Making my board/pricing (picture heavy)

[tamarielpaints]

I'm attempting to figure out making my board for my first paying gig (and it's a PPF).

Space is at an extreme premium at this gig. I purchased one long table, but I have to share it with the products I am vending. After a massive discussion with the 'head honchos' it was decided that I can set up a chair/stool area seperate from the table, but if I open up a second table/set up a cart for my paints, its an extra $40. I don't want to go that route, so is it feasible it to have a photo album instead of a board to show ideas/rates?

Also, how much would you be charging for the following designs: (Please be gentle, first time posting pics and these photos are first/second time I've tried doing these designs.)

Flower Vine


Roses


Cheek Art butterfly


Spider in Web


Butterfly Rainbow Mask

[barbb919]

you could get a photo book for 4x6 pictures that is what I use..I also have a banner that holds photos too. but the book takes up a lot less space...I would start there..as far as cost i do 3 for cheek art 5 for 1/2 face and 7 for full face..but i know some people get more and some get less..its what your area will handle.

[Lauri Strandell]

Here in Idaho I would get about $6 for the butterfly mask and $3 for the spider, or lay down a big color base for the spider and cheek art bfly and just make every design $5 bucks, It's soooooooooooo much easier than making change with ones.

I use a photo album sometimes or at ppf I just tape the photo album page up on the tent wall, my photos have the price on the pictures themselves, but I will never do that again cause then I cant change my prices.

[BluAngL83]

Hi there,
the butterfly is going to be your money maker, so I would suggest practicing that face like a fiend so that you dont have skin showing through. Also make sure that you apply it neatly so that it does look like a rainbow butterfly. Practice your teardrops and dots an hour before the gig (use white) on your arm to get them warmed up. Stalk other people's websites to view different types of butterflys and find which one suits you the best. Its gonna get hectic so the faster the better.

About the photo album, I used to keep large pics in a binder, but kids always decided to try to take em out plus the kids in the back cant see the pics so they'll crowd around the table to look at= not good.

[janet@]

On ur spiderweb maybe u could make the loops like a u instead. i think it would look better and i would do it for $3 and the butterfly for $5. I love ur flowers and the rose those are perfect.

[Perry Noia]

it really depends on your area.... BUT I am in a severely economically depressed area and I charge $5 and $8 at most events, $5 and $10 at some. I wouldn't LIST anything less than $5 and perhaps have a couple of really simple, one colour designs that you'll do for $2 on the little kids that won't sit still for more than 30 seconds.

[tamarielpaints]

BluAngL83 -
Masks = my WORST items to make. I'm debating not even offering the butterfly mask, but if I don't paint them, I'll never get better, right?

Any tips on getting better coverage out of a rainbow cake? Should I just try using a regular one-color and hold off on the split cake until my technique improves (like by 1,000%)?

Does anyone have a particular brand round brush that they LOVE for scrollwork?

Janet -
Thanks. Flowers (specifically roses) and leaves are the 2 things I can paint really well. Everything else ends up looking strange.

[Daizy]

I really like your cheek art butterfly... could you do that one over the outside corners of the eyes with the still on the nose?

[Lauri Strandell]

DO NOt remove your butterfly, it really is the most popular, I do a one eye sidways butterfly with a ......
here I'll just show you and I charge $5-6 depends I just dont like to paint on eyebrows (I dont know why?) so on this one I just dont. I don't know that this is my favorite design, but Remember kids are pretty easy to please, we are our own worst critics, good luck to you!!!

I deleted it!

But here is a slideshow of what I did one day and my arm was a little sore after washing it so much but Practice everyday over and over and over. You will do great

[tamarielpaints]

Lauri I REALLY like it! Can I ask what paints you used/split cake or no?

[Lauri Strandell]

oops!

tam I do everything with a split cake and a one inch brush, the one round for black and one round for white

I doo not like sponges! okay i really do like how sponges look, but do not like my fingers after.

[tamarielpaints]

Thanks Lauri! BTDT on deleting things. Your post makes a bit more sense now.

I practiced and practiced making butterflies on my hands. The cheeks/hands now look decent (I think?) but the face ones are really getting to me. I watched the tutorials, grabbed a few kids for models, and still cannot figure out the proportions for painting a butterfly as a mask/over an eye. That and my rainbow cakes look so perfect on a small cheek butterfly, and so OFF on a full face/mask.

