7 Mistakes to Avoid When Having a Face Painter at Your Event

Today I followed up on a client whose assistant had us scheduled for balloons and face painting at a First Birthday Party. We were recommended by the owner of a large farm that hosts special events, including hayrides, petting zoo, pony riding and more. The event was to be “top notch” “nothing but the best” for her family and friends. Catered food was to be provided and the assistant was even looking for a guitar player who could entertain the crowd with music… Farmer in the Dell, Old McDonald, and other farm-related ditties.

But instead of paying the deposit and moving on to planning other details like parking, beverages and table coverings, the MOM chose NOT TO BOOK, since she had a “friend” who was going to provide the face painting.

In these circumstances, I try not to be a ‘Debbie Downer,’ pointing out insurance, safety/hygiene concerns and the need to inspect her products to make sure they did not come from the children’s art closet. I don’t really want to explain that craft glitter is made out of metal or glass, and can scratch a cornea (yes, you CAN put your eye out!!!), that only polyester COSMETIC glitter should be used. Insurance and certifications for face painters are designed to protect the host as well as the guests.

No, I just wish them well, hope it works out for everyone and touch base with the next client on my to-do list.

But, in case you are interested in adding to the fun of your summer parties with a face painter, I thought I might share the Seven Mistakes to Avoid, when having face painting at your special event.

1. Hiring your babysitter, neighbor, niece (who is good at art), to entertain your large crowd of 40-50 guests. That is like trusting Uncle Fred to take your beloved wedding photos, since he is “good with a camera.” It might just be face painting, but after all, it is children’s skin that we are talking about, and the level of professional expertise that can be found at a reasonable price across the country is pretty high these days!
2. Doing the face painting yourself while hosting the party; how hard could it be? Have you ever had to serve food, hang up coats, manage a piñata installation, make sure the music is appropriate for all ages, and keep your house clean and tidy all at the same time? Oh, and don’t forget a couple of those overstimulated children who had too much sugar and need a ton of attention to avoid a mid-party meltdown are probably YOURS! Hire the help.
3. Buying your makeup for said non-professional at the local hobby store, Party City or Dollar Tree. Worse… and dangerous besides, is using craft supplies or washable markers. Just because a product is “Non-Toxic” does not mean it is safe for skin. Elmer’s Glue is non-toxic, but you don’t want that smeared all over your face, do you? Acrylic paints can be severely harmful to the skin, and cause burn-like reactions. Craft Glitter is an ABSOLUTE no-no for use on the skin. Although it might be non-toxic, which means you can eat it… but who would want to?
4. Looking on line, and after seeing what Google positions at the top of the “Party Entertainer” list, calling that 1-800-number for Total Entertainment, then paying your deposit to receive a sight-unseen performer named “Trixie” “Sprinkles” or “Bozo” to come to your party for an all inclusive HOUR of fun with games, balloon twisting, AND face painting. Unless Bozo is bringing a small army or is actually an octopus with a driver’s license and opposable thumbs, it is not physically possible to provide multiple services to more than 15 children in an hour, with any sort of quality. (Can you say: Paint Roller?). Most professionals quote “one service for 12-15 in an hour.”
5. Picking a theme that no child would want to have on their face: ie. wildebeests or Teletubbies, or Veggietales. By the way, there are some designs that no matter how well executed, don’t look good on a human face; such as elephants, frogs, and large emoji’s. And lastly, “Dora the Explorer” and “Superman,” cannot be done as a face painted characters, since they wear no masks, crowns, hats, etc. They are just people…
6. Telling the children where everyone can hear, “just get something small, it’s a b…h to wash off.” Proper makeup is water-soluble and most of it can be taken off with a baby wipe. However, some designs might need a washcloth and soap. I can’t remember the last time I had to sandblast one of my kids to return them to their original form.
7. Assuming that the face painter is ACTUALLY a babysitter, minding all the guests at the party, playing games with impatient little ones, serving the cake, cleaning up and making sure that none of the little ones escape from the backyard into the street, all while face painting and giving individual attention to the child in the chair during their “special moment.”

Well, if you can’t do it all as a MOM, how can they do it as a professional artist?