Would you pass on this as your first gig?

I was offered today (wednesday) to facepaint at a local Daycare Centre's party on Friday. My friend's children attend and she put in a 'good word' for me without me even knowing anything about it.

The party goes for 2 hours and there are 90 children that attend this daycare centre. Not all the children will be attending but the organisers couldn't give me a rough estimate of how many may be there. The centre caters for 0-5yr olds. The party is for parents and kids (& siblings) to get to know each other a bit better, and there will be a disco and gelati bar.

I have only ever painted friends and family but am in the process of setting up a business. I don't have a website, facebook page, or any marketing material as yet, but envisage having that all completed within the next 2-3 wks or so. At this point in time I can paint about 8-10 faces in an hour, so I still need to get a lot faster before I wouild feel confident in putting myself out there.

At first I was so excited and was about to ring everybody I knew to tell them but the more I thought about it the more reservations I had.

I declined at this stage, for many reasons - no business cards, website etc to direct potential clients to; the most I could paint would prob be approx 16-18 kids in the 2 hours, leaving the potential for many more (and their siblings) to be very disappointed; 0-5 age range means the majority will be so young and maybe not want to sit still / touch everything etc; & I don't want to be known as the girl that paints reallly basic shapes (and for really cheap money) etc just to get through a long line (need to practice fast designs and I've seen many great threads for this) -and without any marketing material to direct the potential customers to they won't know that this isn't all I can do. It was suggested that I could 'whip up' some flyers just for the night but I feel that I would be more confident if I waited and had everything ready first.

I was offered $50 for the whole night. Was I right in passing on this one or should I have done it for the experience even though I have no marketing etc ready and I would probably be losing money in materials?
I'd be grateful for all your thoughts...

You could look at this a couple of ways. Since you are not yet up and running, it could just be practice, and I would be negotiating for more time, maybe to come eariler, and have some of the kids painted before the party even starts. Pick just a few designs that you wnat to practice, check out Vi at sparking faces shooting rainbow heart and star on youtube...super fast. Also, limit your age group. Don't paint on the 2 and under set, make it for 3 to 5's only,

Make this about practice, not promotion, and if anyone asks, just tell them that. You are just starting out. It is fine to take a small amount of reimbursement for your supplies, that does not really cover you for any expectation of speed...so I would say, try to find a way to get some good out of it and get the experience under your belt. Use it for what it will be good for...gaining experiences where you are right now, which is not at the promotional stage yet, so be it, just paint!

A helpful hint: use a table a few feet away from you to keep your mirror on. Have someone else man the table and take the kids in and out of the chair to look at themselves. As the take the last one out to go look, they put the next in line in, and the adult tells you what the child wants to have painted...will save you tons of time in a crunch when seconds count. Also, in a day care situation, you will have access to chairs, so line up a line of chairs for the kids who are in line to sit in, that way, there is no question about who is next in line, and it is all calm. Put about 4 chairs on deck, and one chair for the kid being painted, then make sure you alwyas have someome helping you manage the line. Have your board up near the next in line, and have the adult help the child decide. It works wonders for an event like this, which can be choas! Good luck!

I would say, just jump in and get painting, but if you have lemons, you do not need to make pie right away if your crust is not up to snuff yet, just make lemonade for a while. It's OK. Small cups of lemonade can be good practice for making pie later.

Wow. Now that was my original thought. Then, the more I thought about it, the more reservations I had. I originally looked at it as brilliant experiencce, rather than exposure, but then I got chatting to a couple of friends who mentioned the things I mentioned above and my train of thought changed!

Thank you for your tips and advice too! I hadn't thought about any of those things (except the board) but can see how they would make things so much easier!

It's probably an obvious thing for long term facepainters, but for those of us just starting, how do you deal with all the kids left in the line who've missed out once you have finished?

The party only goes for 2 hrs so I am already there for the full time, but I see your point in asking to get there earlier and start earlier. Thanks again for your advice, much appreciated!

This is just my experience... but I find kids don't get very disappointed if they don't have their face painted before the party ends. The ones who are most excited about it will come see you right away and wait in line to get face painted. The ones who would rather play, generally don't care if they get painted or not. So when the party is wrapping up, most kids will be eager to go home (especially at that young of an age) and generally won't put up a big fuss about not being painted. Once again, that's just my own experience from staying the full party length at gigs. If you have to leave in the middle of the party, it's a lot different.

I definitely think you should look at it as a great chance to practice, try out new designs and get your speed up. The only way to become a great face painter is to practice, practice, practice! Especially on little squirmy kids. You can paint your arm all you want... but I find I improve the most by getting out there and being challenged.

Thanks for that. I was also worried about the reactions if I couldn't get through all those in the line! I have a 3yr old and 1yr old and know that my kids would be devastated if they missed out!! However, I've never had the experience of being on the Painter's end.

My other concern is - If I did do it for the $50 and later in the year they ask me back again, is it rude to up the asking price? Or will they expect me to always go there for the original price they paid?

