How did you get into face painting?

OR should I say WHY did you get into face painting?

I have always wondered why you all have decided to get into face painting?
Was it for the money? And if so just for the extra cash......why face painting when there are so many other paths to choos for money?

I know I decided to start face paintng for several reasons.

#1 - a few years back I was at an ALS walk for my uncle and there were volunteers do face painting. I thought "how interesting."

# 2 - my inlaws neighbour is a part time face painter and she came over one day and painted my daughter and her 2 kiddies. It wasn;t very well....to be honest. And my thought was "I can totally do better then that."

# 3- I had the confidence b/c I majored in art all my life. Even as a child in the hospital for 6 months at a time, all I had was art to keep me occupied.

So..........add the 3 up and here I am today. Many thousands of hours of reading, copying, studying and watching Youtube videos. I absolutly LOVE it.

So...........what is your story?
Inquiring minds want to know.

This is from my intro:

Recently, I had an amazing weekend that made me decide to try face painting professionally. On that Saturday I was asked to volunteer (LOL) at my daughter's dance studio customer appreciation party. I had a long line and kept hearing "Wow! You are SOOOO talented!" The next day I was selling products in a booth at a fair. I brought the paints because I heard that the face painter couldn't make it. She was going to just do it for tips as a volunteer for the organization. It was a fair put on by my mommies group. I knew my booth was close to the organization's booth and that I was sharing my booth so my friends could probably handle sales if I was gone. When I got there, I decided to just stay and sell product. Then, I ran into a friend who told me it was her daughter's birthday. I told her I would face paint her for her birthday. Her little sister was so cute - she sat down in the chair right after big sister got up and stuck her face out to be painted too. So, of course, I painted hers. Well, a little girl saw the two girls and came up asking about getting her face painted. I said I had only done it for her birthday but would be willing to do it for her if she liked. Her parents tried to talk her out of it but she almost started crying and I offered again. She was thrilled with the butterfly and the dad gave me a $10 tip. I tried to give some of it back but he insisted. I painted a few other friends' kids that day.

After that, I thought maybe I should think about really doing it at festivals and parties. I talked to some of my mommy friends who assured me that there are very few face painters in the area and the ones that are around tend to just to swirls and a jewel in the middle or they are mainly clowns that do very simple cheek art only.

I started with a small home-town festival and there were other face painters there (one of them even came over to hassle me.) Well, I found I REALLY enjoyed the reactions when they saw themselves in the mirror. I even booked a corporate party from that festival! I'm all set to share a booth at a big festival in a couple of weekends and many of my facebook friends want to book me for birthday parties.

...update: I did the big festival and it wasn't so big because the weather wasn't great but it was good practice, I had fun, and made a little money.

I just did my friend's birthday party. My daughter was invited so part of our gift was face painting at the party. My daughter knows her from the dance studio. The mom is a dance instructor and the daughter is in the performance troop with mine. These tend to be families with disposable income (they pay for dance lessons, costumes, performances, etc.) so, I handed out a few cards and people were asking how much I charge, etc. It turned out to be a win-win (marketing myself and giving a cool birthday gift.)

Oh, and the corporate party I booked was so happy to have me because the local face painter that has done their party the last few years was mean to the kids. They were afraid of her. I think I know who she is and I've heard that about her a lot. Plus, she doesn't do very much. She just does swoop swoop stick-a-jewel on the forehead, now get out of the chair!

Thank you for sharing your story.
I can't believe the other painter was mean to the kiddies. How terrible. Can you imagine? Surprising she gets any gigs at all.

My husband and I both became suddenly unemployed with a newborn. I haven't finished my degree and neither has he so our job options were pitiful. Being a new mom, I hated the idea of working minimum wage for 60 hours a week and still not manage to pay the bills when I could be spending quality time with my brand new baby. I spent all day everyday looking for job listing and one day came across a listing on Craigslist. It was weekend work offering $20-$35 an hour. I was like holy cow, I have to get this job. It was a face painting job. So I went to the interview, painted a face for the first time in my life and got the job. I was sent home with paints to practice for a couple weeks and then I would be able to start working. I fell in love! I started working doing something I enjoyed and thought to myself, "I have to do this even more!". It inspired me to open my own business doing it so I not just paint a little, but paint all the time. And that's how it started.

I guess all of our stories will be quite long....

