Magazines for Face Painters??

I was online searching for brushes recommended on the forum and I ran across BRUSH STROKES MAGAZINE online only.....So it made me wonder ....Does anyone suscribe to this or any other Mags??? .....What is your opinion of it?
thanks
Frenchie

Hey Frenchie,

I'm biased b/c Brush Strokes asked me to write a an article for them reviewing FABBULAS 2010 so I can't talk much about that one. It is cool that you get to view all the past issues as part of the yearly membership, though.

I love Illusion Magazine for inspiration and to find out about new artists. However, I almost never use any of their step by step designs and their reviews of new products are pretty lacking. I don't subscribe to the magazine but I always end up buying the newest one anyway. Also, having artwork published in Illusion is a pretty huge bragging right (hello Erica!).

American Face Painter is a cool magazine also - it is all Step by Step photos and there are around 15-20 designs per issue. Less expensive than Illusion but there are also no articles. I love this one and I would subscribe but I think they are taking a break right now. They are worth the $8 or whatever and I have all of them in my collection as well.

There was an older Face & Body Art magazine that Marcela put out but it has been discontinued. I have as many of them as I could find.

Illusion is where it's at as far as print magazines. Like I said, I can't give an unbiased review of Brush Strokes so I will let someone else answer that for you

~Heff

American Face Painter is the mostest for the money IMO... awesome designs and chock-full of step by steps. If I remember right (don't have one in front of me) there are no instructions, just pictures, but it's pretty self-explanatory.

Yeah, I agree with Angie. To me it's the best magazine for step by steps. Each page has four fairly large photos of the step by step process. They're aren't any words that I remember either.

American Face Painter has "gone on hiatus" and no other issues are sceduled. You can get back issues though http://www.americanfacepainter.com/ The SBS photos are pretty clear and the designs are nice and original. Some issues are more useful than others I've found but all are good to have. No text.

Illusion is available http://www.illusionmagazine.co.uk/ - I don't subscribe (NOT paying that much!) but get a friend in the UK to get copies for me and send them over. I do like looking at the photos but haven't really found it all that, well, useful personally. The concentration on "celebrity" interviews doesn't interest me much (no offense to anyone! ) and so much of the work featured is "showcase" stuff that most aren't going to be able to do in 5 minutes on the job! Nice to look at, possibly inspirational, and good for the ego if you get a photo in or featured, definitely.

I have all the issues of the old FABA mag that marcela did - until it abruptly ceased publication after soliciting subscription renewals. There were quite a few useful things in those - if you find them second hand they are well worth it. Lots of tips and info for rank and file face painters who are NOT aspiring to compete IYKWIM? Business tips, advice, nice and easy designs, how to and SBS features, lots of photos that you could USE for inspiration at any skill level. Sometimes people offer them for sale or trade.

There is also FACE to FACE which is the quarterly mag of FACE. You can subscribe as a non-member http://www.facepaint.co.uk/index.php?page=magazine A lot of editorial is aimed at members but there are reviews, SBS, and photos to make it worthwhile to non-members (I might be biased though if you check this link the cover of the mag showing on the bottom left is my work - the blue snowflake design.)

Brushstroke online is available but I don't subcribe - I don't use my credit info on the net under any circumstances so... c'est la vie. It is cool that with a subscription you can view ALL issues!! And you can print off whatever you want! I wrote an article for their first issue - the one you can view for free http://brushstrokesmag.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_edition&id=1&Itemid=29

Make-Up Artist magazine sometimes has FP and BP stuff in it and if you are interested in make-up generally you might fins it useful http://www.makeupmag.com/

I love the American Painter.......and would soooo love to be in one one day. But they are on hiatus apparently. I have all the issues I could get my hands on. There is still one that I would loveee to get my hands on but it is sold out..... It was they May issue that featured boy designs and had bug eyes or dragon eyes on the front.

Thanks for the great round up Shannon. I ordered the "current" 3 Minute issue as I thought it would be a good place for me personally to start. Look forward to receiving it and may order more - although I wish the back issues they are selling had the content listed. Hard to tell how useful an issue will be just by the cover.

The magazine Marcela Murad published put out 13 issues and if you see those old magazines you know how we all grow. Even the master instructors once painted like any new painter looking for inspiration in magazines the proof is in the photos. Such good info in those old magazines.

I've subscribed to Brushstrokes since it first came out - I don't always read it right off as it downloads it's perfect for the laptop to read while traveling, waiting....

Even Makeup Artist Magazine will give you inspiration. Better perhaps for those who want rounded makeup skills. Like Illusion mouth watering for body painters.

Overall it is better to support a magazine in the industry, or buy design ideas in sheets, books or DVDs than lurk around. You get so much more like marketing and tips and tricks this way, and a clean ethics slate.

I think of the mags still going, Brushstrokes IS prob the best value - they try to get it out every 2 months which is more than the others, and always have a bunch of step by steps etc...

I do love the lushness of illusion tho, its a wee bit like the cosmo version of body art mags isn't it? All sleek & shiney!

Cat x

Just an update on Brushstrokes. I've had a subscription since June of last year. Great e-mag but they have not put out anything new since Feb. of last year and there is no way to contact them through the site. Had a great time reading the first 26 issues but wish I could see some new stuff. Just so you know.

Yesterday Marcela posted to the Facebook Face and Body Painters group that she was going to "recycle a lot of the great articles that were published in the Face and Body Art International Magazine" in the FABABlog. http://www.fabablog.com/