Rainbow Cake Queen

Tiger Design using Juicy Fruit RC I am not very active on Facebook or internet forums. As my business grew, my window to enjoy staring at gorgeous images on the internet slipped away. Every now and then I get the chance to drool at my screen and get excited about seeing the amazing work my fellow painters are doing. Recently, very colorful images have been filling my inbox. The images were so much fun and exciting, they made me get more excited about the rainbow cakes I spend hours creating. As a special bonus we’re introducing a new contest for you to have your very own rainbow cake combination made by Silly Farm Supplies!

Laura Oliver - Eye Design with Neon RainbowLaura Oliver - Floral Design
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I spend countless hours creating the perfect color combinations for the Silly Farm rainbow cakes. I take a lot of pride in seeing what other painters create with the combinations I put together. Believe it or not, we hand make each rainbow cake. We have a little factory at Silly Farm where we mold, cut and arrange all the rainbow and arty cakes. You might ask, “Why?” when we can send them overseas to be made for a fraction of the cost. The reason is because we control the quality, colors, and can change them up at any time. I’m neurotic about giving my customers no less than what I would expect from a retailer. My little rainbow / arty cake factory employs 6 people who love creating something that face painters use to do a great job. Laura Oliver is living proof.

I have been following Laura online and watching her post pictures, using a variety of Silly Farm rainbow and arty cakes, and I was so impressed that I wanted to write a blog about her. I admire her for many reasons.

  1. She shares her work with others to learn and enjoy
  2. She answers questions when asked and gives selfless answers
  3. She creates from the heart. She isn’t paid by Silly Farm, but she genuinely has fun painting and creating those smiles.
  4. She isn’t afraid of putting herself out there and hearing the feedback about her work.

Laura Oliver - Butterfly Design with Juicy Fruit RC
Laura Oliver - Butterfly Design Laura Oliver - Latina Lovely Laura Oliver - Give me your small animals!

A lot of us fear rejection or disapproval. It is that fear of rejection that prohibits us from sharing our work and growing. Laura takes a chance and by sharing she is able to inspire others, encourage those struggling with cakes to try something new, and opens herself to helping others. That is what made me love our industry so much and that is why I make my YouTube face painting videos. Paying it forward helps build a village, we can always accomplish more when you are willing to G.L.U.E. (Giving Little Unexpected Extras) yourself to our industry.

Thank you Laura for sharing, you inspire me to keep on pumping out rainbow cakes!

Happy Painting!

-Heather

Bonus! Rainbow Cake Creation Contest

Rainbow Cake Creation ContestWe need some help coming up with new rainbow cake designs. Are you a painter that mix n’ matches their cakes, always coming up with the perfect color schemes? Then this contest is for you.
The rules are simple and the submission is straight forward. Send us your own rainbow cake color combinations and if we choose it, we will start manufacturing it and send you a free rainbow cake along with a $25 gift certificate to Silly Farm Supplies![clear]

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://www.fabablog.com/rainbow-cake-contest/” target=”on” ]Take me to the Rainbow Cake Creation Contest![/button]

Good Luck and don’t forget to like and share this post!

My Face Painters Rule book

This year marks my 15th year as a face painter. I can’t believe it’s been 15 years, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this amazing art form. Face painting has opened doors, allowed me to travel the world, meet great people, and live by the phrase “life’s a party”. I’m literally at a party every weekend.

The Face Painters Rule BookOver the years I have had my ups and downs and have learned valuable lessons. So every time I experience a troubling event or situation I create an entry in my rule book and troubleshoot about how to fix it. Luckily, in 15 years I have only filled 2-3 pages in my rule book. So I wanted to share with you my rules that I list in my contract when I am booking a gig. These face painting rules have helped me deflect problems and keep me safe.

Hopefully they can help you or guide you to creating your own rule book. Some of these rules apply to public or free events, where I seem to have the most problems with line control and waiting.

  1. Creating a memorable face painting experience is my ultimate goal. If for any reason parents or kids begin to fight or create a violent atmosphere in my face painting line, I will close the line and will no longer paint. I reserve the right to cease face painting and leave the event without a refund if violence erupts. For events expecting long lines, please arrange for a volunteer to help with crowd control and ending the line.
  2. My goal is to make your event as amazing as possible. To avoid interruption to the flow of the event please have payment ready upon arrival. Unless you prearranged payment on net terms.
  3. Face Paint works best in a cool dry area, if possible please reserve a space in the shade so that your painter and your guests are most comfortable. If your event location has limited shade please let me know so that I can arrange to bring a tent or umbrella.
  4. On average I can paint 10-15 full fantastic faces in one hour. In some cases I may have events before or after your event and may not be able to stay. Please book enough time so that I can make sure everyone leaves happy and painted.

Of course there are more face painting related rules I’d like to include such as;

  • I won’t force anyone to get painted. The person in the chair gets to choose their face painting design (not you, annoying parent).
  • If your children puts their fingers in my paint I can chop them off and serve them as finger food.
  • No, I can’t paint 2 faces at once, but I reserve the really sarcastic answers for my alone time.

Sometimes we leave events pissed and feeling upset. Rather than letting it upset your entire day, the best thing you can do is work on the solution of how not to let it happen again. By listing my rules on my contract, I protect myself from feeling guilty and staying later because the planner didn’t book enough time. I stick to my guns about not letting people fight in my line, painting in the direct sun, and ruining my supplies.

Make your rules, set your boundaries, and you will see how much smoother your events will be. I’d love to hear some of your face painter rules. Share them with us and together we can paint perfect parties.

-Heather xoxoxo

I-Candy – Free LIVE Class

I-Candy by Heather Green on FABAtv LIVE

Take your eye makeup and designs to a whole new level. Join FABAtv LIVE on Wednesday, May 16th at 8:00pm EST/EDT for a free class by Heather Green of Silly Farm Supplies. Heather will show you several funky and sexy eye makeup designs that girls will love and that also go great with a night out.

BONUS

FABAtv and Silly Farm Supplies will be raffling off a free set of brand new, unreleased Bad Ass Mini Stencils by Andrea O’Donnell to one lucky viewer! Don’t miss this class!

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?p1=820&iso=20120516T20&msg=FABAtv+LIVE+May+16th&sort=1″ target=”on” ]Find out when FABAtv LIVE is for your Time Zone.[/button]

This previous youtube video by Heather gives a glimpse of what you can expect in this upcoming FABAtv live class.

I-Candy Makeup Tutorial – Youtube

Networking

Join us at the 2012 FABAIC

As we seek higher achievements and greater success, others can help us. As a matter of fact, some will take pleasure in doing so as long as they feel that we are trustworthy and deserving of their help. This is why it is important to understand that it is not only having connections, but keeping in contact with them and providing value to them that will make them effective.

The FABAIC offers a unique opportunity to network within your industry. Attending the convention allows you to connect with painters in your area, manufacturers of face and body art supplies, photographers and models.
To make the best of your networking at FABAIC bring with you the following:

Attitude
The twin of friendly is smiley and since most people like to do business with their friends, the most important tool you have is your smile. Remember that we only have one chance to give a good impression. Everything from our hair to our shoes is an indicator of who we are. The way we communicate and the way we are perceived by others depends much on a positive attitude and the ability to look at someone in the eye. Doing so displays confidence.

FABAIC Fun

Business cards
Never leave home without business cards in your pocket. I also carry a business card size portfolio that I can show along with my business cards once the conversation about face and body painting gets going. A picture says a thousand words and because our business is so unique, having them on hand to illustrate our point hooks people into wanting to know more.
Check out this Faba Blog article on Business Cards for more information on making the perfect card for your business.

Enthusiasm
The secret to success in networking is being prepared to engage another person in a way that they will be interested in you and what you do. Whatever you tell people, be proud of it and be enthusiastic about it. It helps to write down a 30 second introductory commercial for yourself and your services that can be used over an over as a key to open the doors that lead to success.

Face Painting Business

Make a commitment to network and grow your business. At FABAIC we offer an extensive marketing track to help you learn more so you can earn more. Not only are there classes for networking, the whole convention is full of possible new networks and business opportunities. Allow us to help you succeed.
-Marcela

The FABAIC – Face and Body Art International Convention is being held May 23rd-27th, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center and Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Website: http://www.fabaic.com

Born with Teeth

Born with Teeth - BIZ
How many people do you know are born with teeth?

Being born with teeth is creepy and extremely rare, almost as rare as the entrepreneurs that make it big overnight. If you find yourself frustrated that your business has hit a lull or that your business isn’t growing at the speed of success, then it’s time to start counting your teeth.

When our teeth first start to grow in, it’s painful and it seems like they take forever to cut the gums. Once they are through, then you can eat and drool and enjoy the pleasures your teeth provide. Then you start losing some teeth and it’s fun because you get money for the teeth and then you also make way for bigger and better teeth. Then out of the clear blue, you visit a dentist and end up having a cavity and your teeth and wallet take a hit. Then you are back to enjoying the delicacies of life.

Business is just like that. You have to suffer a little, grow a little, loose a little, and it’s not always good, but it can be really great. When your business is bursting through the gums of your mouth (sorry for the pun) use a little whiskey to numb the pain and keep on going. Anything great is worth working hard for.

Businesses grow in stages, having realistic goals will set the stage for success. Rather than expecting the gigs to roll in and the money to rain from trees, take the time to research and do your homework about potential earnings, growth possibilities, man power, and capabilities.

For example:
If you can only do 3-6 parties a weekend because there are only so many hours in a day, and you charge $80 an hour what is the most you can net on a weekend? If you raise your rates to $100 an hour, can you work less hours and make the same thing? What happens if you get sick and have to cancel jobs, do you have a back up? Who answers your phones on the weekend? These are valid questions you will need to answer in order to estimate the direction and growth your company can accomplish.

I encourage each of you to nurture your businesses, don’t just dump them at the first sign of obstacles. Perseverance will pay the bills, not unrealistic hopes of overnight success. Make a plan, write out your goals and set target sales numbers. Take the time to measure your success, because knowing where you started and where you are going will navigate you on your road to entrepreneurial success.

Happy painting!
Heather

Spotlight Artist – Andrea O’Donnell

Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from?

Andrea O'Donnell - Makeup Artist, Face & Body Artist
I am a Michigander through and through. I was born here, grew up here, and I now raise my two children here. I love my home state so much, the four seasons, the trees, the hills, the gorgeous great lakes. Michigan is a beautiful state, and I am lucky enough to have a home in Howell where I live and work, and also a cottage in the deep northern woods, where I have appreciated and absorbed Mother Nature’s works of art since I was just a year old. Of all the places I have traveled (and that’s a lot), Northern Michigan is still my favorite place in the world.
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Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?

I am a full time artist (too full sometimes) and I run a very busy studio in Howell, Michigan, which is centrally located between four of Michigan’s largest cities; Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Flint. It’s a small town, but a great location, and it keeps my staff and I very busy providing makeup and cosmetic services, event services, photography and so much more. It’s also a retail store for makeup, special fx and face & body art supplies, mainly geared toward the professional market, but open to the public as well.

Andrea O'Donnell Studio BackAndrea O'Donnell Studio Front

What type of face and body art do you specialize in?

I have been a professional makeup artist for 23 years, the first 15 years were spent primarily on bridal and special event makeup in the salon/spa environment. For the past 8 years I have gravitated more toward creative editorial, high fashion and couture makeup for commercial makeup shoots and runway events, and face painting for kids parties. Now I would estimate that 80% of what I do consists of body painting both in and outside of my studio, which makes me very happy!

Marilyn Monroe Look by Andrea O'DonnellCircus Body - Andrea O'Donnell at FABAICTea Cup Body Painting by Andrea O'Donnell

How did you get your start?

I got my start in face & body art after nearly quitting makeup altogether from sheer boredom! After what seemed like a lifetime of brides and prom girls, I was dying to inject more creativity into my work. So I actually stepped away from makeup for a short period, and opened an art store where I taught painting classes and sold art supplies. At some point during that time period, I found myself in Disney World with my kids, mesmerized at the face painting that was being applied to my daughter. I took photos and mental notes, and when I got home I tried my hand at face painting – using all the wrong products of course. Nevertheless, myself and two of my friends set up a face painting table in front of my art store during a Harry Potter festival in my town and made over $1000 charging only $3 per face in about 3-4 hours! The line was wrapped around the block! When the night was over we all looked at each other in shock! The offers started pouring in from parents, schools, and local businesses who saw our work that night, and I started thinking; What the heck was I doing running this art store and barely squeaking by with the bills month after month? I should be painting faces for a living! So when the store closed down the following year in 2005, I went back to what I did best, Makeup, but this time I had a whole new attitude. I did my research and found out what products I should be using, and immediately set out to create a whole new and much more colorful makeup portfolio! A couple years later I became one of the most sought after makeup artists in Michigan and right about that time is when I upgraded my title permanently to Makeup Artist, Face & Body Painter.

What’s the most enjoyable part of what you do?