I have a degree in vocal music and another in junior/intermediate education. I was a substitute teacher for about a year, but it takes a certain kind of person to be able to do that job... I'd be fine if I had my own classes, but it was all inner city grade 7 and 8 classes and I was coming home in tears every day. So, when I had my first daughter the next fall, I never went back to teaching. I met my first clown ever when my oldest was turning 2 and hired her to do the party. Then, because I'm that kind of mommy, I felt I had to have her back for my youngest daughter's 2nd party as well... at that point, I hadn't been teaching for almost 4 years, all home business attempts had fallen flat and I needed something that I could do that wouldn't take me away from the kids 8 hours a day but still bring in some money. Watching this clown at the party, I thought, "I can do that..." I kind of stewed on it the whole summer and in August, I asked her if she'd teach me to do face painting with her. She said, "well, I don't really need any more face painters. But I do need balloon twisters!" Sign me up! I hadn't said much about the clowning part at that point, but anyone who knows me at all, knows I don't do ANYTHING halfway! LOL I jumped in with both feet, developed a character, a face, studied the balloons, made a website and got out there to market myself like I had learned to do with all my previous home business attempts. And THIS time, the business took off! I was so happy to finally have something that was making me more than it was costing to get it going. After 3 or 4 months of clowning around with just me and the balloons, I decided to get the face paints and have a go at it on my own... I get called now about as much if not more for face painting as I do for balloons and I love it all

I developed a post-surgical kit for women with mastectomies and mastopexy. A random event brought me a gorgeous glitter sample kit from my vendor that also included a tiny bit of glue. SO IT STUCK!! I started doing glitter on me then my colleagues and friends then kids then paint and NOW I AM A WORLD FAMOUS FACE PAINTER AND GLITTER AND BALLOON ARTIST AND ...

i am OBVIOUSLY FULL OF HOT AIR, TO PROVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAhahahaha!!!

My company needed someone for the annual childrens Christmas party. They new I was creative after seeing other things I had made and done. Asked me to volunteer, because they were trying to get more employees involved with the event. They offered to buy me whatever I needed. Me not knowing what I needed got on the web found Silly Farm and went crazy. I had an unlimited budget so I went for it.

I painted non stop for hours even past the party stop time because I refused to leave until every child was done. The other people had already packed up and left.

The company was so thrilled with what I had done, they gave me all my paints and gave me a very nice bonus on top of it too.

From that point on I did every event the company had. They continued to buy whatever supplies I said I needed without question, which was a huge blessing and it's how I came to have most of what I have now.

I have been going non stop ever since.

I was always creative, but only took Art 8 in high school, and besides a couple of banners, didn't really ever paint.

I trained to be an actor. After high school, I did a month of training/performing in New Hampshire, then came home, did a 2 year theatre diploma, another year at another theatre school, 6 months of clowning and a whole bunch of community theatre, independent film, film/theatre festivals, auditions, agent-hopping etc.

One summer, 4 years ago, (the first time I had NOTHING planned for a summer!) a guy I'd met through acting asked if I wanted a job at an event company, working with kids. I took it, and on my first day, the girl I was working with asked if I wanted to use her kit and face paint - I didn't want to watch the bouncy castle!

It was crap paint (wax pastels 0_o), but I really liked it. Later she showed me how to twist a dog, sword and flower - sold!

Loved it, but it was just a job - after all, film sets were still calling my name. Fast forward a bit, and I had as much seniority as possible, and the company moved from the storage space to their new house - up a HUGE hill, with the crappiest driveway ever. I told her there was no way I was working there still come winter (seriously questionable vehicles - still don't know why we didn't say anything), because I didn't trust the vans, loaded down with 400-500+lbs of equipment, to go down the hill in the snow. Then I asked if I was to contract instead of be an employee, and therefore supply my own costume/paints/balloons/transportation, how much more would the pay be? (I was getting $11/hr) She said, "the same." Challenged that, and after she talked to her accountant/cousin, told me, "$12."

So I quit. A local painter hired me at $40/hr to contract for her occasionally - very occasionally.

I still wanted to act, but figured that since I was good at fp and bt anyway (ha! When I compare then to now...) - why not keep doing it as a side thing while waiting for my career to finally take off?

Then I really fell in love with it, discovered proper makeup, and found a niche. Acting's on the back burner, but my agent and I parted ways last month, and even though I know I didn't really have the time to dedicate to auditions, let alone classes, I'm a bit sad as I know I won't look for another agent - not right now anyway. I've said though, that if I can make my living doing fp, bt and occasionally get on stage/set, I will be very happy - so far so good!

Sheesh...that was long, eh?

glitterfly wrote:Thank you for sharing your story.
I can't believe the other painter was mean to the kiddies. How terrible. Can you imagine? Surprising she gets any gigs at all.

I think it's because she's the only one around (until now ...he he!)

I have a Diploma in Make-Up Artistry (with honours) and had been working as a make-up artist (credits in theatre, film and television) when I picked up a book called "Making Faces" by Sian Ellis Thomas in a sale bin at a local bookstore.

I figured it looked easy enough so I painted the kids my sister looked after as a cow and a witch, then my brother as a skull with my Kryolan Aquacolour palette. It was fun but I didn't do anything with it other than taking some photos. Actually the photo of my very first painting is quite cute - 8 year old witch and 3 year old cow - but it is a snapshot that I haven't scanned.

Then when we moved up north there wasn't a lot of film and television work so I was looking for something I could use my skills and kit doing and face painting jumped up waving its arms wildly.

