5 Big Reasons To Follow These Face Painting Ideas

We all know kids can be demanding. So how do you keep them happy when offering your face painting services at parties, school fetes and fund raising events? Easy, follow these face painting ideas.

1 You Don't Need A Model To Practice Face Painting Designs

Kids don't take long to lose interest if you take too long or have to wipe off paint and start again. So practicing on kids may not be a viable option.

So why not practice on clear acetate. It's available from office supply stores. If you make a mistake you just wipe off the paint with a damp sponge. It can be used over and over again.

2 Have A Photo Album Filled With The Designs You Can Paint

Every time you are pleased with a new design that you have created, take a photo (with permission, of course) and add it to your face painting ideas photo album.

3 Stick To Simple Designs

If you take too long to face paint then kids will just get bored and start fidgeting. Stick to simple face painting designs that can be created quickly and easily.

4 Avoid Painting Very Young Children

A child under the age of two and a half generally cannot sit still long enough to have their face painted. So for very young children use a face dotter stamp and special face painting ink pad. It only takes seconds to get a design onto the cheeks and forehead. Popular designs include butterfly, spider, paw print, dolphin and snowflake.

5 Avoid Face Paint Near The Mouth If The Kids Will Be Eating Afterwards

If kids will be eating shortly after getting their faces painted it's best to avoid painting too close to the mouth. That way the kids can enjoy their food without spoiling their painted faces.

Extend your repertoire with step by step guide to 50 face painting ideas.

Learn face painting techniques that will dramatically improve your face paintings.

Learn how to set up your work station so you can face paint more efficiently.

Penny Crane

Face Painting Designs - 7 Sure Fire Ways to Mess Up

You have to avoid these mistakes if you want your face painting designs to have great visual impact.

1. Wrong paint

You paint using non toxic paints thinking these are safe on the face and the sitter comes out in a bright red rash.

Solution: use only FDA approved (or similar national body in other countries) face paints. Allergic reaction to these is rare whereas other paints can cause rashes and even permanent scarring. Be extra careful when applying face paint close to the eyes. Only wash brushes and sponges in hot water, never alcohol or detergents, as these too can cause allergic reaction.

2. Colors run into each other

Solution: allow one color to dry completely before applying the next color. And, thoroughly clean brush or sponge in hot water before applying another color.

3. The base color is streaky

Solution: use less water to thin the paint. Only use quality face paints for your face painting designs.

4. Painting dark colors first

Unable to correct mistakes when adding lighter color on top of dark colors without wiping clean that area and starting again.

Solution: start with the lightest colors working up to the darkest colors. That way you can paint over any small mistakes you have made.

5. Detail is too thick and bold

Design has lost its proportions because shapes and lines are in the wrong thickness.

Solution:for fine detail you must use a thin brush. It's best to use a minimum of three brushes in face painting - thin, medium and large.

6. Face paint is not sitting well on skin

Solution:thoroughly clean face with a moist wipe to remove any grime or excess oil. And, if necessary use a make up band to keep hair off the face. Use the best quality face paints you can afford.

7. Face paint cracks soon after it dries

Solution: apply face paint in a thin layer. You can always apply another layer to build up color density.

Discover the simple, proven face painting techniques the professionals use to face paint.

Get 50 face painting ideas, with step-by-step photo guides so you learn to face paint in the right order.

Learn how to combine cosmetics make-up with face paints to create stunning face painting designs with differents depths and textures.

Penny Crane

Discover The Most Popular Kids Face Painting Designs

Nothing beats the warm glow you feel when a child first sees their painted face. But how do you know which kids face painting designs you should offer? Well that's easy. Just master the most requested face paintings and you will not go wrong.

Irrespective of what the latest hit movie is, I've found the following kids face painting designs are always in demand. They never seem to lose their appeal.

