpaint.com

After I set up I usually go get a coffee and something for breakfast. Go pay my stall fee. Have a chat with other stall holders on my way back to my stall. By that time my first customers are about ready to be painted. Then it's usually steady/ busy going for the next 3 hours. Usually get a break around 12 so grab a drink if I've forgotten my water bottle. Then it's either quiet for the last hour or a rush qat the end. Some weekends in tourist season I don't even get a break. Love the social connection of it as that's where I get a lot of my other bookings from.