The most enjoyable part of what I do? Oh there is SO much I love about my job, but I would probably have to say my favorite is the travel. This job has provided me and my family with so much opportunity to see the world. It’s not easy to get to that point. I’m not saying that every face and body painter is going to start flying all over the place. There are a lot of artists who don’t ever leave their immediate area, and that is perfectly fine for them. I suffer from a thing called wanderlust. I have to constantly feed my mind with new experiences and for me that means traveling to new places. So I have specifically “trained” my career in such a way that I am able to do what I love in many places, whether it’s teaching workshops in other states, providing services for films and conventions, selling my product (Bad Ass Stencils) at various trade shows around the globe, or whatever else takes me away. I just love to be on the move, almost as much as I love coming back home.

Andrea O'Donnell Bird DesignStencils on BackAndrea O'Donnell Painting Marilyn Design

What would you like to do more of, art or otherwise?

I would love to be able to find more time to take tons of classes in all the other areas and topics that I am interested in, such as art, photography, glass blowing, jewelry design, major special fx makeup courses and more. I also want to learn as many foreign languages as I can, including sign language, so I can travel around the world and explore historical landmarks, castles, villages, and ruins and know how to communicate freely with everyone I come in contact with! Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Outside of art, what do you do for fun?

Outside of my fun job and traveling, fun for me always involves my family. We have a nice big family and many good friends, and we are all very close. We enjoy riding motorcycles and ATV’s in our woods up north, kayaking, paintball, hiking, playing with our dogs, and pretty much anything else as long as we are together.

Do you have any pet peeves?

Pet peeves? Arrogant photographers with over blown egos and underwhelming portfolios, flaky “models” who should really not be modeling, parents who try to force crying kids to get face painted and/or want to choose their design for them, and would-be clients who don’t realize and/or appreciate the value of what we do after wasting our time asking questions and getting quotes, and then hiring someone cheap, especially for high quality body painting. I’m not the same thing as Joe Schmoe with a paint brush that they saw at a Harley Fest last summer… not even close. I think that last one is everyone’s pet peeve.

Where do you see yourself in a couple years?

A couple years from now, I would like to see myself having more time to relax in between jobs. Right now I am a little overwhelmed between the studio work, teaching classes, event jobs, trade shows, and now the Hunger Games Convention Tour, but I’m not complaining… just looking forward to a time when it balances out a bit more for me, hopefully sooner than later. My dream would be to do a few big magazine photo shoot jobs on a tropical island two or three times a year, some fun local jobs in between, and just party and travel the rest of the year!

Do you have any projects going on or in the works?

My current major project is SKINCOGNITO and all that revolves around it. In addition to that, I am super busy designing a load of new Bad Ass Stencils in time for the Face and Body Art International Convention, designing my body paint competition piece, and preparing for the World Body Painting Festival in Austria this July. I am also the exclusive makeup artist for the new Official Hunger Games Tour, which I know will keep me movin’ for the next couple years.

Join us at the 2012 FABAIC

Will you be attending the 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention?

I am SO looking forward to seeing all of my favorite friends and artists at the 2012 FABAIC! I hope everyone comes by to see me at the Bad Ass Stencil booth as well as at the jams. It is such a fun and inspirational event, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Contact Andrea:
Skincognito Studio
120 State Street
Howell, MI 48843, USA
Phone: (517) 376.6488
Email: SkincognitoStudio@yahoo.com
Website: www.SkincognitoStudio.com
Skincognito’s Facebook Page

www.BadAssStencils.com
Bad Ass Stencils on Facebook

Andrea O’Donnell Artist Facebook Page

Check out Andrea O’Donnell on FABAtv!

Princess Unicorn – Face Painting Video

Princess Unicorn Face Painting Design
In this latest video, Heather of Silly Farm Supplies goes over a great face painting design that girls will love. This great design incorporates three different ideas, a princess, butterfly, and unicorn, into one single face painting design that will leave your audience in wow.


Princess Unicorn Face Painting Tutorial on Youtube

Like, Share, Leave a comment below and tell us what kind of designs you would like to see next!

FABAtv vs. FABAIC – Should I do Both?

FABAtv vs FABAIC

When I first dreamed up the idea of FABAtv, I immediately called my aunt and business partner, Marcela. I was so excited, because like most of my crazy ideas, she gets them and gives me great input to get the ball rolling. At first, I heard the hesitation in her voice. I knew her thoughts before she got a chance to voice them. She was worried that FABAtv would take away from the face and body art international convention. After all, why would people attend the convention if they could log on from their own home and take classes whenever they wanted to? Why would anyone want to pay for flights, hotel, registration, ect, if they could save time and money and learn on their own schedule?

FABAIC FunFABAIC Winning Cheetah

Of course these thoughts ran through my mind when I set out to create FABAtv, but my belief is that FABAtv would be a way to fill in the gap before and after the convention. FABAtv is the most practical and beneficial resource we have for painters. The classes are powerful, exciting, and fresh. Every month we offer new classes to inspire you. The FABAIC is a face and body art sleep away camp. It is a vacation for the mind, a creative retreat, and a way to meet the FABAtv instructors that teach you all year long.

FABAIC Alex HansenSo the question is, “Why?” and, “Do I need to have both FABAtv and FABAIC in my life?” The answer is Yes! I am more than just the creator and co-organizer. I am an end user, I am living proof that both the FABAIC and FABAtv work. At the FABAIC I have made friendships, improved my craft, opened international doors, saved money by learning from all of the best under one roof, and used the FABAIC as my annual vacation. At the FABAIC you can challenge yourself by entering one of the many competitions or team up with a new friend and explore body painting. Only at the FABAIC are you able to meet so many great artists from around the globe, paint side by side with them, and leave feeling creatively reinvigorated! The FABAIC is truly an experience I encourage every painter to experience. It is the only event of its kind, where it is totally geared towards learning, visual stimulation, and an overall great time! Imagine sharing ideas with Pashur, watching Yolanda and Lyma sing their rendition of Lady Marmalade, or staying up till 3 am creating a masterpiece with Mark Reid giving you pointers.

FABAIC Clown PalFABAIC Fun

On the flip side, many of us cannot attend the FABAIC for several reasons; Life, finances, kids. So until something gives, FABAtv is your on demand learning and creative inspiration. FABAtv helps keep you motivated and inspired year round. We all crave new ideas or refreshers on faces we see online. At FABAtv we invest a lot of time finding the best teachers to share topics that we want to learn on. Like Georgetter Pressler’s budget costuming or how to apply prosthetics. These classes aren’t taught anywhere else, and only on FABAtv will you find and fall in love with instructors. Not many people knew I was such a talented teacher until they saw me on FABAtv. (Hahahahaha I’m just kidding)

 FABAIC ButterflyFABAIC Artist

In a nut shell, the best investment you can make in your craft, your business, and yourself as an artist, is to attend at least one FABAIC and subscribe to FABAtv. Just because everyone in your neighborhood thinks you are the best, doesn’t mean you can stop learning and growing. The best and most successful entrepreneurs never stop learning. Surround yourself with art, business, knowledge and you will see results immediately.

Happy Painting! xoxoxox HG

 

Take me to:

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://www.fabaic.com” target=”on”]Face and Body Art International Convention[/button] [button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://www.fabatv.com” target=”on” ]Face and Body Art Television[/button]

I-Candy Makeup

I-Candy Eye Makeup

In this latest video tutorial, Silly Heather paints herself for the first time on camera. She’ll show you how to pull off this sexy eye design look that’s great for a night out or clubbing. Products used are listed at the end of the video and are available at Silly Farm Supplies.

Want more designs like this? Tune in to FABAtv LIVE on May 16th for a free live class by Silly Heather on I-Candy designs.


Youtube – I-Candy Makeup

Products Used:

Indie Craft Fairs – The Good, Bad, and Ugly

First of all – what in the heck is Indie? This is the explanation provided by answers.com

  • One, such as a studio or producer, that is unaffiliated with a larger or more commercial organization.
  • An artistic work produced by an independent company or group: “[His film] showed that indies could . . . take in millions at the box office” (Liesl Schillinger).

Usually organizers are crafters themselves. Most of the Indie Craft Fairs I have been involved with are people that create new items out of recycled materials, or are very retro in nature. Several websites, such as IndieCraftShows, or a quick Google search will find you times and places these craft fairs are held.

Pam at Indie Craft FairI got involved with my first Indie Craft fair about 2 years ago. I signed up to do henna at their event. You usually have to buy a booth, which can run from $35-$55 depending on the place. I would not spend much over that for a single event. You want to be able to recover your money you have laid out for the event. I have been promoted for each event which helps build my business connections. Most of my clients are return customers and you also get asked to participate in other events, some larger then the fair you are currently working.

The Good

Usually these people are so much fun to be around and the creativity is amazing. You will make such wonderful connections in your area which can lead to more jobs for your business. Usually you will be the only henna provider for the event. Face painting is not really used at these events unless it is a Halloween show, but if you provide both services, they might ask you to provide both.[clear]

Henna Design Henna on Hand

The Bad

Most of the time these can be outdoor events, which in some areas can be more than a problem. My one fair I always do seems to schedule a huge rain storm with each event. The producer finally found a venue which is indoors. The other bad thing about these types of fairs is that most people are selling wares and you will be selling a service. Henna is more popular in some area than in others. I start my prices at $10.00 per design. A lot of the items sold at Indie Craft Fairs are fairly inexpensive, usually under $10. So your clientele might want to save their pennies to purchase many items, but don’t be discouraged, it can turn out to be a great event for you also.

The Ugly

You buy a booth and you make nothing. This can happen too. If the producer of the show does not promote to the Indie crowd, your show will probably be a bust.

I encourage all of you to check out your Indie Craft market in your area and talk with the producers to get a feel for the need and demand for henna services.

-Pam

Looking for Henna products? Silly Farm Supplies carries several Mehndi/Henna kits and supplies.
Leave a comment below and tell us if you offer Mehndi/Henna services.

How Do You Get That Gig?

Tom Cruise & Children Face PaintedWhen I browse the pages of celebrity tabloids occasionally I run across face painting on famous children. I am always amazed how there is rarely ever a picture of the artist, as I’m also curious to know who the lucky painter was. I have been fortunate enough to paint for several celebrities and it certainly has helped me get more business, but when I tell people that I have painted for Lebron James and Dan Marino, they always ask, “How did you get that gig?”.

When investing your money, an advisor will tell you it’s all about diversification. The same principles apply to business and getting bigger gigs. Typically, very wealthy clients or celebrity clients do not plan their own parties. They have assistants that hire event planners. So, when you are marketing your business, it’s equally important to seek out exclusive event planners and do some networking. High end event planners want to know you are professional, respect the privacy of the client, and use etiquette when working high end events.

How do I let the event planners know I’m a good candidate and how do I meet high end event planners?

One of the best ways to meet event planners is by attending or searching event planning networking events. ISES,the International Special Events Society, hosts several events across the US and the organization is made up of party planners, advertising companies, and event planners. Searching their events and offering your services to their meeting planners is a good way to exhibit your skills and make excellent contacts. Biz Bash is another special events show that happens around the country and they cater to larger budget event planners as well. Five years ago I volunteered to body paint at the special events show. I was able to network with several event planners that now use us religiously for special events, concerts, sporting events, and jobs I would have never had access to. I was able to show that I was professional, courteous, and explained to each planner the benefits of working together. Most planners want one less headache to deal with, and if you can be a no hassle addition to their services they are happy!

Face Painting with the NFLAnother way to diversify, is to reach out to the cities. If you are incorporated and carry insurance you can register with your local city to be able to bid for city jobs. I registered with the City of Miami as a business that offers event planning, face painting, balloons, and decor. Part of the process of hiring for city events, includes going through the procurement process. Procurement involves sending out a bid for the event and the city is required to accept a certain amount of proposals. If you submit a proposal and get the contract you are officially in with the city, and lots of business can be produced from it. City contracts are usually for multiple events, which also works in your favor.

Check out your local government or city website and find out how to become Small Business certified and see how you can get in on the procurement action.

My last advice tip to get the aww inspiring gigs is to contact larger and local event planning companies. Typically, they get hired to do large scale events because they can be full service companies. They also carry large amounts of insurance so they are an easy hire for bigger events. I frequently work with All Star Events located in South Florida. They are a full service event planning company that has done events for the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, Julio Iglesias, many of the Heat and Dolphin players and several other high profile clients. They love working with me because they know I won’t take pictures or embarrass them, so when they book a package they like to include my services. Chances are those clients would never go looking for just a face painter. They have so many other factors to consider, they look for a company that can do it all. Getting in good with the “Do it all” companies is a great way to create steady work.

Keegan Hitchcock for DASH

I’m all about promoting my fellow painters, I get so excited to see them grow and accomplish great things. The Dash body painting was done by my great friend Keegan Hitchcock. When I asked her about it she was so non-chalant and didn’t even seem nervous. Below are a few more images of Keegan’s work. You can find her on facebook at KeeganBodyArt.

