Greetings from North Carolina, USA

Hi All!

Have been lurking a bit before joining. I'm a complete newbie to this. Ah, I'm sure it's an old story - midlife crisis and looking for a new career path, yada yada.

After doing my research for the past weeks finally went out THIS VERY MORNING and was at the door when Michaels opened. I'm ready to commit ... at least to deciding whether I want to commit - GRIN!

Thanks to everyone's suggestions I think I made a good selection for my first practice set. I bought a rainbow Snaz set (they didn't have the Klutz - ie Wolfe- stocked or I might have bought both to compare) with a 40% off coupon, a brush set (I don't know how they're going to hold up - but Createology had a set that gave me what looks like a #1 or #2 and a #6 round, a 3/4 or 1 inch flat -need to measure it, an angled brush, and rounded edge), this in addition to the little flat one that came with the Snaz kit. I also picked up some more artist sponges just to compare with the one included with set. The brushes are soft and colorful, have the rubber grippies and the bristles looked better than many I saw in the art section. I figure it's just for practicing on my arm and finding out if I have any aptitude for this - and of course if I like it! And I got out for $16.00. Not a bad investment. OF COURSE I want all the cool stuff - all the rainbow cakes, glitters, etc. like I can order at the shop here - love the free shipping on $25+ orders. But I have to try it first, right?

This does feel right at a gut level, so we'll see! Thanks to all who post here and share their knowledge.

Well teardrops, stars and squiggly lines here I come...I keep telling myself there's a whole bunch of supplies and a professional painters bag on the forum shop that is just waiting for me to put my name on it!!!!

Hey, huge welcome from the UK, well done on taking the plunge

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Welcome Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•٠·˙

Welcome, and have a great time making those squiggle lines!

Thanks for the welcome :-)

I have been at it a few hours now on my first session - I have a now recognizable teardrop butterfly so think that's a good stopping point. I can foresee many many MANY hours of practice ahead.

My only unexpected problem came with trying to initially sponge on the white. No matter how much water I lay down there was no white coming up on the sponge...then I realized I'd missed pulling up the plastic on that color in the kit

hello and welcome

Welcome to the forum! And to the fantastic world of face painting...

pixieface wrote:
My only unexpected problem came with trying to initially sponge on the white. No matter how much water I lay down there was no white coming up on the sponge...then I realized I'd missed pulling up the plastic on that color in the kit

Gidday & welcome to the group from Cradle Mountain, Tasmania Australia.

There's some awesome video's on youtube to help with tear drops swirls etc. Sparkling Faces (Vi) does heaps, as well as Lisajoyyoung, Ashley Picking, Clayton (i can't remember his buisness name) these are all forum members too. Also Becstar123 does some fantastic ones as well.

Hi and welcome from another newbie!

I've learned a lot from watching videos on Youtube - Mandi has named some great ones! Clayton paints under the name Marvelous Masks, he's awesome. You should definitely look for videos, such a great learning tool!

Too funny about the plastic on the white - I could see myself doing that!! LOL!

The videos are awesome - I had already discovered SillyHeatherb, Beckstar123 and Lisajoyyoung - thank you so much for the other suggestions. I watched several of Sparkling Face's (Vi) tonite - I like how calm she is :-). Worked on learning how to put on bases and blending. Will look for Mandi's, Clayton's and Ashley's in the future. I had to make myself stop practicing tonight. Guess that is a good sign!

Ashley Picken's videos can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/PaintingAshley

and Clayton's are here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/MarvelousMasks

Enjoy!!

Welcome!

Thanks all - and Hazel, thanks so much for the links - I went and looked up both Marvelous Masks and Ashley's videos. I was inspired by Clayton's dolphin arm scene and used it to practice blending. I posted results in my gallery. I definitely look forward to the day I can go back and compare and see how far I've come ;-)

Pixie, Welcome to the forum! LOL on the plastic film over Snaz cakes... I've done that
Happy painting!

Welcome Pixieface, I am brand new too, still scared, but did a couple of hours at a local fair, the kids didn't know I was brand spankin' new and it was so much fun. Now all I can think of is face paint, if I see something colorful or whimsical I think how can I paint that on a face, I am addicted and everyone here has been wonderful!

Hi Smoaky - I am definitely catching the bug - thanks for the welcome! You should have lots of opportunities in Atlanta?

I just "paid myself" for the week (I run a web design business) and made sure to put in some extra. My next investment is a makeup mirror so I can practice on my face as well as my arm. Over several days and about 10 hours now I can see an improvement so I have hope that by the time the weather warms up again this spring I'll be ready with my "10 faces" and a decent kit. That's my goal. Then I'll work/busk for tips. I'm fortunate that I'm in Asheville where they don't require busking permits. Also I'm hoping to squeeze in an order at the shop here - some dfx paints and a large white snaz (I have already scraped the bottom of my 2 ml). Or maybe instead I can squeeze in a split or a rainbow. Errr... I also want a high quality lowel #2 and #4 (I think I ended up with a #1 and a #6 in the creatology brush set I bought. But I can only do a little at a time.

So it was fun????? I am scared to death - there was one girl who wrote about her hand shaking - and I thought - that's going to be me!

Welcome from to the forum...I'm new here also!

*the plastic film over the paint...You're not alone on that one Enjoy the ride...face painting is wonderful!

hi and welcome from the UK.
You do realise you'll now become a hermit, never socialise again and feel naked without your face painted! oh, that's just me

Hi and welcome to the forum, I enjoyed reading your posts about starting up - it brought back very fond memories of being completely overwhelmed with face painting..... some days I still am!
Have a great time absorbing skills and knowledge here!

More thanks for the welcomes - I went out and bought a makeup mirror today so I could start practicing on my face :-) I still feel quite daunted by at all but excited. Of course Chez - I thought this new "career" might get me OUT MORE! Not make me a hermit...that's what I am now - LOL!

Hello and Welcome!