First Gig! And question about second one...

So my first real gig was at a festival with another painter. It's a farmers market. It is quite possibly the best training ground for a new painter like me. Lines never got more than 4 waiting. I have to say that when I look up and see people waiting I nearly have a heart attack and have to go to my happy place to keep from rushing through an awful painting.

I can't stress enough how important a decent sign is and here's my story to prove it. Last week we didn't have a good sign except this tiny thing that said face painting. I got one with a huge "face painting" at the top and a 3 column example of pricing ($1-3 Simple, $5-7 Moderate, $10 and up Intricate/Full face"). Last week there was little tipping and a LOT of haggling over the price. This week nobody tried to haggle. I think last week our booth was "some hippies trying to get pot money" and this week it was "look - a REAL artist is going to give me something special and it's worth it".

So this weekend - a gig for the local firemen. They are paying me $100 - $200 for 4 hours. It's "free" to the public which terrifies me. How in the world do you prevent everyone from asking for the most intricate designs and making the line wrap around the lot???? Do you just give them some simple things to choose from or what? THANKS!!!!

Two things
1) I would be less "flexible" with your pricing... go with $3 $7 and $10 instead of the range or everyone will expect the cheap price. And why is it $100-$200? depending on attendance? time? It costs what it costs... I don't haggle. (the first one or two customers might get it cheaper at my discretion just so some people are walking around with their faces done though)

2) Don't sweat the line. They'll wait or they won't... paint well and paint what they want. Don't push them into something they don't want and don't rush yourself so much that it looks like crap. If you like you can limit the selection of designs to 4 or 5 things that they have to pick from and make them things that you are comfortable painting relatively quickly. If you like you can even dictate the colours be the same as the samples.

I agree with Perry, #1. Keep your prices simple, also it helps to show a sample of that price range (ex $2.00 check art with a picture of a cheek art design). #2. When you are paid by the hour keep your designs simple, pick no more than 10-12 designs, I usally pick 3-4 girls (princess, butterfly etc.), 3-4 boys (batman, spiderman etc.) and 3-4 that can be both (like a tiger etc), but its whatever you feel comfortable doing. I always offer cheek art,for those who do not want full faces (I always have a few). Dont worry about the line, just do your best and they will remember their face painting, not how long the line was. Hope this Helps.

Thanks Perry,
Sorry I wasn't clear. The $100-$200 is under negotiation... they will let me know what they want to pay and I'll decide if I want to do it. There will be no pricing for the paintings since it's free to the public. I guess I have to get over the foot tapping in line.

I agree with Perry. Some people will be impatient whether there is 20 people ahead of them, or 2. That's just their nature, and you can't let it get to you! Most people will patiently wait, and will want you to take your time with their child!

If you are expecting a big crush of people, I wouldn't offer "intricate" designs. I would do designs that take you between 3-5 minutes and that will keep your line moving! Maybe, if possible, have your designs posted, and have them pick what they want before they get to you. Nothing worse than having a child sit in your chair and hem and haw when there are 10 people waiting!

Good luck and have fun! Instead of worrying about the line, look at every smile on every child, and you'll have a good day.

My experience has been that if they want it, they will wait. If they see your GOOD WORK, they will wait because they understand that your QUALITY creation is not done in 5 seconds flat. Usually, even if I have had customers waiting 4 deep, once I am done, they are very satisfied because I took my time and did it right.

Congrats on the success at the farmer's market! Don't sweat the line... that just means you are doing a great job and people think you are worth waiting for! :-) If the line is over an hour long, it means you need to raise your prices, just for future reference.

On the new job, definitely take a menu board or book with you, and have only faces that you are confident painting, and can paint quickly. Maybe you could bring an additional board with more complicated faces, and take it out only if it looks like you won't be very busy. WOW faces are great for slow days, and will show off your skills. Be sure to pass out business cards!

Thanks guys... I think another issue is that I am a bit of a perfectionist. Ok a BIG perfectionist. I'm getting over myself.

Also I am a classically trained artist and we looked at our subject and recreated it with our brushes. When someone hands me the sample sheet I printed out and points to the design they want I feel like I have to match it exactly except for the colors they chose. I need to get better at not looking at my samples and just making a pretty design on the spot. Does anyone else have this problem? Do you look at your samples and try to match them or are you painting from memory all the time?

From memory. I just tell them I make the design so it will look the best on their face. Then I also avoid disappoint friends that want the same design (want to look exactly the same), even with totally different faces.

Oh dear!! My advice.... name the designs on your photo display and DO NOT LOOK AT IT WHILE YOU WORK!!! Memorize the names and the designs.

Then when they ask for "Pretty Tiger" you just ask "what colours would YOU like?" and paint.

I never worry about the photos - I know what the designs are (after I painted them and named them) and I paint SIMILAR things on them, but never ever EXACTLY the same. TBH I couldn't paint it exactly the same even if I was looking at the photo.

And not a single kid in all these years has complained that it doesn't look like the photo.

I have mine named and memorized also. At first you might want to put the menu where you can see it and check for reference, but after a while you'll have painted the designs so many times that you will know how to paint them almost stroke for stroke.

I would strongly suggest putting up a sign that states: Each face takes 4-6 minutes. Please count the people in line and judge your wait time accordingly.

I have done similar events to these, just keep yourself calm, and take the comments about the wait time with a grain of salt. After all it is free for them.

Yes, it is not like we are forcing them to stand in line.

I am so new at this that I have to look at my pictures. I first touched paint to a face in April. I am practicing at home on my daughter to get them memorized. I am in total agreement about people being happy with what they are seeing because that makes it worth the wait. This is part of the pressure I am putting on myself to match the design. This is going to take time and I have to be more patient with myself.