Belvedere Body Art by KeeganJameson Body Painting by Keegan

A similar experience happened with another great artist, friend of mine, and FABAtv instructor Heather Aguilera. She got a call on her way home from shooting her FABAtv classes, and was asked to paint the famous sculptor and pop artist, Romero Britto.

Share your stories with us on how you got the gig, and if you have any pictures you can share, please do!

Happy Painting!

Heather

Brush Basics 101

Brush Basics 101

Do you know the difference between a #2 and a #4 brush? Filbert to Flat? This new video on the different types of brushes you will run into as a face and body painter, covers the major brushes you should have in your kit. Silly Heather of Silly Farm Supplies shows you several techniques and designs you can achieve with the different brushes. She demonstrates body brushes, flat brushes, chisel brushes, and round brushes to name a few. She also covers some specialty brushes and talks about her favorite brush.

The brushes used in this video are located below.
Feel free to like and share! Leave a comment and tell us what brushes you include in your kit!
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Brush Basics 101 – Youtube

Click on a Brush to view more details or to purchase from Silly Farm

Gold Grip #4
Gold Grip #4
Double Filbert #8
Double Filbert #8

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Flora #10
Flora #10
Paradise Body Brush 830
Paradise Body Brush 830

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Paradise Chisel Brush 816
Paradise Chisel Brush 816
Comfort 1/4th Dagger Brush
Comfort 1/4th Dagger Brush

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Filbert Brush #10
Filbert Brush #10
One Stroke 3/4ths Flat
One Stroke 3/4ths Flat

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1/2 Scruffy Brush
1/2 Scruffy Brush
Mark Reid Fan Brush
Mark Reid Fan Brush

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Stencil Secrets – Free LIVE Class

Andrea O'Donnell on FABAtv LIVE

Join Andrea O’Donnell, creator of the madly popular Bad Ass Stencils and Mini Stencils, for a free live class on FABAtv April 17th at 8:00 PM EST.

Andrea will show you various designs and uses of the Bad Ass Stencils as well as several unexpected ways to get the most out of your stencils. New Bad Ass Stencils will be unveiled at the 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention, May 23rd-27th. Can’t wait? Tune in to this live class as Andrea will be giving us a sneak peek at the brand new designs!

If you had registered for the 2012 FABAIC, the winner of the free year subscription to FABAtv will be announced on this live class.


Andrea O’Donnel – Stencil Secrets Preview

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Painting Inspiration

Face Painted Inspirational Masks

One of the most wonderful things I discovered as an artist was to make myself aware of my surroundings, as inspiration is always there waiting to be discovered. All we have to do is open our eyes and see. The following are some suggestions based on the things I’ve learned to do, to welcome inspiration to flow in my daily life.

LIVE WITH IT

I believe that creative inspiration and abilities can be absorbed by osmosis, and living with it can make us more creative. Surround yourself with as much art as you can afford.

CREATE AN INSPIRING WORK PLACE

Even if you live in a small apartment with five cats, carve out a corner for your art supplies. I keep a palette, brushes, sponges, water container, a few books, magazines, pictures, a small VCR/DVD player, DVD’s, a practice pad and watercolor tablet in a small table next to my favorite chair. I relax by practicing my strokes and by creating new, original designs. As time goes by, it has become a habit that aids me in improving my skills.

A COOKBOOK OF INSPIRATION

Another tool that has helped me a lot is my collection of scrapbooks. Their pages filled with colorful images from magazines, catalogs, advertisements, my own doodles and other painters’ work are a feast of images and ideas. Most creative people thrive on a steady diet of stimuli. Keep your cookbook of inspiration close at hand and cook up amazing new design ideas.


Marcela’s Tips & Tricks

TREAT YOURSELF TO AN INSPIRING DAY

Give yourself an inspiring break. Start by marking the date in your calendar and making the commitment to just do it. Take a full day, a half day or even a couple of hours to search for inspiration. Plan a trip for the artist in you to a museum, a gallery, art store, bookstore or an artsy part of town. You don’t have to buy anything, just observe and take notes. I can guarantee that by the time you get home, you will be looking forward to sitting in your artist workspace to allow the collected inspiration to flow out of you like a waterfall.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Body Painting at FABAIC 2010 Don’t be afraid to color outside the lines. Picasso didn’t get famous by painting realistic portraits and Dali made us look at faces in a brand new way. Dare to change the rules of what you have been taught and see what happens. Buy yourself a new brush, maybe one of an unusual shape and discover what you can do with it on your own. Find ways to combine colors that in your mind don’t match. Fire your critics (especially your inner one) and know that our growth is in trying new things.
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Face Painting Book of ButterfliesWhen I was working on the Face Painting Book of Butterflies, there came a point where I felt that all of the designs were looking very much alike. The next morning while I was sitting by the ocean, I decided to give Jinny a call to ask her for advice. She said to me, “Face painting is fantasy art–anything goes. Think outside the box. Morph your butterflies with another animal or anything that comes to mind. See what happens.” First I didn’t understand exactly what she meant so I decided to close my eyes to meditate on it for a few minutes. When I opened my eyes I saw the most beautiful sunrise and immediately I picked up my drawing pencils and created the sunrise butterfly, which is in the book. The top wings are the colors of the sky at sunrise with a few seagulls decorating it. The bottom wings have the ocean and the beach with a couple palm trees painted in each corner. The sun is the body of the butterfly. It is one of my favorite ones in the book.[clear]

TAKE ART CLASSES

Art classes are inspirational. They help your face and body painting skills to emerge. From one-stroke painting, to ceramics or watercolors, art is art. Inspiration abides in experimenting with all types of art forms.
You can usually find your favorite artists traveling and teaching. Attend one of their classes, or go to a convention to really boost your skills. With the internet ever expanding, it has become easier then ever to find and take a workshop, even taking online classes like FABAtv.com.

FABAIC 2012 - Face Painting, Body Painting, Airbrush Art

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Feeling good is also a form of inspiration. Our physical condition and frame of mind are essential raw materials because the source of creativity lives deep within our souls. Taking care to be healthy in body, mind and spirit makes us more receptive to the gifts of inspiration that surround us. Make a list of things you can do that will help you snap out of a low day. Take a candle lit bath, listen to your favorite music, eat fruits and chocolate, go for a walk, read a good book, hug somebody or make a list of all the things in your life that you are grateful for. Say Thank YOU! Then enjoy your artistic work place as you relax and paint!

-Marcela Murad
Co-Producer of the Face and Body Art International Convention

Leave a comment below and tell us what you do to get inspired.

Happiness is Free

Happiness is Free

A lot of us are transfixed by the current economic situation and are allowing it to bringing us down, and forget the things that exist in our lives that can do a lot of good without having to give a lot. Happiness is FREE! If you take an hour out of your day to send an email wishing someone a happy birthday, tell your parents or kids that you love them, pass along a compliment, pay for a friend’s toll, or just give a friend in need a hug; Your happiness could inspire a change of heart, grab you a booking, rekindle a friendship, or even just bring a smile to someone in need.

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass… It’s about learning how to dance in the rain!

Happy Face Painted KidsFace Painted Twins

Slow times are an incentive for working on your marketing skills, creating portfolios that impress, investing time in your business, networking and doing the things we don’t have time to do when we are too busy. If your business is slow, try not to spend too much time worrying, but instead prepare to enjoy the rainbows that naturally follow the storms.

Heather Face Painting

-Marcela & Heather
2012 Face and Body Art International Convention

Get Off the Fence and Make Something Happen!

Face Painting Masks

A while ago, I was at a networking meeting of fellow entertainers. We all are in the family entertainment business, but no two people do the same thing. We have come together to support each other, share ideas, and get to know each other so we can refer each other for work.

On the first go-around the table, we were all introducing ourselves and what we did. When it got to Bob, he introduced himself as a full-time magician. Bob was one of the few people at the table I knew before I got there. I said that I thought magic was just a part time endeavour for him.

“It was” he said, “Until I was downsized about 2 weeks ago”.

Bob isn’t one to sit around. He immediately sought career counseling worried about getting another job at his age.

The career counselor asked him, “What’s your passion? What would you love to do all day even if you didn’t get paid to do it?” “Magic or Golf”, was his immediate answer.

When the counselor found out that Bob already had a successful part-time magic business, and he’s a lousy golfer, she recommend that he invest in himself.

“Go to the very next magic convention. Learn as much as you can,” she said. “….and reignite that passion for magic. People who build a career around a passion and work for themselves have a significantly higher success rate, especially during a recession.”

Bob came home, did some research and found out that career counselors everywhere are making the same recommendation. Take your passion, invest in yourself, and make that your life’s work. There are countless success stories of people who have done just that.

Bob immediately registered for an upcoming Magic Convention in June. He had wanted to go, but thought he should save his money just in case. Now he is investing in himself. Bob is the most energized person I know. He has a twinkle in his eye, and his positive energy is contagious. He is embracing this new career path and is attracting business and taking all those jobs he couldn’t before because of the full-time employment.

Bob’s story had me wondering, how many people want to come to the Face and Body Art International Convention, but are sitting on the fence waiting to see what happens?

Now is the time to invest in yourself.  Take control of your life. Take a step towards your future. Get fired up about your business. Network with people for ideas, sharing and support.

If you can’t make it to FABAIC, sign up for local workshops or organize one of your own. Go online and look for resources, support and information for your business. Energize yourself.

Be proactive, don’t just wait and see what happens! Make stuff happen!

— Katie Hunt

www.KatieTheGreat.com

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5 Hot Ideas for Sizzling Summer Business

Hot Summer WeatherDuring the summer, South Florida turns into a steam box that makes you cringe at the thought of face painting outside. The air is filled with sticky moisture that saturates your paint and turns them into mush. Little can be done to make the paint sweat resistant, because of the nature of water based face paint. There are sealer sprays and barrier sprays that might prolong the face paint durability, but ultimately they will sweat off because the paints are supposed to remove with soap and water. The salt in our sweat also breaks down the paints and the pigments and face paint will run especially when the skin is saturated and you begin to perspire.
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So what do you do when the sun rises on Summer? Do you pack up and take a vacation? Of course not, business must go on! Here are a few hot ideas to get you through summer without losing your shirt.

Glitter Tattoos

Glitter tattoos are popular, sparkly, and great for outdoor events, pool parties, and for all ages. Glitter tattoos are applied with a medical grade adhesive and then coated with Glitter so they don’t run off and are waterproof once they dry. They are easy enough to apply that anyone can do them without taking extra classes or needing to be an artist. They are inexpensive and the mark up is great. The cost to apply a glitter tattoo is less than $1 and you can charge anywhere from $3 to $8 for a glitter tattoo.

Bella Thorne Glitter TattoosMaria Canals Glitter Tattoos

Airbrush Tattoos

Airbrush tattoos are super popular and depending on the ink you use, can be waterproof and last for several days. Airbrush tattoos are fast, appealing to all ages, even adults, and are in demand. Airbrush equipment can be expensive to invest in, but if you already have a system, then break it out and start the campaign now. It’s an easy sell especially when you tell clients its waterproof.

Airbrush Tattoos

Hair Feathers, Crazy hair, and Hair braiding

I had the pleasure of working with another Silly Farm staff member at an event. She was doing hair braiding and funky hair and her line was around the corner. Hair braiding is back in style and because it’s not as common as face painting, it’s a fun seller. You can market is as a unique special treat for your guests and chances are you will be the only ones offering it. Hair feathers are super popular with teens and inexpensive to add to your services. Booking glam parties and offering hair and funky fantasy face art is a way to reach the 10 year olds that might have out grown face painting but still want a unique party. For cool ideas on hair braiding search “braids” on Pinterest and you will find hundreds of amazing braids and ideas.

Airbrush Face Painting

How is this different from airbrush tattoos? Airbrush tattoos are typically applied using alcohol based inks and are waterproof once set. We do not recommend using alcohol based ink for face painting because they require baby oil or alcohol to be removed from the skin. We carry new hybrid formulas of airbrush face paint that is great for the summer because it withstands the heat and sweat, and removes with soap and water. If you are going to offer airbrush face painting, you don’t want to set it up in the same system as your tattoos because you don’t want to confuse the paints. The benefits of offering airbrush face paint is that you can charge more since its a specialty service and the paint will last a lot longer than typical face paint. The hybrid formulas are safe for the skin and once they are dry, can last all day. You can check out Show Offs Body Art website for a gallery of her airbrush face paintings.

Airbrush Face Painting by Donna Nowak

Summer Camp Hook Up

A good way to keep your books steady during the summer is by connecting with summer camps, especially art and performing arts summer camps. They are everywhere! If you do a simple google search, you can find the director or organizers email and send them your contact information. You can offer services for plays, teaching art classes (by the way, Silly Farm offers an instructor incentive program if you start teaching!), or just for fun. Summer camps are always looking for the next “it” thing to advertise to campers. Become the “it” company by planning now before you are knee deep in hot summer water.

Planning is the key element to successful execution. Don’t wait for the phone to ring, give people a reason to call you. Summer is around the corner, don’t delay and start your summer promotions now!

