Hello from County Kerry - Southern Ireland

Mrs Miggins here to say hello to all.

I have recently been cajoled into this wonderful world of face painting by my Scottish boyfriend who purred into my ear one day 'you know hen - you should take up face painting, you could do the magic parties and shows with me, what d'yer think hen' after raised my many eyebrows and a manic month of buying snaz's, fardels, brushes and practising with your wonderful book Miss Shannon Fennell (a personal thank you) here I am after doing my first party and public show this week-end. Aaahhh - exhausted, absolutely whacked out - the concentration jeepers creepers - as for speed - you could make and eat a full course meal in the time it took me to do a face. To own to how long per face - well cringingly, I managed 35 faces in 7hours with a non stop queque, patience, everyone in that queque deserved a patience award, 20+minutes a face dearey me. Us perfectionists must be the bain of peoples lives, so I too won the platinum award for Miss Slowest of the slow coach, but what a marvellous experience, just fabulous.

Now for questions, may I ask how do I load a brush without having to return to the cake and water after every two strokes, how do I do fine spots without them looking like minus marks, how do I sponge a face so that it is a dense colour without re-daubing it a million or more times. The Fardel paint whilst wonderful in their colours what are they mainly used for, they were very gunky. Lastly, how does one manage a non-stop queque? So there we are, may I thank all for taking time to scroll down my epistle of a topic...

Hi there from Northern Ireland!

I'm still learning myself too. You might be best putting your queries in the General face painting area to get a good number of responses.

What type of brush do you use? Synthetic brushes don't hold as much paint as natural fibres such as sable brushes. I only used synthetic for a while as I liked the spring but when I got my first sable I had to buy more!!!
Bases take practise too. It took me a while to get the consistency of the paint right and then sponging it on to give good coverage.

There are many people on here with HUGE amounts of experience who are more than willing to share. I'm sure they'll reply to you too.

Glenda

Hello Mrs. Miggins! Welcome to the forum! Sounds like the addiction has taken hold! Hahaaa!! I'm glad you enjoyed your first facepainting experience! I am a reformed perfectionist so I feel your pain. Don't worry, there is hope for you! Before long you'll be able to cut yourself off when it's time and move on to the next customer. It's just a matter of mentally shaking yourself and saying, "Okay, it's DONE - I don't need to do anything more to it!". Painful at first but it gets easier and before long you can do it without thinking about it too much.

Mrs.Miggins wrote:
Now for questions, may I ask how do I load a brush without having to return to the cake and water after every two strokes, how do I do fine spots without them looking like minus marks, how do I sponge a face so that it is a dense colour without re-daubing it a million or more times. The Fardel paint whilst wonderful in their colours what are they mainly used for, they were very gunky. Lastly, how does one manage a non-stop queque? So there we are, may I thank all for taking time to scroll down my epistle of a topic...

On loading a brush - the paint needs to be properly conditioned before starting. It should be wet enough to go on smoothly, but not diluted. Sable brushes will hold a lot more paint than synthetic also, and good quality brushes are definitely worth the extra money spent on them.

Making dots - this is the one thing I DO use synthetics for. A sable has too pointy an end for dot making. Find a short bristled, round synthetic, load WELL with paint, almost to the point that it's wet and maybe a bit gunky, and then dab it right on the skin. The paint will touch the skin and make a round dot. The bristles themselves need not touch the skin at all, if the brush is well saturated with (slightly thick) paint. This is how I make my dots.

Sponging bases - Snazaroo seems to me to be the very best product for blending and bases. They are great for beginners and experienced painters alike. Also, are you wetting your sponge, or your paints? I find it works much better to spray the paint cake with a mist of water and rub a dry sponge onto the cake to load. The color is more consistent and goes on smoother. I don't use Fardel so I can't give many pointers using that brand but maybe someone else can chime in on it.

Non-stop Qs - It can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time! I personally love having a Q. I get into "the zone", and can set a rhythm that will last all day. I have to make myself stop for breaks. I usually feel how tired, thirsty and sore I am only after the gig is over. I guess that's a blessing and a curse! My advice is to always appear cheerful, tell the kids how patient they are for waiting, make random comments to the other kids in line while painting the one in the chair, and stop yourself from obsessing over perfecting details once the design is reasonably finished.


Looking forward to getting to know you!

Hello and Welcome. I shall leave the advice to those more experienced but everyone is really great and helpful, and you will learn so much.

Hello and welcome. I see your questions are in capable hands! Good luck on your journey and welcome Ma'am!

