Crowd Control

How do you keep the little ones from getting underfoot, bumping your table and literally leaning over your shoulder when you're painting in an open tent without anything that even vaguely resembles walls? There are only so many times that you can have your helper say "please back up so she can paint". The problem is, the kids who were doing the crowding were just spectators, so they weren't even in line to get painted. I had a child tell me to "surprise" her with a creation, but the spectators ruined the surprise by loudly speculating what I was painting.

I've already told the director that I wouldn't paint in such an unorganized environment again, but I still feel that I should've had more knowledge of how to control the situation. However, if it weren't for the many parents who opted to stay in line with their kids (no doubt to reign in any wild requests), the situation would've been far less as I could tell the kids were straining to get closer to me.

Police tape. Or surveyors tape... I carry a roll in the car and use it to tie off to create a "barricade" if I don't have any walls.

Also, ask for two long tables to be provided and some chairs (or bring your own if you can/have to) If you are in an open tent use one table along the side and then the other to create a right angle - set yourself up in the inside corner of the tables... use chairs to block the opposite side - then you have one open side where they come and go from.

I also use my toolbox to my left as a small table and it keeps them away from my side...

You can tie the tape from the table legs to the tent poles or to a chair or something reasonably solid if you need to create another "wall" - do several strips of varying heights as just one won't stop them.

And... use table cloths that hang down the front of the tables - this creates the illusion of a solid barrier and cuts down on the kids going UNDER the table.

Also... don't be afraid to tell them to "GET OUT OF MY SPACE!!!" I often stop painting and loudly tell them to BACK UP as they are in my light ... that's why I like to have extra chairs... set a couple up where you want the line to START and people will tend to stay there - the next person sits in the first chair.

Ha! I learned my lesson the hard way this weekend. Just like Shannon says - I am going to use the surveyors tape. I also use the "liability" excuse to say that I cannot have anyone under my tent that is not being painted or myself. What KILLS me is the lack of manners...........parents just stand there and don't do anything.......my mom would have WORN ME OUT!

starponysmama wrote:.......my mom would have WORN ME OUT!

I've never heard it put quite that way... we'd say "We wouldn't have been able to sit down for a week!"

my sample photos are on a string between two home made stancions (sp?) so the kids stand along the string line looking at pictures while they wait and the parents often will stand on the other side of the line parallel to their kids.

If I have any kids bumping my table (which happens) I usually tell them to please not touch the table because I don't want my water to spill all over the place, which is completely true. At that point the parents usually take a hint and get them away from the table. Their parents have to be there or I won't paint them and if there is a parentless child around, I tell them they need to go find their mommy. I cannot be responsible for their safety if they are unsupervised. If the parents aren't doing something about their behaviour, then tell the child in a voice loud enough for their parent to hear that they need to go stand with mommy while they are waiting.

I agree with Shannon. I have also say in a very loud voice; PLEASE STAND BACK....HOW HORRIBLE WOULD IT BE IF I WERE TO GET BUMPED AND STAB MY PAINT BRUSH INTO THIS LITTLE PERSONS EYE!!!??? When I say this, I am generally looking directly at the offenders, then they quietly go back to the line.

I also use the technique of creating a body triangle around the person I am painting. I will tuck the child's chair in close to my table, and put myself a litttle to the left of them, with my left leg on the outside of their chair. This technique has come in very handy during hockey playoffs, when the fans are insane and don't care where they stand or who they stand on. I have had to use my elbows at times to protect myself and the little ones i'm painting. You'd think adults would know better? Sometimes it takes a charlie horse to remind them of their manners.

hahaha I just re-read my post and I sound like one mean face painting son of a gun. Not really, I just won't tolerate being pushed around.

Couple of ideas:

- paint with your back to the crowd letting the kids in line take a peek to what you are doing.

- (the teacher is coming out in me for this next one) If the kids are getting too close, I tell them it would be a shame if they knocked the table over with all these brushes and sponges, because it would take THEM a long, long time to pick everything up and reclean everything. This kind of has a ripple effect as one kid hears this and transfers the message to the others.