Happy Painting and get to work!

Spring Chick – Easter Face Painting Video

Easter Face Painting

Here’s a good face painting idea for easter. Silly Heather recently made this how to video on a chicken hatchling design using Silly Farm Rainbow Cakes and incorporating floral designs. Did we mention this design is great not just for Easter, but Spring as well?
Hope you enjoy the video and make sure to check out our youtube channel for more face painting videos!
Happy Easter!

2 Minute Easter Bunny Face Painting

Easter Bunny Face Painting Design

Easter is coming up quick and face painting is always a hit at parties and festivals during this holiday. Do you have your easter face painting designs up to scratch? Here’s a new video by Silly Heather on a fast Easter bunny design that can be done in about two minutes, perfect for when those lines seem to never end!

Leave a comment below and tell us what your favorite Easter face painting designs are!

Jay Bautista – Spotlight Artist

Each month the Faba Blog will post a spotlight article on a particular artist that excels in their profession. Our spotlight artist for the month of April 2012 is Jay Bautista.

Jay Bautista

Jay Bautista is a professional face and body artist known for his amazing line work and tribal designs. He is originally from New York and has lived in Florida for most of his adult life. Jay has been face and body painting for over 12 years and first got his start in the industry at Enjoy Your Face Inc., painting at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Since then, he has catered to high end celebrity parties, rock concerts, major sports teams, corporate events and college sports teams. Mardi Gras and Fantasy Fest are now a staple of major events that Jay attends.

Jay Bautista - Mardi GrasJay Bautista - Sun and MoonJay Bautista's Super Girl

We spoke to Jay about his upcoming projects and what he wants to explore more into. Jay wants to add more depth into his artwork and is focusing on that, as well as a new series of designs only seen by Illusion Magazine.

In his own words;

“I’m working on a lot of projects as of right now. I just finished shooting some step by step designs Illusion Magazine asked me to do. I just opened up a new YouTube Channel under methodmediavideos doing some quick designs, so if you check it out you can see me in my house clothes :-). I’m also going on a mini tour up north to NJ,CT,NY in June. Hitting up Trinidad & Tobago in July and finishing off the month in Texas. I’m also talking to Pashur about possibly doing a Tribal / Line work tour in the U.S. We did a dry run at the East Coast Convention in Connecticut and it was a HUGE success, there are already requesting us to do another workshop at that convention.

I’m also working on releasing an app within the next few months, featuring my artwork. Method Media Services LLC is the production company working on this project with me. Any artist looking to do productions should reach out to them.

I just did a live feed for a local radio station, WJRR 101.1, for an upcoming event called EarthDay BirthDay. It’s my biggest one day event of the year. I employ 10 face and body artists to paint the patrons throughout the concert. There are over 20,000 people that attend this event and this will be my 11th year painting there. When I started doing that event it was me and one other painter, so it’s grown. We will probably paint over 300 bodies that day between 10 artists, usually its just chest pieces that we do there, but sometimes someone wants a front and back, but that’s rare. Needless to say, we paint very fast.

My website is still under construction but its www.jaybautista.com. It’s a blog based site so I will be active on it, once I can find the time to sit for a few hours un-distracted. You can always add me as a friend on facebook and I created a fan page as well that will have newer content; thats www.facebook.com/JayBautistaFaceAndBodyArtist.

The best way to contact me is by email, jbautista0505@gmail.com.”

Jay Bautista has filmed several classes and tutorials for FABAtv. Check out Jay’s Channel on FABAtv and stay tuned for his latest class, Totally Tribals, premiering on April 15th! Can’t wait? Check out his free butterfly tutorial on the FABAtv youtube channel.

 

2012 FABAIC Checklist and a Free Year of FABAtv!

The 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention is less then 2 months away, do you know what to bring? FABAtv has teamed up with the FABAIC to offer a free, year subscription to FABAtv!

Win a free year subscription to FABAtv!

FABAIC Class InstructorsThe FABAIC is a convention like no other, offering the best instructors for all types of face and body art. Whether you are a beginner wondering where to start, or are advanced and looking to learn new techniques and bring more business to your trade, the FABAIC has what you need. Offering tons of classes covering face painting, body painting, airbrush, makeup, special effects, marketing and more over the course of five days, the FABAIC is an event you don’t want to miss!

FABAIC Competition InformationExciting changes have been made to the 2012 competitions! Cash prizes, products and trophies are up for grabs! Face Painting Competitions are back and divided into Children, Youth, Novice, Semi Pro, and Professional Categories!
Will you walk away with the $1,000 Cash Prize for the “Flight of Fantasy” body painting competition? Competition is open to registered FABAIC attendees. Click here for Competition Information.

The 2012 FABAIC is May 23rd through May 27th and has moved to a new location in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Want to take a break from all the creativity and learning? Relax on the gorgeous South Florida beaches, take a trip through the famous Everglades, hit up a game of golf at the hotels luxurious course, or take a shopping trip at the Sawgrass Mills mall, the second largest mall in Florida! The FABAIC is not only learning and classes, it is a well deserved vacation!

Operate your own business? Did you know your expenses associated with attending the Face and Body Art International Convention to improve your professional skills are tax deductible subject to the limitations set forth by the Internal Revenue Service? Please contact your accountant for details.

Newcomers Convention Checklist

  • Washcloths – To avoid room charges from staining their towels when showering up after a body paint, please bring your own washcloth!
  • Business Cards and your Portfolio – The FABAIC is the best place to network
  • A condensed version of your face or body painting kit
  • A sketch book and/or note pad
  • Practice head (Practice Heads will be available to purchase or rent, please contact marcela@fabaic.com for more information)
  • Male or Female underwear for your model if you are body painting. Seamless panties work the best.
  • Camera and don’t forget the charger!
  • Phone
  • Comfortable shoes and clothes
  • Baby wipes
  • Sunscreen
  • Bathing suit
  • Earplugs
  • Don’t forget spending money or your credit card! The FABAIC is not only a learning experience, it is a vacation!
  • A smile, your creative thinking cap and a well rested mind to learn and have fun! We’ll see you May 23rd!

Do you have any questions? Please contact us! E-mail Marcela at marcela@fabaic.com or call us at 954-472-5000 if you have any questions.

FABAIC FAQ

Are you in need of a roommate to cut down expenses? Visit the FABAIC forum on Facebook for a list of vendors, roommate searching, travel information and more!
Don’t forget to like the FABAIC Facebook Page!

Leave a comment below and tell us what your essentials are that you bring to a convention!

Register for the FABAIC

Business Building 101 – Subcontracting

Your Business is booming! You have more clients than you can handle and it is a dream come true! You are at the point where you might have to turn away business. Now what? Do you hire someone to work under your company name? Do you turn away the job? Do you call a friend and give them the lead and ask for a cut? All of these are valid question for the growing business owner.

Contracting Work

Clowning around with Face PaintContracting work out can be tricky. Creating a level of business etiquette within your company will help you to prevent losing accounts and ruining friendships. When you sub contract a job to another entertainer, you are hiring them to work as a representative of your company. By law they are required to hold their own insurance policies, agree to receive a 1099, report earned income through your company and pay their taxes based on that earned income. When we sub contract a performer, they are required to sign a contract stating they will give out our cards and agree to the terms of our business practices.
I.e: No drinking on the job, show up 30 minutes early for set up, no eating on the jobs, no smoking, payment terms ..etc.

If the contractor does not follow the terms and conditions then they no longer are hired by our company and may forfeit their payment for the event. These terms protect our company image and create a standard. Some of you might be asking, “Why even bother working through a sub contractor?”, the reason would be more work! Corporate bookings are typically looking for larger dependable companies to hire multiple performers. They would rather hire one company to supply everything then hire ten different companies to do the same. Sub contracting can be a great thing. You can make a commission without having to do the actual job. If you are going to join the contracting game, make sure to have rules and standards in place.

A Full Service Talent and Special Event Agency
FAB Events is a nationwide, full service, event and talent agency. We hire face painters, body painters, airbrush artists, clowns and more! Let us add you to our network of professionals. Send us an email with your resume and contact information to andrea@myfabevents.com to apply.

Referral vs. Sub contracting

I have seen more friendships go south over this issue. If you call and hand me a job, I am the one handling the administrative, billing, and physical act of the job. I consider that lead a gift, rather than an opportunity to make a commission. If you are the one doing the administrative part of the job then I have no problem paying a commission, but if I am doing 99% of the work, then I do not feel that warrants a cut of my work. I am very clear with my business relationships when they call with referrals. I always tell them, “Thank you for the job”, and ,”I look forward to the opportunity to return the favor”.

Face Painting FriendsFace Painting Business

If you are wondering how to build your business, consider the idea of sub contracting. Not only will you be creating jobs, you will be expanding your business and potentially creating a full time living without having to do all the work.

Is your business face painting only or do you offer other services such as clowning, body art, henna, or balloons? Leave a comment below and share your business services with us!

Happy Painting!
-Heather

Do I need a Website?

In the 1980’s being professional was all about carrying a briefcase and having flown on a plane. In the 90’s being a professional was all about having a cell phone and a college degree. In the 2000’s being a professional is synonymous with being web savvy.

Website Savvy

The millionaires and trend setters of our time; Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Tony Hsieh, all used the Internet to take their businesses to the next level. It’s not enough to have a fancy business card, people want to know about you. We live in a transparent society, where the internet gives you 24/7 access to personal information. Having a functional and good looking website, where potential clients can meet you before they “meet” you at their event, can only benefit your business. As a a parent, I want to know who I am hiring to come to my home and interact with my kid as well as my close friends and family. I want to know who is the person that I am trusting to do a good job, be family friendly, be trustworthy, and responsible. The same goes when I sub-contract work to someone. I want to see images of them on the job, read reviews about their services, and see who I am sending out to represent my company. Having a website also makes you more reachable. Google is the worlds largest search engine, millions of people search for things they need every second. By entering your name in the Google game you are more likely to reach clients and expand your business.

I get asked a lot, “Can’t I just use Facebook?” The answer is no! Facebook is an awesome way to drive traffic to your site, but it’s a personal social media middle man. Facebook was created to link people to people. Businesses are using Facebook as a means to drive traffic and promote their particular pages, but the main function of social networking is still to share and connect personal information. I made the mistake of connecting all my business to my personal page. I accepted friendships with several customers and clients and now I have to watch what I post. I should have driven them to my business/fan page so I could maintain a personal and professional life. If you are on facebook, your business should be separate from your personal life.

[button type=”button_solid_light nocufon” url=”https://www.facebook.com/SillyFarmSupplies” target=”on” ]Visit our Facebook Business Page[/button]

Do I need a WebsiteEven if you aren’t web savvy or don’t have a lot of funds to invest in a site, there are several affordable options to help you get started. When you buy a domain from GoDaddy they give you a free one page site template.  If you want someone to record themselves singing the alphabet backwards, create a quick graphic for you, or write your name in macaroni, Fiverr is a great website for services at only $5. [clear]

Join the wide world of web exposure and make your goal in 2013 to be Google-able. Transform your hobby of face and body art into a business by taking it serious, and taking steps to 21st century professionalism.

Leave a comment below and tell us about your website. Did you build your website or hire a web designer?

Happy Painting!

-Silly Heather

References:

The website from this articles thumbnail image is Face Formers.
The websites in the first image of this article are Silly Farm Supplies, the FABAIC 2012, and the Faba Blog home page.

Plenty of Paint

When it comes down to picking which face paint you want to stock in your kit, it’s hard to choose and to know the differences between brands, colors, and manufacturers. I am fortunate that I play with paint for a living. I harass the manufacturers to send me new colors as soon as they are hot off the press and I test each color to see how it measures up against other similar colors from different brands. In a nut shell, there are two types of water based face paint; Wax based and Glycerin based.

Wolfe, TAG, and Diamond FX are all wax based paints.

Wolfe Face Art & FX TAGDiamond FX

FAB, Kryolan, Paradise, and Snazaroo are glycerin based paints.

FAB PaintKryolan Paradise AquacolorSnazaroo

There is no shortage of amazing colors and shades of face paint. If you are a paint junkie like me, then you want it all. Take my advice; You will never use 10,000 pots of paint and it’s too time intensive unpacking 10,000 pots of paint. When you get down to choosing your ideal kit, choose color over brand name. Although paints are made with similar formulas, the main differences are the colors. My advice? If you are in love with a particular color then add it to your kit.

Wax based paints are ideal for line work, because they are smooth and require less water to activate them. Sometimes sponging and blending can be a challenge because the sponge can absorb too much water. Since they have wax in them they tend to be less resistant to blending, but better for layering.

