Kids Face Painting

A face can be transformed in its entirety, into an animal, character or monster. Face painters often use stencils, which are painted and then stamped onto the face, and can be popular, too. Whatever designs the children, or even adult asks the face painter for, there are a hundred ways to go about getting a great design.

Stencils and stamps are probably the easiest way for beginners to successfully do face painting. The stencils themselves can be cleaned with alcohol or wet wipes between paintings for sanitary reasons. A brush is then used to apply a new color or set of colors for the next child. Different colors can be used for separate parts of the stamp. For example, a butterfly can be outlined in blue and filled in with yellow. The stamp is then pressed against the person's cheek. This is a good way to get the lines just right each time.

Many people who do face painting will do everything with a paint brush. Whiskers, dog eyes, hearts, rainbows and Spider Man are all popular. For the 4th of July, a face could be painted completely with red, white and blue stars. For Easter, decorative eggs, bunny rabbits, flowers and baskets can all easily be painted onto the face. Try hearts for Valentine's Day, or a candy cane face with alternating red and white stripes for a wild, Christmas gathering. People will surprise face painters with creative requests, however. Be prepared to paint just about any character, emblem or color imaginable.

Halloween certainly boasts the biggest number of face painted ghouls, vampires, monsters and more. For the Hulk, one can simply paint their faces green. You can also use a simple Halloween theme, as well. Try bats, a spider web face, or an eerie yellowish tint for a witch's face. Zombies and ghouls can cast sunken features under their eyes and paint blood around their mouths. Of course, the characters don't have to be scary. It's not hard to paint a clown face, with a little patience for painting a giant mouth, or using a solid color to enhance a costume, such as a giant raisin, bear or anything else one can build or find a costume for. Many Halloween costumes will provide directions for adding face painting.

There are also plenty of kits in stores or on the web, which are geared for specific characters, or that come with all the colors for one's own creativity to come out. In general, these paints are a little thicker and harder to remove than the typical face paint used for your everyday festival or event.

Kids are expected to have the right toys…the right clothes. Generation after generation, youngsters are encouraged to conform to be socially accepted. Face Painting is one way to express individuality.

Let's face it. Having your face painted is just plain fun. And is there any sweeter look than the quick glances that kids take of themselves in the mirror after a face painting session? That little smirk on their face is priceless!

Face painting seemed like an awesome way to entertain my kids on a rainy day. Face Painters make it look so easy. I thought, "I can do that."

I had so many questions, but not a clue where to start. I searched face painting on the internet and although I found some beautiful photos of full face creations, they didn't really help me much as a beginner. I simply wanted to learn how to paint a flower design on my daughter's cheek. I knew, however, that I could learn a lot from the artists who create those kind of masterpieces.

So that's exactly where I chose to begin. I wanted to watch a face painter in action, talk to them, ask questions, dissect their technique. That is a pretty difficult thing to do in the middle of a festival or birthday party, but not if you hire one to come to your house…which is exactly what I did.

Hiring a face painting professional could cost anywhere from $50 to over $200 an hour, depending on where you live. But the information you glean will be invaluable. Here are a few things I learned from my friend, the professional face painter:

1. Do use the right paints. Don't use any paints that are not specifically designed for use on skin.

2. Don't use cheap brushes. Spend at least $3.00 apiece on a few brushes and they will last a long time.

3. Don't try to be all things to all people. It isn't necessary to paint 100 perfect designs. A small collection of 10 or 20 simple designs will make you look like a hero to the children.

4. Do practice as much as you can…on people or on paper. With practice comes speed.

5. Don't be afraid of making a mistake. Children are very forgiving, as is the paint. It's easily 'erasable'.

6. Don't be nervous about fidgety kids. Speak calmly and quietly and they'll usually stay still.

7. Do have fun. Face painting is a therapeutic, creative outlet.

8. Do share your newfound talent. Volunteer your services at events and before you know it, someone may offer to pay you!

While halloween face painting can be a blast for both children and adults, there are some things you should know before starting a face painting project of your own.

Here are some tips to get you started.


Use only paint designed for use on the face. Preferably water based paint which can be removed with soap and water.

Step1 Decide what you want to paint, whether it be butterflies, smiles or hearts. It's important to choose what you are going to do, based on your painting abilities and the amount of time you want to spend on each person's face. If you expect to be doing lots of faces, keep your designs simple and easy to paint, so you can paint quickly. Young children get restless easily, so simple fast designs make it easier for them and you. ....

