Re: Face Painting around the eyes!

by Sweet Treats by TJ on Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:37 pm

Thanks everyone for such great suggestions. I'm new to the face painting scene but have found it to be a hidden talent. It is mostly the lil boys that squinch up there face the lil girls dont give me much of a problem. Dont ask me why that is.

I think i will try the starblends havent purchased any of them yet. Can someone tell me more about that product? Im assuming that is more of like a powder that how do you apply to the face. Does anyone have any link tuturials for applying the starblends.

Thanks again for all the positive responses, Im looking forward to trying some of your suggestions. Wish me luck!

by Psalmbook on Tue Nov 01, 2011 4:17 am

I have several approaches. I always tell them to close their eyes gently(like they're sleeping) & not tight. I'll show them w/ my eyes. I also let them know that if they close their eyes too tight it'll make their eyes water & the paint will run. If this doesn't work I modify the design to not paint on the eyes. I usually say something to the parents like, "It looks like he may be a little sensitive to having his eyes touched, so I'm going to not paint on them. I always want my model to feel comfortable." or, "This is my little girl special & since I want you to like me later when you remove the paint, I won't put anything on her eyes." This gives me an out to why I painted on other kids designs, but not their child & lets the parent know I'm sensitive to the child's needs & the parent's needs.

by MelodyFPL on Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:34 am

In my experience, kids seem to be way more comfortable with Starblend around their eyes as opposed to a wet paint. The powder doesn't make them feel like it's going to get in their eyes. Anytime a kid squirms when I am about to paint their eyes, I switch to Starblend and they have no problem. Even had a mom comment on that once, she thought it was really cool.

If they still eem uncomfortable, I just say somethign to mom that the child seems uncomfortable with the paint around their eyes, and I am just going to skip that part. It won't look exactly like the photo but it will still look great. I have never had one disagree.

by Caswell Designs FP on Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:57 am

Great ideas everyone. I too tell kids to pretend they are taking a nap and it works most of the time. If a kid seems sensitive, I just don't paint around the eyes.
If you decide to get Starblends, I highly recommend the white and black. I use those often for eye designs. Kids don't even notice they are going on.

by MelodyFPL on Tue Nov 01, 2011 12:13 pm

Liz Caswell wrote:If you decide to get Starblends, I highly recommend the white and black. I use those often for eye designs. Kids don't even notice they are going on.

Exactly! I just tell them to keep their eyes closed until I blow away the excess powder. I love Starblends

by clowngirl on Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:20 am

I've just bought my first Tag Neon Rainbow and each time I've used it, a little has gotten in my eye & it stings so I'm apprehensive about using it on kids this weekend. I'm not sure if it's because I've used too much water or not. I have so far found that I need to use more water than I do with Paradise or Snaz to get it to work & that that the cake feels dry again very quickly (I guess the sponge is soaking a lot up). I'm not sure if I've gotten paint in my eyes with Paradise or Snaz, if I have, it hasn't stung. I have a big order of Tag on it's way so I hope I don't encounter this problem with all the colours. Any advice would be appreciated. So far I'm thinking I prefer creamier paints, if 'creamier' is the right way to put it

by Psalmbook on Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:51 am

For around the eyes I have several things I do.

If the child is very young I won't paint the eyes at all. I use a lot of artybrush techniques that are quick, give the wow factor & don't scare the little ones as much.

For older children I ask them to close their eyes like they're sleeping(I will show them an example of the wrong way to close their eyes & the right way w/ my own eyes & they almost always relax). I will gently lift their eyebrows w/ my thumb to remove the eye wrinkles. I also will tell the children that if they close their eyes too tight they'll water & the paints will run. I use a sponge that is not too wet & has just the right amount of paint on it. I also start my sponging between they eyebrows & say, "I'll be sponging just like this w/ little pats. Now I'm going to move onto your eye, but I'll be real gentle. See, it's no problem at all. Now the other eye..." All this is comforting & reassures the child & helps for a great design.

These techniques work w/ most kids, but there will be some that nothing works w/ & their eyes may water before you ever touch them Smile

by Denise Cold on Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:00 pm

Cream the sponge until there are no bubbles visible on the surface of the paint...yes, if it's too wet it will seep into their eyes. I never dip my sponge and wring out if I'm doing a rainbow cake because I find as soon as I go to press the sponge, hidden water comes out no matter how well I squeezed the sponge. I spray the cake and sponge with a misting bottle. I found some that are only about 4" high at Dollar Tree and they've lasted all summer since June.

Thanks for the tip about the eyes watering, Linda, I didn't know that would cause it, I just thought it was a pain because of the wrinkles. One boy with long eyelashes was squinting so hard he poked himself in the eye!

I've been avoiding neon cakes because of the lack of FDA approval but I broke down an got another one because they are so popular and no one seems to have problems with them. They are harder to cream up...I find them a little harder and thinner than regular paint so you have to work at it a little longer and re-swipe more often.

I actually prefer pearls now because they are so much easier to blend in the TAG line over the regular paints.

D.

by Kat's FacesForFun on Thu Dec 15, 2011 2:11 pm

I completely agree about the starblends!! I LOVE them for black and white around the eyes. Spiderman became my friend instead of my enemy after I started using starblends. Skulls were possible on littler boys. SO happy with them. Here is a GREAT video that convinced me to get them.

http://www.youtube.com/user/sillyheatherb?blend=1&ob=4#p/search/0/msAt5o_4sVU

by clowngirl on Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:51 pm

Thanks, Denise. I spray the sponge & cake too, but I suppose I could still be using too much water

by Denise Cold on Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:17 pm

I'm loving the shadow around the eyes too. I used a white eye shadow for a boy for a Ironman mask and it wasn't very opaque in person but when the pictures came out he looked great. So I'm thinking of getting Starblends soon so I can do boy eyes....they are so much more relaxed with the powders and it doesn't run as much even if they still tear up. Just a few more jobs... Smile

D.

by Nicole @ Face-a-Rama on Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:33 am

Just listen to the kids...If they are still uncomfortable after you give that soothing pep talk...dont force it. Go higher on the brow or dont outline the eyes. If it was my child I would hate for paint to get in their eye.