Wolfe White 45gmWolfe white and black are known for being the best for line work. The reason behind that is because Wolfe white is one of the few whites that actually stays on top of the color instead of blending into the background colors. With wolfe white you can make dots on top of black paint and the white will stay vibrant. Wax paints are typically strong in pigment and they are excellent for line work because of the smooth consistency. Wax paints are also known to withstand the heat a little better because the wax is harder to break down. For humid and hot climate areas the wax paints are in high demand.
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FAB Alice BlueGlycerin based paints are typically creamier and excellent for blending with a sponge. Unlike wax based paints, where the paints layer well, glycerin paints blend better and dry slightly slower so you are able to sponge and blend them easier.

For these reasons, I suggest having a variation of brands in your kit. Choose color over brand. Colors vary from brand to brand. Kryolan has a line of paint called Interfereze which is a specialty line within their Aquacolor line. Interferenze paints are shimmer paints, unlike the kryolan metallics which are made with metallic flake pigments. The Interfereze paints are creamy and soft and contain a shimmer rather than a flake. Kryolan also has a Ultra Violet Day Glow line as well. The UV paints are also knows as Neon paints. Kryolan and Wolfe both make these paints that are black light reactive and glow under fluorescent lighting. In normal light they are super vibrant and very popular because the colors are so intense. Once they are under a backlight they appear glowing.

Ultra Violet UV Day Glow Neon Paints

Paint can get confusing, I have to admit. Kryolan calls their metallic colors Metallics and Interfereze. Wolfe calls their UV paints Neons, while Kryolan calls them UVDG. Snazaroo named their metallic and shiny colors ‘Sparkle‘. FAB has ‘Shimmer‘ colors, as well as ‘Glitter‘ colors. So before you get lost in the abyss of face paint remember you have a friends ( or 21 friends at Silly farm) ready to help you.

If you ever need helping choosing the paint for you, want to know the best red, or are looking for the perfect ninja turtle green. You are always welcome to live chat us, email me, or give me a call at Silly Farm. Choosing paint should be fun, so don’t let brand names get your brushes in a bunch. Just close your eyes, think of your favorite colors and write them down. Browse each section until you find the one you are looking for and cross if off your list. The results will be your perfect kit!

Leave a comment below and tell us what your favorite colors and brands are!

Happy painting!
-Heather

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FABAIC What?

My aunt Marcela “Mama Clown” Murad has always been a visionary. Eleven years ago she turned her dream of creating an educational event dedicated strictly to face and body art into a reality, along with her friend Cynthia Keeler. Together they pioneered the Face and Body Art International Convention, what would soon become the greatest gathering of face and body artists in the world.

Face and Body Art International Convention

In 2007, I took over as co-producer of the FABAIC, along with Deidre MacDonald, Marcela Murad, and Claudia Banks. Together and with the rest of our amazing team, we work hard to make the FABAIC an event not to be missed.

The FABAIC is a sleep away art camp for adults. A place where creativity flows from every corner and color has no limit. The art work is jaw dropping and the classes cover all topics and skill sets. We search the globe looking for the best instructors to share their passion with other eager artists. We spend a full year planning the FABAIC to include; interesting topics, new concepts, new vendors, unveiling of new products, and a convention that is one of a kind. We put an emphasis on creating a learning environment that inspires you, sparks your creativity, and makes it impossible not to learn something.

In 2011, we celebrated our 10 year anniversary of the FABAIC. After 10 years of hosting the FABAIC in Orlando, FL we made a BIG change and moved the convention to our home town of Ft Lauderdale, FL. We wanted to enter the new decade on a fresh note and re-energize our venue. Ambiance is as critical as the content our instructors are providing. Our new hotel is full of lush tropical gardens, crystal blue waterfalls, and bright sun light classrooms. We felt the new venue is a perfect environment to go wild with your art work.

A FABAIC Classroom Tikki Hut Sun Roof!New FABAIC Hotel Pool EntranceFABAIC Hotel Waterfall Pool

The FABAIC is a convention where face and body artists come to learn. We offer the widest selection of classes, covering all topics from A-Z. Whether you are a seasoned artist, a creative make up artist looking to expand into special effects and fantasy make up, a stay at home mom that loves art, or a teacher looking for a great part time job, this event is for you. You might be asking yourself, “Do they really paint all day?” and “Will I really learn?” the answer is yes! Every year I treat my staff to the FABAIC, and after just one convention I could see the difference in their painting and artwork. The FABAIC will take you out of your box, help you expand your skills, and the creative force will inspire you to pick up your brush and explore. You don’t have to take my word for it, you can check out the FABAIC Gallery, find the FABAIC on Facebook, or just read reviews around the web. If you are serious about becoming a better painter, investing in your craft, and taking your art to the next level, then you can not afford to miss the 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention.

Besides offering over 80 classes over four days, we also offer classes for Young Artists. I was fortunate that Marcela shared the face and body art world with me really early. I developed a passion for it and it never left my side. I was able to face paint my way through college, buy my first condo with my face painting money, and turn it into a career. Your kids can enjoy classes designed especially for them, where they learn with other children their age so you can enjoy your classes knowing your kids are learning and having a blast too.

Fun and Games at the FABAICKids love Face Paint!

The FABAIC is also the worlds largest face and body art marketplace. We host all the major manufacturers of face and body art supplies so that they can debut their newest products, answer questions, and let you try before you buy your supplies. The market place is a painters candy store, the hardest part is not buying everything.

Four years ago we started the FABAIC Body Painting Competition where the first place prize is $1,000 cash. Artists from around the world come to compete and the finished product is truly unbelievable. It takes some artists years to complete one canvas, and our artists finish a human masterpiece in 5 hours. The competition is truly living art at its finest.

Nix-Herrera-ButterflyWolfe Bros- Face Painting

Even with classes, competition, shopping, and networking there’s still more! Every morning we kick of the day with a little fun and funk with a Zumba class. From 9-5 we have classes and workshops and then you can enjoy show and tell demonstrations from your peers, marketing panel discussions, and the world famous Jam sessions. The jams are painting parties where all the attendees break out their paints and practice everything they learned throughout the day. Imagine a room with 500 people painting and creating. It’s priceless and you can’t help but be amazed.

FABAIC2011-Jam

If you are still on the fence or want more information, please visit the FABAIC website or email us, Heather: heather@sillyfarm.com, Marcela: marcela@fabaic.com, or Deidre: deidre@fabaic.com. I encourage you to join us. let us help you re-energize your business, add value to your services, and grow as an artist. Let the FABAIC be your vacation this year and take a creative siesta- You deserve it! I hope to see you all in May!

Happy painting!
-Heather

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The Dirt on Keeping it Clean – Face Painting Hygiene

I have always admired Jinny, she is one of the cleanest, most pristine painters I have ever met. Every time I leave a job I am covered in glitter, paint, and my kit looks like a war zone. After 15 years of face painting, I have yet to master the clean painter look. Don’t let me confuse a messy painter, with a dirty kit. No matter how messy my kit may appear, it is never dirty. After every 6 kids, I clean my space. I take a baby wipe and wipe down my paints and hands. I frequently use hand sanitizer between kids, and I refresh my water as soon as it begins to look murky.

I travel and teach face painting around the world. I get to see a lot of kits and sometimes I’m frightened that painters are using their supplies to paint on humans. Keeping your paints clean, only takes minutes of your time and can mean the difference between spreading germs and preservation of your face painting supplies.

I get asked a lot about how I rinse my sponges between children, how to keep my brushes sanitary, and how not to transfer germs. Adding alcohol to your face painting water does not help. The water dilutes the alcohol, making it inefficient and can be irritating to someone’s skin. Using one sponge or brush per child is too costly. So being aware of good hygiene tips can not only save you money, but it can mean the difference between happy, healthy customers and unhappy parents blaming you for a break out.

It’s very hard to prove a face painting related reaction. Largely in part, because face painting involves many products. We use a paint brush, water, sponges, glitter, gems, etc… So it’s hard to narrow down the exact product that caused the reaction. 99% of face painting related reactions are due to the fragrance in the make up. To avoid angry mom’s make sure to keep a clean station and ask the kids(or parents) if they have sensitive skin.

Face Painters Hygiene Tips

Brush BathAbout 3 years ago I developed a product called Brush Bath to help painters clean their brushes and sponges between kids. Brush Bath is a 100% organic brush cleaning solution and can be used as a face paint remover. Use it in your face painting water to keep it clean and fresh longer, and as a conditioner for your brushes. Brush bath is a gentle soap that breaks down oils in the hairs of your brushes that you might have picked up on the skin when you paint. Brush Bath also cleans the pigments out of your brushes so you don’t transfers colors and residue to the next color you paint with. It’s a great product and I encourage everyone to have a bottle to use on the job.

My second tip is to carry Q- Tips. I love applying lipstick on girls. Nothing brings me more smiles than a sparkly red lip stick after I’ve painted her like a princess. I avoid using my brushes on the lips, so I use a q-tip and I keep a clean cup of water next to me aside from my regular water basin so that I can always apply lipstick with a fresh start.
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When I am face painting, I carry a clothes pin bag to throw my garbage in. I never like my customers to see used baby wipes, used q tips, or any other garbage that might have accumulated on my table. I bought the clothes pin holder at the dollar store and it is perfect to hang off of my table so i have a personal waste bin.

Baby Wipes! Every face painter needs baby wipes, they are extremely useful in cleaning your kit, to quickly correcting that occasional error. I have an article I’ve posted before about baby wipes.

 

Brush TubLastly, changing out your water is crucial. Dirty water is an eye sore and can scare customers away. It only takes seconds to dump your water and refill. I carry a gallon of water and brush bath mix to every job. I fill a 2 compartment water basin and a fresh cup of water for my lipstick. The water basin has 2 compartments. One to clean my brush and one to retrieve clean water. This helps me move faster because I am not muddying up my paints. I also love my water basin because it has paint brush holder slots along the rim so I never forget and leave my brushes soaking in water. Leaving your brushes soaking in water will ruin the tips and destroy your wooden handle brushes. The water basin I use is the Brush Tub and it’s available at Silly Farm Supplies.
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Create a hygiene routine that follows after your face painting gigs. I take my brushes and sponges out after each event and clean, condition and let them air dry. I wipe down my paints with a baby wipe and leave the tops off overnight. I like to let my paints release any moisture that might have been building. The next morning I store my supplies in a cool dry place until my next event. This way, I always start my gigs with a fresh surface and clean supplies.

Are you a messy painter or know someone who is? Share this article of face painting hygiene with them! Leave a comment below and tell us about your hygiene routine.

Happy clean painting!
-Heather

Wondering where to buy Brush Bath or a good water basin? Silly Farm Supplies carries ton’s of face painting supplies and equipment.
[button type=”button_solid_light nocufon” url=”http://www.sillyfarm.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=3512&parent=512″ target=”on” ]Water Basin[/button][button type=”button_solid_light nocufon” url=”http://www.sillyfarm.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=2531&parent=0″ target=”on” ]Brush Bath[/button]

What is a Super Jam?

If you have ever been to the FABAIC and participated in one of the jam sessions, you will have an idea of what a Super Jam is. A Super Jam is not a class, it is much different. A Super Jam is a painting party!
What’s better then bringing a large group of talented artists all together under one roof, for a night of fun, prizes, networking and paint? A Jam is were the creativity flows unrestricted and artists can practice alongside each other and share their unique techniques and designs, while learning from others. This is the kind of experience that only Super Jams can offer.

My business motto has always been to treat your customers like they are old friends. Because we are an internet based business, we don’t get to meet and greet all our customers. I started hosting super jams last year so I could re-connect with all my painter friends, share information about upcoming events, and paint together. As our industry grows, so do our skills and artistic ability. I love breaking out my paints and learning from a fellow painter. I love seeing painters oooooo and aweeeee when I show them a new color or a new stencil. I try to make the Super Jams affordable and fun. It’s only $10 for the entrance fee and kids are free. I demo designs, answer questions, and we paint! There will be FabaTV demos and I’ll be bringing lots of samples for you to try, including new FAB Paints and BAM stencils.

I am adding more dates as soon as I confirm cities. Thank you for your support and I hope to see you and your paint brushes at our next Super Jam near you.

EFABAE Southfield Michigan Class Southfield Michigan SuperJam Arty Cake Class at Silly Farm Supplies

Lucky Lady – A St. Patty’s Face Painting Tutorial

Clovers everywhere! St. Patrick’s day is March 17th, and we’ve got you covered. In Silly Heather’s latest video, she will show you how to create a beautiful and colorful face painting design perfect for celebrating St Patty’s in style.

Thanks for watching! If you haven’t already subscribed to our youtube channel, what are you waiting for? We release several face painting tutorials every month and already have over 100 videos to choose from! Best of all, they are all free to view! Browse our face painting videos.

Face Painting Family

My face painting journey began when my aunt forced me to paint alongside her. Little did I know that holding that brush would change my life. I have been so fortunate to travel the world, meet amazing painters and make friends doing what I love. My face and body art friends have become my family. We share our artwork and put ourselves out there to learn from one another and selflessly help each other grow.

After working in a corporate environment, I’m so grateful for my face painting family because we are a community of really good people. Almost 12 years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet a special type of artist. Marcela and I would teach a lot of classes at the NY Clown Alley and that is where I first met Deva.

