Hi from the Gold Coast Australia

Hi guys,
I am new to face painting and slowly but surely getting a little better, thank god for the face painting forum and of course U-tube! I have add some pics to my gallery if anyone has a feedback it would be much appreciated. I am finding it very frustrating painting on my practice head, the paint take forever to dry and my kids r little so I can only use them so much!! Its hard to practice and get my time better.. any tips? Anyway thanks in advance Kye

Welcome! I too dont like to use a practice head, nor do I have kids near by, so when I desire to practice I head to the city library, or the drop in center then volenteer to paint any who desires it. It can really challenge me to come up with some of the designs that I get asked to do, but that helps me to grow.

Sorry Kye, I can't see your gallery, although I could be missing something...
I have to agree about the practice head, although at least she never says no and doesn't need to be bribed!
Welcome from a fellow Aussie and new painter.

Welcome!

Giday and welcome to the group.

Welcome

Welcome to the forum.

thanks for the tips.. I will look into maybe the police youth club etc or local church. I might find it hard when lugging 2 small kids wuth me though, I can just imagine it now!!

Try your local park. Somewhere maybe that the play area is gated so you don't have to worry about your own kids and paint all willing faces!

Also a daycare is a great place - as your kids are welcome and safe while you paint so many cute willing faces - AND you get to card the parents!

I don't understand your comment about the paint taking too long to dry?
Were you referring to when you use it on your practice head? - I don't have one so I would know nadda about this.... but I was thinking - if anything my paints - especially TAG bases dry too fast - I can never get any glitter on cause it dries too quick... paradise not so much....
What paints are you using?
Oh and you can use your arm or legs to practice swirls and tear drops and cheek art, onestroke, etc and use wax paper or grease proof paper put over a face template to paint on and come up with full face designs or practice.... I know it's not the same - but it's better then getting rusty waiting for the next available face to come along.

Hi and Welcome

Awesome thanks heaps Tash. I was reffing to my practice dummy about the paint, but I painted the kids yesterday after using my dumb in frustration and the paint dried quickly - to quick for my wiggle daughter!! and my stroke where much better on the dummy my brush stokes dont shape well, they seem to slide over the head alitte. If that makes sense. I am looking into the pactice on kids I think im good enough to venture to the park/kindy etc now. Have a look at my gallery and let me know.. thanks again Kye

Hi Kye.... My practice head and I aren't speaking to each other because she is so hard to clean! The advice you got about painting on your own arm or leg(s) is very good advice....you get the 'feel' of skin and excellent practice. Just take photos of those for your portfolio...ALSO...just draw a face outline with eye, nose and mouth shape on an 8 1/2 x 11" (A8????) paper. Outline it in black marker....clip it on a clipboard...put a sheet of wax paper on top of it. Dampen the sheet a bit with a damp sponge or cloth (the wax paper tends to bead up at first...especially if your paint is watery...and you don't want to waste paint by trying to always work with thick dryish paing) After a minute the 'edge' will be gone off the wax finish...and just paint (still with not too wet a brush) on the wax paper, following the face outline below. It is GREAT practice....dries to a 'permanent' example of your work (no need to wipe off to do another...just get more wax paper). Good luck!

Thank you thank you thankyou, I will try this in the morning

Welcome to the forum.

Hello, and welcome from East TN!