Turning Away and Ending the Line

The thing with all of the painting numbers on them, even the sign at the end of the line, means leaving your painting space to go and do that. We all have our own preferences, but I can probably paint one more kid in the time that it would take me to paint numbers on hands... so knowing that I can paint 5 kids in 20 minutes, means I can look at the next 5 kids in line and tell them directly... anyone behind them is getting told no.

On a side note: I was working with some other painters at an event and I was doing exactly this method... timing worked out great, UNTIL... one of the other painters announced that everyone who was already IN the room was getting painted and the rest waiting outside the doors was not. Great, now they've been promised... despite what I said. And guess who stayed to fulfill THEIR promise? Yeah, ME... left half an hour late that day.

I printed up a shett on my computer with 1 to 20. and laminated it cut out numbers. depending on designs and event etc I take a look at the line about an hour before hand and give out numbers in reverse .e. 20 to 1, I tell them if they loose there number I won't paint them - and I don't. usually the parents hold them. I have only ever gone 15 mins over once and as that was PPF I was OK as a few wanted more elaborate designs which I got paid for. and 5 mins over on paid per hour which I can live with.
But there are some awsome tips here and If you paint numbers on there hand use white as I once had a parents get an indellable marker and label there kids, Now I knew, he knew, the other parents in the line knew what happened. but I think the crowd/passersby who were unfamilair just thought I was being mean/unprofessional and I feel that may have reflected badly on me.

@ elantaura,

Thank you.. as for the creepy parent that added numbers to the hand of the child....smh. teaching them how to cheat and be dishonest..despicable. I like the 20-1 idea, however. Currently my line mgr / asst is my 11 year old daughter:)...so you can imagine how that goes. She does a pretty decent job though.

These are such awesome ideas!
Isn't it sad that people teach their kids to lie & cheat, such that we HAVE to come up with ways to outsmart them???

One way I keep kids out of my stuff (as much as possible) is by having my line about 4 feet away from me. The line is set up so they can see the kid getting painted. And having the line far from me also means that when parents are fighting over who's kid is next, it really isn't my problem.

My favorite line when the parent shows up when I'm on child #2 (after I wrapped it up at 20!!!) asking if I could do "just one more", after I've turned 10 away, is simply to say, "I'm sorry. I wish I could". No explanations. No justifications. They can't argue with that. I just repeat it compassionately over & over again. (Though twice is usually enough.)

LH

LH, you have some great advice, very well thought out. Everyone's ideas and methods have been helpful.

I also use a laminated sign for the last one in line to hold, that reads, I'm last to be painted.

When I feel the line turning into a crowd, I stop painting just for a minute and look up. I use my biggest smile and say, "Parents I'm counting on you to control the line, while I'm painting I tend to go into a zone, so I need your help to ensure everyone gets their turn." Sometimes parents can be pushier than the kids and need to be called on their bad behavior, they can see (and know) who was in line before them. This has worked for me so far.

To keep kids away from the paint, I built a blocker thing. It's a flat pine board with a long groove in it. Into the groove I insert a piece of clear acrylic panel. I place this like a standing "window" as a see-through barrier in front of my paints.

So the kids can still see all the cool paints and brushes (which is part of the magic when they're waiting; they are fascinated by it all, so it's fun to still give them "visual" access to this experience), but they'd literally have to reach over a "fence" to touch the paint.

I've been doing this since I began, have worked huge festivals, usually have a crowd of waiting kids fairly near me while I paint (I've worked in elementary schools for years, so I'm used to this), and have had nothing touched.

Also, sometimes I wedge business cards in front of the acrylic panel where it fits into the slot. This gets them taken a lot more.

For ending the line, I'm still learning. Last week I thought I had ended it, but people kept magically appearing. So I'm studying this thread hard so I can get better at it!

Thanks!

I paint mostly at parties and the younger ones generally go first and older kids last. Before I started giving out number stickers, I had several parties where after I closed the line and counted out five kids, I'd look up and there'd be six kids in line. The last kid would still be the last kid, the first would be the first but they'd slip in the middle. Now I have to have a confrontation with them about the fact that they were not in line. Once this kid must have been the bully or well loved because every kid in line told me that this boy was in the line when I counted. I let it go but I knew he wasn't because he had previously asked if I could paint just one more and I said No. At parties you often don't get the luxury of having parents close by as they're usually off socializing. Which could be bad but also good!

After years of unpaid overtime to "finish the line" and feeble attempts to estimate how many more I could do and numbering or handstamping... I now (for the past 5 or so years) ONLY post signs that say:

Face painting from 2 - 4 pm. Last face will be painted at 3:55.

I also have signs explaining how long painting takes, etc. and it clearly states that the decision to wait is theirs.

I have examples of my signage on my resources page (link in my signature).

I start annoucing the time and estimate how many I should be able to do in the time left about 30 minutes before closing time.

I do not do "just one more" and unless the client has pre-authorized overtime I do not stay past the end time posted. I do not hand out stickers or tattoos... it is not my responsibility to work past the time hired nor to compensate people who chose to wait after reading AND BEING TOLD that I was done at XX time.

While I do get the occasional nasty parent most will leave once I start annoucing and they realize there is no way they will get done.

As always there may be exceptions (as in siblings - one gets painted at the cut off time, so I will do the little sister too... that sort of thing) but I do not do it often.

I get really nervous when i have kids line up waiting and watching to get their face painted and because i have a set time to do them all.
I cant remember where i read this but i got the idea when your doing birthday party I paint the host child first then i paint a number on each child and tell them to go play and i tell them when am ready i call the number out and they a so excited when i call their number.
I dont feel comfortable when i have kids and their parents watching over me, i feel i need the space to do the face painting freely and so far this has help me improved my speed and the kids get my attention i think that also makes them feel special and i love putting a smile on all the kids i paint

for a party situation, that does work well and I have done it several times... party lines are very different from other events though because there is not a set number of kids, they just keep on coming and you HAVE to say no at some point.

It's a tough call. I HAVE and often do "cave" and paint that "one last" kid who got in line late. One particular time at a very busy mall gig, a child got in line very late (like at the end of the event) and the parent asked please please please can I just do them up real quick, and I did. With a one stroke rainbow and some teardrop hearts, took me all of 20 seconds. The parent gave my a HUGE tip, and thank you email, and six weeks later scheduled a party. That was worth the 20 seconds.