Renaissance Festivals! =]

Hi everyone

Another random Savvy topic! I'm really hoping to go to the Georgia Ren . Fest this year (trying to work up the funds for it drawing commissions now ) and I was just wondering if any of y'all have ever been to a Ren Fest, or may even have done face painting at one? I've wanted to attend one ever since I was in junior high but I've never had the chance til now. (It's also an excuse to wear my pirate costume Yarrr! ) I'm so excited that I'll probably get to go this year

There's also a Pirate Fest in Tybee Island that I would loooove to attend.... aha

Would love to go to one. But we only have medieval- and viking festivals. All trying to be so authentic as possible. Meaning no facepainting :-(

I went to one about a year ago (when I first learned about all the safe practices and stuff of face painting). So, of course, I had to check out the 3 face painters that were there. One guy had the grossest set up I ever saw. He had this bucked with these tubes of paints in there. Looked like something you pull out of a garage. Do face paints even come in tubes?

The second lady looked like she was using the right stuff. She did have one sponge per color for painting instead of fresh sponges. I still don't know what I think of that. But her designs were very similar to what you all do on here. Clean, nice work.

The third one was charging $20.00 for 1 minute faces. ( a bunch of tear drops around the eyes, and that's it) I kid you not. She also had black water and used acrylic paints. I knew they were acrylic. The bottles that acrylic paints come in are unmistakable. When I asked her what kind of paint she used, she told me "special face painting acrylics"

Yeah. Right.

I got married at the Colorado Renaissance Festival and Heather married us!
We just did our own little ceremony there behind the scenes.
I had been the the Kansas Ren Faire a couple times before that and now we go back every year to the CO one for our anniversary. My shaman fairy avatar was taken at my last trip last year. I try to go multiple times in a different outfit each time.
Last year was the first time I took any interest in the face painter's set ups and the one we checked out was very good. She had even purchased paints from the store I work in. I forget what she charged.

wedding party


5th year anniversery to the day on the same spot


Heather and I as fairy in our Xena and Gabby pose. She made her corset. I made the wings.

I LOVE THE REN FAIRES!!!! I go every year at least once. Went 3 times this year! I hear it is competitive as well as expensive to get a booth at the faire. Ours in Tampa Bay had at least 3 face painters, perhaps 4! One lady was using acrylics and the others appeared to be using the Snaz Jumbo pallette and various paint setups. The henna artists were making a killing this year. Their booths were jammed. I spoke to our acrylic lady and she said she preferred this paint as it held up all day to the heat and humidity. She had been doing the faire almost 20 years. She did some cool eye designs with the glitter and crystals. All in the 15 to 20 dollar range. Her cheek stuff ran about $10. She was friendly and competent. Her stuff was lasting on the faces I saw throughout the day and she was wearing it herself. (Guess she has good insurance and hasn't encountered too many adverse reactions......) Our fair is 5 or 6 weekends in March to April. Some people do well at the faires and have a "system" of what works for them as far as what to charge, location, policies and display boards.

Metzpah, you and Heather look awesome I've always dreamed of a fantasy themed wedding ^_^

If I get to go this year, I promise to post pictures

Metzpah!!! Gorgeous photos!! You look beautiful and happy!!! I love the dress up and imagination and fantasy of the festivals!!!

I've heard about the Pirate Fest at Tybee Island and thought about applying to do that. One of my customers said he went to that one and that they had a face painting Pirate guy that was in a wheel chair and painted with the brush in his mouth!

I love these fairs also. I used to go to the one in Sarasota, FL. It is fab. I also got my face painted there when I was about 17. Little did I know this is where I would end up. I'll have to dig out the photo and post. She was using good paint from what I remember, but really captured the Ren theme. Very fantasy/Fairy looking. I have searched high and low for pics of of the style whe was using to no avail!

-Metina

Metina-

The Sarasota fair is in Nov. !! You should go again. I have been to that one. It is nice at the museum of arts ground by the Ringling House on the beach!

I've made plans to go with my aunt and cousin to the GA Ren Fest on May 30... yay! I can hardly wait! That also happens to be pirate weekend!

I have never been to one as we don't seem to have them here. I would love to go as my fairy charachter Tangle.

Raised enough money with art commissions to get my bodice! I'm a happy pirate!

Savvy!!! Too Cute!!!!
Metina - I snagged a few pics of some of the lady at our's work if you want me to pm you.

that is a truly awesome pirate outfit! and that bodice is gorgeous glad you got it !

