Face painting is a fun engagement that has become extremely popular among kids. All parents know how wide-eyed their children get when they see other kids’ faces painted with beautiful art. Whether it’s at kids’ festivals, weddings, parties or fun holidays, the little ones will always be attracted to face painters. Adults have learnt to love it as well.
If you’ve just started face painting, there are several tips you can use to perfect your trade. This comprehensive guide on How to Face Paint will provide helpful insights on how you can turn this enjoyable hobby into a budding profession.
Here are 6 tips to face painting for beginners:
1. Use high-quality products
As a new face painter, you might be tempted to buy cheap paints and supplies to avoid breaking the bank. While it’s important to save money, getting low quality supplies will ruin your reputation and hurt your face painting business in the long run. Ensure you purchase high-quality paints, brushes and related accessories if you truly want to design remarkable face art and put a smile on your clients’ faces. One effective trick you can implement to avoid denting your wallet is buying supplies in bulk. Make sure you procure your items from professional brands whose products have been tried, tested and certified.
2. Learn to steady your hand
A shaky hand can ruin the most brilliant face designs and cause your clients to flee. You might get a bit nervous after landing your first face painting job, which is quite reasonable. However, it’s important to steady your hand when attending to your patrons. They say practice makes perfect − this especially rings true when it comes to face painting. You can perfect your art by constantly training on test subjects until you become a pro. Another trick you can use to maintain a steady hand is to allow your pinkie finger to gently rest onto your client’s forehead when you’re painting. This technique will not only help to stabilize your working hand but it’ll also warn you whenever kids move their faces abruptly.
3. Figure out your preferred posture
Posture is crucial for any face painter. Some like sitting while others prefer to stand while working. Before you jump onto the professional face painting bandwagon, find out your preferred posture by experimenting with loved ones. Do you find it effortless to stand for long periods while face painting, or does back pain get the better of you? If you prefer sitting on a chair, then find the best sitting arrangement that suits you. If standing is your jam, get your customers to sit on a director’s chair. This will prevent you from having to bend over every time you’re working on a person’s face.
4. Dry off the base layer prior to layering
It’s common for some designs to necessitate several layers of paint. As a newbie who doesn’t know the ropes yet, you may feel an overpowering urge to apply all the coats quickly and move onto another client. However, this would be a grave mistake. If you’re looking to perfect that layered look, ensure that the base layer dries properly. Working on a damp base layer will only provide an unpleasant result consisting of warped lines and visibly dripping paint. Remember, patience is a virtue. It only takes half a minute for the face paint to dry, after which you can proceed to painting the other layers.
5. Perfect your technique
If you want to become a successful face painter, learn how to paint perfect swirls and teardrops. These form the very foundation of face painting. Unfortunately, many novices struggle with this. There are numerous resources you can utilize to improve your technique, most of which are freely available on the internet. Before painting any variation of the teardrops or swirls, ensure that you have the appropriate paint consistency. Some water-based paints need more activation than others, so mix the ingredients using the right proportions. You can test the paint to ensure it has a good consistency before starting your artwork.
6. Make your clients comfortable by smiling
Smiling and maintaining a positive demeanor will help your customers feel more comfortable around you. However, this is easier said than done. There are instances when you’ll sulk at arguing kids or feel frustrated when a client dislikes the colors you used on her face. Whenever you’re overwhelmed by such negative emotions, just smile. It might sound far-fetched, but a simple smile can ignite positive vibes and remind you about why you started face painting in the first place: to bring happiness into other people’s lives!
Hopefully, these tips will help novice face painters to grow confident in their trade.
