Competition Designs

In September, I will be attending the clown convention with my hubby who is a clown. I am thinking about entering into the novice face painting competition. I just began painting in May and feel I could be ready since it is for novices. You can enter with cheek art or full/half face designs. Does anybody have experience in competing? Is it best to stick with standard type designs with your own take, like tigers, butterflies etc...or should I be thinking of something extremely unique?

I can help you here! I have won several times in the Midwest Clown Association Conventions in face painting, and I've found the best way to get the judges attention is to do something new and improved, something they don't see very often. OR do something that is not as uncommon, but do it better than everyone else, because chances are, if you choose a unicorn cheek art, you won't be the only one! Haha, this happened to me, there were 2 other unicorns, but mine was the one that placed.

Typically, butterflies, unless you are PHENOMENAL at them are not something to do for full/half face competition, as EVERYONE under the sun has seen butterflies. And since you can do pretty much anything with a butterfly, the creativity factor is not as strong, meaning it wasn't too terribly difficult for you to customize it yet still have it pass the "what is it" test. The same goes for cats... I did get second place with a full face cheetah once, but I practiced the snot outta that thing.

Another sure way to have an edge in these types of competitions is to KNOW THE RULES. Don't get taken to Dairy Queen (DQ'ed) on a minor infraction because you didn't follow the rules. Also, if the organization has a website and posts pics of the winners from previous years, go peek at those. Get a feeling for what does well with the judges (as these organizations often recycle judges) and also figure out what HASN'T been done before. Try to stick out and be unique!

One thing I notice on a lot of score cards is that attention to detail is a MUST. Pay attention to how well you outline or where you add that little highlight ,lowlight, or shadow in a painting, practice your blending, and for goodness sakes, RELAX. I've seen many a painter have a nervous breakdown during the painting time because they rush and mess up, and can't fix the design in time. My own mother did it once. You have a better chance of winning if you don't mess up and maybe don't quite finish the design than if you really botch it up and finish it. Just leave the finer details for the end, that way, if you don't quite finish, it won't really make or rather BREAK the desing.

Pay attention to whether there is a time limit and practice to make sure you can paint your design in that limit. If you have a 10 minute paint window and want to do a design that takes you 15 minutes, you really wil have to practice to cut time or choose another design.

Finally, even if you don't win, LEARN from your expirience, take heed to what the judges write on your score card, they don't sit there writing for nothing. Sometimes you can even ask them what they thought of your design later in the convention.

OH! and this goes along with knowing the rules, but know whether or not you are allowed to paint on youself. You may need to track down a model, and the young models with beautiful skin dissappear fast, so seize them early, or bring your own, lol. Or else you may have to pain on an oldler lady, and though she my be a sweet person, her skin will not compliment your design or present it well...