Do you paint yourself for work?

Do you paint on yourself for gigs? I know we have discussed this before but there are some newer people now.

If you do, is it a full face? I tend to do some little eye design if I have time before I leave. So about 50% of the time.

I usually do an eye design or something simple around my eyes if I have time. I don't want to do full face so I don't scare the little ones.

For me it depends on the weather. If it is hot I will fancy up a small eye design but if it is nice out I like to do a bigger design.

I almost always do something...but now that summer is here I'm with namanda123....I'll just sweat it off as I'm unpacking if it's too toasty out. I've arrived early to larger gigs, made sure I was set up and then painted myself quickly before I start.

I always have an eye design, even if it's a balloons only gig, and even if I only have 30 seconds to smash on some bright eye shadow and add some swirls and teardrops.

Never a mask or full face though - it does get warm, and I rub my nose all the time when I sweat, haha.

I'll do a small eye design. Occasionally a cheek design if I know it's inside, but like everyone else said if it's hot you're going to smudge!

And it's pretty da*n unappealing to have the face painter look like a smudgey mess!

I wear glasses, so I don't do an eye design.
So I don't do anything.

I usually do half my face depending on the theme. But nothing too big because then the kids always wants the same design as yours.

I do an eye design with lots of glitter. For me, there has been a noticeable difference in how I'm treated overall when I go with no face paint vs. doing a small, complicated-looking eye design (even though it's just a bunch of swirls, teardrops, and dots). I think it's just because it piques curiosity right off the bat.

But as others have said...if it's just too hot, forget about it.

I waited until we got to the fair and then let Emma paint me. It drew in customers every time we did it. It did smear though so next time nothing on the forehead. I think it shows that you love what you do.

I was really surprised at a training I went to when one of the painters said that "this is the first time I've ever had my face painted." WT???? She'd been at it for 3 years.

When I get events I'll plan on going 1/2 mask/crownish.

D.

D.

At face value that does seem strange. Maybe she meant usually it's her arm/leg/thigh, etc? Maybe she meant this is the first time another professional has painted on her? Personally, I've painted on my own face hundreds (maybe thousands) of times, but I've been face painted (on my face) only once before by a fellow artist...and I was 12 years old at the time.

I also wear glasses, so rarely do I paint anything on my face. Sometimes I will do a butterfly on my cheek.

However, I always do paint up my arm, usually with a rose and some small butterflies, then I do the cherry blossom design on the back of my hand. My picture of my cherry blossom design isn't that great, but when people see it in person, they think it's beautiful. So I like to have it there to suggest to girls who can't decide. And I usually do some boy designs on the inside of my arm, like a spider and web.

I like to have paint somewhere on me to show people that it won't smear once it has dried, lots of times I will overhear them say something like that and I will show them that I can rub my hand over it and it doesn't come off.

Always, and not only for me but it is a requirement for anyone working in my booth that they sport our art.

The hawkers are painted, usually single eye or arm, and wear glitter tattoos on their forearms.

Artists have an eye/mask design and we will also sport glitter tat bracelets and henna.

I will also paint jewelry on myself. Now that I'm offering more tribal/tattoo/graffiti designs...those are becoming more popular on the hawkers because they are really attention getting.

The reason we never do cheek art is because we don't advertise that we do it. If a parent with a toddler comes along and asks for something small, we do it but we never advertise the $3 stuff.

Our weather can get stupid hot and humid. On those days we tend to stick to arm designs only because we tend to wipe our faces with cold water from the cooler. However no matter how hot it's gotten we've never had paints run down our faces. The glitter, on the other hand, will stick to every joint on our body...ick.

I look at it this way...I would never go to a tattoo artist who doesn't have any done. I wouldn't go to a chef who won't eat his cooking and I won't go to car shop that doesn't fix their own cars. In my entry level business class one of the first things covered was never try to sell something you don't use/have on. I would NEVER ask anyone to get anything from me that I don't/won't wear myself. Besides, it's fantastic advertising. We've gotten on the news/papers several times because of how painted up we are.