Deva Prem was a true artist. She wasn’t the best painter in the world, but she had a style all her own. She was a spiritual, peaceful, loving, and inspiring woman. She helped me in so many ways to grow Silly Farm. She was tough on me and honest, and even when I didn’t want to hear it, I always listened because her heart was pure. Deva epitomized the love of art. Deva would introduce all her art friends to our world and would support them as they blossomed into amazing face and body artists. She introduced me to the recent Face Off competitor, Athena Zhe. I remember Deva telling me, “I’m bringing my artist friend Athena to your class. She will blow you away!”. She sure did! Deva also raved about an artist friend of hers, Derrick Little, and after one glance at his art work I was hooked. Deva knew art and knew how to bring people together because of it.
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Sadly, Deva left our world last year. Deva lost her battle with cancer, but in true Deva fashion, I know she would want us to continue her legacy by sharing art. Even during her hardest moments battling cancer, Deva made sure to attend the FABAIC and offered free massages to attendees. Her spirit of generosity is what prompted this blog.

Her dear friend, Derrick Little, has started his own Art Project in memory of Deva and to help others in their fight against breast cancer. Please take a moment to visit his site, ShieldYourHeart.org, and if you have the means, please support his cause and help keep Deva’s passion alive. Derrick is one of the most creative and out of the box artists I know, and I’m sure the card collection is a bonus!



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I make an effort to get to know all my customers because our face painting world is small. Sooner or later our paths cross and it’s good to know our family keeps growing. Happy painting and thank you for reading.

-Heather

Take a Free Makeup Class – Live on FabaTV

If you haven’t heard of FabaTV.com yet, I would suggest checking their website out. They offer a huge library of face and body art classes along with makeup classes and workshops for a fraction of the cost to take a single class in person. FabaTV goes the extra mile and airs an absolutely free, full-length LIVE class every month. Tune in Wednesday, March 14th at 8:00pm EST for this month’s free FabaTV LIVE class.

Joining us on FabaTV LIVE this month is Makeup Artist Lucianne, who will be teaching her high fashion, ‘avante garde’ beauty makeup and sharing her advanced makeup techniques with the world. You can catch the live class via http://fabatv.com/page/live.

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Live Your Passion

Wolfe Face Paint

A passion is a craving, the thing we hunger for. It’s what we are most curious about. Our passion is what we long to do, something that makes us truly happy and enriches our lives. Being passionate about something inspires us to take action, to put energy into our dreams and to make them come true. If you are passionate about something, ask yourself,

“What do I need to do to live my passion, to keep it alive?”

If your passion is the same as mine, Face and Body Art, some of my tips will help you.
Buy yourself a scrapbook and start collecting images of anything that catches your eye. These can be pictures from a magazine, other artists work, or your own drawings and doodles. You can also keep a folder in your computer, or use an online service like Pinterest, for the same purpose. Personally, I like the feeling of holding the book and slowly looking through it’s pages. On days when my creativity is running low, they serve as inspiration and they rekindle my passion for my art.

FABAIC 2009
FABAIC 09 Winner Alex Hansen

“How do you get started?”

Make a list of things you dream of doing and pursue it. Take a workshop with your
favorite artist, publish a book, travel and get paid for sharing
your talents with others! Read your list everyday, believing that all things
are possible. Then commit to practice, because practice will help you to become better at
what you do and more passionate about it! The old saying still holds true, “Practice makes perfect”!

-Marcela Murad

FABAIC PhotosFABAIC Photos Athena Zhe

Leave a comment below and tell us what your passion is!
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Wrong Timing or Planning to Succeed?

I have been guilty of scrambling to get business and making hasty decisions that set me up for failure. When business is slow, naturally you turn to panic mode. If you were to just sit back and do nothing, you could use the time to catch up on old books or take up a new hobby, but how would you pay your bills? When it’s slow we lower our prices, book gigs that we wouldn’t normally take, and make decisions that come back to pinch our butts in the future.

When I was in college and wanted to take a trip to Mardi Gras (I knew my parents wouldn’t foot the bill), I was desperate to bring in some cash and fast. It was slow in January, as it usually is, so I contacted the local restaurants and asked them about starting a family night. They all said that they were slow and didn’t have a budget to hire me. So, being the crazy woman I am, I offered my services for free and I would accept tips.

At the time I felt it was a good idea because I could make good tips and if the restaurant saw how good I was, I figured they would be willing to hire me once I generated enough business for them.

Fast forward three months later. Yes! Business was good at the restaurants and I was making good tips. Better restaurants found out and wanted to actually hire me. I was already committed and I felt terrible quitting on my current restaurants. I had made friends and a following. So I approached the owners and requested a meeting to see about being hired. Of course, no one wants to pay for something they get for free. They politely turned me down. I kicked myself all the way home because I knew making decisions when you are in a stress frame of mind wasn’t smart and that eventually it would catch me, and it sure did. I was working for free for three restaurants when I could of been hired to do different restaurants. In hind sight, I would have contacted the restaurants and made a 30 day renegotiable contract for them so that they wouldn’t always assume I’d work for free.

From one crazy painter to another, if you are stressing to fill the books, don’t panic and make bad decisions. Be creative and start your marketing engine. The Internet, Facebook and good old customer service can be your saving grace. Pick up the phone a month before a previous birthday child’s party and call the mom. Let her know how you’d love to help her celebrate his/her’s childs party and that you have new cool things to offer (Like glitter tattoos!). Volunteer at a local charity event so you can get exposure and meet as many potential clients as possible. Try to avoid locking yourself into a position that is hard and can cause you to loose money. Whenever I take on a new restaurant, I lay out a 2 month plan so I know if I am over committing myself. Planning is crucial and planning for success means the difference between dollars and cents.

Comment below and tell me about your pro bono jobs and hasty bookings.

Happy painting! -Silly Heather

South Floridians! Join us for free face painting Tuesday night’s at the Pine Island Char Hut in Davie, Florida.
Face Painting at Char Hut Family Night

Shamrocks! A Face Painting Video Tutorial

Hey Guys! Here’s my latest face painting video that I have just released!
A quick and easy St Patrick’s face painting design so you can practice those shamrocks! Don’t forget, St. Patrick’s day is March 17th! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed my face painting video! If you haven’t already, subscribe to my youtube channel for tons of face painting tutorials and much more! I release several face and body art videos every month. Thanks!

You can catch all my face painting videos on my youtube channel, SillyHeatherb.
Get your Fairy Fly Kit exclusively at Silly Farm Supplies. The WildFlower Fairy Fly Kit used in this tutorial is now available!

Do you have any ideas or requests for my next video? Leave a comment below!

Is there Money in the Air? Airbrush Investing 101

Pashur Airbrushing
Have you been considering buying an airbrush system, then you look at the price tag and you just about faint? Or have you been doing research and you feel lost in a sea of products? Well hopefully I can help you to decide if there is money in the air for you or if you should stick to your paint brushes.

“Airbrushing is no doubt awesome”

With one airbrush you can paint a mural, paint nails, spray tattoos, decorate a cake, tan a body, paint a car, paint a body, paint a face, and the list goes on. The main difference between painting a cake and painting a person, is the type of paint you will use. So on a big scale, airbrushing is versatile and can be extremely practical. On the flip side, the one thing you will need to consider before investing in any system is that Airbrushing involves using and taking care of equipment.

Airbrush equipment requires maintenance, setup, and take down. When we face paint we open and close our kits and can be set up in 5 minutes. After your gig you go home and clean your brushes and sponges and leave your kit until you need it again. With airbrushing, you will need to clean, unassemble your guns and blast caps, and store them where they won’t rust or get ruined. Airbrush equipment is just that, equipment. You will need airbrush guns, hoses, bottles and blast caps, an air source (either a compressor or CO2 thank), a manifold, paint/ink and a set up. Silly Farm Supplies carries a wide variety of airbrush supplies and equipment.

It takes me about 20 minutes to set up and 20 minutes takes down when I am doing an airbrush job. The thought of equipment scares some people. When I first started airbrushing and my guns clogged and my CO2 tank froze, I was almost in tears. Once you learn the basics of equipment, then airbrushing is like riding a bike.

Glori with Airbrush Tattoo

I live in sunny south Florida and our summers are miserably hot. The face painting business dies off during the summer because face paint sweats right off. I started airbrushing because, depending on the paint you are using, tattoos can be waterproof. They are a great sell for adults, teens, and for water events. I also find that they are excellent for breaking into the Quince and Bar/Bat Mitzvah market. Teens aren’t always into face painting, but they love tattoos. I also charge more for Airbrush Tattoos because they involve more set up and maintenance.

So if you ask my professional opinion, Yes I think airbrushing is worth it. You can do more volume and you don’t have to be a skilled artist to airbrush because it involves stencils instead of free hand ability. However, It will only be rewarding if you are willing to invest the time in learning maintenance, troubleshooting, and willing to clean your equipment after each use. Otherwise, I can almost guarantee you will get frustrated and I will see your system for sale on craigslist.

“What do I need to get started and what’s the difference between brands and guns?”

I will cover the basics of airbrushing and in my next blog article I will go further into airbrush brands, and break down the differences between CO2 Tanks and a Compressor.

Lymari Airbrushing

If you are planning on offering just black or single color tattoos then you can start off small with one gun and a small compressor. If you are a color junkie like myself then you will want to consider starting off with multiple guns so you can offer variety. As a rule of thumb you will want one gun per color. As the paint flows through your airbrush, paint remains inside the barrel, and if you are switching colors you will need to clean out the paint before you change colors. You can do this by spraying alcohol through the gun in between colors, but cleaning guns in between colors can be time consuming and if you are doing a tattoo with three colors, it’s not easy to clean colors and still hold the stencil in place. If you are using multiple guns then you will need a larger air source, either a compressor or CO2 tank, and you will need a manifold so you can run several airbrush guns simultaneously.

I know it seems like a lot, but it’s not. Once you get the gist of it, it’s quite simple. Having multiple guns means you can run several colors and you can work faster. You cannot just lay your airbrushes on a table like we do with face paints, they will slip off, the hoses will tangle, and generally cause more frustration. You will need some sort of holster or case to hold your supplies into place. Silly Farm Supplies carries several cases and holsters for airbrushing.

When considering airbrush compressors, you will want a compressor that has an automatic shut off control and one that is light weight. Some of the compressors you can purchase at a hardware store are loud and the motor continuously runs. You want to look for a quiet, lightweight compressor, and preferably one made for airbrushing. Silly Farm Supplies carries several airbrush compressors, all made by top brands and exclusively for airbrushing.

“Typically airbrush face and body artists use two kinds of paint”

Water based make up or alcohol based tattoo ink. Ink is waterproof and make up is not, since it is water based. For airbrush face painting I suggest make up, for tattoos I recommend ink. Ink has alcohol in it, so I avoid using it on the face as it can be hard to get off, especially for children. Make up is very similar to our face paint, the difference is it’s in the liquid form and typically contains a little bit of silicone to make it dry faster.

Top feed or bottle feed brushes? Both serve a purpose, so ask yourself are you looking to do volume or will you be doing make up/ body painting. If you are going to be doing a day of tattoos it makes sense to have a bottle feed airbrush because you will have to reload the brush faster. So, having a bottom feed brush really is beneficial when you are doing airbrush tanning, airbrush tattoos, large areas of body art, or airbrush face painting then you will most likely use a bottom feed brush. For airbrush make up, fine details, t shirts, cake decorating, and nails you will like using a top feed brush because you can use minimal amount of paint at a time.

To sum it up, airbrushing can be a great addition to your services. You can expand into new avenues of business, you can save money by tanning yourself, and you can put your teenager or spouse to work as an airbrush artist because you don’t have to be a Picasso to be able to airbrush. If you need more info please feel free to contact me anytime at Heather@sillyfarm.com. My next blog will discuss the different brands and pricing of airbrushes and the pro’s and con’s of compressors and CO2 tanks.
Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

Heather Airbrushing

Resources:
Silly Farm Supplies carries a wide variety of airbrush supplies and equipment, you can find all of our airbrush items here.
FabaTV offers online classes for everything face and body art. Take an intro to airbrush class from a experienced professional right fom the comfort of your own home.

Contracts, Cancellations, and Common Courtesy

The birthday and event business is consistently inconsistent. No matter what day of the year it is, someone will always be celebrating a birthday, a company will always be hosting an event, and our services will always be in demand. The inconsistent part is that; children will always get sick, people will always stay on the hunt for the best price, and the weather doesn’t always cooperate.

How do you handle the bustle and boom?
awesome business

Whenever someone calls to book me, I have my agent write up a contract once they agree to the price and time. We then email them a contract and require a deposit that holds their spot and balance due on day of event. The deposit is refundable if the gig is cancelled 1 week prior to event. Having this contract and deposit in order, is a safety net for me so I don’t miss possible gigs and guarantees me at least the deposit in the event someone cancels.
Cancellations stink, but they are part of life and making the customer feel bad is unprofessional and will almost certainly cost you more business. When a customer calls to cancel, I try to start off by creating and suggesting a positive outcome.

