Spotlight: Alex Hansen – Bones & Muscle Structure

Alex Hansen is an accomplished artist for body painting, airbrush and special effects. He has competed numerous times winning multiple awards all over, and has done special effects work in movies, such as 300 and Death Race. We’re excited to announce that FABAtv is bringing him to South Florida for a FREE LIVE class! That’s right. FREE.

Each month FABAtv hosts an entirely free, live class on face painting, body art, magic, balloons and more! Tune in April 15th at 8PM EST to watch Alex Hansen and his class on Bones & Muscle Structure in body art.

We were able to catch Alex away from his busy life to share some details about himself and his journey as an artist.

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

AH: Well, I’m originally from Brazil now living in Montreal Canada
Was raised my whole life in Canada, I have been an artist since the day I was born

Q: Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?

AH: Yes my other full time job is my Family Life!! My two daughters and my Queen, Lymari Millot

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

AH: Well Pretty much everything.. but my forte is airbrushing and special effects

Q: How did you get your start(in face and body art)?

AH: I started off in the night clubs scene in Montreal and then moved on to working my own concepts and body artwork…. and then went into teaching and competing

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

AH: Being Creative and also being an inspiration to other artists, teaching and learning new art forms and other stuff

Q: Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?

AH: Yes I do.. I try to be as many events as possible. I might be cutting down alot on my travels pretty soon… I believe that the world needs a break from me and me from the world…

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

AH: Well art is my life…. being a great family man is what I love the most, besides that what else is there?

Q: Outside of art, what do you do for fun?

AH: I love going to movies, playing soccer, sculpting, and dancing with Lyrian my daughter

Q: Do you have any pet peeves?

AH: Well I have three…. Stupidity, tardiness and egos!

Q: Where do you see yourself in a couple years?

AH: well for sure a lot less traveling and starting out something I always wanted to do… Develop my own art school / studio

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

AH: I have way to many!!! Stencils and many other ideas… a book on the art of body painting which is a big dream of mine, I have had it since I started out in bodypainting

Q: What do you think of FABAtv?

AH: Well I think it is a great idea…. but I also believe you can never get the same effect with a teacher in person!!

As great as FABAtv is, Alex is right. You can’t beat a LIVE instructor! So be sure to tune in for his LIVE class Bones & Muscle Structure, and get a chance to ask him your questions LIVE!

Well, now you know a bit more about this talented artist. His services include and are available for editorials, television/film/video productions, photo shoots, trade shows, workshops, fashion shows, special occasions, promotions, events, and live performances.

If you want to reach Alex, he is available by email or facebook.
Email alexhansenart@gmail.com
Like him at Facebook.com/AlexHansenArt

Posted on March 11, 2013
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Splotlight Artist: Miss Sparkles

FABAtv is an online resource for learning face and body art wher you can take online classes by international artists without ever leaving your sofa. By now you’ve probably heard that the next FREE live class from FABAtv is going to be featuring Miss Sparkles Smith and her balloon buddies. You can catch this free class on March 14th, 2013 starting at 8:00pm EST over on FABAtv LIVE!

Following our format with our Spotlight Artist of the month, this month’s interview is with none other than Miss Sparkles Smith!
Let’s get started.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?

C: My name is Corinne Smith and I live in Michigan. I grew up in the small resort town of Houghton Lake. Currently, I live in the small town of Dryden with my husband and our two sons. Dryden is about an hour north of Detroit. I grew up in an artistic home. Both my parents are very creative. I remember my Mother taking painting classes. She would paint on both canvas and china. My father enjoys sculpting, and even today, at the age of 86, his favorite medium is snow! As I look back, it amazes me at where life’s path has taken me. I am a painter like my Mother, but my canvas is the face/body! I am a sculptor like my Father, but my medium is latex balloons! 😀 Pretty cool, if you ask me!

Q: Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?