The Most Popular Face Paintings For Girls

1. Butterfly
2. Fairy
3. Princess
4. Fantasy
5. Bunny Rabbit
6. Ladybug
7. Cat
8. Flowers
9. Rainbow
10. Puppy Dog

The Most Popular Face Paintings For Boys

1. Red Spider's Web
2. Pirate
3. Skull
4. Tiger
5. Robot
6. Bat
7. Clown
8. Puppy Dog
9. Alien
10. Tribal

The Most Popular Halloween Face Paintings

1. Vampire
2. Witch
3. Devil
4. Skull
5. Spider's Web
6. Bat
7. Cat
8. Alien
9. Monster
10. Clown

And remember, there are 5 basic principles to follow if you want to create stunning face paintings with speed and ease:

1. Have a collection of great designs to offer;
2. Know exactly what steps are required for each face painting design in your collection;
3. Use only quality paints;
4. Use the right tools, the right way; and
5. Know how to mix paints and blend colors.

It's best to stick to simple designs until your face painting skills improve. And of course use templates, stamps and temporary tattoos to help speed up the process.

And, whether you are painting the children of friends and family, or offering your services at school fetes, kids' parties etc, have a photo album filled with your face painting pictures. That way each child can choose the creation they would like painted on their face.

Learn how to paint these designs with step by step face painting instructions.

Discover how easy face painting can be with these great tips.

Don't limit yourself to just kids face painting creations. After all, we adults deserve some fun too!

Penny Crane

Face Painting near Seattle

If you live in the areas of Renton, Auburn, or Kent and would like to know something about face painting in this area of Washington, maybe this article could be of some help to you. If you aren't familiar with these areas, they are to the south of Seattle, WA.

Perhaps you want to enlist the aid of a professional face painter for a special event. Two of the artists near Seattle, Washington include Karen Haines and Jackie Brulotte. They do excellent work and offer a variety of choices. There are other artists who are willing to travel to Renton, Auburn, or Kent. Some wonderful Canadian artists are Penelope the Clown, located in Calgary, AB, Flying Bob, located in Red Deer, AB, and Tee Breeze Entertainment, located in Calgary, AB. These are not just average face painting artists, but entertainers as well.

Should you want to take up the art of face painting for yourself, consider working reunions, farmer's markets, museums, or civic centers. Renton is currently searching for artists of all mediums, one of which could be face painters. Some places to check to hire out your talent is as follows:

Woodland Park Zoo, Phone: 206-684-4800
Seattle Aquarium, Phone: 206-386-4300
Bullwinkle's Family Fun Center, Phone: 425-228-7300
Parkplace Books, Phone: 425-828-6546
Gillman Village, Phone: 425-392-6802
Northwest Railway Museum, Phone: 425-888-3030
Gametown Family Fun Center, Phone: 206-241-9108
SuperKart Racing, Phone: 661-616-5278

It may help to contact the Chamber of Commerce for Renton at 425-226-4560, or the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce at 253-833-0700.

Some supply stores located within a 35 mile radius of Seattle, Washington, include:

Ben Franklin, Monroe, WA, Phone: 360-794-6745
Michael's in either Kirkland, WA, Phone: 425-821-4444 or in Everett, WA, Phone: 425-267-9088
Craftmart Super Store, Marysville, WA, Phone: 360-653-9828
Craft Star, Lake Stevens, WA, Phone: 425-397-0577

There are at least two costume shops in the area near Renton, Kent, and Auburn. One is Pacific Northwest Costume. The other is Display & Costume. Party supply shops and costume shops may carry ideas for your face painting as well. Sometimes just browsing in a store of this element gets the imagination flowing. If this doesn't do the trick, try books on wildflowers, drawing books on birds, silhouettes, Indian designs and symbols. If you wish to perform for a festival of the western type, try painting pictures of things like spurs or saddles and cowboy hats, maybe hay bales and tractors or guitars and western boots. An Indian headdress would be a neat idea, or feathers and drums, and the popular cow skull.
A children's toy store may have just what you need in both face painting supplies and in ideas. Try including things for people of different types, such as Hawaiian items (hula girls, exotic flowers), Dutch items (wooden shoes, windmills, tulips), Mexican items (burros, the sleeping senor, cactus).