Scenario 1:
Me: I’m sorry to hear that Holly isn’t feeling well, I hope she feels better so that we can make her birthday bigger and better soon.
Birthday mom: I don’t know when I will be able to reschedule, there is so much going on and I have to call everyone to cancel the party…
Me: It’s OK, I am here to make things easy, may I suggest a class party at Holly’s school or I can look at my schedule and see if next weekend is open if you want to reschedule. Don’t worry about me today, just worry about making Holly feel better and call me if any plans change.
When you set the tone of the conversation, you can almost always diffuse and salvage the event. If someone is calling to negotiate price and dangle a cancellation because they found someone cheaper here is another scenario to help you keep calm and not slap them through the phone.

Scenario 2
Client: I spoke to Jingles and she only charges $35 per hour so why do you charge $125 per hour.

Me: An educated consumer is the best client. I am sorry that I do not know Jingles. I can tell you that my prices are set because I pride myself on being professional and giving the best experience to guests at your party. I am on time, I carry insurance, I ONLY use kid friendly paints, and I am a great face painter. If price is a major factor in booking this event, I understand. I would love the opportunity to show you how having me at your party is well worth my fee.

Client: Well can you give me a little break?

Me: What I can do is include an extra half hour at no charge, or I can include glitter tattoos. (Only offer this if you are comfortable with and can afford to extend these offerings)

As a rule of thumb, I don’t rely on basic common courtesy in business. Steve Jobs’s biography pretty much confirmed my rule of thumb. Everyone they interviewed said Steve Jobs was crude, narcissistic, and would step over you if you were lying on the side of the street. Common courtesy is a dying form, because business is about you. So, don’t rely on your customers to think of you first or to consider your schedule when they are going through something. I always call a day before the event, to confirm any details and ensure I am still on. I don’t wait for the customer to call me in panic mode day of, if something happens to arise. As a birthday mom myself, the last thing on your mind is calling the entertainer especially if something chaotic is going on.
Protect yourself, your business, and have peace of mind when booking events. Send a contract, don’t fight over price or cancellations, and plan ahead. Be proactive and call the customer, ask if there is anything you can do to make the event the best it can be. Business isn’t easy, but planning and putting procedures into place will improve the outcome.

Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

PIN-Ch me! I’m addicted

Eight years ago I embarked on the journey of entrepreneurship. I worked in football while I studied in college and I knew I never wanted to work for anyone after that. I love this business and I love watching us grow. But with growth, you will experience growing pains. I started off with just my mother and my aunt (and that was hard enough!) but now I manage 25 employees and it can become stressful. I try to treat all my employees as I would like to be treated and sometimes my Starbucks fix just doesn’t fix my mood. So, I look for ways to vent without totally bitching everyone out.

My newest stress relieving addiction is Pinterest. If you haven’t heard of Pinterest you are missing out on a soothing world of aesthetic goodness. Pinterest is website of pictures, where you organize pictures (that typically link to blogs) by your interests. Pinterest is my getaway, because every time I log in I find an image that inspires, motivates, and typically changes my mood.

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The website is simple, you see a picture you like, you pin it to a board so you can always reference it later. Pinetrest is full of amazing recipes, motivational quotes, fascinating pictures, and DIY ideas that bring a smile to your face. The other great part about Pinterest is you can add your own images. Are you proud of a picture you painted? Do you want to share your artwork with the world? Pinterest is the way to do it. You can add your image and it will randomly appear on someone’s picture feed. Then that person can pin your picture and the more pins your image gets, the better linked your content will be and if your picture is from your blog or website, all that traffic is pointing back to you. Pinterest is reviving blogs and helping create a natural link to your site. This is great for marketing and great when you want to escape into a visual paradise.

If you are just getting started on Pinterest look me up and follow me at heatherg28. Since I am addicted, you will get lots of updates of all the cool things I have found and pinned! Pinterest is cheaper and more fulfilling than Starbucks and its ZERO calories! I encourage each of you to find a happy place where you can escape the madness of an artists life and take a few minutes every day to creatively unwind. Pinterest is my getaway… I’d love to hear about yours.

  Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

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Duct Tape Friendly Painters

A marketing term we used to use in my marketing 101 class was product extension. Product extension is a tactic used to rejuvenate a product image or find new ways to sell products. Arm and Hammer is the king of product extension. You can use Arm and Hammer to clean your floors, make your own detergent, keep the odor from building in your fridge and the list goes on!
Duct Tape IdeasThe newest front runner of the product extension game is duct tape. The marketing geniuses at the Duck Duct tape company have revamped their line and introduced colorful duct tape. I think they created it with us artists in mind. The duct tape craze is sweeping the world. There are blogs and over 10,000 pins on pintrest about duct tape DIY crafts.

The new duct tape colors are awesome for creating and dressing up all things face and body art. Below is a kit embellished with colorful duct tape. The kit started off as a wooden box, but my talented artist friend and mentor Donna Hollinshead decided painting it would take too long so she got crafty and duct-tapified her kit. The results were amazing and waterproof!
Duct Tape for the Face PainterDuct Tape for Face PaintersScribbles Face Painting Duct Tape Case

Adding duct tape to your face painting supplies will not only keep others from taking them (because you will know which are yours) but they also add style, a funky flair, and can be a fast and affordable way to make your stuff unique.

As I was browsing on Pintrest I also found an awesome duct tape display idea. If you are just getting started or need an affordable way to create a display board then this is such a cool way. Take a box of Ziploc bags and your favorite duct tape and lay them flat and start taping the front together and make sure to leave the back open.
Duct Tape Face Painting Display Board
You can slip in and out the pictures you want to use and you will also have a fast, easy, lightweight display board for under $12!

Product extension isn’t exclusive to just household products. Start thinking about yourself and your business and how you can capitalize from product extension. You offer face painting services and you know a lot of cheerleaders, cheerleaders love to perform and love glitter eyes. You can do that! Extend yourself into new arenas and watch yourself grow to new levels.

Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

Does your Display Board meet the cut?

Every time I am teaching I get asked, “Do you bring a display board with you?”. When I first started painting I made a beautiful board with color pictures. I had laminated each picture and created a masterpiece board! About 5 parties in, I lost my board. I am a forgetful person and sadly I loose a lot. After that I was too distressed to make another. So I started offering children their choices and let them be surprised. Part of me didn’t like the board because then I got bored. I felt restricted to only painting what the customers saw and I never got to try new designs. At the same time it helped me plan my time better because I knew how long each design took to execute. So I started thinking to board or not to board?
Pocket Chart

If you are just getting started or enjoy carrying a display board I wanted to share with you a cool, inexpensive way to create a versatile board. I found this Pocket Chart at one of my favorite stores.

It’s lightweight , colorful and the pockets are great for displaying my work. The best part about this board is that you can change out the pictures depending on the event. And this way it keeps us from getting bored. So if you are doing a princess party, then you can display only girls images, if you are doing a animal themed party you can display just animals and so on….I display my company info and the tag line on the middle square so it’s easy to find my card and see my info. The middle piece says Face Art by Hunny B or Silly Heather my number and Yes! I’d love to paint at your next event. take my card and I look forward to seeing you soon! This board is a great alternative to vinyl printed signs, because they can be very limiting. Once they are printed they can not be changed out. So you either have to buy several banners or just stick to your board.

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I also like to remind the customers that each design can be changed and kids can choose their favorite colors. So under each image I write… Pick your favorite colors and let me create a work of art!

Remember, looking like a professional doesn’t have to cost you a million dollars. Good pictures, a great attitude, and professional service will pave the road to financial success.

Happy painting! -Silly Heather

FREE Bonus Downloads
Download these three, full-page and full-color designs to use in your face painting display board, courtesy of Silly Farm Supplies.

To Download these images please copy paste the following links in your browser, right-click on image and select ‘save-as’.
Image 1: http://www.fabablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/displayboard-design1.jpg
Image 2: http://www.fabablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/displayboard-design2.jpg
Image 3: http://www.fabablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/displayboard-design3.jpg

Help Yourself by Getting Help

In 2004, I was fresh out of college and had this crazy passion to sell face paint and supplies. When I first bought Silly Farm Supplies, I was operating on almost no budget. I used every penny I’d ever had, including taking a loan from my family to turn my dream into a reality. I have been working since I was 10 years old, when I used to go with my aunt and help her face paint. When I was 14 I started working at Chuckie Cheese. Working came natural to me, but owning my own business was a whole new ball game.

Right after I got Silly Farm, I was so excited and took pride in wearing all the hats in my new business. I would come into Silly Farm every day and jump at the chance to answer the phone, answered every email, ran to pack every box, and would strap the packages to my back and personally walk them to the post office. After a year of working 90 hours a week, and wearing every hat I possibly could, I realized it was time to help myself by getting help.

A lot of business people are penny wise and dollar foolish. They fear if they hire someone to help that they will loose money. Instead they should be thinking how hiring someone can be the best business move they can make. When I hired Cristi to handle all the shipping, I freed up my afternoons to answer more emails, film my youtube face painting videos, and answer more calls. Immediately, Cristi paid for herself.

If you are serious about taking your business to the next level, start by making a list of your best qualities.
Are you a better painter than business person? Do you hate sending contracts and discussing pricing? Do you prefer the behind the scenes of party planning? Do you love doing taxes (yeah right) or being a bookkeeper? Once you answer these questions then make a list of the things you hate doing, your last favorite part about doing business. Read your answers out loud, and then ask yourself am I ready to get serious and help myself to becoming the best business person I can be?

If you are nervous consider partnering with someone you know, such as a friend or family member. My Mom is a perfect example of how I did. She is one of the most brilliant business women I know and she is also the least artistically inclined person I know. She thrives off of numbers, organization, and accounting gives her her kicks. If you have seen my desk before you know organization is not my strong suit, but because I was willing to accept my weaknesses and embrace her strengths we have built a business I am proud of.

The 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention offers a marketing and business track and it’s a perfect opportunity to enlist a partner and get them trained. If 2012 is going to be the year you take your business to the next level, then stop putting it off and make the investment in getting help.

If you ever need advice, or have business related questions I am always happy to help. You can email me or call me at Silly Farm mon – fri. Thank you again for following my blog and I wish you nothing but success in 2012!

Leave a comment below and tell us how many of the hats you wear in your business and how you manage it.
-Silly Heather

Free Face Painting Classes on FabaTV.com

Grab your paint, pop some corn and pull up a chair to get ready for a free face painting class on FabaTV.com!
You might of seen her on YouTube and watched her face painting designs, Lisa Joy Young will be on FabaTV LIVE this February! Tune in to FabaTV LIVE on February 15, 2012 starting at 8:00PM EST for this free class!

Lisa will be teaching her Beautiful Birds class, where you will learn how to create bold and beautiful bird designs that boys and girls will love. She will show you different techniques on how to bring feathers and wings to life in a simple way.

FabaTV is your online classroom for everything face and body art. With a FabaTV Subscription you can watch an unlimited amount of classes and paint with international artists right from the comfort of your own home. With new classes released every month there is always something new to learn on FabaTV! Classes can be paused and re-winded so you never miss a beat! Subscribe to FabaTV today and start your 24/7 learning!

Are You a Winger or a Rocker?

How well prepared do you show up for a job, competition, photo shoot or to teach a class? Do you arrive at a gig or an event ready to wing it or ready to rock it?  If you want to rock the body painting, succeed in business, be recognized as a great teacher or get that perfect image to immortalize your work, remember that it is YOU who creates this moment and that it takes preparation to experience it.

Don't Wing it, Be Prepared

First we must commit to prepare our minds and our skills by learning all we can by observation, studying and practicing our art forms. The amazing truth is that the more prepared we are, the “luckier” we get because preparation gives us confidence. Our success in anything we attempt will depend on how soon and how carefully we prepare.

Want clients to tip you? Arrive self contained and prepared to do your best with a tip jar clearly visible. Want a chance at winning the competition? Start thinking ahead of time about your design, accessories and prepare to win by practicing till you get it right? Want the image of your work to be priceless? Prepare with this in mind. Do not leave it up to the model or the photographer to think on the spot of the best ways to capture your work.  Prepare some ideas of your own.  Is your goal to be in demand as an instructor? Show up to your class prepared with an outline and well rehearsed in what you are going to share. Follow the proud motto of the Scouts and BE PREPARED. Success depends on it.

2011 Face and Body Art International Convention Body Painting Winner Andrea O’Donnell

2011 FABAIC Body Painting Winner Andrea O'Donnell

Article by Marcela Murad

The Business of Body Painting

It took Davinci 4 years to complete the Mona Lisa, which is about 30 inches by 15 inches. An average body painting, which is more than double in size of the Mona Lisa, usually takes 3-5 hours. Body Painting is still relatively new in the US, and knowing what to charge is still a very grey area for most painters. I get a lot of calls about what to charge, what you can expect to charge, and what the artists is supposed to include in their fee.