C: Besides the full-time job of being a Wife and Mother, I am also the owner of Fun With Sparkles, LLC. This is a Family Entertainment business that I began in 2006.

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

C: I have interest in many different types of Art and Entertainment! Currently, I offer Face Painting & Pre-natal Paintings. I am also a balloon artist, I apply glitter tattoos, and I enjoy performing Silly Magic and Balloon Shows. I would love to learn the art of Bubbles next! 😀

Q: How did you get your start in face and body art?

C: Back in 2004, I took my young son to a near-by event where there was a fantastic Face Painter there. (Who I later learned was June VanPoppelen.) My 3 yr old and I stood in line to get his face painted. I had NEVER seen Face Painting like this before! A new world of art was being opened to me! When I returned home, I immediately got onto the computer and started searching for professional face paints and how to’s. In that year, there wasn’t YouTube Tutorials, Facebook, etc…so proper instruction was not as wide spread as it is today. After I received my face paints, I began having fun with family and friends. Later, I was asked to paint at my sister-in-laws’ church function. Everyone really enjoyed the paintings, and I absolutely LOVED the joy on their faces when I showed them the mirror! I was hooked!!!

Clowning began after I needed to come up with a costume for Halloween that was kid friendly! I have always enjoyed dressing up for Halloween. A nice, green witch was always my favorite choice, but since I had young sons, I wanted to become something more friendly. So, becoming a Clown was what came to mind! I remember my Dad dressing up in Clown to walk in Parades and just to bring joy to people. But…I didn’t want to be an ordinary clown who wears a jumpsuit and big shoes. I wanted to be a CUTE clown! So, I searched online and found an outfit that a lady had sewn and was selling on EBay. It was adorable! The price was a bit high, and so my husband said; “We are not spending that much money on a Halloween costume.” But, I was trying to tell him that I feel like it will be more than that….I couldn’t explain it, but I had this crazy urge to become a CLOWN!?? So, I went ahead and ordered it to my size, found some excellent Pink Sparkly Platform shoes, a terrifically pink nose and a wig that I found at www.SillyFarm.com! My Dad’s Clown name was Sparkie, so that was my inspiration for my Clown name. Sparkles was born! 😀

Balloons were next on my agenda! I went to the local library and checked out some books. Learning to twist for the first time from a book was a little tricky and I was wishing that I could learn from a real human being! So, again, I turned to GOOGLE and I found out that Michigan had a TWISTERS GROUP! I couldn’t believe it! So, I went to one of their Jam sessions and the friendly people there, helped get me plugged in to where I could take classes and such!

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

C: The absolute, most enjoyable part of what I do is bringing joy to others, making them feel special, and creating Fun Memories for them! Another enjoyable part is being able to share it with my family! I have clowned with not only my Dad, but my son became interested in clowning and balloon twisting at the age of 9! We kept his Clown name in the family and named him SPARKS! Sparkles and Sparks the Clowns have entertained together at a New Year’s Eve event at a large Hotel in Sterling Heights, MI for the past 3 years in a row! My stepson has dressed as the Easter Bunny at events, my husband has played Santa, and one of my sisters has even helped with Glitter Tattoos! Fun Times!

Q: Do you attend any conventions?

C: I have always wanted to go to a large convention like FABAIC, but with having a young family, and living very far away from the locations of these conventions, it just never worked out. However, I have attended other local conventions that have been hosted in Michigan or Ohio. The first one was in Ohio, and my Dad offered to travel with me! It was a fun time together! Perhaps one day I will make it to FABAIC!

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

C: The more families that I can bring joy and happiness to – is what I’d like to do more of.

Q: Outside of art, what do you do for fun?

C: I enjoy spending time with my family, photography, singing, scrapbooking, and relaxing at home.

Q: Do you have any pet peeves?

C: One of my biggest pet peeves is when I cannot find something that I am looking for. It is especially annoying when I am trying to collect my things to take to a job! Lol

Q: Where do you see yourself in a couple years?