Judy

Judy, your brilliant

I like your idea Judy, except, I think I'd still need a cattle prod of some sort. I had kids behind me watching me work the last time and it never failed that what over eager beaver would get really...really...close... Like, when I sat up I smacked my head into her face...close. I think a combination of Shannon's police tape, a seat at the front of the line for the next kid up and a sign that indicates where they are to stand is in order. If I can guarantee they won't be doing the ninja sneak behind my back, I'll give turning my chair around...but I kind of like the unveiling when the kid turns around and their friends gush over them...I think the kids like it too. I'd just be bothered by the constant calls of "what are you painting?" "I know what you're painting!".

Criss, I don't believe for a minute that you're a mean face painter, formidable, yes, mean...nope. I too have fought the urge to gut check an over zealous parent who wants to lean in close while I'm painting... but they're few and far between as we don't have a lot of those around here that can bend at the waist without having something fall out of their tops...

I like to have a sense of humor about it and take it as a compliment. Kids want to see what you are doing. I tell them that if they cross "this" line i'll have to charge them more, just like I joke with them when they are in the chair about swinging their feet. "I'll have to charge you a $1 for kicking. LOL

I really haven't had it be a big irrirating issue YET, but could see how it could be. I won't tolerate anyone putting their dirty paws in my paint or touching my stuff, but so far a bit of "can I see what you are doing?" has been the only occurance.

If I have a solid wall, I'm like the old gunfighter and sit with my back to it... I'll butt the short end of my table up against the wall, my toolbox barricades me to the left... usually no issues with people getting behind me as there is no room.

And if ANYONE touches my stuff... all H*LL breaks loose! I have to keep everything clean and if some snotty dirty little sticky fingered bologna eating PBJ covered creature starts handling my sponges I have to toss them in the dirty sponge bucket and pull out some clean ones from my kit!!!!

My BIG issue is with the next child hanging onto the back of the chair the kid I am painting is sitting in... I am constantly telling them to step back as they make the chair move.

Having the extra chairs to indicate where to wait helps soooo much in keeping them back out of my way.

If all of this fails, resort to cattle prod, bull whip (you can reach about 8 feet away with this baby and it makes a really, really loud bang), and electric fencer.... after all.... it's just a little zap!! .

This technique works great in the classroom too!! lol

p.s. Get the solar electric fencer and you don't even need to bring an extension cord!! hee hee

HAHAHAH I love it

I actually love when the kids are all over the place! My table are high and my stuff are inside a box or bags, so they can't really touch any of it. I have like 5 cm water in a 15 cm cup, so little risk of spilling.

Sometimes I have to tell them not to try to take my small faces of my display or not leaning against the chair so it moves. As long as I can move my brush, I am happy. Often I have to tell the parent that it is okay that the children come and watch, as long as they know who is next.

I stand with my back to the crowd, with the child in the high chair, so the rest can look what I am doing. And I can not stress over how many are in the line ;-)

The kids sit in a director's chair with my back to the line. I try to position the chair against a wall or solid object. I don't and/or can't monitor the line so it forces parents to be parents to their children and not just drop off their kids as they love to do. I'm a face painter not a line monitor and/or babysitter. I use a rollup camping table. The table was too low so I added extensions to it and its about 4 feet high so most of the kids can't see on top it of it or reach it. Its a good height for me. I rarely have to tell them not to touch my table stuff but am constantly telling them not to touch the chair.

I need a taller table. And a prod. And a solar fencer...how much do those cost? So if, let's say, you catch a kid touching your paints? I caught one, and she knew she was doing wrong because she was watching me while she did it...the look on her face when I said "honey, please don't put your fingers in my paints" when she was about 1/8th of an inch away from the surface of my orange...that was priceless. To bad they don't teach kids about peripheral vision in early childhood.

I arrange my stuff so they can't reach my paints... the only kid in range is the one I'm painting and they better have their eyes closed and not be reaching for my stuff!! Since I sit to work I block access to the touchable stuff myself. I make a formidable barricade BTW!

One thing that is good about using a large table top display is that you can use it to create a wall and an attraction for the line - they all spend their time looking at the photos rather than bothering me.

Sometimes I say, "Whoever sits down the longest gets to go next." At times I will have to repeat that line.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm a little scare of sarge, I mean Sharon.