Permission to use books at shows such as 'Your Face or Mine'

Hello - Mrs Miggins here

I would like what the procedure is for taking face paint books such as your's Shannon 'Your Face or Mine'. May I ask permission to show it to children and then attempt to paint a similar face. I have been gradually taking photo's of which I shall eventually be able to make a gallery, but my process of 'suitability' take eons of time.

I have been invited to set up in a local eatery to paint for tips and my supper, so would like to have some thing to wow the children and their mums with. I have various others that I could laminate and then to make a display but would like to know what the legal situation is before I launch into this. My hand drawings are not nearly as enticing as the photographs.

Many thanks

Mrs Miggins

Well... it is an infringement of copyrights to cut up a book and display those photos for commercial purposes.

Taking the book itself and showing it to people is fine... as it would be intact in book form and obviously the work of someone else (like me! ) Snazaroo USA Inc. is the publisher of the book so they have the book copyright ownership.

My designs sheets (not intending to make a plug, but...) have permission to be used for display purposes on them.

LOL....Shannon, if I get your book, will you autograph it for me????
I think you are really great!

I agree, I love shannons book...Love it, love it..I wsh I could get mine autographed..ummm..Now if I take the plane From Hilo..I can take the plane to..ummm..lol...hopefully one day we'll meet..

Aw shucks... sure, I'll autograph them. I'll be at Living Canvas in San Jose in September...

You could always make bookplates, Shannon. Just sign a large sticky label and people can pay you envelope rate postage, then stick them on the inside of the book.

But there aren't any "negative" spaces in the book to stick a label on!! LOL

Thank you Shannon - I have a few copies of your book that I can now put into clear folders to show a particular picture, to avoid the messy thumbing through them. When I am in England next I look forward to ordering your design plates - something that has been in my mind for a while.

We could always stick your autograph labels onto the back cover...for those of us that cannot make it over to San Jose, and I promise to only ask for one auto' label.
Thanks again

Mrs Miggins

Not to downplay the wonderfulness of anyone's books and using them, but I might suggest doing an occasional bout of face painting for neighbourhood kids in exchange for permission to use their pictures in your displays. They get it for free but you pick the designs and get a signed release form from their parents to use the pictures. That would be about the only time that I would paint "for free" but it's much faster than trying to get pictures at one of your regular paid events where you have to stop and do pictures of your favourites.

It can seem hard to get a portfolio going. I am simply horrid at getting pics when I work. I do best to make arrangements to get a model here or there. Then I paint as I would on the job. I find it important to show your own work as people will really be getting from you. Show a few great fab faces to to show your range but -
showing Shannon's work is setting yourself up - sorta a disclaimer of here's how I want to paint if I were this good - assuming your not yet as good as Shannon - 'cause if you were of course you'd have enough pictures to show clients. You need not have a picture of every face design you offer - you just need to be able to show people wait your own work looks like. A descriptive list of the other faces designs your offer really will suffice.
Use Shannon's book quietly off to the side if you need reference while you work, that's why she published it. I think by using your own, even if only a few, images will help you grown in confidence and allow your own style to show through. Soon you'll be using Shannon's design with your own flair and take on the design and those you love just as is, you'll soon be able to paint blindfolded.

Sweet Loretta

I have problems getting people to paint for pictures. My kids are so sick of it now I have to have major bribes ready and also promise to wash it off straight away. I hope to get a few kids together next week for a session of painting and photos. I'm very lucky because my niece is going to university to study photography (she has been doing it for quite a while) and she is taking pictures for me. Getting enough people together to get a good number of designs painted is the problem.

Glenda

How about just a few each time? Then there is no rush =)

I usually grab my oldest daughter and my 3 step-nieces and they each get two or three designs on the day that I'm doing my sample pictures (which are due for a redo soon)... that gets me 10 to 12 pictures which is really enough for most events to show and I never tell anyone I can't paint something they are requesting.

Thank you to everyone for all your imput - Neighbourhood kiddies here I come -

Mrs.M'

I had to make a new display of "quick" designs for an upcoming gig... I needed to weed out the really detailed and time consuming designs and get quick but nice stuff on the display.

I tried to get a couple of my usual models over for a session but our schedules didn't mess... so I sat down and painted my own face 17 times on Sunday morning, AND took photos of myself too!

The macro setting on my camera is a life saver!! As arm distance is in perfect focus - I used a mirror held in my other hand to make sure the photos were centered by checking out the display before taking the photo.

I paint myself a whole lot... every gig, for practise and as above, when I need photos for display or design purposes.

Yes I have been practising painting myself - jeeps - doing 17 in one sitting, phew.
Well, mirror, mirror on the wall who is the cutest one of all - don't think I will answer that when I see my painted self .... I just hope people will be forgiving when they see my print outs - again thank you Shannon