You could appeal to the vegetarians with pictures of fruit and vegetables. Just make sure you have a well-stocked variety of choices for a successful booth. Good luck!

Remapping Children Face Painting Designs

It is a known fact that children face painting designs is one of the most recognized aspect of face painting. This is because children love face painting, which is why children face painting designs are so popular and seen so frequently. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced face painter, you will come to find that the world of children face painting designs can sometimes seem empty. This is especially true with children face painting designs when you are looking for new children face painting designs to use in your artwork. When you come to this problem, do not worry at all, because you are not the only one. There are some things you can do to not only be creative with children face painting designs, but also resources you can sue as inspiration to create and alter your children face painting designs.

With children face painting designs, there are many free resources you can use as inspiration. Many children like the current movie, television show, the latest toy or cartoon character. All of these current things that are popular among children can be your free resource for inspiration to create new children face painting designs. These designs are easy to learn and you can practice a few times with some low cost face paint so that you are not using your high quality face paint. Feel free to practice on one of your own children or on a model. Once you have the design looking like the character, then start to add some variations to the design. It never hurts to make your design look unique.

With current popular designs that you do, feel free to add some variations to those as well. You can do simple things as changing a current designs color, expression, shape variations for different parts of the design as well as adding new elements to the design. With children face painting designs anything can be done and a child will always appreciate a unique touch added to their design. It is great to be able to give a child options with your designs. If a child says I want a tiger, ask them what kind of tiger? Do they want one snarling with teeth, or do they want a goofy tiger with its tongue hanging out. Children also do not care about colors, so you can also ask what kind of color they want. The most important thing to remember with children face painting designs, is that you are creating a design to please a child. This gives you a lot more flexibility with children face painting designs as you do not have to have a realistic replica of the design. Remember to have fun with the designs and let your creativity roam free to create some of the best children face painting designs.

With children face painting designs the only limitation is your own mind. Reconfiguring old designs and adding the newest children's interests into new designs will help you create fun and exciting children face painting designs.

The Benefits Of Face Painting Cheek Art

Face painting cheek art is very popular and is always in high demand at face painting events. Some face painters try to promote many types of complex designs that cover the full face to impress their crowd, which results in them not focusing on or promoting face painting cheek art. Face painting cheek art can be just as impressive and exciting as doing full size face painting as well as body art. Face painting cheek art is very popular for a reason, and it also holds many benefits to not only the face painter, but also to the person who is receiving the design.

One of the biggest benefits of face painting cheek art is that it saves a great deal of time. It is a known fact that time is a major factor when doing face painting. It is also another fact that face painting cheek art can be done faster then full face paintings and large body art designs. Not only is face painting cheek art quicker, but you also use less amounts of face paint which can also save you money. Face painting cheek art is more convenient for your customers. Face painting cheek art can be a far greater alternative for your customers concerning such things as cost, time and making the entire face painting process fun. This will allow your customer to save money and make your face painting services more affordable.

Face painting cheek art designs are much easier to create then larger and more complex full face and larger body art designs. You do not have to use a big or complex design to make a great pace painting creation. There are many popular face painting cheek art designs that are small and extremely popular among all ages. Especially with children's face painting cheek art designs, there are many different designs that you can use that fit the sizes of face painting cheek art. This is what makes face painting cheek art so great too. You can resize any type of design to turn it into face painting cheek art. This can be very popular among your customers as they do not have to wait long periods of time or be covered in face paint to have the favorite design put on them.

Versatility is one of the biggest advantages to face painting cheek art. With face painting cheek art, you are not only limited to doing face paintings on the cheek. In fact, face painting cheek art can be done almost anywhere. Some popular places that face painting cheek art can be done besides on the cheek are other parts of the face, the neck, legs, back, shoulders, and stomach. Face painting cheek art is very versatile in the locations of where you can put the face painting cheek art due to the small sizes of different face painting cheek art patterns.

