Tag Archives: Face Painting Tips

Face Painting Tips 9

Applying glitter

Applying glitter to a design can add that perfect finishing touch when applied in a careful way. Avoid covering the face in thick glitter dust – less is more. When using tip crème, dab the glitter onto points of the face which catch the light: the cheekbones, the top of the forehead, the nose, the chin and just above the brows. This way, you can avoid the delicate eye area, whilst catching the light with a subtle hint of sparkle. Mix and match your colours. Gold glitter on top of gold paint does look pretty but don’t be afraid to make a statement. Green glitter on top of Kryolan gold looks stunning, and adding blue glitter on top of black line work on those key areas brings out the black beautifully.

Face Painting Course

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Face Painting Tips 7

Paint selection

A brilliant brand of paint which I can’t get enough of is Wolfe. The Wolfe white and black are fantastic on top of any base and are always true and bold. They flow well, however, you need practise getting the consistency right, as it’s easy to add too much water, in which case it runs. The UV range is brilliantly luminous to add to a butterfly, for example, either as the compliment colour or as a statement lipstick for that ‘wow’ factor.

Try different brands of paint to find the best one for you. Better still use a selection of quality paints for different applications.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

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Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 6

The base

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

The most important aspect of a face painting is the base. If this is not right, whatever you put on top of that base will look worse. Make sure colours are nicely blended, that you use colours which compliment each other and that a white base isn’t too wet or dry or patchy.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 5

Holding your subject’s attention

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

Whilst painting, talk to the children. Talk to them about what they’ve been doing that day, or if they are having a dog painted, for example, ask if they have any pets or tell them about your dog at home. This will put the child at ease and listening to you could distract them from wriggling around! Don’t ask questions when you are about to paint a delicate line, though! Tell younger children constantly how well they are doing and how nicely they are sitting still (even if they
are not, this could work as reverse psychology, and they may enjoy the praise and start staying still!).

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 4

Keeping your subject still

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

When painting, place your free hand on top of the child’s head. This will steady them, particularly if they are young and wriggly! Some painters like to hold the chin, but holding the head enables you to swivel their head to whichever position you want for easier painting. Tell smaller children to sit up (some have a tendency to lean further and further back away from you!) and ask them to put their hands on their knees. This relaxes the shoulders and helps them to sit up straight.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 3

Choosing a face

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

When a child sits down in front of you, it is so easy to ask the child what they would like to be. But be warned, children have vivid imaginations and if they come out with something that you know you can’t do, or that simply wouldn’t work as a face painting, it may show you up. Instead, roll off a quick list of what you can do and tell the child to choose which design they like the sound of. If they can’t decide, ask what their favourite colour is and suggest that you paint them a surprise.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 2

Water bowl system

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

Having a three water bowl system for rinsing your brushes after every use keeps your water cleaner for longer. Get the thick off by swishing the brush in the first smaller bowl, then rinse in the second bowl, and finally the largest bowl. Chrome pet water bowls make ideal water dishes, as the chrome looks professional and is easy to clean. We just stick ours in the dish washer.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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Face Painting Tips 1

Cleanliness

Taster tips from Hazel’s Face Painting Course

Keeping your table and kit clean and presentable is key to looking professional. Organize your table. Use small baskets to house your sponges and glitters and line up your paints in neat lines, in colour families, e.g. blues and purples together, oranges, reds and yellows together. Wipe your table cloth, the paint pots and the handles of your brushes with a baby wipe every now and again. Have fresh water and a slop bucket under your table to hand so that you can change your water regularly.

Face Painting Course

Face Painting Course

Training

Learn how to become a professional face painter.  Expert tuition by Hazel Wood. Find out more:

Face Paining Courses by Hazel

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How To Learn Face Painting

In the amazing world of the Internet there has never been more information available to learn just about anything you can possibly think of. If there isn’t an article on it then there is bound to be a You Tube video. There was a time when researching and finding out meant a trip down to the library where you could browse through book lists and then order in what you wanted hoping your questions would be answered. Sometimes you would need to wait for weeks before your book or books to arrive. Alternatively you could locate individuals and organisations by telephone or letter requesting help. Again all very time consuming. Thank fully those days are gone and now we have information at our finger tips 24/7. We can connect to the Internet with a computer or mobile phone and find a wealth of information in seconds.

The Internet is a brilliant resource. If you plan to become a face painter then certainly you are going to use the Internet. There are so many tutorials to view and download it’s mind blowing. It’s more a question of where to start. One of the problems with the Internet is that information can be posted by anyone and you have no way of knowing what their credentials are or how appropriate it is for your purposes. You end up just trawling around and gathering all sorts of information but you’re never sure if you have got the full picture.