My first couple of gigs I did with my Kryolan palette but it soon became apparent I need bigger cakes and better tools. So I ordered the Snaz Business Kit, took a drive to Michaels for good brushes and bought up all the tack sponges in town (they still haven't recovered!)

I started to market myself through my contacts at the theatre and by mail (it has always worked well for me) and the rest, as they say, is history.

I've been in the business of putting stuff on people's faces for over 13 years now.

I bought the Klutz kit at Michael's for my niece and nephew. It looked so fun that I had to go back and get one for myself. The rest is history!

Five years ago this month a friend of mine who is a clown needed face painters for our local air show. She knew I taught art & asked if I'd do it. So, I got a little mini snaz kit for me & my then 12 yr old daughter & with it, some water & the brush & sponge that went with it, charged $3/face & went to town. I imagine it looked awful, but I'd gotten the bug. I've been face painting ever since!

I had always loved painting although since having kids, finding the time and space made it pretty much impossible. One day trying to find a way to keep my then 4 year old busy in the holidays we pulled out some old face paints, stuck the photos on facebook and tried to do a different face paint each day.
A clown friend spotted the face paintings and insisted I helped her out with a few gigs. From that people would start asking if I did other events and parties and it all just went crazy from there.
I am so glad I fell into it, it is so nice being able to just be mum most of the week and then getting to work the weekends for a little extra pocket money. I get to paint and actually be paid for it.

I love reading these stories.
I have a performance and fine arts background and teach both of those subjects still. We built houses for a living, I did the PR and the colors/design work for the houses we sold. Then the housing market began to crash and we about lost our rears because the crash hit the builders/ sellers before the regular sellers housing market. My husband went to work at a huge Magic show in the area ( We live near Pigeon Forge TN) and loved doing it. So, I got up a routine for the magic shows, starting networking with local magicians/ clowns which do a lot of face painting, and researched like mad about the right products to use. I actually had face painted before for various things and loved it. Uncannily,it is something that I always liked to do but never thought I would be doing it. He quit working for the magic show and went to remodeling in the day and we are working the weekends/evenings as birthday/festival entertainment. The face painting is WAY bigger than we thought it would be. My mother is astonished at how many people want face painting. I am trying to network and build my business like crazy cause I love it so much. I would like to do this full time. I will still probably teach though...cause I LOVE kids and both art and performance are so fun to teach kids.

Fantastic Thread!!!

I paid to have my daughter's face painted at Busch Gardens, Tampa, while on vacation. The artist was very good, and I fell in love (with the painting, not the artist). Went home and began researching, and here we are.

For the longer story, I've been into art since I was little, but lacked attention span. I had an art class in the 8th grade, one semester in high school, then had time for a drawing class in college before I graduated. My history is littered with unfinished projects. On my drafting table now is an unfinished pastel of a little girl I started when she was 6mo... she's about to be 4.

I like body painting because you either do it or you don't. It will get washed off at the end of the day, so you have to stay in the moment with it. Painting on people gives your work more personality. There's collaboration with the model and the photog, and sometimes hair and makeup too. And it's theraputic too. The model zens out during the painting and then has a wonderful boost of self-esteem. I have a chronic illness, and when I paint, it all falls away and I don't pay attention to my pain. It just fits me.

This is a great thread, I have really enjoyed reading everyones stories! Here's mine... Being very involved in youth activities at my church, I am always looking for something fun to add to lessons or kids functions. My clown friend had been trying to get me to learn to face paint for a couple years, and I kept saying "There is no way I could do that." Needing an activity for summer camp, I gave in and agreed to try, quite sure that I would fail miserably. She taught me a simple tiger face, and I was hooked from that point on. I kept practicing and got better at it, added glitter tats, and then balloon twisting. Soon, people began to ask what I would charge to do birthday parties. The real push to take it a step further, though, was when I got a call from an apartment complex to do their summer picnic. That's when I realized that I could turn something that I love to do into a business. I have a full time job, so the mostly weekend work suits me just fine, and I can keep myself in paint and save a little from each gig to make it to a convention or class once in a while!

My husband's salary got cut and we needed to make up the lost income. We were at a minor league baseball game and there was face-painting. When we got home, we both simultenously started to talk....he was going to tell me that I could face paint like that lady and better! I was going to tell him the same thing minus the better comment.
It was the only viable way we could think of to make extra money without being tied to a strict work schedule like a mainstream second job.

I have enjoyed reading every story, here is mine! I have always enjoyed making/baking/creating things, but it has always been a hobby, I 've sewn, and I've had a girl scout troop in the past and we did every craft known to man!!! I took Art in high school, but went to work right out of HS and never stopped working. My current job wanted to hire someone for FP"ing" at a local fair we were sponsering, no one volunteered, so I did, they bought my brushes and FP from the craft store, and I worked 3 nights, the kids loved it and they didn't know I was brand new, I only offered 4 styles!!! I was nervous...but now I am in full addicted mode...is there any help for me???? I don't want it even if there is, I am a newbie new newbie but I enjoy it and enjoy all of your help and stories too.