There are several face painting cheek art, which can save you and your your clients time and money, while being able to provide faster service. Face painting cheek art is both fun and can be just as amazing as doing large complex face painting projects.

The Art Of Face Painting Designs

When you think about face painting designs, you probably think about simple kids face painting designs. Many people do not realize that face painting designs go beyond the basic and simple shapes that we see on small children. In fact, sophisticated and artful face painting designs are becoming more popular and high in demand. There are many face painting designs that are used in plays, Broadway shows as well as other types of major productions. Face painting designs go well beyond basic shapes and extend into some very beautiful and creative pieces of art ever seen.

Like any other types of art, there are a numberless amount of face painting designs that can be used and made up alike. In fact, there have been many movie productions that have used many unique and distinguishing face painting designs to classify and portray different characters. These intricate and artful face painting designs have also been the trademarks of many productions and characters that we see in entertainment. Face painting designs are commonly used, because it not only adds a different touch to entertainment characters, but it also eliminates the use of masks.

Different face painting designs also can carry the unique character and characteristics of the artist themselves. Just like paintings and sculptures, face painting designs can be a expression from the artist. Different face painting designs can serve as the artists trademark as well as displaying their ability of creativity and design. Like any other piece of art, this is what makes face painting designs so attractive and distinguishing.

Another great feature about face painting designs, is that they can accommodate any person of any age. You can make a child into a tiger with a face painting design, and still apply that face painting design to an adult. Many face painting designs can work for a wide range of ages as well as genders. This is also what makes face painting popular and also serves as a reason as to why face painting is so successful.

Face painting designs can make a person to be anyone or anything they want to be. Anyone can use face painting designs to transform themselves to almost anything and anyone they want. It is a fun way to be creative and escape reality as you would on Halloween. Not only can face painting designs change your appearance and help you role play, but it can also serve as artful expression of who you are as a person. Just like the clothes we wear and the styles we use, face painting designs serve as another way for us to express ourselves of how we view ourself and how we want others to perceive us.

The great thing about face painting designs is that there are endless design possibilities. You can create face painting designs that could be viewed as abstract art, or you can create face painting designs that represent real things. This is what makes working with face painting designs so fun and entertaining. With face painting designs, you can never come up with a wrong design, and the designs are limited to your imagination.

Enhance Your Face Painting Idea

If you have been face painting for quite some time now, are you running out of ideas? Or, if you are new to face painting, what are interesting and new ideas you can take to build on your new hobby or sideline work? This article is good for those who want a fresh face painting idea to boost their artistic reputation or those who are new to face painting.

Begin brainstorming for themes. Are there any holidays or special occasions coming up? Think of Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, spring break, or birthdays. Below is a list of themes you might want to use as a face painting idea:

• Fairytale - young children will find fantastical and fairytale themes fun to do. There are many ways to incorporate the fairytale theme into your face painting idea. Think of fairies, princesses, dwarves, unicorns, dragons, ogres, etc.
• Animals - animal themes are excellent for whole face painting. You can transform a face into a tiger or lion. Put some red paint on the nose, whiskers on the cheeks, and spots or stripes all over for that animalistic effect.
• Comic book characters - are another good face painting idea for kids. One idea is to paint a web-like pattern on the face so you can create Spiderman's look. There are many comic book characters out there, so your options are endless.
• Food - food themes are another excellent face painting idea especially for holidays with close association with food. You can paint on cupcakes, ice creams on cones, lollipops, or turkeys for thanksgiving face painting etc. Again, you have countless options.
• Nature - the natural environment can be a very good source of inspiration. Paint on flowers, butterflies, the sun, stars, clouds, etc. With face painting, you can actually create almost anything with just a brush and some paint.
• Carnival - use the color and life of carnival theme for the young-at-heart. These can include clowns, balloons, one-eyed monsters, and many more!