C: I see myself and Fun With Sparkles, LLC only growing in the next couple years! Currently, I have nine, eager people whom I am training to do what I do – in order to meet the demand. I already have been asked to teach classes on FABAtv and the Midwest Clown Convention this fall. Who knows what the future holds for me, but I am excited to see! 😀

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

C: Since 2011 – 2012, Fun With Sparkles, LLC business has doubled, so I am currently training up other artists to be able to expand our services. Last year, I had to turn away many customers because I was booked and could not fit them in. Now, I am becoming prepared to send out other artists that I have trained! I have a great bunch of people working with me, from age 11 and up! It is a blessing to see the excitement of the kids, teens, and adults embrace the art of bringing joy to others! I am also looking into producing some PDF file type instructions to share with the Balloon Community. I have subbed for other artists at Restaurants for the past 4 years. I would really like to gain my own Restaurant that I could entertain at on a regular basis. This is a goal of mine in 2013.

Q: What do you think of FABAtv?

C: I think FABAtv is the best ever! Especially, since I have not been able to attend a Large Convention! I can watch the classes whenever I want and as many times as I want. Even attending the conventions I have been to, my memory starts to fail me, and my notes become unclear as time passes. With FABAtv, the class is always there to watch over and over! It has really helped me become a better artist, plus the LIVE classes are a fun way to join together with other artists around the world while you learn!

You can contact Miss Sparkles online via her Facebook/funwithsparkles or on Twitter/funwithsparkles as well.
You may alternatively email her at Sparkles@FunWithSparkles.com.

Posted on January 9, 2013
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Double Spotlight: Léa Selley & Wiser

As some of you are aware by now, the next free & LIVE class by FABAtv.com is on January 15th, 2013 with face & body artist Léa Selley! Léa will be teaching graffiti eye makeup for her live class, as well as filming several more studio classes for future release.

Joining Léa on her trip and to film some classes in studio himself is none other than the talented graffiti artist turned body painter, Wiser Oner!

Knowing full well that thousands of painters will be absorbing everything they wrote, Léa and Wiser were both excited to answer our questions and share their lives with the face & body artists that come to the FABA Blog. Continue reading below for the double spotlight interview.

Léa’s answers are on the left.

Wiser’s answers are on the right.

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

(Léa) Grew up on a unique landscape in Richmond, BC on a small farm close to a fishing village where the mighty Fraser River meets the Pacific Ocean. I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow and learn to develop a close relationship with the natural world. I grew up in a very artistic environment speaking both English and French, endless music lessons ongoing in the house and long days of drawing.

(Wiser) Originally from Denver, Colorado! Now residing in Calgary, Alberta in Canada!

Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?

(Léa)I have been working as an artist full time since 2011. Before that I successfully ran my own website development company since 2002. It has been very rewarding to flip the focus from working for clients and telling the whole internet world how great and exciting their products were, and shine the light on my artwork and my passion. I find being self employed as an artist or a web developer has been the same road in terms of running a business, however, it has been SO much more rewarding since following my passion and creating artwork for a living!

(Wiser) Ive been a full time freelance artist since 2006 when I co-founded a Denver based custom graffiti art company called Your Name In Graffiti™. I painted everything from giant walls to sneakers, t-shirts, hats, and basically anything I could stick paint to. I had been doing graffiti since I was 15 and was one of the lucky few in my city ambitious enough to be able to progress into doing it professionally.

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

(Léa)After some unique experience working as a carnie for a couple of years, where I would sometimes face paint over a hundred people a day, I discovered some magical secrets to get kids to sit still and surrender to the face painting experience. This ‘magic’ talent makes parents gasp and grab their cameras in the lineup, because for many it seems like it is the first time they have seen their kids sit still with their eyes closed and a smile on their little lips… calm, still little angel faces, turned up towards me. I can feel the moment when I capture and calm the rambunctious, sugar rushed, or hyper-sensitive children with my painting spell, and that is the moment I know it is on. They are guaranteed to walk away with one of my best pieces of artwork, securing them much love, attention and eye contact all day long.

