Paints in different weather?

Ok, so I had my first huge event a little while ago, the weather was really cold my paints were really hard to work with it was almost like they were freezing up. But the weather here in Colorado is really all over the place, the next week it was like in the upper 80's and again my paints were affected. Although I have gotten used to the hotter weather and how to use the paints, the cold weather thru me for a loop. Any advice??? I need the range of freezing to boiling... LOL

I could use some input on this on too. I only work outside in the summer, not in cold weather. But the other day my paint went hot. How do you protect it? Put in in the shade, but if there's no shade?

I have a pocket sewn in some of my kits - for cold packs or hot packs..... it's my attempt to climate control my bag..... doesn't help when working with them, but is somewhere they can be returned to when they aren't working right and a duplicate can be pulled out.... My first reason for starting it was so my kit wouldn't freeze in the winter (foundations and lipsticks don't survive long if that happens), but it became a good idea for other things too...

we took the foam insert out of our paint kit and put gel ice packs under the paints. keep one out to put sit your paint pots on while using them and keep a gel pack in your kit and put paints not using in there with lid closed , stopped ours from melting perhaps same could be done for cold weather? some of those packs can be heated up as well as cooled

ok.... I will have to look into the packs... thank you!... another thing I had probs with was the wind...they said i would have a wind break but they were wrong

I haven't had too much trouble with the paint consistency in the colder weather... more of a problem with my fingers FREEZING from dunking them in the water. Maybe it depends on the brand? I only use snazaroo

Maaike wrote:I could use some input on this on too. I only work outside in the summer, not in cold weather. But the other day my paint went hot. How do you protect it? Put in in the shade, but if there's no shade?

Always ask for a shaded area..... even a tree is better then nothing... even though bits of crap fal from the tree in your paints! ( grrrrr)
It's really important that you specify you need a sheltered area to paint in... protection from the sun, wind rain and cold. If you are working a festival you should supply this yourself.

I agree with having back-ups... I have that for white and black.
If it's really cold I suggest warm water.... although that is a temporary solution as the water won't stay warm unless you have a flask and keep refilling it.
If it's too hot - I suggest changing brands to one that performs in the heat better or use starblends.

If you paints do get gloopy from the heat... don't relid them. Leave them to dry out and they will perform better next time.... or do what Angie does and put some water in a lid and get some gloopy paint on your brush and water it down to a usable consistancy.
Honestly living in Australia and using Paradise I have never had them freeze up persay... so I don't know what I would do ...... did you try warm/hot water?

Hmmm.... I was using Wolfe... this was the first time I used them in the cold, so that was new. I have used them in hot weather, and haven't really had a problem. I couldn't really tell you how they were exactly in the cold cuz I wasn't really able to pay attention, I just know I was having more trouble painting with them. Which I don't usually have problems.I will keep both in mind next time I have an outdoor event! Thank you all for all of the wonderful advice ok!

Different weather conditions effect your paint. Hot & humid make them sticky. Cold & dry make them feel like you can never get them wet enough. It's all about adding the right amount of water. In colder weather I may even spray my dfx directly w/ water, but would never do that in the hot summer. As you paint more & more you'll get a feel for your paints, the different brands & what makes them work best. I'm finding techniques I love to use don't always work in certain weather conditions & i have to adapt & adjust.
I painted last weekend on a really windy day & everything was drying out too quickly. The whole day felt as if I'd just opened my kit.

Exactly!!! I felt like I couldn't get enough water on them! And I actually didn't have time to get frustrated over it either!!! LOL... I just kept trucking along! I think that was also part of what was so frustrating was I didn't have a second or two to figure out how to fix it.

Using a small spray bottle helps keep paints wet in the cold. I try to create a little dip in the center of all my paints that water can pool in. That way i dont have to add water every time.

i live in north queensland so if my paint ever freezes thats the last of my troubles. in summer it can get into the forties (sorry usa-ers i only know celcius) with nearly 95% humidity. on those days i cant even paint. Out come the temp tattoos. When its that hot the paint wont stay on the kids anyway, they just sweat it off!

woohoo Im an apprentice now haha
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Congrats for your "Apprentice" level, Amy. Here in the Mediterranean Coast we usually get into 40ºC in the summer too and my poor Snaz (the only brand I can find over here) become creamy and sticky . Someone on this forum told me about the ice packs and they worked great at my first festival this summer

I switched out most of my Snaz after too much heat last summer got so sick of melted paint! I was painting in the snow and didnt find too much prob with the paint -vjust needed more water but frozen fingers..brrrrr

I have a shade/rain protected clause in my contract. I carry my tent, and if I get to a gig and there is no shade or rain protection, they have to pay my $25 tent fee for me to put it up, plus my hourly rate while I do that. I got caught a couple of times in the rain at my first few parties, and had well meaning people try to pack me up to get me inside...what a mess! I spent too much money on my supplies to have them get rained on or melted in the sun. Since I put that in the contract, I have not had a problem.

It gets kind of hot here, but not too bad. My snaz gets a little sticky, but I can leave it alone when it does. Paradise seems to do really well in the heat for me. I have not had too many cold events, but when the humidity dips, I really need a ton more water, especially with wolfe. I use a spray bottle almost all the time, but try not to when it is really hot.