To make your theme more interesting, use other materials other than paint. Here are some materials you can use with your face paint:

• Face and body jewels - face and body jewels can add some texture and a bit of interest onto your piece of art. They are easy to use-just stick them on!
• Glitter - body glitter can add a different sparkle and enhance your overall face painting idea. Body glitters you can use are glitter dust, powders and gels. Whichever type of glitter you use, the versatile material can bring your work of art to life.
• Accessories and props - costumes go well with face painting but sometimes, simple accessories can achieve the effect at a much lesser cost. Wigs can complete the look of your face painting, especially if you are working on a "clown" design. Tiaras and wands are perfect for fairytale or princess themes. These fun accessories can be easily purchased at costume or toy shops.

Now you see that even a simply brainstorming on theme variations and the using of other materials can truly enhance your face painting idea into something extraordinary.

Are you tired with the same old face painting design? Know how you can enhance your face painting idea.

Rashel Dan

How Face Painting Examples Help

Face painting examples are very useful in the art of face painting. One of the greatest things about face painting examples, is that there are many reference guides both free and for sale that will show you many different types of face painting examples. Face painting examples are very useful when doing face painting and can benefit all types of face painters. It is a fact that face painting examples can be useful among beginner face painters, as well as be of great use among experienced face painters.

Face painting examples can be used to help beginners understand how to make great as well as realistic designs with face painting. There are many places that show step by step face painting examples to show you what types of shapes you need to make to form a final image. Many beginner face painters do not understand that face painting is simply a combination of different shapes and strokes combined together. This is the same way with any type of art. Once they look at face painting examples, they can gain an idea of how these face painting images use these shapes to make the image.

For face painting beginners, face painting examples can also serve to show them how to use colors together in a face painting. This can be especially useful when trying to make realistic images as well as such things like animal transformations. The colors you use in face painting can change the way someone looks at a image and can make it more realistic. This is why it is good for face painting beginners to look at face painting examples to see how it is done right.

Face painting examples can even be useful for experienced face painters. There are always new designs and shapes that a face painter can learn. Face painting examples can serve as a great way to expand a experienced face painters ideas, as well as help them become more creative with their face painting. Face painting examples can serve as inspiration to experienced face painters, and help them with the creative process for new ideas. It is good for experienced face painters to continually grow their artistic abilities, and by using face painting examples this can be achieved very easy.

Face painting examples can also be used to show experienced face painters of new and creative ways of how to use different color schemes together, as well as using different colors to set the tone for the image they are creating. There are many different types of color schemes that can be done out there. Face painting examples can even show the most experienced face painter how to do very complex designs and complex face painting projects.

Face painting examples can be of great reference tools among any type of face painter regardless of how much experience they have. Face painting examples can serve as great reference tools as inspiration for new creative ideas, basic shapes to create different types of images and to show how to use color schemes and work with colors correctly in face painting.

Face Painting Ideas - Top 7 Tips To Improve Face Painting Success For Beginners

Have you been inspired by some of the stunning face painting ideas around? Do you want to learn how to face paint? It really is such fun to do and a great way to give pleasure to others.

Here are my top tips to improve face painting success for beginners.

Tip 1: you cannot learn to face paint by merely reading a book or watching a video. You have to get the paints, brushes and sponges out and practice often.

Tip 2: it's best to practice on an adult or older child. Young children have a very low attention span. It's not easy to face paint if the child is fidgeting about.

Tip 3: apply thin layers of face paint. A thick layer can cake and crack, spoiling the design.

Tip 4: always allow one layer to dry before applying the next layer.

Tip 5: use a make up pencil to lightly draw the outlines of shapes.

Tip 6: avoid symmetrical face painting designs such as butterflies until you are more experienced. Animals make good face painting ideas for beginners as it is not necessary to have both sides on the animal face matching perfectly.

Tip 7: even a beginner can create amazing face painting ideas. Simply supplement your basic face painting skills by using temporary tattoos and stamps. They come in a huge range of designs including lizard, snake, spider and butterfly. Only use ones specifically designed for faces.

Bonus Tip: if a face painting idea turns out really well then take a photograph of your creation so you can start building up your very own collection of face painting ideas.