(Wiser) When I first started instructing I was mainly specializing in Graffiti wildstyle lettering and speed painting (for success at events like Sturgis and Fantasy Fest), but over the last few years I’ve fallen in love with fine art style painting and outside teaching I have found myself doing lots of conceptual fine art pieces meant for photography. But I always throw a graffiti flava into everything I do!! More recently I have also been creating some face painting designs too which is so fun!

How did you get your start(in face and body art)?

(Léa)I bought a kit of snazaroo face paint from ebay because I thought it would be fun to paint the kids for my daughters B-Day party since she was born on Halloween. When parents started picking up their kids from the party to go trick or treating people were straight up flipping out! On the long walk that night I was told over and over I should start a business and offer face painting. In my experience people don’t just flip out for no reason, so I took at good look at the road sign on my path and decided the next day that I would be The Tattooed Lady – Face Painter!

(Wiser) After a chance meeting at a street fair in Denver (he had a face painting booth a few spaces down from my graffiti hat booth) I made friends with a man we all know and love, Mark Reid. He thought my graffiti was killer and he invited me to a Body Art Ball event to see him paint! After that I knew I had to try it! I had painted graffiti on many things but never a person, and to me it felt like a match made in heaven! Mark told me what kind of paint and brushes to get. I bought my first kit and never looked back!! I loved it so much I did it for FUN!! Still do…

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

(Léa)Being able to ‘break the rules’, and with a little makeup I help other people feel like they are breaking the rules too! It really is amazing how many people live within the invisible confines and norms of society – it is way more fun to be able to put away the Maybelline and pull out the face paint and shock some folks! I have never ‘won’ anything, but every time I put my artwork out there, I am the crowd favorite, and there is nothing like a standing ovation! I really enjoy surprising people with what I can paint in a short amount of time on such a little canvas. I know that each time I paint a masterpiece on someone’s face, they are going to get epic amounts of attention and eye contact that day, which is just what the Dr. ordered for many people who need that special boost!

(Wiser) Connecting, sharing, and interacting with so many creative souls all over the world are some of the most rewarding things about my experience as an artist. I am very blessed to meet so many amazing friends!

Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?

(Léa)I have not attended FABAIC…yet, but I have been to the Canadian face and body art convention ‘Bodyssey‘ and the infamous NABPC and FPBA when they were in Las Vegas. Attending classes, watching other artists paint and making new friends and contacts in the industry has been an invaluable learning experience. Education is always a great idea!

(Wiser) My very first convention as well as my very first time instructing was at FABAIC in 2009!! It was a life changing proving ground which led me to instructing at conventions and workshops all over the globe! I love La Fete in New Orleans too! I love juggling fire with Magic Mike and hitting up Bourbon St. with Craig Tracy, but FABAIC remains my favorite because nothing can compare to the creative energy that gets flowing when a few hundred creative minds are slingin paint and having a good time at one of the jams! It’s a very inspiring!

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

(Léa)I would like to travel more, and I think I am on a constant quest for it. I majored in geography in university and worked as a Cartographer for a number of years. Making maps and studying people patterns on the landscape, although intellectually thrilling, I felt limited in my life experience. Working behind a computer, making maps and analyzing demographic data didn’t allow for the wild card that I’ve always really wanted of experiencing all these different places in the world! Switching focus to web development left me with the same feeling. I was just making a different kind of map, and still making it for other people. I’ve now decided I am going to make own map and use it! I am ready, and off to find an adventure with a healthy level of certainty that face painting will be pivotal part of my story!

(Wiser) I really would like to learn more about and mess around with molding and casting prosthetic pieces! After seeing what amazing thing are possible from artists like Yolanda Bartram of Body FX and Alex Hansen I am left intrigued and very curious in this realm of body art.