In my professional opinion, body painting has yet to become a profitable business unless you charge a nominal fee, or you have an endless supply of free paint. I have a very dear friend who is a professional body painter in Costa Rica, and an extraordinary businessman.

Rodrigo Piedra has mastered the art of booking body painting, and he has learned how to price his work and seek out clientele that can afford it. His fee is high, his work is quality, and he doesn’t compromise on the price. When he plans a body painting he includes the design fees, costs of materials, pre and post production, his team, and professional results. Because his fees are higher than average, he does less volume than some artists body painting at nightclubs and festivals. His approach to body painting is realistic and should be considered if you want to enter the body painting industry.
Body Painting by Rodrigo Piedra

Cost Vs. Time:
It takes about 3 oz to cover a full body with airbrush make up and 3 oz of paint ranges from $15-$35 depending on the brand. If you add nipple and bottom covers, adhesive, gems, other embellishments, and time to paint the actual design you could easily spend over $100 in just materials. If it takes you 3 -4 hours to paint the model, then you would need to charge over $500 to just cover your materials and time. Not many companies or agents have the budget to pay over $500 per model.

There are other ways to offer affordable body painting. Our great friend Nix Herrera, who was just recently on the Syfy channel series Face Off, is an amazing body painter and is regularly booked at nightclubs, resorts, and private functions. He is comfortable with his designs, incorporates his airbrush for faster base work, and in many cases does not cover the entire body. This speeds up his work, and allows his the time to be more detailed on other areas. Nix has also built up a closet of paint that he can expense over several jobs. If you have to purchase specific paint per job, this is where the costly part comes into consideration.

Body Art by Nix Herrera

The best way to start gauging your body painting earning potential is to make a list of designs you are comfortable with offering, how long it takes you to create that design, and doing an inventory on your face and body art supplies. Then you can lay out a plan of what you are selling and the cost associated. Otherwise you will be spinning your wheels and stressing over spilled paint and empty pockets!

Take classes from the professionals themselves! Rodrigo Piedra and Nix Herrera are on Face and Body Art Television! Visit Rodrigo’s profile page or Nix’s profile page and learn body art from the professionals!

My Sweet Valentine – A Face Painting Tutorial

Everyone’s favorite love holiday is coming up. Whether you prefer to love it or hate, it’s not just for the adults. Valentines day is popular with kids and we’re going to show you a quick teddy bear/angel design that they will love.
Here’s a quick face painting tutorial video on valentine designs by Silly Heather with her favorite model, Lia.

My Sweet Valentine – Teddy Bear Angel Design
My sweet valentine - face painting design

I hope you enjoyed the video! Check out her YouTube channel to see more of Silly Heathers face painting videos and don’t forget to subscribe!

Products used in the video are listed at the end and are available from Silly Farm Supplies.

Picture Perfect – Selling Your Canvas

I once had an argument with a fellow body painter about painting overweight models.  He felt overweight models ruined the image and that it was impossible to capture a great body painting on an over-sized canvas. I argued that art was subjective and that anything can be transformed into a work of art. That argument was sensitive to me because I have always been conscious of my body,  not that I want to be a body painting model, but I was bothered by the idea that the model makes the image.

Fast forward 6 years later. I am eating my words. I still don’t believe that body painting is only reserved for the super skinny, but I am a believer that a good model will ultimately sell your art for top value. I am still a little shaky and nervous when I body paint. The only thing that usually calms my nerves is when I paint a model I know. They set me at ease and let me be creative without being impatient or judgmental. Their attitude helps me be creative and that’s when I feel I produce my best work. I remember doing a job where the models were in a rush, they were antsy, and didn’t want paint on their faces. That was hands down one of my worst gigs, and the worst part was that several pics were taken that day so my name was attached to half ass work. Needless to say that didn’t help me garner new jobs.

Picture Perfect Group ShotNow on the flip side, when you have a model that is fun, patient, and can bring your art to life, that is a winning combination. I work with two models that always know how to bring out the best in my work. Many of you have witnessed little Lia grow through my youtube face painting videos and tutorials, her smile and charismatic personality makes my artwork that much better!  My other model of choice is Lia’s mom and my best friend for over 20 years, Glori. I have painted her 20 + times. She is a great model because she is photogenic, fun and her smile lights up the camera. A good body painting can take up to 8 hours and sometimes longer, so capturing a fantastic image is crucial.
Lia's RosesHeather painting Glori
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Picture Perfect KidsWhether you are creating a portfolio or need images for your website, don’t go for just any model. Go for the model that will sell your services with a bang! Choose a canvas that will make your artwork stand out and make it come alive. Finding a great model is like finding a needle in haystack, but it can be done. Otherwise you are doing yourself a disservice.

Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

 

Below I have embedded my YouTube channel for easy viewing. Hope you check out my face painting videos and subscribe! Enjoy!

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Face and Body Paint like a Pro for Free!

Rainbow cake designHave you ever been interested in face painting, body painting or airbrushing art?
Maybe you like to clown around and want to learn more balloon twisting?
Face and Body Art Television is an online learning website that caters to those interested in face painting, body art, clowning, balloon twisting, magic, makeup and more!

Below are some free class videos from the FabaTV Paint-A-Thon. On Dec 2nd, 2011 FabaTV invited 12 professional artists from all over the United States to film LIVE broadcasted classes for 12 hours straight throughout the day and night with hopes to reach a goal of $5,000 in donations for the Covenant House, a teen homeless shelter. With your help, FabaTV raised close to $4,000 and all of it went towards the Covenant House, to help at risk teens.

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Not a FabaTV Subscriber yet but thinking of taking a few face painting or body art classes? Already attended a class but unsure were to go from there? FabaTV gives you a break down of each product used in class videos and FabaTV’s extensive library of videos, from beginner face painting classes to more novice and advanced videos on specific designs and techniques and body painting, can start you off on the path to face painting like a pro, all while training on your own time and in the comfort of your own home!

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://fabatv.com/page/subscriptions” target=”” ]Subscribe to FabaTV![/button]

Over at Face and Body Art Television they have several of their LIVE Classes up and FREE to view!
Head on over and start your watch party now and get painting!

Free Classes from Paint-A-Thon

Pam Trent – Freddy Krueger
Watch Pam Trent transform our model with some face paint and special effects into everyone’s favorite nightmare.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/65

Margi Kanter – Nose Art
Create animated fun face painting with Margi Kanters Class on nose Art.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/66

James Changefield – Holiday Balloons
Take a twist with James Changefield as he shows you how to transform balloons into several holiday designs.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/75

Marcela Murad – Story Tellings
Get captivated with Mama Clown’s favorite stories and tips on keeping the audience entertained.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/74

Olivia Smalley – Hot Holiday Makeup
Get the skinny on the best looking holiday makeup with Olivia Smalley.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/73

Cliff Turner – Airbrush Tattoos
Creating quick airbrush tattoos with Cliff Turner.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/68

Jay Bautista – Holiday Ready
Face painting holiday designs class by Jay Bautista.
Class Link: http://fabatv.com/page/video/id/67

Business Building on a Budget

As the saying goes it takes money to make money and nothing could be more true. In order to create and grow a business you need funds to invest in business cards, licenses, a website and so on. But building and bettering your business doesn’t have to put you in the poor house. The Internet is an endless abyss of information, deals, and resources.

Budgeting your Business

Creating a professional image is important because it’s a reflection of your company. DIY ( do it yourself ) sites have pre set templates that let you plug and paste your logo, pictures, create a website without hiring a webmaster. The website hosting service Go Daddy has hundreds of templates that are easy and functional for even the least web savvy person.

My favorite find of the month is a website called Fiverr, where there are hundreds of people offering their services for $5. Many of the services are graphics related, so if you are looking for a new logo, pictures Photoshopped, or website help, you can hire someone for only $5!

Other great resources for creating business cards, and professional promotional materials is Vista Print. They offer free business cards and very inexpensive flyers, brochures and magnets. Remember you want to put your information in as many hands as possible, and vista print helps you do that without breaking your wallet.

So just when you get discourage about needing a new logo or needing funds to upgrade your image, just start googling and get your $5 ready. Your biggest investment should be your time you are using to research, write content, and improve your business.

Happy painting! -Silly Heather

Ending the Line on an Up Note!

One of the hardest parts about being a face painter is when I have to turn down excited customers that want to get painted. I have been called names, threatened by angry parents, and have had to ask police officers to escort me to my car.  All because I had to turn away a child after I finish my gig. When I first started face painting,  I would paint without watching the time. I was so concerned with pleasing all my customers that, if time escaped me I would stay later until I finished every person. I got busier and started getting back to back bookings so I had to start managing my time and ending the line better.

Line for face painting

When I book myself, it is in my contract that I can paint up to 20 kids per hour and if you do the math that translates to 3 minutes per child. I try to stick to this formula so I know how to pace myself. When I am painting at a birthday party I tell the birthday mom to book me 30 minutes after the party starts so that it gives the guests time to arrive and meet and greet. I try to explain nicely that I cannot stay longer if guests are late. Time is money.

My first attempt at ending my line was by asking the last person in line to tell anyone that came to get in line that the line was closed. Well that failed, because the last girl left and 20 more kids came running to the line. Then I started giving stickers to the kids in my line but they were giving their stickers away after I painted them if I forgot to take the sticker back. I bought an end of the line vest and while I loved it and it seemed to work. One kid walked home with it.

So my newest and most successful way to end the line is, I take a color hard to find like cranberry or metallic purple and I start at the back of the line and write numbers starting with the number 1 and make my way to the front.  This has been my life saver and has worked well for the past 2 years. Metallic purple is a hard color to copy and parents  don’t have a readily available metallic purple pen or marker to draw on their kids hands to sneak in my line. As I am moving my way down the number line I make sure to announce that only children with numbers on their hands have time to be painted.

When parents come and ask for a number I say I’m sorry the line is closed.  They tend to get upset and sometimes insist on making me feel bad, but I know that if they weren’t in line when I ended the line, then they haven’t been waiting too long and I have to close the line at some point. Getting tough and learning to say no was hard for me, but losing time and money is even tougher.

Happy Painting! -Silly Heather

Spotlight Artist: Thinking outside the Box

One of the best parts of my career (notice I used the word career because I LOVE what I do, and have built a life from it), is that I get to travel the world and meet so many amazingly talented people. About 5-6 years ago I met Magic McDreamy. For those of you that watch Greys Anatomy you understand the term McDreamy.

Michael Dardant

Michael Dardant aka “Magic McDreamy  Mike” graced the FABAIC and was unafraid to be a body painting model.  I vividly remember someone painting him in doctor scrubs. From that moment I could never forget such a guy. I am a self proclaimed super shy person, and I would describe Mike as the antithesis of me. He loves to entertain, he loves to draw in the crowds and he is one of the best magicians I have ever met.

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I just received an article on Mike and I wanted to share some of the pics and shine a spotlight on him because he can be an inspiration for us all. Michael Dardant started off as a Magician, and because of his drive and determination he took his passion for mesmerizing people to a new level.

Michael Dardant Michael just finished hosting the Sugar Bowl BCS Pre game rally in addition to touring the world with his cabaret show. Thinking outside of the box and his willingness to try new things, has paid off generously. Mike  continues to grow as an artist and he refuses to let the economy slow him down.

Mike resides in New Orleans, LA, which was devastated after Hurricane Katrina. Michael used his Cajun charm to tap into other areas of the market and explore more than magic. Michael also stars in the pilot series, Below Sea Level, a comedy about New Orleans five months after Hurricane Katrina.

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Let McDreamy serve as an inspiration to you. Try something new, add a new service to your resume, network, and set your sights HIGH. You never know where this magical world of art might take you.

Take a look at Michael’s website.

Free Valentines Variations Class on FabaTV LIVE!

Join us and FabaTV on January 18th starting at 8:00 PM EST for this upcoming FabaTV LIVE class Valentine Variations. In this free class, Christina Davison will teach you some really cool and all-age friendly designs, just in time for valentines!

Christina will show you some very easy to follow designs, that you can complete in little time but still have that wow effect on your guests when they look in the mirror.

Christina will demonstrate and take you step by step in creating a flirty and festive eye bling , the perfect cupid heart mask and much more. This class welcomes all levels to gather ideas and practice just in time for everyone’s favorite love holiday.

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://fabatv.com/page/live” target=”” ]Take me to FabaTV LIVE[/button]

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Are you a FabaTV subscriber yet? Get monthly or year-long access to FabaTV’s entire library of classes on; face and body art, magic, makeup and so much more! Take classes from the comfort of your own home with international artists such as Lynne Jamieson and Nicholas ‘Nix’ Herrera!

Still on the fence? Subscribe to FabaTV Annual and receive a free face painting kit valued at $60 from Silly Farm!

[button type=”button_solid_dark nocufon” url=”http://fabatv.com/page/subscriptions” target=”” ]View Subscription Plans[/button]

Check out some previews of FabaTV Classes for this month of January.