What do you think of this menu board idea?

[OtterGirl]

So I'm getting ready to do my first PPF event in October. I know I need a design board to draw in customers, and I also think having one would help me focus on fast, showy designs. I'm something of a perfectionist which is great for private parties but not so hot for PPF. Since this is a harvest/Halloween themed event, I was thinking of displaying stuff that goes with the theme, but I don't want to print a big expensive banner or board that can only be used seasonally.

Here is my idea. I was thinking of having my husband build me a free-standing sandwich board with little clips screwed into it. I can laminate pictures of faces for my menu and then easily switch them out for different designs depending on the event. I figure this will also keep me from getting bored with painting the same faces over and over. What do you all think? Will it look unprofessional?

[anniel]

I would do a moveable/removeable word list instead so you can adapt to your line/develop designs as things progress. I am seldom happy getting locked into anything too specific. But that's maybe just me...(I carry a small photo-book that shows past/best work---for marketing purposes mainly.)

[lorrinwagner]

I like the idea. You could do word menu on one side and pics on the other, if you are crazy busy, put out the words toward the crowd, if slow, put out the pics to bring in the crowds. Show some pics when you are done too:)

[Lady Jayde]

Word lists have never worked well for me in a ppf atmosphere. I only use them in settings where i need to paint a lot of kids in a short period of time and when
I'm painting with more than one painter. The one time I used a wordlist the parents kept asking me if I had pictures. Ive found that if I'm charging the customer they want to know what they are paying for.

That being said, I think the idea of a board that allows you to swap out pictures is a brilliant one. I say go for it. I'm sure you'll make it look fab!

[anniel]

No wonder I suck at PPF....

[OtterGirl]

No wonder I suck at PPF....

Ha! Maybe I do too! This will be my first PPF. I'm a little anxious about it. I hope I don't end up losing money. It's outdoors in October and I'm dreading the thought that it might rain.

[Denise Cold]

Have to agree with Lady Jayde, word list will work for free events (I made a foam board sign with a few pictures and words and it worked well.

I use a design book (to get butts in seats) at PPF. I'll attach the combo sign that didn't go over very well and then my new one. It's separated by $3, $5, $8 faces (9 each) of my most popular faces this summer and I'll use it in combo with a book that I can change up more often.

D.



Here's the word combo one that didn't work as well as I'd hoped.



Here's my new (untried) banner.

[Perry Noia]

The trick with having removable pictures is keeping them from taking them off and bringing them to you.... you could spend all day putting pictures back on the board rather than painting. I haven't had much luck with word lists either... pictures speak so much more and when your money depends on how many butts you can get into your seat, you need to convince them that you are worth that money.

[summers4seasons]

I use 2 boards at PPF events. Both have 12x12 scrapbook picture pages attached with velcro to science boards. I have one in a PVC frame out front that people have to walk around. This one is vertical and has pictures on both sides as well as prices and general info. The other is horizontal with pics on only one side. I place this diagonally behind my work space. This allows the kiddos to point to what they want as they come in AND allows those in line to make their selections before they get to my chair. Being velcroed on in 12x12 pages makes it more difficult for kids to take them off. So far (you know for my 2 big events hahaha) it has worked very well.

I will try to get some pics up later.

[a face painting mom]

Pictures work for me, but once I had a storm blow mine away, so the next day I did a list, and I was still busy. The pictures attract more people.

[anniel]

Got a 9 space fame to fill w/pics for trying out--not the biggest, but neither's the event..hehe

[Psalmbook]

I have a board/easel setup where I add & remove photos to fit the event. It works great for me.

Anniel... you're avatar pic is distracting me... all that lovely paint

[OtterGirl]

Denise, since you are in Utah as well, I was wondering how your pricing works out. I'm worried that Utahns are too cheap to pay what the work is worth. Do you keep busy with the $3/5/8 set up?

I was hoping that strong clips will keep the pictures from blowing away/being moved. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

[Lady Jayde]

I've found that a pocketed canvas banner type display keeps my pictures in place. The one I made holds 36 5x7 photos and the pictures fit snuggly in the pockets so there's no way they can be removed easily. I've only had one kid try and when he struggled, his mom told him that it was probably hard to remove because it wasn't supposed to be removed, lol.

[summers4seasons]

Lady Jayde, could you post pics? Please?

[OtterGirl]

@ Jayde: Where did you find your pocketed banner?

[Denise Cold]

Yeah, me too. Couldn't find it online.

[Amanda]

Here are my boards... I have two... one of them is all my 4 minute or less designs... I use that for the events where they have alot of people coming and I dont have time to offer my full book of designs.

The board is a large cork board (about $10), then all the pics are just standard 4x6" prints that I pay about $.15 each for. I use photoshop to add the design name to them before I send them to print. Then I just use thumbtacks to hold them on. Super easy to swap out, and if one ends up damaged I just spend a few cents to print another. I also printed out "please choose a design from the board" for the tops, and can add a price sign just as easily as the photos.

To hold it I got an inexpensive easel from the art supply store... it's the kind that has 1 pole up the middle with a ledge to rest the art on and another you can add to the top. The board is too tall for the top piece, so I glued some rounded metal pieces that were leftover from some frames I made to the back and now the pole just slides into the supports. I do have to bungee cord it to something sometimes, as the wind likes to knock them over, but overall they've worked pretty well. And it's not too heavy or difficult to haul around either.

[Denise Cold]

I'm impressed with your quick designs Amanda, lucky clients. You could almost turn that into a sandwich board with a long hinge and some belt webbing and it would stand up on it's own. (Denise is thinking )

[Ruth]

Yes lady Jade could u post pics? N where do you find something like that?

[DiamondDrea]

Amanda I loooovveeee your display board its so neat and so many designs to choose from.

[Lady Jayde]

Hey guys. Sorry I had a busy festival weekend to prepare for, otherwise I would've responded. I made my holder with black canvas and polyvinyl sheeting. I'm working on making a pocketed one for 4x6 prints that I can slip over a board and mount on one of my easels. I will did up a picture and post it later tonight.

[a face painting mom]

Good thinking Denise! Any ideas on how you would make it water proof? Plastic sheeting maybe?

[OtterGirl]

Amanda, that's a great board. I love your mermaid!

[Denise Cold]

Seems like you could just buy that stuff they sell at Walmart for tables and tack it right to the board over the top. It wouldn't stop a soaking rain but it would protect from little fingers/takers/sprinkles.

D.

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