Outside of art, what do you do for fun?

(Léa)For fun I like to hang out with my daughters. They are growing up fast and they keep me young!

(Wiser) Going to the movies has always been one of my favorite things to do! I’m also always down for a good hip hop show!

Do you have any pet peeves?

(Léa)Yes. popping bubble wrap… ahhh! I actually have to take a deep breath when thinking about it lol! It drives me totally crazy. It never lasts long because eventually they will run out of bubbles to pop… but I usually end up leaving the room before that happens!
(Editor’s note: My stress reliever is popping bubble wrap. We’re on opposite ends of the spectrum here. *hides bubble wrap*)

(Wiser) My apartment complex doesn’t allow pets! 😉

Where do you see yourself in a couple years?

(Léa)Right here – on the internet, sharing, teaching, learning, traveling, painting, inspiring, loving, laughing…

(Wiser) Definitely still learning, progressing and creating! I consider myself a lifelong student and feel like I’m never done learning. Being an expert at one thing doesn’t matter when you’re an amateur at another, so I’m always looking for ways to expand my knowledge and creativity!

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

(Léa)Yes, Absolutely! I just started a YouTube channel(TheTattooedLadyCA) with fast, upbeat tutorials to help inspire your face painting routine! It is my time to give back and honor the teachers that mentored me, and I want to share the techniques that I have learned on my entertainment path. I also want to connect with my country as a whole and I just started releasing content in Canada’s other official language, French! I have found in my regular face painting job that loads of kids speak French out here in Calgary, and it is so important for kids to be able to interact in everyday life using both languages as their skills are developing. So I find myself intrigued to integrate more French language content into my projects, and see what direction that takes me in!

(Wiser) Very exited to be making my first ever workshop tour in Australia and New Zealand! I’m looking forward to that A LOT! And also conceptualizing some new pieces to paint at Gallery ML in early April 2013. It’s one of my favorite places to paint!!

What do you think of FABAtv?

(Léa)I think it is great! The live component gives all us skin painters a chance to get together and hang out and interact and learn together as a community for free! I bought a membership pretty much as soon as FABAtv was launched. The taped show are great for ideas and nothing compares to watching someone who knows what they are doing! If a picture is worth a thousand words then videos are priceless when it comes to evaluating them as an educational material. I also use FABAtv as company sometimes. Many of the teachers on the show I consider friends. I have painted alongside them at conventions, competitions, and I have worked with others professionally.

(Wiser) Love it! Its definitely where you can learn from all the best in the face and body industry! Essential!

Art by Léa in this column.

Art by Wiser in this column.

Contact Léa

On the Web: www.TheTattooedLady.ca
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTattooedLadyCA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTattooedLadyCanada
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TattooedLadyCA
Email: Lea@thetattooedlady.ca

Contact Wiser

Posted on October 1, 2012
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Spotlight Artist: John Place

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

Hi, my name is John Place I recently turned 26 years old….. and EVEN MORE recently turned 35. I am from Sunrise, Florida. I was born and raised in South Florida, which is rare, because most people from South Florida move north and vise versa. I have 3 children, 2 boys and a girl.

Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?

I don’t know if I consider myself an “Artist”, I have many jobs. I am the Producer of FABAtv, I do all of the shooting and editing, and I have a few other business that I do also. Zombie Ice & Zombie Dogz are two food trucks I own that specialize in shaved ice and gourmet hot dogs. Green Box Studios is my video production company. We create corporate and web based videos for companies all over the world. I also do graphic design and printing of flyers, brochures, business cards etc. I guess I really am an artist in many forms.

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

I LOVE gore and special FX makeup, prosthetics and body paint.

How did you get your start (in face and body art)?