Learn how to paint over 50 face painting ideas with a step-by-step guide

Learn face painting techniques including creating a fur effect for animals.

Find out the about the best brushes and paints for face painting.

Penny Crane

Why You Should Keep Up With Face Painting Ideas

It may not seem important, but generating new face painting ideas are crucial to the progression of any type of face painter. Many face painters, both professional and armature, like to stay within the face painting ideas that they are already comfortable with. Of course there are new learning procedures when it comes to new face painting ideas. Some face painters do not like generating new face painting ideas because of this. However, if anyone wants to become a successful face painter, then generating new face painting ideas is crucial to achieve success.

By creating new face painting ideas you are opening the capabilities to your skills as a face painter. By taking the time to learn new face painting ideas, you are able to provide a larger variety of face painting ideas to your clients. This makes your skills as a face painter not only more appealing, but it also makes you look more professional, as your face painting ideas are not limited. By having a wide range of face painting ideas, you are able to cater to different ages and different types of people. By limiting your face painting ideas, you are excluding potential customers who could use your face painting abilities.

There are continually new characters, designs and things that go in and out of style and popularity. By keeping up with face painting ideas you know what is not only currently popular, but also have an idea of what you will be painting on a regular basis. This will help you become more prepared and help you anticipate what type of requests you will be asked for. This is very important, because it will allow you to bring the necessary tools and enough paint to handle these most common requests. By not knowing what the most popular requests are based upon what is popular and what is not, you will not have any face painting ideas that will really cater to what people really want. This will not only diminish your popularity and abilities as a face painter at the event you are working, but it could also lead to negative publicity as your capabilities as a face painter.

By learning face painting ideas you will know what your capabilities are and what types of face paintings you can use these designs as. With face painting you can make full face art, cheek art, body art, and different combinations of all three. By knowing what your designs are, will help you incorporate those designs into different face painting ideas. This will benefit you greatly as you can tell your clients what different designs you can use, what sizes you can do them in and where they can be located at. This will help give your clients more options to choose from. You can also use your capabilities to suggest face painting ideas that maybe your clients are not aware of.

By having continual face painting ideas developed into your face painting practice, you will create a professional appearance. By limiting your face painting ideas, you are limiting not only your abilities, but also your clientèle and the strong satisfaction that you can receive form your clients.

Face Painting Ideas-5 Free Face Painting Ideas Online That Could Make You a Face Painting Pro!

Running out of face painting ideas and need to spice things up a little? I know how hard it can be to come up with new face painting ideas when you’ve got ‘painters block’ so hopefully these 5 ideas will help you out at your next face painting gig or party.

1. Glitter: Glitter can add a whole new dimension to your face painting! It can also transform your face paintings for amateur to professional! They can be pretty cheap if you know where to buy them and it’s very easy to apply! They work especially well with ‘princess’ and ‘fantasy’ designs and kids love them! As with face paint, you need to remember to only use glitter and stick on jewels that are safe to put on a persons skin (eg. body glitter) Do NOT use aluminum glitter – polyester only. Aluminum glitter can hurt the eyes and skin.

There are different types of glitter – Glitter Gel, Glitter (Iridescent) Powders and Glitter Dust. I suggest you try them all out and see which one works best for you.

2. Stick - On - Jewels: Stick on jewels can also add a whole new dimension to your face painting, transforming your face paintings for amateur to pro. And they’re so easy to use even kids can do it. Simply peel off the back of the jewel and stick the ‘sticky’ part of the jewel directly onto the skin or onto the paint that’s on the skin. That’s it! Also you can get plastic jewels that need to be stuck on with a little dab of paint.

3. Combining Makeup with Face Painting: Combining cosmetic makeup with face painting is one of the many great face painting ideas if done right and it can save you time! For example Blush can be used to make rosy cheeks on a bunny rabbit instead using pink face paint. Blush is creates a softer color and is quick to apply. Eye Liner Pencil can be used to outline the eyes or any part of a design. For beginners it’s much quicker and easier than using a brush. Eye Shadow can also be used and perhaps blended with paint on the face.It’s up to you!

