How to: Carnival Face Paint

Many children enjoy having their faces painted.

Face painting is an appropriate activity for many festivals and parties as well as carnivals. A face painting booth at such an event can also be good for fundraising purposes. However, painting faces can be challenging for many reasons. Face painting is often done on children, who may wiggle during the process and can be impatient. Proper preparation before the event is the best way to ensure that both you and your clients have an enjoyable experience.

Things You'll Need

• Chairs
• Table
• Poster board
• Face paints
• Soft brushes
• Makeup sponges
• Water
• Disposable cups
• Plates
• Paper towels
• Mirror

Instructions

1. Prepare a sheet of poster board before the event depicting all of the designs that you are willing to paint. This is especially important if you are not prepared to handle unusual designs or requests. Designs like hearts, stars, balloons and flowers are all very simple designs that use simple shapes. Even if you are used to painting and can paint unusual requests, it is a good idea to have pictures of what you can paint, as this will help an indecisive child.

2. Set up your table with two chairs facing each other, one for you and one for your client. Have all of your tools within easy reach.

3. Pour some water into a disposable cup and pour a small amount of each of your paints on the plate. This will help prevent your paints from becoming muddy from sticking your brush directly into the bottle. While only five colors are really necessary - black, white, red, blue, and yellow - having more colors means that you will need to spend less time mixing paint. Speed is important in face painting. If you are planning on using large designs, such as full face painting, sponges help the process go faster.

4. Dip your sponge or brush into the paint and begin to paint the desired design. Work from the middle of the design outwards, leaving details for the end. If you make a mistake, use a corner of a paper towel dipped in water to gently wipe away the paint. Wash your brush in water and dry with a paper towel when changing colors.

5. Remind your client to not touch the paint for a little while once you have finished. Allow the client to look at their design in your mirror before moving on to the next client.

Tips & Warnings

• If your client is fidgety or wiggles, try touching their face gently under the chin with your opposite hand; this often helps a client remember to stay still. This can also help you if you find that your hands are a little unsteady.

References

• Easy Face Painting: Where To Find Simple Face Painting Designs
• Face Painting Designs: Starting Out