May I thank all of you for your replys, I was definitely guilty of going over the work I had done on the faces, and of getting too personally involved and loathed to leaving the face that I had just created. Aha I soaked the sponge, rubbed around and got it too wet, so spray bottle for me. Yes I continually acknowledged the queque, God bless them all I thought for their patience.
I cannot wait for the next gig, meanwhile every available piece of my flesh will continue to be adorned with patterns. Perhaps I could ask how you all practice - flesh or plastic faces - I don't have contact with children so no nipping round to beg a the favour of their faces for a bribe.
again thanks and best wishes to you all

MM...

Ahhhh, I love having another slow poke around. I've gotten so much better as time has passed, and so will you.

All the advise you have been given is good advise. What I would like to add is that is that there are no absolute right or wrong ways to do things. What ever works for you is what is right for you. Brushes are all different...Just because it's an expensive Sable doesn't mean that it is a good brush for you, what is your best brush might be an inexpensive synthetic. Then the sponges...there are so many different sponges, and just as many ways to moisten them and trim them and how you use them. Welcome to the wonderful world of facepainting where true success is measured by the smile that you see when you have finished. Bonus is when the child returns to see themselves in the mirror over and over again.

Jenny from Maryland USA

Hello Mrs. Miggins!!

Sounds like you had fun and the adventure has begun! From whispering in the ear to buying the gear to getting to work. It will all come!!!!

I am only almost a year in and have learned so much from this and other forums. Go to a jam or convention if you get the chance. For inspiration, tips, and awesome people.

Snaz makes a good little red handle dotter if you need to have a tool to make it look good every time while you practice and get better!

The base for me came when I learned to see the paint "activate" and get that perfect creamy wet lifted up sort of thick texture. And that once you load it - (I prefer the damp sponge - not wet - just barely damp) to gently stripe and pat/pounce to get that even coverage.

As for long queues- I still get nervous with really long lines of cranky parents and kids then add in the Florida heat! Yikes!!!! But my best advice is to have a few things you can do quickly and "recommend" those to kids so you can move them through faster. Menu boards help people to choose before they sit in the chair. And knowing when to quit! For me I always want to add on or do more but when you have too many waiting - you have to convey the idea without making a perfect reproduction of vision.( A cat can be the nose whiskers and some eyeliner flicks.) And finally - a sense of humor which you sound as if you already have in hand!!! is so helpful. You can number the kids or do the assembly line paint too if a few kids want the same face. (I just did this at a party and it was so helpful!!!)

Welcome! Have fun! and let us know how things progress!!!!

Just Jenny wrote:Brushes are all different...Just because it's an expensive Sable doesn't mean that it is a good brush for you, what is your best brush might be an inexpensive synthetic.

Thanks for pointing this out Jenny, as it made me realize that my post may have sounded like I don't like synthetics. I do! Many of the best painters out there use synthetics with fabulous results - much better than mine. Synthetics are springier and sables are pointer and more pliable, so depending on your painting style, either one is perfect. (Though sables DO hold more paint! )

What a fabulous inspiration you all are - I was there last night misting and sponging, loading and painting, what a wonderful difference 'look just look at this' I said to 'him indoors' 'oh hen - you're gettin' a great load a tips from your new friends' says he, who is constantly on the Magic Cafe forum. Every piece of arm and thigh flesh was sponged, dotted and swirled, what a difference. I'll be down the shops looking for the synth's at the weekend to do 'the spot test' and the 'hold the most paint' competion. I have been using brushes from both theatre make up shops and art supplies shops ranging from 0 - 8 . Roll on the next gig, absolutely can't wait. As for queues in sun - I envy - we have ours in rain, I will be handing out freebie fun brollies to bribe the little babes :-))

Thank you so much and best wishes to you all - will eagerly report all after the next adventure. Meanwhile, I shall continue to scour this forum with an eager eye.

Mrs Miggins

Great Stuff Mrs!!!

Welcome!! Glad you like the book (and you are very welcome!)

The others have given great advice already. If you are using Fardel creams they are a little bit tricky for a beginner... cakes usually are easier to get the hang of. I love the Fardel creams for body painting but don't use them much for face painting alone... just my preference cause the Fardel has to be ordered from the UK and costs me lots more than the other brands to get it here!!

I ignore how long the queue is... no point in overstressing myself. My signs say what the hours of painting will be and when the last face will be painted, it also advises how long each painting takes - I leave it up to them to figure out if it is worth waiting. I don't have much problem with this system. I announce at about half an hour to go that I will be finishing soon and will only be able to complete another 6 or so. If they pick fast designs I might be able to do more but they wait at their own risk.

Hello and welcome to the forum!