[Lauri Strandell]

tam i have to admit I hated my first butterfly, it was so awful, and I sponged with a large rainbow cake, just couldnt get the shape right, i couldnt get the color to flow, couldnt get the color into the corner by the eye. maybe I'll try to find a photo, hahahaha
One other thing I think about is my time. how much time does it take to paint that design, then I decide how much too charge

[Perry Noia]

If you are having trouble with the rainbow cake, have the child pick two colours and blend one colour on the inside and the other out to the edges. You can play with the shape and just work on sponging technique without worrying about keeping the rainbow colours in line from the cake.

[Brandi Cameron]

I found the following videos to be very helpful when I was first learning how to do a butterfly for a full face (I hope it's ok to post these links)
I learn better when I have a visual...
The first one is from Bexstar - she is an amazing artist and instructor (I love all her videos)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRLY3nebw-g

and these two were also helpful for different techniques and simple step by step instructions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh7p-KUIUS0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wFpYWtOiIU

[tamarielpaints]

Perry, I grabbed my sister and practiced my butterfly with just one color.



I think I'll take the rainbow aspect off for this Sunday but keep practicing this regular butterfly and leave that on.

Brandi - Thanks. The Bexstar video rocks!

[BluAngL83]

BluAngL83 -
Masks = my WORST items to make. I'm debating not even offering the butterfly mask, but if I don't paint them, I'll never get better, right?

Any tips on getting better coverage out of a rainbow cake? Should I just try using a regular one-color and hold off on the split cake until my technique improves (like by 1,000%)?

Does anyone have a particular brand round brush that they LOVE for scrollwork?

Janet -
Thanks. Flowers (specifically roses) and leaves are the 2 things I can paint really well. Everything else ends up looking strange.

After taking Gen Keller's class, I've found that using the curved side of the sponge works wonders for the eye lid part (that corner can be tricky). Although she uses the round part on the inner corner, I use the edge to really get in there. Rainbow butterflies are a hot commodity. Use split cakes when you use the sponge as it is a quicker application. Be careful which two colors you put together as they may make a muddy color: red/green for example. Colors across each other from the color wheel should only be put together if they are seperated by a line.

Teal, purple,Hot pink color combo is popular.

Teardrops: i suggest not putting them on the sides yet until you get the hang of them. Practice on Dry wax paper too!

[BluAngL83]

Not a very neat butterfly but easy to execute in a matter of a couple of minutes.

[BluAngL83]

This is what I mean about using the curved side of the sponge:

[Geekophile]

If your space is really that limited, I would not use an album at all. Go to the store and get a posterboard that you can hang over the front of your table for your display(where the table cloth is). You can even just attach it with safety pins.

[Perry Noia]

I'm glad you found it easier to go without the rainbow for now. There's nothing wrong with using them, but when you are still trying to master basic sponging techniques, matching the stripes is an extra challenge you can leave behind for now.

[eva]

May I ask the brand of rainbow you are using? When I started I had issues too. It came down to two things for me. Paint consistency and the sponge.

My sponges (because I cut them my self) look like triangles on the side, and rectangles from the front. It helped me to load the corner of the sponge instead of a flat side, and to use more paint than I had before. I use snaz so I spray my cake, do not wet the sponge, makes the paint a little thicker, and if the sponge gets too damp I get another one. I know brands like wolfe work different, I still haven't got them down real well. I only use them when I am painting with someone else who offers that rainbow.

[AllieDawn]

tam i have to admit I hated my first butterfly, it was so awful, and I sponged with a large rainbow cake, just couldnt get the shape right, i couldnt get the color to flow, couldnt get the color into the corner by the eye. maybe I'll try to find a photo, hahahaha
One other thing I think about is my time. how much time does it take to paint that design, then I decide how much too charge

Excuse my "idiot" question, but how do you make the stroke so wide with a 1" brush? or is it just smaller than it looks? it looks like it's about as wide as a sponge.

[tamarielpaints]

Allie - not sure what you are refering to.

[Kate318]

Your flowers look great!

I had never worked with the sponges until 2 weeks ago and they are amazing. I just got some round yellow ones (often used for clay work or ceramics) from the craft store. I cut them in half down the center. On smaller areas of the face I fold it in half (or you could try cutting each piece in half again). They are so easy give a great effect and blend and cover perfect. I was using a fan brush for multi colors but really the sponges are amazing.

(And thanks to this forum I gave them a try)

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