AND we never have parents ask us about the safety of paints. We use it on ourselves. Of course it's safe. It's on us.

We show up an hour early for festival things to be sure we're painted. For private events we decorate before we leave the house, stop at a store on the way (with business cards in hand of course! ) and show up painted.

@Lynnie, excellent points

1. "I would never go to a tattoo artist who doesn't have any done. I wouldn't go to a chef who won't eat his cooking and I won't go to car shop that doesn't fix their own cars."

2. "AND we never have parents ask us about the safety of paints. We use it on ourselves. Of course it's safe. It's on us.
".

Looks like I'm one of the very few that don't paint my face, well, I cant say never, just rarely. If the job seems to call for it, I'll do something simple. I always end up smearing it, and here in Calif it gets really hot in the summer, so if I start to sweat hauling my stuff out of the car, there it goes!
I worked as a clown of 9 years. I simply got tired of painting my face. And, I don't notice any difference in how I'm treated or the customers satisfaction in me. Kudos to all you who take the time to do it though!

I'm another who doesn't get painted (ever if I can help it)..... I react badly and it doesn't sell well to see someone itching and scratching at what is currently on them - I can put out of my mind my hands if I end up with stuff on it while working, but I can't put my arms or face out my mind. However I do paint up the other members of the team - at the gig we did today I even did designs on them that weren't on the board - as an extra "or you could get this!" selling point (no takers though today - the board has the "right" designs). Typically it is the first thing we do when we are setup and ready - to make sure everything is working right and ready to go for people...

Always... I blogged about it here actually http://shannonfennell.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/on-painting-ones-self/

I would have posted the collage here but I just bought a new computer and haven't managed to get my file/photos moved over to it...

I paint myself. The only time I've been painted by other people is at conferences and conventions.

I want to paint myself every time. I just don't have the extra minutes it takes every time. I'm going to try to do it more.

Kay, what did you mean about how people treat you.

Tam,
We asked her to clarify "you mean in a class?" and she said "no...ever." We were shocked. I felt badly because she didn't get a beautiful design as the instructor is known for...it was a full-faced boy design. So it might be awhile before she's painted again.

I guess because I'm a tomboy and didn't wear a lot of makeup my whole life, I actually like being painted in beautiful designs and I'm just as comfortable in tiger paint too. I have glasses but I don't mind...I just avoid the bridge of my nose.

Of course, I don't have allergies or removal problems. I spoke to a face painter in another city at a fair and she told me that TAG stained her for a week...I haven't had any problems with it. I guess everyone is different.

I think I might do free-hand glitter for fairs though to lower the sweat risk. I did do a similar thing to Lynnie...I painted my husband's arm with a wrapped snake to show off the touchable-ness of face paint and he used it a few times.

D.

PS: I often paint an eye design (like I did lepoard eyes the other day) when I'm headed out the door. Utahns are pretty conservative though...they'll stare like crazy but don't ask why I'm painted. I'm going to start wearing a "Ask me about having a Painted Party" sticker or button.

I try to always do a little eye design or something. I had an outdoor event the other day and it got up to 95. I wasn't thinking clearly that day and had painted a full butterfly across my face. At the end of the day, that butterfly was seaping into every wrinkle on my forehead. So, lesson learned. No I am just doing something simple like this picture.

Very rarely paint my face. Too many wrinkles. I often paint something on my upper arm. I am less likely to smudge it. but only paint it when I have set up.

Upper arm? Never would mine be exposed in public... three quarter length sleeves at a minumum...

You and me both Shannon!!! I am getting "Granny Jenkins Wings!" My Great Granny always had flappy arms and we (the grandkids) just thought it was the craziest thing, now it is coming to haunt me!!

I made some tiger eyes for out-and-about today. I like them. I sponged on metallic white first, old gold at the hairline and then blended in orange in the middle. I'll probably start the stripes a little farther back in the orange next time. I got asked "who did those" at the burger place.

I did jaguar eyes the other day but I don't think I took a picture.

D.

Love the tiger eyes.