Ok, ready? Here we go. Balloon Artist James Changefield introduced me to Heather Banks-(Green now) a few years ago. I did my first Face Paint DVD video project for her and it took FOREVER, like 19 hours of shooting and 60 hours of editing, from that moment I NEVER wanted to do another face paint again. About a year later Heather came to me again with an idea to do 1 hour online face and body art class videos and to do 5 per month. At first I was not really too excited, how could we do that if it was going to take 80 hours of production per class? After many meetings and lots of trial and error I figured out how to do it in less then half the time.. so in March of 2011 we launched FABAtv.com. Lets go back in time for a second to little John Place in kindergarden….. I hated to color, I actually got put into pre-first because of my hate of art and coloring. That trait stayed with me throughout my adult life. Back to the present. Like the Ninja Turtles to Master Splinter, after watching countless hours, shooting, editing, watching again, I started to learn from the Masters of face and body painting. My first real interest in this art was when I shot the class for Nix Herrera’s lingerie class. After watching him, I thought, “WOW, I think I can do that”. So after spending lots of money on supplies, brushes, compressor, paints, etc, I painted my girlfriend and I was surprisingly pleased with the outcome. I posted the photos on Facebook and people were giving me great responses. I was hooked. Next was Brady Neher, Mark Reid, Wiser, just to name a few… It wasn’t until I did a class with FX and gore artist Pam Trent that I knew where my niche would be. There is something about the raw emotion that people have when they see realistic gore FX makeup out in the public. I have been posting photos of my work on my Facebook wall and have been getting responses from people around around the
world.

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

WOW.. that’s a hard one. I guess meeting people from all over the world and seeing their excitement when they talk about their art. OH and the fact that my studio is at Silly Farm Supplies, there are 24 women, me and one other guy in the office. It’s awesome, except for one week a month, I don’t even come into the office… lol This will probably get edited out. (Editors Note: Nope!) I also enjoy grossing people out, I don’t really like doing gore or FX when it’s close to Halloween. I like it in May, when people don’t expect to see someones eye or face busted open. It’s Awesome.

Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?

Well, I kind of attend. I am usually very busy shooting FABAtv Videos at that time. We have the best of the best in town, so we try to shoot as many people as possible. It’s long days for me in the studio during the FABAIC.

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

I would like to travel more. I never get out. If anyone would want to invite me to Vacation/Holiday you can reach me at silly farm ;).

Outside of art, what do you do for fun?

For fun?…. I work 24/7. I LOVE going to the movies.

Do you have any pet peeves?

No, But I have a pet Chihuahua. His name is Taco. (Editors Note: I thought you gave Taco away cause he kept chewing your computer cords?)

Where do you see yourself in a couple years?

Traveling the world teaching gore and FX would be cool, but even more, retired and sipping on cold non-alcoholic drinks by the pool.

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

Just launching my new Zombie Ice food truck. It’s a lot of work.

What do you think of FABAtv?
FABAtv???… I am a true testament that FABAtv WORKS!!

Remember to tune in to FABAtv LIVE on October 16th at 8:00pm EDT for a free live class by John Place on Special Effects!

Posted on September 7, 2012
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Spotlight Artist – Dutch Bihary

The month of September brings a new Spotlight Artist, Dutch Bihary! Dutch will be answering a few questions of ours and is in the middle of getting ready for his FABAtv debut with his free LIVE class next week on September 13th, starting at 8:00 pm EST.

Let’s get to the interview now; Tell us a little about yourself Dutch, where are you from?
I was born and raised and still live in Washington state. From as early as junior high I liked the idea of a career being a teacher. I have always been naturally artistic but found it hard to make a career with my abilities early on. I did have a chance to refine my skills right out of high school from a year I spent illustrating comic books.

Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?
I’m a full time face and body artist and I also do special effects make up for video and films. Currently I’m also the artistic director for a multi-attraction haunt.

What type of face and body art do you specialize in?
I specialize in illustrative cheek and mural style body art with brush and sponge, as well as 3d transformations.

