So Do It.
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Drumroll Please
Alright folks, update your contact lists with our new phone number:
443-878-2654
The pay-as-you-go plan was turning out to be too expensive for us so we signed up for an honest to goodness smartphone.
Now I can check email when I’m upstairs! (Don’t act like that isn’t a big deal – because it is. I promise you.)
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Interview: Mark Reid
Jealous? I thought you might be. After our $20 class with Mark Reid back in May, I got to corner him (via Cell Phone) and ask him some burning questions:
Me: Who inspires you the most, right now?
Mark: My Students! Every single one of them.
Me: What is your single favorite color to use?
Mark: Pink or Dark Pink (Paradise)
Me: Which color (beside white and black!) do you find yourself re-purchasing most often?
Mark: Wild orchid (Paradise)
Me: What are you practicing or doodling the most, lately?
Mark: I doodle when I teach and then I try to make them into something beautiful! Otherwise, not much doodling.
Me: What design are you happy to paint over and over again?
Mark: Tigers and Butterflies. I’m happy with either of those.
Me: Are you spending most of your time Face Painting or Body Painting, lately?
Mark: Let me put it this way: Face Painting is my Career. Body Painting is my hobby.
Me: Where does most of your inspiration come from?
Mark: For the body painting, inspiration usually comes about a week before the shoot. Like if I see a billboard while I’m driving. I try to imagine the different shapes of the body in the design “Hey, That looks like a butt!” or “That could be the arm extending into the breast!”.
Me: What should we order for you on a Starbucks run?
Mark: White Chocolate Mocha w/a double shot of espresso
Thanks for your time, Mark. Keep on rockin’!
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Friday Haiku – “done”
why paint twenty dots
when painting ten dots would work?
“done” is relative.
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9 Conversation Starters for Shy Face Painters
Let’s talk about what to talk about when you get the kids in the chair.
We need some chair chatter so we don’t look like absorbed artists (double unintentional alliteration).
Here are 9 Conversation Starters for when you don’t really know what to talk about:
1. “Sooooo… what’s it like in high school?” (to a 6 year old)
2. “Hi! What’s your name?” ” …George.“ “Oh, George? Hey! That was my name when I was a little boy too!” (Female painter)
3. “Do you have any brothers or sisters at home? Are they older or younger?” (If Older) “Do they still smell funny?” (If Younger) “Do you still have to babysit?” (If middle kid) “Awesome! Do you like being in the middle?”
4. “Do you have any pets at home? Do you take good care of them?” What color etc…
5. (while painting a tiger) “You know, my tiger at home goes ‘ROOOAR!’ What does your tiger say?”
6. “Who is your favorite princess?”
7. “Are you married yet?? Is he your husband??” (point to daddy)
8. “Do you have a girlfriend yet?” “No!!!! “ “Oh.. so you’re married already??? Boy, you look a little young.”
9. (while painting a puppy) “My puppy at home says “mooooo”. Does your puppy say that?”
And to that end, I dislike blog posts w/o pictures so here is a recent one:
Do you have a special funny phrase you whip out when you are face painting? Let me know in the comments :)
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This is sooo cute!
I think the only thing missing from this Fancy Nancy Party (scroll down once you click this outside link) is some Fancy Face Painting!
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Practice Makes…Crowns
It takes me a while when I have to relearn something.
Usually my swirls and curls are Thin-Thick-Thin, but my daughter’s princess crown was calling out to me. It had the usual “filigree” curls but the ends were teardrops. Light bulb!
So as you can see, when I am learning something new it takes me a few tries…
Inspiration and First shot...
And some practicing on my arms...
And legs...
And other legs...
And legs again
You guessed it... it's another leg
Ah ha! I knew I had another arm shot in there.
And then! And then I might be able to try it on my self again…
Lovely "five head" there, Michelle...
And then I bribe our daughter to let me give it a shot on her :)
Awwww... she is such a princess.
So my lessons learned:
1. Alison Kenyon rocks! at her filigree crowns.
2. Filigree with brushwork gold first and then adding brown takes a loooooong time. Sponge the gold background and then use brown line work.
3. Darker colors work best for this style.
4. I don’t need to highlight each and every single brown line at the end.
5. I need to get Z to teach me her eyelashes…
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Glowing Testimonial for Large Birthday Party
I received this lovely review from Susan, who was such a wonderful co-host of a 3 Birthday Child party. Fun, fun, fun!
“Hi Michelle:I just wanted to thank you again for doing such a great job for our Purple Princess party on Saturday. You handled the enthusiastic kids and the grueling heat like a complete pro. The exquisite butterflies, ferries, fierce tigers and puppies were thrilled with their temporary (and beautiful) works of art. Don’t hesitate to use me for a recommendation! We were thrilled with your work.Best,Susan M. from Chevy Chase, MD”
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Friday Face Painting Haiku: jam
jam until morning
tired eyes and painted arms
i’ll sleep when i’m dead
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Casey at the Bat…
I play softball once a week during the Spring and Summer seasons and every year I get a wake up call on the night of the first game.
All that running and throwing and running and swinging… after the first inning, I am done! I’m spent. My legs just give up on me.
My problem? Oh… I forgot to warm up.
Hey, Michelle, this is a Face Painting Blog… get back on topic!
Ok, ok – I just needed a little sympathy for my aching torso/limbs/entire body.
Getting back to Face Painting, this is an important lesson to remember. The birthday kid/CEO’s kid/ VIP’s kid is almost always first in my chair. And I used to get so nervous… where was my warm up face?!
So now I keep some of my almost empty pots of black and white and a rainbow cake aside from my kit and I paint my face right before I head out for gigs. A few swirls and curls and my warm up is done!
Oh, but in case I’m feeling a little shakey, I paint a few extra spiders, webs, wiggly cracks and squiggles on my legs too. Good thing I always wear long pants…
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