Face painting is a skill. Anyone seriously interested in becoming a good face painter needs to learn a range of techniques which are best taught in a practical lesson. The acquisition of good basic skills is the foundation on which to build and develop. These practical skills can’t be learnt properly from a book or a video. They need to be explained and demonstrated face to face and then practiced under supervision.

The first step in setting up as a face painter must be to find a good teacher. Although there are lots of face painters who offer face painting courses its worth searching around to find someone who really knows what they are doing. Look for someone who :

Hazel Wood Face Painting At An Event

Hazel Wood

  • has at least ten years experience as a full time professional face painter
  • has developed their own knowledge over many years by attending workshops and training run by acknowledged experts
  • is an experienced teacher and trainer with many satisfied past pupils
  • paints to a high standard
  • is friendly, approachable and willing to share their knowledge and experience freely
  • is well organised, offering a face painting course with a training programme which is thorough and covers all aspects of face painting ( beware of one day or half day courses, it’s simply not long enough )
  • is committed to bringing the best out in you and to giving you an extremely solid foundation of knowledge on which to build.
  • can show you a wide range of materials currently available. Many courses will just use one type of paint. You need to know about and be able to try all of the paint types available.
  • Is a member of a recognised organisation such as FACE ( The Face Painting Association )

Attending a good, well organised, comprehensive face painting training course is essential if you want to learn face painting properly. It is worth giving up the extra time and money to go on the best course you can find than by trying to take short cuts.

If you go on the right face painting course you can be confident that there are no gaps in your knowledge. You will also learn the practical skills you need without picking up any bad habits and you will learn lots of tips and tricks which your teacher has acquired the hard way. In addition you will also save yourself money by not going out and buying the wrong supplies. It’s easy to spend a fortune when you are starting out by buying all sorts of things you don’t need or because you didn’t know any better. A good course will help you to decide which materials to buy to suit you.

Once you have been on a proper beginner / foundation course then you should practice regularly to improve your skills and to build up you your speed.

Applying to join an organisation such as FACE ( The Face Painting Association ) is a good idea as you will need to pass an entrance test and  have your work assessed to show that you can meet certain approved standards. This is a useful form of accreditation.

Develop your kills further by purchasing books on face painting, watching tutorials on You Tube and attending face painting conventions and jams.

Look on our main web site for more information about face painting courses.

Related Articles

Find more information, photos and video clips about face painting

To hire a Professional Face Painter go to Face Painter [ Jolly Good Productions ]

For information about Training go to Face Painting Courses [ Jolly Good Productions ]

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How To Avoid Face Paint Peril For Parents | Face Painting Advice

It is great fun to play around with face paints and dress your kids up for parties or playtime. Just take care to follow our 5 key tips on how to paint your child’s face safely.

1. There are many face paints available out there in toy shops and supermarkets, but some are not so great.  You may find that the cheaper ones are more like a cream and don’t go on or cover well. Try and find a water based paint kit. Snazaroo is a good make and the sets usually come with everything you need; a set of the basic colours, a brush, a sponge and often a book of design ideas.

2. Always do a patch test before applying paint to your child’s face. It is not advisable to paint a child’s face under the age of three. This is of course due to how sensitive skin is at that age and problems, such as eczema, are common. Many paint manufacturers have now changed the age suitability on their products from two to three years old. Never paint a child who is suffering from sensitive skin, eczema or cold sores.

3. Removing water based paint is simple; it goes on with water and comes off with water and a little soap if necessary. For other types of paint always read the instructions on how the product manufacturers recommend removal. Don’t remove water based paint with face wipes; it may irritate the skin and cause soreness or the ingredients in the wipes may react with the paint.

4. If you are going to add some sparkle as the finishing touch, make sure you buy a glitter which is designed for the skin. Craft glitter is NOT suitable for faces, and they are metal-based which makes them very dangerous. NEVER apply glitter around the eye area.

5. Remember to sit somewhere comfortable while painting and make sure your child sits as still as they can! Two stools or chairs of the same height would be ideal. Beware that some face paint might stain upholstery or clothes. Tie long hair back and get the child to wear a hair band if necessary to get fringes out of the way. Rest one hand on the child’s head to prevent any fidgeting! Always take care whilst painting around eyes. Most of all, use your imagination and have fun!!!

By Natsha Wood

Please feel free to comment on this article or ask a question if you wish.

Related Articles

Find more information, photos and video clips about face painting

To hire a Professional Face Painter go to Face Painter [ Jolly Good Productions ]

For information about Training go to Face Painting Courses [ Jolly Good Productions ]