Profit at festivals

Dawnie, your $5 dragon is fantastic! I need some simple ideas like that one that still looks dramatic. Good job!

I did one in July and made almost 1,000.- from 10 am till 5:30 pm by myself but I worked my butt off .I found if I keep my choices limited and do the stuff I'm really good at and if I had to I can do with my eyes closed ...... My line moves fast and it's a win win thing mom , dad and the kid is happy and you make lots of $$$$$
Oh try not to take your book with all the amazing stuff that you do it only makes ppl think and you want to do the thinking for them .lol

Very pretty Dawnie.

squiggle wrote:I was able to get a better pic of a $20 bling mask... I'll have some more as soon as the corn maze starts. Looks like I'll only be able to do a weekend or two of the corn maze this year since we're moving

This is done with Ben Nye powders, white and black wolfe, bling that I made myself, and liquid bling I made myself.

I have to ask how you make your own liquid bling please?

Avasmummy, I don't know if this is how Dawnie does it, but there is a thread here that talks about it: http://www.facepaintforum.com/t6983-clear-aloe-vera-gel#102433

Dawnie, your bling masks are lovely!! I have a question but it's about using bling in general. I tried some on myself using my glitter tattoo glue and of course after I took it off, it left a spot of dried glue. Do you just tell people how to remove that, or do you offer an alcohol pad to take home, how do you deal with that? I know I wouldn't be impressed if I ended up with a dirty glue spot on my forehead and didn't have any way to remove it. (I didn't have rubbing alcohol in the house until I started doing tattoos!)

Fabtastic wrote: Do you just tell people how to remove that, or do you offer an alcohol pad to take home, how do you deal with that? I know I wouldn't be impressed if I ended up with a dirty glue spot on my forehead and didn't have any way to remove it. (I didn't have rubbing alcohol in the house until I started doing tattoos!)

Baby oil works too - or in a pinch sunscreen.... that's what I advise at a camp I do work at every year - when asked "how to remove" I start down the list of alcohol, baby oil, sunscreen (where they normally light up because they finally have one), insect repellant etc - although some might need to soak a bit. Regular lotion softens it, but tends to soak into the skin a bit more than I'd like.

On little ones (like who tend to put things in their mouth or have really sensitive/delicate skin), I actually use corn syrup and cake decorations.... then it doesn't matter if they do eat it (as long as they don't have gluten allergies) and it *will* come off cleanly (with water). And it dries sticky in a minute and stays stuck for a bit.... then they can be "like" their big sibling.....

I did a local festival last weekend, after the booth fee I made almost $800 It was just me working 8 hours one day and 12 hours the next. I mostly did half and full faces, very little airbrush tattoos and cheek art. Sad thing was I was so busy I could not take pictures of my work and people may not have wanted to wait in the half hour line for me. I did have a friend with me acting as line control. Good new though I might be painting at our trick or treat downtown. My family says that I am under pricing but I am afraid to go higher, one there is another face painter there, second I live in a small redneck town. My cheek art is $2 my half face is $3 and full face $5 and my airbrush tattoos 1 color $3, 2 or more colors $5.

Wow....you are def. under pricing. You have to remember that by keeping your prices too low, people will expect that kind of pricing from your industry. Never de-value yourself. You are worth more then that and should be charging more. In the end....you would have made the same amount of money....but not so crazy busy. You have to start thinking about your worth. You have a talent and are providing a service. You have expenses too.
But...way to go on the $800. Just think....that could of been $1200 if your prices were just a bit higher.