Experiment with these different mediums and find out what’s right for you, what you like to use and what you think looks most effective!

4. Body Painting to Match the Face Painting: Kids love this idea, trust me – I’ve tried it many a time, it makes them feel like they have a costume on and really lets them have fun with the character they’ve been painted whether it be a princess or vampire! Although this might sound like it’s complicated and will take up heaps of time – it won’t. As long as you keep them simple.

For example if you’re painted a pretty pink princess face design, why not complement it with a pretty pink bracelet. All you do is take some pink paint, and paint with a brush, a line around the wrist. It’s that simple, just use your imagination!

5. Costumes and Face Painting: Costumes and face painting, its fun no matter what age you are! And it can be quite easy too, the costumes don’t have to be over the top. Try a pair of bunny ears to go with a bunny design, or a tiara to go with a princess. How about a black cape to go with a vampire design or a stocking filled with newspaper, pinned on the end of your t-shirt to look like a tale to match a tiger design?

The ideas are endless, just get a little creative, use your imagination and most importantly, have fun with your face painting ideas!

Philadelphia Tivoli

How to Create Your Own Face Painting Pattern

Many books are available on crafts and painting and ideas for fun things to do with kids. But face painting is simple and always a winner, especially with younger children. The only drawback is that they have such a hard time deciding upon just one!

There's a book called '100 Things for Kids to Make and Do' that has several ideas for costumes and face painting. Most of the time a face painting pattern is not actually something of material substance, but a set of directions and photographs of the steps and finished artwork. It's just easier, I suppose, to think of them as patterns.
Many kids crafts books will have at least a small section with a face painting pattern of some sort. The more complicated face patterns will come in handy when you need the step-by-step directions. Good directions will keep it simple, showing individual photos of each layer as it is applied.

Halloween is probably one of the most popular times to paint faces, especially the whole face painting. The choices are wide, including such as:

Vampires, clowns, witches, Winnie the Pooh, ghosts, pirates, genies, dinosaurs, bumble bees and bunnies. Many parents just can't resist painting the ever popular Winnie the Pooh. A ghost is low-cost and simple for those who are strapped for cash at Halloween, needing only white paint (maybe a little black circle around each eye if you want a better effect to emphasize the holes. Many parents just can't afford the costumes or simply don't want to invest in something that will be outgrown before the next year's event. This makes face painting a great choice. You can paint the right face and wear one of your own outfits to make it work!

A bunny face is a simple face painting pattern to follow as well. The most relevant feature would be the buck teeth, followed by the whiskers. If you want a mouse pattern, this is easy to follow. Use a dot of paint to accent the nose. Place tiny dots atop each side of the top lip, apply whiskers coming away from the dots towards each cheek area. If you want a little more pizzazz, add darkened eyebrows, maybe creating funny shapes for them.

An unusual pattern that isn't overused here in the United States is the panda face. It's best when used with a base of white over the whole face, big black spots surrounding the eye area, a black spot covering the end of the nose, black lips, and a black line from the base of the nose to the top lip. Then dot some small black spots over the lip area under each nostril. Add a set of fake ears and you're good to go!

There is a wonderful children's book by Don Bortolloti which provides excellent close-ups of tiger faces you can use as a pattern.

But remember, whole face painting is not the only face painting you can do. Sometimes all you need is a small picture on the cheek for just the right effect.

Suggestions for Those New to Face Painting

Are you new to face painting? Welcome to a fun adventure that provides a little bit of simple joy to everyone! Even people who don't want to have their own faces painted get a kick out of seeing the artwork on the faces of those who do. Not to mention the satisfaction the true artist will get by seeing his work on those in the crowd around him or her.
A newer addition to the face painting supply family is the powder based paint stick. It activates with the use of a wet paintbrush, dries quickly, and doesn't melt. Melting is a disappointment to both the artist and the receiver of the artwork!

