Well this seems fishy

Probably posting this in the wrong section, but I couldn't figure out which section was best.

Got an email from a woman saying she found my page online and had questions regarding painting at her daughter's birthday party. That's fine, normal. The questions seemed weird though.

"I see a cost of 75 per hour and half price for each additional half hour and wonder about how many kids faces can be painting in that amount of time? What designs would you offer? How would the children view the designs? What paints do you use? Where do you get them? What do you apply them with? Are there any other charges associated with your services? What would you need to set up? Other things that I should know?"

Where do I get my paints? How would the children view their designs? What the heck? What do I apply my paints with?? REALLY? What designs do I offer? Did she not see my photos ALL OVER my website? It almost sounds like someone wants to be a face painter and is trying to get information.
What do ya'll think? I of course answered her, without divulging TOO much information, but still...... just weird to me.

Who knows, moms can be naturally curious... and paranoid (cough) about their kids, so maybe she just wants to make sure YOU'RE the real deal.

Like you said, just keep your answers vague but informative. Instead of saying "I use DFX and TAG Body Paints"... say "I use a variety of professional-quality, FDA-approved face and body paints". And just refer her to your website to see examples of your work.

It could always be someone wanting to learn how to face paint... but hey, that's what the internet is for!

who needs that information just want to painted???
this one really needs facepaintforum.com.....

That's what I thought too, maybe a super paranoid mom...

She may just be a mum trying to keep her kids safe, asking what paints you use could be making sure you don't use craft paints. Asking about how they would see the designs on offer could be trying to find out if you were going to put up a bulky display board in her house. Asking about the designs you offer may be working out if you offer a smaller range of designs for private parties.

Of course it might be someone trying to learn to paint, but most people would use Google to find things like this forum... That's what I did anyhow.

I agree with Janna, keep your answers vague but informative.

BekahCat wrote:She may just be a mum trying to keep her kids safe, asking what paints you use could be making sure you don't use craft paints. Asking about how they would see the designs on offer could be trying to find out if you were going to put up a bulky display board in her house. Asking about the designs you offer may be working out if you offer a smaller range of designs for private parties.

Yes. This was my first instinct upon reading it too.

You'll definitely find out fairly quickly if you answer as above (vague but informative) whether she is fishing for more information to get started in face painting herself or not, if she follows it up by requesting more details (which brands of paint you use and where you get them).

Ok, I may be off here, but they seem to have some weird questions for a mom looking for a face painter at her kid's party. It sounds like another face painter/potential face painter to me....

Send them the MSDS PDF Files for your paints & tell them your pricing. From there, just see if they want to book you.

I have noticed that a lot of face painters in my area are extremely paranoid and secretive about their paint, designs, methods, etc. This confuses me. I tell folks whatever they want to know and sometimes even give away paint so other people can try face painting. Is it really as cut-throat in the birthday party painting world as people make it seem? I've even heard of painters making employees sign "non-compete" documents. Really?

TheJamesNapier wrote: I've even heard of painters making employees sign "non-compete" documents. Really?

Absolutely. Any job where you are learning a trade will make you do that. From mechanics to manufacturing and yes, even face painting. If you invested a bunch of time teaching someone to paint specifically so they can work FOR you and WITH you, help you, and be employed by you, and they took that knowledge and used it to take business from you, you would be totally ok with that? I doubt it.

Now if someone who is a painter or an aspiring painter wants to get together and share and exchange tips, ideas and techniques; that's a different story. I now know of 4 painters (including myself) in a 60 mile radius of me. I have been trying to get us all together to jam for ages. Sadly, we are never ALL free at the same time, so we get together individually.

I say if someone wants to know what kind of paints they should use and they want to learn to paint, then lets just get together and paint!!!

Like other posters have said, it might just be a super cautious mom. Just surprising to get the third degree on a booking inquiry.

Update: It WAS, in fact, a nervous mother. She apologized for asking so many questions and said "I bet I freaked you out". LOL yeah, lady, you kinda did! Regardless, I just answered several MORE questions and she requested a contract. So yay!

awesome!