I never want to paint again!!! OMG!

The photos are funny...but the affect to business may not be.
IMO it has some to do with a person's background. I'm on our artists all the time with the serious looks, the I'm not breathing look...want a learning experience set up a camera at a gig where it is feasible and video what you do.
AGAIN, practice the way you work...when we're doing balloons in the studio I'm constantly asking everyone to pretend they are having FUN.
Remember from the moment you enter your car (especially if it has advertising one it) until you return home...you are on stage...center stage...someone someplace is watching you...because we are dressed different or lugging equipment people want to know who and what we are.
Grin from ear to ear, giggle, laugh out loud while you paint...always look like what you are doing is easy and you absolutely love being there doing it.
Photos are being taken constantly, even when you are not aware, get in touch with your inner giggle and your whole day will be better.
Of course this is being written from the view point of 34 years as a full time working entertainer...in the small town I am now in I can't go to the grocery store without being questioned about bookings...so it's full makeup and a double check in the mirror before running out. Of course for me it pays the mortgage so I take it very seriously, being funny is serious work.
People are posting your photo on their fb and putting them in memory books...let's have the next generation believe that face painters are the joyful, delightful smiling people who gave them happy memories! We have so many photos of our staff that could not be used because of their expression and that is sad.
In Kerry Ann's business class at Kidvention I believe she said she hires on personality, not artist talent...so let your personality shine so people will want you back. Ouch, I just fell off my soap box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lmao oh I love this. lol My husband will make this of face pressing his lips together real tight at me all the time when i am trying to paint at home and he says that's the face I am making. So when ever I am face painting at a public event or family party he will walk by me making "the face" to remind me to "STOP IT" lmao now I wonder what kind of pictures are floating around out there. lol oh my specially the ones taken my professional photographers. ahahaha

I get booked again and again... some clients for multiple events... My work outshines my ugly face.... Thanks for the speech though.

Absolutely FUNNY! Great one Suzy and Christy..I just had a lovely mum post one of those looks on facebook..cringe!...I also try really hard to smile while I paint,,but the concentration face just takes over...Thanks for making me feel normal Suzy....Wonderful stuff...I will share one when I find it.

Oh my, this thread is just too funny!
...and, I must say, very courageous of those who've posted pics!

This is hilarious. I do the same thing! I have so few shots I can use of me painting, and only because it's the back of my head! I also do the "Klingon brow" when I'm concentrating...just great... Can botox be a business write-off?

Dead fish mouth, vacant stare, behold

This thread is hilarious. First one I read this morning! I haven't had a gig yet. But I always practice smiling as I'm painting my son and brother.

At my lst party, I had a child ask me "why are you in a bad mood? I guess I make a mean face. I'll have to watch that from now on...never thought of it before.

Daizy!!! HaHa! Snicker:-)

I get dead fish face or over exaggerated smile....

Hey the over exaggerated smile looks beautiful on you, like you are having super fun.

Linda, you look adorable when you paint! I'm scared to know what I do with my face when I paint.

Too cute! Love all the pics! LOL

I tend to smile way too much! I think it helps the kids feel comfy with me. I maybe a little too cheery sometimes. Gosh, now I'm afraid of what I look like or the faces I can make

My husband sticks his tongue out when he is doing handyman work around the house(he's not a handyman).

This is a great thread! Haha!

Heh GREAT thread - I'm not alone!!!

I talk too much when I'm face-painting to get too many awful faces (I HOpe).
But body painting/ big body glitter tatts...ooo NO!

I actually now ask models to warn me when i'm pulling faces...

I stick my tongue out - or bite my lip - or make blowfish/ lipstick lips (why? I own NO lipstick and rarely paint models lips?)- or do the bite-back-teeth-semi-grimace.
This is a mild grimace...

and this is a mild fishlips...


...as I deleted them all, I think!
I never realised until last yr when nearly every time the photographers arrived when I started a body, and took 'progress pics'.

I tried to stop it by humming (so my mouth is shut 'normally') and now have the even more annoying habit of annoying songs hummed/sung. Which didn't go down well this weekend - was getting filmed for a documentary on body art and camera man wanted shots that could have later Q&A's dubbed over - but I was busy squawking out irritating kids tunes:(

Cat x

Suzy, you sound offended and I certainly didn't mean it that way. Look at your avatar you are beautiful, only a blind person would say you had an ugly face...and you look like you're laughing.
I didn't mean it as a speech but there are many newbies and a business point of view can be useful. I believe everyone was pleased you posted and it was a wonderful thread to call attention to what artist might not realize.
I realize you are booked over and over, that doesn't mean we can't all improve when a point is brought up...I in no way would do a post to purposely offend someone, however don't see any wrong in stressing how important it is to look like you're having fun and being aware of the way other's see us.

I can only find one picture of me painting... and it's not bad. I do tend to just hover one hand in the air for no apparent reason though.

http://zombiewalk.ssmarts.org/gallery.php?gallery=People&image=people-008.jpg

Laughed so hard I had to wipe tears away. I wiggle my lips while holding my breath and maintaining the blue steel look. The dead fish look..... hum ... I might do that as well.... I do laugh a lot with the kids but I tend to concentrate and I'm sure it shows. I've been a lip wiggler since I was a kid. My family picks on me ruthlessly about it! I think a nerve got crossed in my brain so that when I'm concentrating/thinking, my mouth begins to wiggle. I love the delete button on my camera! If I find there are pics of me and my 'looks'.... I WILL FIND YOUR DELETE BUTTON, TOO!

Ha Ha...

I hold the head of children I'm painting.... ugh....

I've had kids tell me that I was holding their heads too tight. I try to remember but I get caught up sometimes.

Ok, here is my contribution from this passed Sunday face painting event.

Why is my head tilted up? Oh, and of course this angle has to show my bra! Not to mention my big butt in that sweater! note to self: never wear this sweater again!

Cotton Candy- I love the 'Socks Required' sign above her head!

LOL It was at one of those inflatable party places

Trust me...it is all in the perspective...THERE is no BIG butt in that photo or we wouldn't have notice the "sock sign"!

skjfunny wrote:Trust me...it is all in the perspective...THERE is no BIG butt in that photo or we wouldn't have notice the "sock sign"!

All in the perspective of the photo!

LOL! This thread is cracking me up! I think I have one of those uber serious concentrated looks on my face when painting.. but I don't know. I may ask some people to take pics of me painting next month at the spring fling.

Okay....I have cyber stalked all bookings this year on facebook (lol ) No pics found....but I know I have to work on the serious/mean look. Thanks to this thread.