Here are some suggestions for supplies:

• A bowl of clean water
• 3 paint brushes (from tiny detail, medium size, and a wider flat end)
• 3 face sponges (do not clean with alcohol, this can cause bacterial growth)
• Cloth for the painter's lap
• Basic colors, plus orange, gray, and purple if you can't mix your own
• Paper towels
• Face painting patterns
• Wet wipes (antibacterial is better)
• A display of your work

It helps to have at least 2 to 3 people to help with your booth if you'll be serving a large crowd. This will give you someone to handle money if you'll be charging for your services. One person can get supplies, such as clean water, or a drink for the thirsty artist. If you use stencils for patterns, they may need to be wiped off between faces.
A painter must enjoy interacting with children of all ages. It helps to give the young child an idea of what to expect before you do each step so as not to startle. A wiggle could damage the artwork in progress!

Experience and skill will set you apart, along with attention to detail combined with your own style. Patterns are one of the most important steps. But you also must decide if you need to set a minimum time limit for parties and events. Will you wear a costume for effect? Will you want to specialize in whole face patterns or small face painting patterns that just cover part of a cheek area? It is good to practice your timing so you can get the most out of it and warn your customers how long to expect to sit there. Using a timer with children could be helpful. They should enjoy having their picture taken as well, for addition to your portfolio and to use as an example for other customers. Will you want to learn how to accept credit cards for payment with bigger crowds and more involved artwork?

Even when using face painting patterns rather than freestyle take care when painting around the eye area. Besides it being a sensitive area with thinner skin and not wanting to get too close to the eye itself with the paint, a squirmy recipient could create a poke in the eye with your brush if you aren't paying close attention.

For supplies you could try a costume and face painting store.

The Importance of Face Painting Pictures

The art of face painting can be as simple or as complicated as the talent of the person painting. More adventurous and experienced painters can put a lot of detail into their pictures in an amazingly short amount of time.

When my son was 4 years old, an extremely talented artist, at a festival in Northeast California painted a beautiful blue roadrunner bird on my son's cheek. My son refused to wash his treasure off for 3 days, during which time the paint had begun to chip, peel, and smear. Of course, I had to take a photograph of him snaggle-toothed and grinning with pride.
Face painting has become quite advanced over the years. Some wonderful artists have perfected the art of air brushing the face. Manufacturers now create face stencils, paint pencils, face glitter, and stick-on jewelry to add pizzazz to face painting pictures. Pastel paints have been developed as well to create a softer effect.

Family fun attractions have adopted face painting as part of their appeal. It is offered in malls as well, although usually reserved for the holidays so as to maximize on the profits possible at such times.

Devoted football fans have painted their faces for years, proudly sharing their team spirit with the display of team colors upon their person. Sometimes this will include the paw print of a mascot or maybe the name or initials of the favored team, player, or player number.

The colors for face painting must be considered when choosing which pictures you'll want to paint. Will you want to offer only a certain theme suited for a nearby holiday or upcoming event?

You certainly wouldn't sell many Halloween pictures at Christmas or vice versa. Monsters would not be appropriate for a church function. Children of today would be less likely to choose an older cartoon figure from an adult's childhood. Your choice of pictures can have either a negative or a positive impact upon the reception of your talent and the success of your sales.

Plenty of practice before a big event is necessary to ensure your success as well. Timing will decide how popular you'll be. If you should you take too long, a young child is certain to become impatient. Take into consideration the level of difficulty in a painting. Whatever pictures you choose, good quality outcome is the key to pull-in customers. Offer only pictures you know you can deliver well and quickly. Sloppy work will quickly kill any hopes of building your newfound business. The more thought and effort you put in, the more satisfaction you will get out.

Remember to take a camera and get pictures of your finished face painting for your portfolio. This will be necessary should you ever need to send someone a sample of your work when trying to obtain gigs. Don't forget the benefits of doing some work for free in order to build your reputation in the business. Last, but not least, consider hiring a partner to help you manage your booth.