What kind of reactions have you had in your community???

[Criss]

What kind of reactions have you had from people in your community when you've your face painted?

Will your kids go out in public with you when your face is painted?

How about your spouse or partner?

All of my children play hockey, so it was inevitable that I would go to a game or practice with my face done up. It wasn't until the end of the season party, for my daughters' team, when one of the other mom's asked me what I do and I told her, "I do face & body painting." At that moment, all of the mom's turned and looked at me and someone said, "OH MY WORD! That explains it! We all just thought you were really excited about the games and were an extreme fan." LOL How silly is that, a whole season of hockey and I show up with my face painted in anything from a skeleton to a ballroom mask and nobody thought to ask.

[JBax]

I once had to go to the grocery store while completely covered in blue paint. Everyone tried to avoid eye contact, as if to save me embarassment. Did I do so wonderful a job that I am some human-metallic-smurf-love-child? Um, I did this on purpose guys, and it's okay to notice and wonder. Finally, I get to the checkout, where the friendly cashier asks me about my face, and we have a nice conversation about face painting.

I don't get why, but it's like when you have your zipper down or spinach in your teeth. Weird.

[Psalmbook]

I've had to drop off or pick up my kids in various forms of face paint, clown, Fairy Princess or Mrs. Clause. All my kids friends & families know what I do, so we get giggles & funny comments, but it's all fun. I've also had to hit the grocery store on the way to an event. I use it as an opportunity to advertise. I usually will say, "Yes, I'm a face painter. I'm on the way to work. I do birthday parties & events. Here's my card."

What I find is around Halloween I have no problems... all of a sudden I'm normal.

Oh, and I do always embarrass my kids... but that's what parents are ment to do

[jenjenhana]

I had an eye design on once and people actually thought that it was a tattoo. I was like, ouch!!!!! On my eye?!!!

[Guest]

People are used to me... and when I'm driving my care it is obvious why I'm painted.

I like going through drive thrus... but the bank tellers don't like it (too mask like for identification!)

[Kristal]

Lots of stares, some whispers as I go by...I usually hit up the grocery store or Michael's after gigs when I do stop somewhere - and the best one is that I walked past a mom and daughter outside Michael's, and literally had her RUN after me to get a card! Haha.

In Vegas I had Raphaelle paint a transformer on my face - it was amazing and full-face - and in the elevator the 4 or 5 people were doing that I'm-totally-looking-but-trying-so-hard-to-look-like-I'm-not thing, and I even said, "it's okay guys, I know I have face paint on, go ahead and look!" There was some nervous laughter and then everyone went back to pretending not to see me.

[CATZ]

I make a point of going to at least the grocery store after a gig. I look people in the eye and am amazed how 'normal' they look at me or avoid me. Very occasionally they ask if it's a tattoo (weird) and I let them know it's facepaint and end up giving away my card. I just thought it was us 'polite' Canadians that ignore the obvious. LOL.

I paint my daughter too if I'm painted when I pick up our other daughter from school. It's good advertising. One of the other moms told me she felt like a 'traitor' because she'd gone to the leisure centre and her kids were painted by 'another facepainter'. I told her it's OK, I can share. LOL.

[EerinArts]

Lots of stares, some whispers as I go by...I usually hit up the grocery store or Michael's after gigs when I do stop somewhere - and the best one is that I walked past a mom and daughter outside Michael's, and literally had me RUN after me to get a card! Haha.

In Vegas I had Raphaelle paint a transformer on my face - it was amazing and full-face - and in the elevator the 4 or 5 people were doing that I'm-totally-looking-but-trying-so-hard-to-look-like-I'm-not thing, and I even said, "it's okay guys, I know I have face paint on, go ahead and look!" There was some nervous laughter and then everyone went back to pretending not to see me.

Lol, even nervous when you actually say its ok

Where I live people would be the same, they see it as weird when you wear face paint as an adult. Only on special days its not, like carnaval, Sinterklaas (something we do here) and on festivals. But on normal days.. just going around with some face paint on the face.. is really weird accoording to most. For some its even like 'something is wrong with that person' weird.
I never go outside with my face painted.

[smitty225]

...how bout it took some of my personal friends like two or three years of repeated, "no I can't go, I have a gig" for them to realize that I'm a face painter. One of them said, "you mean, people pay you to do this?" I've know this person for almost 20 years.

[Perry Noia]

I often go out with my face painted... I never get as many comments as I'd like.... more often though I end up out in clown. A lot of honking horns and waving and stuff usually. There was one time that I went through the drive thru and this girl totally flipped out... walked away from the window, handed me my food VERY carefully. It was McDonald's for crying out loud, your mascot is a clown.

[Psalmbook]

LOL! Perry! I love drive throughs!
Don't you love the guys that try to "Pick you up" when you are in clown?! I know I can't look that good... my costume adds like 30 lbs to me.

[Perry Noia]

Pick me up?? My goodness... the closest I've ever had was some 65 yr old guy walking with his wife that said to me most emphatically, "You're GOURGEOUS!" I like that people think I'm a good looking clown, but no, I've never had anyone try to pick me up LOL

[Psalmbook]

Drunk relitives at kids parties......

[Kristal]

Don't you love the guys that try to "Pick you up" when you are in clown?! I know I can't look that good... my costume adds like 30 lbs to me.

Haha! You know, when I worked for an event company and wore their really bad "clown" outfits and used my unsafe paints I got hit on my uncles/cousins/friends pretty consistently. Since moving on to my own business - not so much. I did have a dad's friend ask repeatedly if I wanted tickets to a rave (while in pirate), and the guy at McD's suddenly went all suave and asked me where I was going, all dressed up (princess), which I thought was rather hilarious!

Eerin - I go out in FP constantly and I love it! Lots of cashiers saying they love it, people at the craft store strike up convo's and take cards...it's pretty much win win.

If I met a guy I really liked, then found out he wasn't cool with my job/hated when I went out in FP - he'd be gone! Haha.

[Mandi from Tazzie]

I always stop off at the supermarket after a gig, and get some really lovely comments & smiles. I even had one lady call out to me what a beautiful face. I also take the opportunity to hand out cards & promote that I do birthday parties etc.
When I was in Melbourne doing the workshop with Bec Anthony on the first day I left with half my face as a fantasy tiger painted by Bec the other side a wicked eye design painted by Caro & a necklace painted by Sarah. I caught a bus, train & tram like this & soooo many people did the I'm looking but not really looking thing. I ended up when I caught someones eye contact I started grinning like a chesher cat & saying it's ok to look don't I look great. I had a great time with it enjoyed observing all the city folk around me.

[Guest]

Well... not FP but my brother and I rode Skytrain in Vancouver in FULL Klingon make-up and costume... scared people off the train!!!

But other people just took photos of us (yes, the stereotypical Japanese tourists they were too!)

Got lots of second takes!

[Perry Noia]

omg... the ONE time I took the bus in clown was too funny. I totally got that blind eye from everyone on the whole bus!! Like, HI yes I know I"m a clown! Crazy people.

[squiggle]

The only time I've been out in public painted, was a gig I had in New Orleans the Sat before Mardi Gras. I needed to pick up a few items for the gig at Hobby Lobby and my daughter and I were both painted as exotic butterflies. The only person who said anything was the cashier and she just said, "Going to a parade?" That caused the people behind me to laugh suddenly and say, "Oh THAT'S the deal!" I then explained what was going on and they took my card, but got lots of stares. And this is in NO where everyone is eccentric LOL!

[illusionsart]

I love going out painted. It drums up business. I always get stopped and asked for cards.

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