Curious about Private Halloween face pricing

Hi there I searched for a similar thread on here about this subject, I just know there is one on here already probably. I am going to set up short appointments in my home for Halloween faces. I set my price at $25 for adults, $20 for 12 and under. If the parent has 2 or more kids getting painted I made it $15 each. These will be faces that take less than 30 minutes. If someone would want a neck up design or body art it would be more. I just thought for standard faces done with extra care this would be a pretty good place to get the ball rolling. I have one taker so far, just started offering today.

My usual rate is $80 per hour but I just thought a lower price point for individual looks might get this thing rolling for my area. This is the first year I have done anything for Halloween and I am just flying by the seat of my pants. I'm curious how you all handle personal Halloween appointments. I will see how this goes and definitely will adjust next year if yall have some more interesting ways of doing this. thank you ahead of time for any suggestions.

This is the thread you are looking for
http://www.facepaintforum.com/t7632-halloween-bookings

I made $400 last Halloween taking private appts. in my home. It was a great day. And yes, rememeber most adults are trying to win a cash prize at local bars so want an awesome and detailed painting. So, your pricing is great.

Here is my add on Kijiji:
http://windsor.kijiji.ca/c-services-entertainment-Halloween-Face-Painting-and-Special-FX-W0QQAdIdZ315521330

I just posted this this morning. I already have 2 adults wanting to be the skulls in the Lady Gaga video "Born this way." I am charging $30 each. Make sure you take a deposit. I know Perry had a few appointments last Halloween and people never showed up. So, those time slots were wasted.

Thanks everyone. I had posted on that thread, I forgot about that one. I guess I was just wandering mostly about the pricing thing.

One of the guys on FABA tv Wiser was doing a skull with wings kind of an arm band upper back design and he said he would charge around $25.

I was thinking of charging $25 each adult face, also

I do similar but I don't bother with deposits. Yeah, I have a couple of no shows, but, the slots fill up fast with last minute callers and friends who came along with the people who made the appointments.

I work out my prices roughly on the time it takes for each design.. a 30 minute face is $30, 10 minute face $10.00 etc. Usually they let me know the type of design and detail they want and I can work out how long it will roughly take me from there.

For private paintings people usually come to my home, I might make it a bit more if I have to go to them, although often if its for a large group I don't add any more travel time.

I wish I could get these kinds of bookings! I would love to do that kind of detailed work, but alas, most people in my area just aren't willing to pay for it.

I ran around to all of my local craft store with my son painted as a standard horned monster yesterday and got lots of people asking if I'm available for Halloween, so I guess I'm gonna jump in the deep end here! The deep end of the face painting pool seems to be more and more comfortable lately though . I really didn't have much time to think about it, so I just threw out $25 per half hour block (I only charge $50 an hour...still a little new to FP), I figured I'm still making my hourly rate, and if people are on a budget I could fit a whole family into a half an hour, or if people want something CRAZY detailed and more than just a face they could book more than a half an hour. So far I've got a Peacock face, neck and arm and a disco ball tenatively booked by people who work at Craft Warehouse . BTW-How would you handle a disco ball request? I think I'm gonna have to get some Mehron silver powder...

Most of our PPF's are on Saturdays and Fridays we usually go to the stores to get what we need for the week. I paint myself before I go so that if anyone asks in Walmart or the Supermarket I can say we'll be at so and so tomorrow at this time and tell all your friends. This not only brings me more business but brings more people to the event so it's a win/win. If you don't have to do anything serious like court or blind date paint yourself before you go out and hand out your card when people ask.

Disco ball.....maybe the mehron silver with a lot of rhinestones all over and lots of glitter

Where are you guys advertising for Halloween bookings? I have my regular CL ad so perhaps on there would be good.

90% of my gigs are from networking through clown alley and business association.

Is it horrible for me to ask what is clown alley?

It's what clowns call their local clubs. It comes from the circus termed for the tent connected to the big top with the clowns in it. They had to be ready to entertain if there was a problem or accident.

Aaaahh, thanks for explaining it!

I do very little online advertising. I have pics on my personal facebook page. I need to get a business page done. Most of my business is by word of mouth. I'm booked up for the next 3 weekends.

If I start slowing down, then I'll start advertising in my local newspaper. I don't want to be too swamped during my son's soccer season. So far all the parties are later in the day

My Daughter and I work together but she is the computer wiz and we're waiting till we can get pictures of all our clown characters before we make our website. We'll be getting new business cards after this PPF this Saturday(if we do well) with our new logo. The sign makers little kids are our models and 4 year olds can be tough negotiators. We can paint what we want on them if afterwards we paint them up as the Mario Brothers. Anyone done the Mario Brothers before?

I've seen Mario Brothers done up in a hat like one green and one red and a mustache

I charge $40 per face for an adult - they always take up the better part of an hour.
For kids I charge $20 if it's just one - and $10 each if they bring a few.

I just did two adults at $40 each. They seemed pretty happy.
I would consider doing it for less but usually they want something I haven't got and I have to buy for the job - like the last one I needed Rigid Collidian (sp?) to make the jokers scars - and that was $20 on it's own....
also adults are more picky and will ask for mulitple changes or fix ups and just drag it out in general.

This is all good info. I painted my face last night (my new avatar) and went out for ice cream with my hubby. I was planning on going in to order, but I chickened out at the last minute and we hit the drive through. I've got to be less shy about walking around in full face paint!

Don't feel bad Ottergirl, I am shy when it comes to walking around in full paint sometimes,too.

I don't know why you girlies are shy about it, because you are both awesome!!!!

This is the perfect time to do it too! Yay for free publicity!

Otter your smile in that avatar looks like you are up to no good and mischief is in the near future! I love making faces when I take the photos. It really sells it.

And Jody, I use some of your painting as inspiration. Your dragon face with the hoodie on was my inspiration when you requested me to do one on my facebook page when I was playing the requests game.

We really could do less then even average for us and everyone that sees us will think it is spectacular. We are our own worst critics.

Manabanana wrote: We are our own worst critics.

Agreed!

We all look differently at our art work than the people around us. I've looked at stuff I've done and think of all the things I did wrong but the kids and parents looked at it like it was Rembrandt. I may not be the best painter on this board and I know I'm not the worst but how many jobs do you find that pays $75 to $100 a hour? We're Artist and Ladies and Gentlemen walk proud with that art on your face.