Great pirate outfit! And I'm impressed that you don't get paint on those big sleeves =)

Thanks all!

LoneWolf, I never paint in my pirate outfit, and I doubt I could do so and keep from getting paint all over the sleeves I just love costumes, and I've had this pirate persona for a while now. I've been putting together the costume over the last two years, and this year I finally get to wear it to a Ren Fest

We have a ren fest about 20 minutes from where I live in ohio. It goes on for months every year. THey have a whole fake town set up that never comes down. However, I have never went. Now I feel silly for not going. I am going to have to check it out this year. People keep telling me to try to get on face painting there. But the commitment of face painting every thurs-sun for months seems crazy. If I go I will have to get pics. I do have a ren dress.....I think.

Btw..Metspah, I am so jelous, i wanted my wedding to more like yours but I was on a tight schedule budget. Yours is beautiful

Ours was not at all bad, most expensive part was the plane tickets to Colorado for me and my maid of honour. Next was the dress, a friend pretty much did the labour on that. We didn't do the official renfest wedding. I think we paid for everyone's ticket to get in, then we just tucked into a quiet corner behind the jousting field and us and our 10 or so guests had our little ceremony That's all

SWEET Pirate bodice!!

I live about 10-15 minutes away from our Colorado Ren Fair. I plan on going many weekends this summer...and THIS year Metzpah and I can do our own fabulous fairy makeup!! I think that was major inspiration for learning how to do this if the truth be told!!

I'm gonna try to make a costume to match my 'Poinsettia Fairy' face painting and make poinsettia type wings in a matching color and a new bodice/corset...lots of flowy wispy bits cut like poinsettia leaves.

I'll be doing the Polly the Pirate costume this year with that 'parrot' painted on my cheek. I can't wait there is a HUGE pirate culture at the Fair.

The one lady that painted me the purple butterfly for my white and butterfly bodice costume charged me 20 bucks. It took her about 8 minutes I'd say. She did a good job. And she used professional facepaints...Wolfe, Paradise, and some Kryolan.

If you get a chance to go to a Renaissance Festival, it's just too cool! We are fortunate to have ours in a location that has been there for over 25 years so it truely looks 'natural' and like it's been there forever!

Metzpah I've always dreamed of having a fantasy themed wedding I guess at a ren fest would be a suitable spot ^_^

Heather, that's so awesome! If I lived closer to the one in Ga I'd be going every weekend as well XD

Oh and then the Reception at our house! All Fairy Couple themed and all that! It was a beautiful, simple and wonderful wedding!

I felt honored to be able to marry two of my bestest friends! They started a trend, I've officiated 4 weddings now. I'm a 'Cleric' of the Rose Ministries now. If ya happen to need someone to marry you that it.

One was at "Cowboys" Bar in Florida (my older sister), and two were backyard affairs...one pagan, the other christian. I'm non denominational and willing to custom the ceremony to suit! haha...who would have guessed....

Oh, regarding someone else's question about how much it costs. It is SUPER expensive usually to have a booth at a Renaissance Festival, expecially if the fair has been long time established and there is competition.

The 10, 15 and 20+ dollar prices are usually necessary to offset your booth rental or payments. Plus as a facepainter, if it rains...you still have to be there and who wants a face painting that is just going to 'run' down their face. You have to paint like crazy on the good days to make sure you make enough just to cover costs.

Awww you guys are so lucky! Would LOVE to go to a proper renn fest!
Fab outfits you have!

Over here stuff like that is really quite 'serious' and the people that staff them live the lives at least part of the year; some of them spend the summer season travelling Europe putting on their 'life' show around the countries.

Most of our historic fests seem to be based around the ancient castles etc so you go and see them brought to life, jousting and people doing the stuff like cooking, sewing, weaving, making armour......I had a student who spent 5 years getting into an Anglo Saxon group as you had to have 'authentic' clothes and tools which were pricey.

My wee cousin is obsessed with knights & dragons so as the only slightly un-sane family member I usually end up taking him (in his Narnia costume) and me (facepainted/ in my cloak etc) to all the fests like that. And apart from under 3's no-one seems to dress up!!!! Booooring.

I did get asked to facepaint by one lot that organise some of these but they wanted me to buy a special medieval tent - not only huge to transport and needs a load of people to pout it up, it cost a FORTUNE!!!!

Cat x

And C-Savvy - I got handfasted by a welsh faerie on our wild farm - (forgot to put on my wings till after the ceremony tho) - we had some guests dressed up too, even the straight-as religious parts of our family loved it!

cat x