Ihate to admit this...

I usually just tell people who ask about my stuff that I buy it online, and that each cake is about $15. They take a quick look at my paints, do a little mental math, and hopefully think twice about the easy money they will make face painting.

I didn't tell you all this, but a lady last Saturday took the cake (so to speak)! She came up to my booth, looked at my menu, smirked at me and said, "you're lucky I don't face paint! I'd put you out of business!"
I was stunned into silence, and just smiled. Good thing hubby is hard of hearing; I don't know what he would have said!

that is just plain rude!!!
but what I tell people is it will cost about $2000 to get paint do classes etc then another $1200 on website and insurance.plus petrol whatever that may be.
Then it may take me 5 minutes to do a design, but Four months practice getting it down to 5 minutes.
expect to make a loss in the first year of business. mabye break even in the second.
expect to spend about $11 000 on costs in your first year, on all expenses.paint, wipes, petrol, insurance, advertising etc.
If you are still interested take my card. haven't had anyone bite yet. I tell them I paint about 9 kids an hour (i actually do about 12 somtimes more ) and make about $2 a face (its a bit more) and have to pay tax on that they do the math it work out it is below minimum. they ask me often why i do it. I tell them it is because I love it.

Those who love it and pursue it will figure it out. and will do it for the right reason. those who don't were most likley going to be pains anyway if they started.
Time and money seem to be a big deterant.

Great response! I usually am really tongue-tied when it happens. And of course, I start doubting myself...."is my work that bad, that she would think she could bury me like that?"

I have also told someone (in cake decorating) years ago "that I feel that they may have there ambitions mixed up with there capabilitys" took me years to learn to bite my tounge. - LOL.

Just memorise somthing similar so you don't have to think and go with that I have even had someone say man its just easier to hire you. I say yep I unlike you am already in knee deep on expensese.

and I use the 4 month bit particularly with 1 stroke roses, as it did take alot of trial and error to get them right and fast and it dose look easy from an outsiders prospective.

don't doubt yourself because of some hack who dosn't even own face paint. I get doubts to but alot of the time it is looking around this forum with a wow factor (I save it for the professionals)

as for the airbrush person took me a day to learn airbrush to a medium level, yet still I am learning to face paint paint. and ask yourself is it airbrush or brush and stroke work that dominates the art gallerys?

Pinky, I'm speechless. The worst I get is "I could do this...how fun" type comments. I do get dad's trying to manage my career or trying to figure out if this is a good business for their wives.

My new "policy" is to basically ignore the questions. When someone asks where I get my paints, I say "online" nothing else. When they ask what kind "professional face paints" when they say ask how long have you been doing this I changing from "about a year" to "about a 1,000 faces" when they ask if I will teach them I say "I can't teach my competition"...etc. I had to do a LOT of research and practice and investment to get to this point...why should I help them???? Basically they are being lazy.

I told my husband I think I'm going to start going more sarcastic and say "you're not trying to put me out of business are you?"....of course it wouldn't work on your EVIL passerby.

D.

Thanks, Sue and Denise. It helps just knowing I'm not the only one getting these comments!

I actually had a dad ask me how I did it, and what about my paints, and how to begin his own business, and how much money do I make, and, and, and...
I finally told him that I've still not broken even, and that I've been doing this for almost two years, and that I've been learning that the money isn't great, but that the only ones who stick it out do it for love, not money.
He said I'd talked him out of it.

I'll have to remember that. Mostly because it's true