Inspired by "your first pics" post

As a very new FP'er I was wondering how long many of you have been doing this?
How long did it take you to get "good"?
How did you end up getting into the body paint and the belly's?
How did you start that type of stuff, what did you practice on?
and lastly what type of designs did you practice to really help improve your skills?
Sorry I know its a ton of question, sorry.

As a very new FP'er I was wondering how long many of you have been doing this?

Professionally, 13 years.

How long did it take you to get "good"?

Define "good"... I look back at my first stuff and it is decent enough, but I certainly got a lot better once I learned techniques for working with the products.

How did you end up getting into the body paint and the belly's?

Natural progression... people asked, I took workshops, then entered contests... and more people call now.

How did you start that type of stuff, what did you practice on?

Just did it. Practice for me is just doing it on someone.

and lastly what type of designs did you practice to really help improve your skills?

Just keep painting. Take classes if you can as learning hands-on can make all the difference. For me it was taking a two-day workshop with Olivier Zegers years ago - learning how to use the round sable completely changed how I painted and made my work move into a whole new level.

As a very new FP'er I was wondering how long many of you have been doing this?
4 years?
How long did it take you to get "good"?
"Good" is a tough word, as I'm still working it out. Definitely not fast. Technique definitely got better after finding this place!
How did you end up getting into the body paint and the belly's?
About 3 years, but I wasn't actively pursuing a business most of that time. You just have to jump in and not be afraid.
How did you start that type of stuff, what did you practice on?
Friends who would let me. I'm fortunate to work where there's a lot of young, newly married women (so it doesn't take long for there to be a lot of pregnant women). And my hubs is a photog, and we network with models and other artists in the area. I practice faces on myself.
and lastly what type of designs did you practice to really help improve your skills?
Swoops, swirls and lines... boring but necessary.

Where do you look to find classes in your area. I have done general searches with Google and don't get any results.

Opps, sorry I meant to post that under one of my other questions.

un4gettableshells wrote:As a very new FP'er I was wondering how long many of you have been doing this?
How long did it take you to get "good"?
How did you end up getting into the body paint and the belly's?
How did you start that type of stuff, what did you practice on?
and lastly what type of designs did you practice to really help improve your skills?
Sorry I know its a ton of question, sorry.

1) 5 yrs
2) 4 yrs(but next year I'll say 5 yrs
3 & 4) I saw belly painting on here & my good fp friend was pregnant & let me practice on her till she popped!
I've not done any body painting
5) I practiced the basics & still do: line work, tear drops, tiger stripes, blending & basework, flowers, scales, etc. I study tons of things I see in nature & then try to copy them w/ face paint.

As to finding classes in your area... ask on the forums.

I never have in my area. I had to fly to Calgary to take my first one - then to San Francisco for the next, then England....

Idaho - are you willing to drive to Calgary? They sometimes have workshops and jams there... and maybe Lethbridge with Criss and Judy?

As a very new FP'er I was wondering how long many of you have been doing this? Almost 4 years
How long did it take you to get "good"?..hmmmmm....I'm still working on it!
How did you end up getting into the body paint and the belly's?Never painted a body yet....well except at FABAIC....and that was only arms.
How did you start that type of stuff, what did you practice on?Anything that wasn't moving! HA!~...Although we painted the dogs one day!~

Me too! Painted dogs I mean... the poodle was NOT amused!

LOL! I've not painted a dog yet!

You might have to travel to classes, but it's well worth it. If there are enough face painters in your area, willing to pay for a class, then many of the teachers are willing to come to you. I tried to get Marcela here, but not enough people signed up & she had to cancel. She was in Tallahassee & I wanted to go soooo bad, but my mom had a Dr Apt that we've waited 3 months to get into Mom's health vs. Mama Clown... it was a tough decision....