How did you get your start in face & body art?
I painted my first face in October of 2005 and started our business the following year. My wife volunteered me to fill in temporarily for a face painter that quit last minute at a local pumpkin patch. I was hooked after the first day.

What’s the most enjoyable part of what you do?
The most enjoyable part of what I do is free creating requests out of my head. No display, just an off the wall idea and a spark of inspiration.

Outside of art, what do you do for fun?
When not working, I enjoy exercising, watching movies, comic books, and cooking. I also enjoy vacation time with my wife and kids, and riding my motorcycle I also love sailing, snowboarding, and camping.

Do you have any pet peeves?
My pet peeves are “oh, I don’t care, just paint anything” followed by “oh, that’s not exactly what I expected”.

Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?
I regularly attend FPBA Vegas as well as living canvas. I’m looking forward to FABAIC in 2013.

Where do you see yourself in a couple years?
I hope to make a long happy career teaching workshops, painting faces and bodies, along with doing make up and special effects for film.

What would you like to do more of, art or otherwise?
I do enjoy and would like to have more involvement with the haunt industry in the future.

What do you think of FABAtv?
FABA tv is a fantastic tool for those who need their instructions reiterated til they get it! Most people don’t understand how to implement new techniques and skill sets until they have practiced them to a point where they are comfortable integrating them into their personal bag of tricks. FABA tv is a way to do this in the comfort of your own home without the stress of performing!

Contact Ductch

You can visit his website at www.contoursfx.com, or contact him by email at online@contoursfx.com.

Find him on FaceBook at facebook.com/likecontoursfx
Tweet to him on Twitter at twitter.com/ContoursFX

Posted on July 8, 2012
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Spotlight – Rainbow Cake Winner

[button type=”button_solid_light nocufon” url=”http://www.sillyfarm.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=5296&parent=367″ target=”on” ]Get the Dragonfly Rainbow Cake[/button]

A month ago we launched a contest called the Rainbow Cake Creation Contest, brought to you by the Faba Blog and Silly Farm Supplies. We want to thank everyone for their amazing entries, we finally narrowed the choices down and the winner of a custom rainbow cake and a $25 gift certificate to Silly Farm Supplies is… Kristen Zamora with her rainbow cake design, Dragonfly! Congratulations!

Keep reading for our interview with Kristen and her face painting company, KarzPaintz.

Interview with Kristen Zamora

Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from?
My name is Kristen Zamora and I have been face painting off and on for about four years. I started face painting when I lived in Fort Lauderdale Florida for “Happy and Grumpy the Clowns”. It’s there that I learned that I enjoyed face painting, but after moving back to my home town, Paw Paw, Michigan, I learned face painting was my passion.

Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?
I never thought I would be starting my own face painting business. When I moved back to Michigan I soon had my son Alex and at that time I wasn’t even thinking of face painting. It was almost three years before I picked up a brush again professionally (not volunteering in the community) and painted another face. I started my business KarzPaintz in January 2012. We do face painting, glitter tattoos, I am a professional clown, and we are also starting a new endeavor into balloon animals. Face painting is what I want to do full-time but for the time being I work part-time at a bank with some really awesome and supportive co-workers. I couldn’t do this without the loving support of my awesome and handsome husband Raul.

What do you enjoy most from what you do?
My favorite part of face painting are definitely the kids. They are so funny! I love it , as soon as I hand them the mirror they have a grin from ear to ear. They usually thank me, but I always thank them for being my awesome little models and letting me take the time to paint them. I’ve learned how to paint with them talking because I am always asking them 1,000 questions. I like to get to know the kids because I appreciate what they do for me. They are the foundation of my business and they make me feel confident in what I can do as well. Not to mention they’re stinking hilarious!

Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?
Ugh convention, I missed it this year but I need to go next year! Since they are having it in Fort Lauderdale again I can take some time to also spend with the family and friends that I have down there. It made me really sad that we couldn’t afford to go, but I can’t wait to go 2013, I won’t miss it!