And if potential 'party' clients ask the organisers who I was and what I charged, will they then expect that I'd do their parties for $50 also? How would I get around the money issue later on? Would I just be blunt and say I was just starting out and now I charge x amount?

When I started out I did day cares and birthday parties for free.
While I know it uses up supplies there is nothing like the experience of learning to deal with a long line of kids.
It's one thing to practice on friends and your own kids but another to work a public gig with a lot of children.

Think of it this way. If you wait till your all set up and charged a regular rate but had no experience with long lines and pumping them out.... That wouldn't look good.

For the first month or so of business I had home made cards I made on my computer and lamenated.... Not too professional but everyone knew I was just starting out and appreciated I had affair for the job.

I would never paint the 0-1 yr olds and only a very few well behaved and determined two year olds. So that just leaves the 3-5's . I would only offer the full faces I am very comfortable with doing on small kids.... Tiger butterfly spiderman, princess and the rest would be small designs or arm designs. Not cheek art but rainbows with flowers rainbows with hearts, snakes spiders etc.

You will probably get birthday party bookings so come up with a price that suits you - like $50 or $60 an hour - a good starting out price and say it a few times to yourself till you can say it confidently. Go to a print place and get one or two sheets of business cards made up - should cost about ten bucks - and your on your way.
Good luck and believe in yourself..... How much of you wanting to say no is nerves?

Frankly I would have passed on it too when I was starting. First, I charged more than that to begin with, and I don't paint under three years of age, and regardless of how fast you paint that is a lot of kids...

it is one thing to approach them to get "practise"... it is another for them to "hire" you as there are expectations and I don't think telling people you are just doing it for practise is giving the right "professional" impression.

HOWEVER.... it is an opportunity to get the practise in a real situation. So...

It would be good for your skills to do it...

If your painting is good, regardless of speed, it is a promotional opportunity.

It comes down to how comfortable you feel about doing it

OMG... two moose just ran past my window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shannon Fennell wrote:
HOWEVER.... it is an opportunity to get the practise in a real situation. So...

It would be good for your skills to do it...

If your painting is good, regardless of speed, it is a promotional opportunity.

It comes down to how comfortable you feel about doing it

OMG... two moose just ran past my window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL Shannon... You're so funny And totally can tell you're Canadian haha!!

Big moose??

As tot he original question. I would have taken it :0) I would have done what the others said as well, limited the age group and done it for practise. I would have taken the $50 but asked them to please keep the rate confidential as that won't be your regular going rate.

Trina

cattsy wrote:
LOL Shannon... You're so funny And totally can tell you're Canadian haha!!

Big moose??

Big cow with a yearling... everyone was out on their driveways watching them run down the middle of our street!

I will paint any age that will sit for me... as a clown, if I said only 3 and up, I'd cut out half of my clientelle.

As far as whether to take it or not, in my HUMBLE opinion, if it takes you that long to paint, the kids will not sit long enough for you. 3 minutes a piece at that age and they are DONE sitting still. Under 5s are often (but not always) painting a moving, squinting, flinching target. That being said, some will sit more still for you than they ever have in their life and the look of awe on their face will be worth more than $100.

Practise, practise, practise and practise some more until you can paint the basic stuff in about 5 minutes. Then you can put yourself in a more pressured situation. You are probably best though with your first gig to be a private party with 10 or so kids and no time limit.

That being said, my first gig was a fundraiser day at my kids' school where I painted for free and it was INSANE. I had only had my paints for a week and had just gotten my Usborne book that day. Trial by fire at its best!

FRUSTRATING!! Just wrote a super long msg, leant on the wrong button on the laptop and lost the lot!!!

I was trying to say thank you for all the comments and advice!! I wanted to change my mind after reading them all, but it turns out it wasn't meant to be. My mother-in-law was quite sick on thurs night and we had to travel to go and see her on Friday. She lives 2.5 hrs away and we wouldn't have made it back in time.

My friend said they have these nights quite often and they have asked if I would do the next one. So I will!! And I will take all the brilliant advice you all have given me and hope that it goes flawlessly!

Tash - you hit the nail on the head! I'd reckon 99% of me saying no originally was nerves! I didn't even think that until you said it...

And Shannon, a moose?! How cool!! I've never even seen one in real life! Does that happen often?? (That sounds like the questions we get about kangaroos hopping down our streets!!)

I really do appreciate all your helpful advice everyone. Thanks again!

LisAndy wrote:
And Shannon, a moose?! How cool!! I've never even seen one in real life! Does that happen often?? (That sounds like the questions we get about kangaroos hopping down our streets!!)

Once before (in the six years in this house) a big bull down the back alley.

Kind of a conundrum. I'd make sure that if you did it, it was billed as an opportunity for practice, and the fee you are collecting is a materials fee, so no one got the idea that when you are really up and running that you will take so little for two hours.

But in the meantime, get some good practice!

Good point!! Thank you.