Can *anyone* "clown"? Or do you need a certain personality?

So... I think I may give it a go. I've already started exploring a costume and character. I do theater... love to dress up and love to play a character. I also love to be silly and be the center of attention. I think it may be a good fit for me. Where should I start??

Good on you, Kat! Maybe have a look for some clowning workshops? While I do do balloons, comedy and offer face painting and other characters, it's not all I do, I am trained in traditional clowning and am very passionate about it. I'd hate for people to think I'm just someone in a costume twisting balloons and calling themselves a clown. I added balloon modelling to my business because I enjoy it, people enjoy it, it helps make me more commercial and people request it. I'm not sure how to best articulate what I mean by art versus commerciality and the necessary compromise which I think is involved with that without it coming across as disrespect for clowning.

I hope I didn't sound argumentative when expressing my views on grease paint, I really just didn't want someone to abandon pursuing clowning because of it and was suggesting that there are alternatives

I wasn't arguing about your choice to use face paint, I was just answering the question someone asked about "why greasepaint?" My mentor clown used to use nothing but face paint for her clown face as well. I tried it once and when I was sweating it off before I even finished painting it on, I decided that was not the right route for me.

As for where to start... pick a character theme? think about the aspects of yourself that make you a fun and unique person and try to make them larger than life. I don't like silly voices myself, I find them annoying and hard to maintain, but I think I kind of change my manner of speech a little bit to be more child-like in word choice and tone of voice.... people who are around me when I'm clowning might have a better sense of that or not, it's kind of automatic for me. Clowns move like cartoon characters, so (as Steve Smith told me before) watch a lot of looney toons and study how they move. If there is a good clown near you that will let you shadow them for a bit, that would be great. Classes are as good as the people teaching them, so be sure that the people running any class you take are the calibre of clown that you want to emulate. If you really want to go all out and jump in with both feet, I'm going back to Mooseburger Camp next summer and I'd love to meet you.... it is expensive, but it is a full week of classes with the best in the biz, food and lodging included. The most important thing to remember when you are in clown is that you are ALWAYS ON... when you walk out your front door, when you drive down the street, all the way to taking the costume back off again, everyone is looking at you and expecting a clown. And you have to deliver, it is exhausting.

I would never want to discourage anyone from trying it out, I just don't like seeing the costume without the character.

Barbie Smith great question! I think that all personalities can become clowns! When you are in charactor its super easy to escape the boundaries your personality naturally has, when you act the part your inhibitions seem to disappear because you are no longer "Leilani-Beth" but silly sissy "lala"!
I suggest heading to local clown jams and classes, read books (there are heaps of great ones out there!) and talking to clowns!
Getting into clowning it like getting into facepainting - you learn learn learn, you take classes, you read books, you watch videos! You make sure you have all the equipment you need for fp'ing this is your kit, your uniform, the professional standard you adopt etc. For Clowning its your gags your jokes your charactor-your costume your make-up etc.
Combining the two was easy for me because my charactor is more quite and serious, my partners charactor is more ditsy and crazy over the top! i paint, he does balloons, and we do the rest together (the jokes, the act, the games) I do think its a tad tricky to be in clown charactor and just paint the whole time, i like to have time to paint and time to play, but it isnt impossible you are just performing for a smaller crowd ie. the kid your painting and the couple in the front of the line.
Its easier to break in clown costume though, because you can be big and over the top and it becomes part of the act, very handy! (i super struggle with taking breaks in my non charactor work!)
PS. i love grease-paint i use ben-nye, great colours! but I live in Sunny Queensland Australia, and face paint sweats of very quickly!
I encourage it!! But i super duper agree with Perry Noia, if you're going to clown -clown, don't play make-believe!

Oh, I forgot to mention... yes, I've had that particular brand of sunburn before! So much fun Now I TRY to remember to put the powder dry sunscreen on before my makeup. I tried to find the picture of the burn (I know I had one), but I had people asking me constantly why there was a red stripe down the middle of my forehead. It happens with face paint too... I had one on my arm once with the white "silhouettes" of flowers and butterflies for a couple weeks.

I know you weren't arguing, Perry, I just hope I'm not coming across as rude

My Daughter was so mad at me when she took her makeup off that night and it looked like she had wear big goggle in the sun. I myself can't use that spray that is suppose to stop you from sweating. The first time I used it I sweated off my clown makeup in 2 hours but it stays on since I stopped using it. Just like we all don't like the same brands of face paint not everything is not the same for every clown. I totally agree with you on the voice I'm too big a girl to put on a baby high voice but for some crazy reason Aunt Fannie has a Georgia accent.

I changed my voice the first time I had to speak as a clown and it was dreadful, never again haha

I think my sunscreen is from Neutrogena? It goes on like regular stuff but it dries completely and pretty fast to a matte finish.

I just ordered several wigs that fit my "character" and I'm exploring my costumes. I know exactly what kind of clown I want to be. So... define "expensive" Perry? I guess expense is all relative.

My daughter who is 12 and is my balloon twister wants to be a clown. She already has a great repor/ demeanor with children. I guess it's easier when you are in fact a kid yourself. Fortunately and a blessing for her she has 2 established clowns willing to mentor her and work with her on her look. She is super excited, and she is a true character...lolol

http://www.mooseburger.com/camp/index.html

there is more information on that website, but including all classes, food and lodging it is $895

July 31 to August 5, 2012

That's totally doable I think! Although, it's a LOOONG ways away.

Priscilla Mooseburger makes the best clown costumes too.

I hope I'll see you there!!

Wow..this was enlightening! I learned a lot about clowns, and totally agree that it would be EXHAUSTING to be in character like that all the time. I would never have the energy to "clown" and face paint at the same time. Thanks everyone for all the insight. I thought the thread was great!!!!