Have you watched any FABAtv?
Since I missed the FABAIC, I subscribed to FABAtv, and I absolutely LOVE IT. I have learned so many things from all the amazing artists. FABAtv allows people like me to have a mentor teaching me and be “self taught” but it’s like having a mentor when I cannot have one locally. The business advice in the blogs help to guide my business, especially for someone who is honestly just “winging it” sometimes. This is an amazing resource and has proven to be invaluable to the expansion of by business. Thank you FABAtv. The most helpful part of the blog to me is the “on the job” experience examples and how to come through a difficult situation in a composed and professional manner. This is a big help to me personally because I do work out of my home at the moment.

Anything else you would like to mention?
Having the opportunity to create a rainbow cake is a memorable experience and I can’t wait to start using my creation. Thank you for allowing us to share our creativity. I can’t wait for more opportunities to participate in other contest. If there are any opportunities in Michigan let me know!

You can check out Kirsten’s work and her company information, KarzPaintz, below.

Find KarzPaintz on Facebook!
Find KarzPaintz on Twitter!
The KarzPaintz website, www.karzpaintz.com, will be up soon!
Contact KarzPaintz by Email.
Prefer to call? Contact KarzPaintz by phone: (269) 501-1451

Posted on July 2, 2012
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Spotlight Artist – Lisa Marshall

Our latest Spotlight Artist, Lisa Marshall, is doing a free FABAtv LIVE class on Thursday, July 12th, 2012 starting at 8:00pm EST. Don’t miss it! Click the banner for more info!

Spotlight Artist Lisa Marshall

Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from?
Comox B.C., Canada

Are you an artist full time or do you have another job?
Part-Time Artist and a Full time Mom

What type of face and body art do you specialize in?
Lace/Gems/3D

How did you get your start(in face and body art)?
I bought a Paradise Prisma Pro Palette and just started practicing everyday until I was confident to paint others. I have been a painter for many years, but decided to try a new medium and dove right into the Face & Body Art world.

What’s the most enjoyable part of what you do?
I love to explore new ideas and teach what I learn to fellow painters. I hope to inspire them, as they have for me. I also like to watch the faces of people around me as I create a design…and when I hand them the mirror!!! Whether its a scary or pretty design, I love to hear them say “WOW!”

Do you attend any conventions, like the FABAIC?
I have attended the 2012 Face and Body Art International Convention and hope to be back next year!

What would you like to do more of, art or otherwise?
I would love to learn how to create prosthetics, plus do more full body painting and professional make-up.

Outside of art, what do you do for fun?
I love the beach, bike riding and live music!

Do you have any pet peeves?
When I’m practicing and my cat comes along and tries to chew the end of my brush…haha.

Where do you see yourself in a couple years?
The sky is the limit, and I would love to travel and teach.

Do you have any projects going on or in the works?
I always have SOMETHING in the works… 😉 I do a lot of sketching, painting, and I am trying to develop some new product ideas.

What do you think of FABAtv?
The first time I tuned into FABATV, I couldn’t believe my eyes, there were so many classes and I didn’t know what to watch first!!! It only made me want to paint MORE! It’s fantastic that there are skilled painters offering to teach you their tricks, because when you are new to the industry, it’s nice to have a place to go and look up new ideas, techniques, and designs to help you expand your skill set!

Want to contact Lisa or see more examples of her work?
You can visit Lisa’s website at http://silvercordcreations.webs.com

Like her page or contact her through Silver Cord Creations on Facebook.
Email her at silvercordcreations@hotmail.com

Don’t forget to tune in July 12th at 8:00 pm EST for a free LIVE class on FABAtv.com with Lisa Marshall!

Posted on May 4, 2012
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Spotlight Artist – Andrea O’Donnell

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Posted on March 30, 2012
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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 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.

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.