Hire jobs.. need some advice

I am new to this site, but i have been facepainting for two years in an area that cant seem to get enough of facepainting. I work with a company that supplys me with as much facepainting as i can cope with every weekend so im very lucky.

Anyway, enough about me... my problem is with public hire jobs. The jobs that hire me to paint for the public for free at their events. The event expects to have a couple of hundred children in attendance and only hires me for 1 or 2 hours (which as everyone knows is definately not enough time). I am very quick painting and at best i can pump out 30-40 faces an hour. But at the end of the job, people are disappointed when their child misses out and it is making me (and the company i work for) look bad.

Can anyone give me some advice? or how can i not disappoint as much? or is this just the way it goes?

That's the way it goes.

If you're only hired for an hour (I have a two-hour minimum BTW) that's all you are paid for. It is not your responsibility to paint everyone who is there. You've been hired to paint for a set time and that's it.

Face Painting isn't a right, its a fun FREE activity being offered and there is no obligation on anyone's part to provide it to ALL comers.

You have to get a little thick skinned in this job. I used to try to finish the queue but learned quickly I wasn't doing myself any favours and it makes no difference in the end, other than reducing my hourly income levels.

Thanks shannon, i thought that was the case. My trick is depending on how long the line is i ask the next couple of parents of the children im painting how long they were waiting for. When the answers start matching the time i have left i get up and tell the last in line to tell everyone that they are the last person. This usually works (give or take 5 minutes) and i always start 5 minutes early cause i know this is the case.
I just wish companys werent so cheap and they could hire an extra person to get through all the children ( i have approx 4 facepainters that work for me) and this wouldnt be a problem!

I gave that up. Now I just post signs saying the time I am painting, how long it takes to paint a face, and let them do the math. I start annoucing the time about half an hour before quitting time, and when I am done, I'm done.

It works very well. I have examples of my signs on my free resources page (link in my signature).

I made a cute sign saying that the line is now closed and there is no time for "just one more" I figure it adds a little humor as everyone thinks they are JUST a tiny favor at the end. Drives me nuts. I put my designs in a binder that stands up as an A frame and at the end I just close up with the same binder... love this system. Near the end I have also sped up the designs and offered less detailed or smaller versions to try to accomodate but I think if the last 5 people spent the time in the line why should they get ripped off a little because 5 more want to fit in too and didnt stand in line or waited to do so. So if they have waited long in a line I don't like to offer a quicker version to help those who didnt wait etc.


I find a certain culture where I live likes to say they have a party for 25 kids and only need 1-2 hours but then when I arrive there are 50-75 kids and I feel bad. I have stopped feeling bad and now I up the rates for these type of events as I know I will be painting like mad and not enjoying it as much as regular bookings. I also know there will always be a crying child saying they didnt get a turn so i mention to the hostess that if there are still children needing to be painted feel free to let me know and I will extend my booking time to accomadate them. I feel it then puts the disappointment back on them where it truly belongs when they overload you with too many kids in a short period of time.

very good advice, thanks for sharing!

LOL! I am at the point where for certain cultures (East Indian, Latin) I tend to start the phone booking at a 3 hour minimum...cause I know unless there's a line monitor, those "just one more (reality, 6 minimum)...and then you can eat with us, please" will do me in! hehe.

(Now I just ask for a plate to go if they insist---and if I don't have a back to back, & it's my booking, not thru an agent, I'll play a little longer just cause it's fun!

Ooops...did want to say that Shannon's advice on getting a little thick skinned really is right on--and letting someone else take the flak!

I do a regular bar/restaurant gig where they have other activities after I leave--but now that school is in session there are several families that finish a dance/tumbling class and walk in 5 minutes before I leave. They know the schedule, and they are not tipping me well enough (if at all) for my time, and it interferes with the evening activities there.

Last night I finished the 4 "5 minutes 'til closing" ones (birthday party clients as well) and left the "walked in at 10 past and expected"s. with the blessing of the manager.

I have a clear plastic table top display that holds an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of printer paper. I have it say:
"Free face painting is provided by 'XYZ' Company. Face painting will end promptly at 0:00. Entertainers will need to leave on time to make it to a child's birthday party. Thank you for your understanding, Linda "

This has a duel purpose. It lets the public know I MUST leave on time. If anyone asks for "Just One More" I let them know I was on time for them & I must be on time for the child. You wouldn't want a child to miss their party?" If they argue they look like the bad guy. The entertainer should never look like a bad guy...
This sign also makes the people who hired you look good. It gives them acknowledgment & they love it(Free/or not so free 'cause they're paying you) advertisement!
This also is a slight reminder that the face painting may be free, but someone paid for it(Face painting is not free & we as face painters rarely paint for free).
BTW, all this info is pieced together from the other face painters on here
They've helped me look good in sooo many ways!