Step2 Make up a large chart of these designs. This gives you something to show people so they can choose the design they want you to paint. Use larger paper or poster board so people can really see what choices they have.

Step3 Arrange your face paints and brushes. Have a good assortment of watercolor paint brushes, from fine tip to broad tip, so you can easily create your designs. Have two watercolor palettes trays--one to use and the other as a back up in case you run out of a certain color. Always use watercolors specifically designed for face painting.

Step4 Prepare your tools. Keep a large jar of water in which to rinse your brushes regularly. Depending on how many faces you do, plan to change this water frequently so it rinses effectively. Have a damp sponge to erase mistakes, and rinse this frequently to keep it free of paint build-up. Keep a roll of paper towels handy for spills, to dry your brushes and as another way to erase mistakes.

Step5 Practice your designs a few times. Get comfortable with each so you know what brushes and colors you use for each one. This will save you time and indicate if you may need extra amounts of a particular color.

Step6 Practice on fake skin. While this may sound weird, practice on a smooth rubber ball or a balloon, which is very like the texture of skin. Skin tends to "drag" on the brushes as you paint, causing the the brush to "stutter" or spatter paint, which can ruin your design and force you to sponge it off and start again. This practice will help you determine the right paint and water blend for your brushes.

Step7 Garnish your design. For extra pizazz, mix a dab of petroleum jelly and glitter to add sparkle to you work with a brush dedicated just for this. Do not use this near the eyes, as the jelly can "creep" into the eyes via heat or perspiration. Do not use metallic craft glitter. Use only glitters specifically designed for face painting.

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Face painting can be a great profession and you could paint kids faces for a party or an event. Avoid colours and try out the magic of black and white. Use gold dustings or silver hints at the edges. Face painting should be in sync with the dress. Clown faces are very common and you could be the macho Spiderman or the cat woman.

Be an alien, starfish or the Indian kathakali mask. Being comfortable is important while painting faces. Choose a position for the model and yourself so that you do not strain your back or need to arch your neck strenuously. Perfection happens with practice. Keep a chart ready for models to choose and for starters you could play with water colour effects on the back of the palm. Face painting is for all of us to enjoy and grab the attention.

For children, the simplest face-painting designs are those of a pirate – one big, scary moustache and a black patch over one eye – and you are the fearsome lord of the seas!

Other popular ones include butterflies, rabbits and sunflowers.

Most people just use watercolours for face-painting. But you should remember to be careful while using paint on the face. Some might contain harmful chemicals, which need to be kept away from very small children. Or you might have allergies to paint. It is best to test it on your hand or arm before applying on the face.

You can also make you own face-painting material, using food-colouring, cornstarch and cold cream. They’re more economical and will be washed off easily. Use a sponge or brush while making the design and be careful when painting areas like the eyes and the mouth. A little glitter and coloured gels combined with paint does a very long way. And If you get really good at this, you could even begin your own little enterprise.

Named for the adorably depressive donkey in AA Milne's classic children's book Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore’s Birthday Party began as a celebration of spring for UT English students and faculty, who would set up a Maypole and borrow a live donkey – a tradition that persists to this day. Originally held in the tiny Eastwood Park close to the UT Campus, the celebration’s popularity soared early on, and in 1974 the party moved to Pease Park, where it continues to be held.

As the attendance swelled to the thousands, Austin's Friends of the Forest Foundation got involved, both to provide much needed food and drink concessions to the participants, and to utilize the proceeds to distribute among Austin charities. This humanitarian aspect of the festival, for which admission has always been free, differentiates it from the other commercial festivals, engendering a feeling of longevity and community. The foundation has raised as much as $15,000.00 in one festival, making grants to a diverse number of charitable organizations including the Green Corn Project, Groundworks Music Project, Hearts and Hooves, Hospice Austin, and the Mother's Milk Bank.

The party usually begins mid-morning, and lasts until the sun goes down, and a dedicated children’s area is manned until 4PM. One of the hallmarks of this event is the drum circle, an amorphous group of drummers that constantly expands and ebbs and splinters and regroups during the course of the day. Although costumes are not mandatory, many take the opportunity to don colorful and festive outfits, trimmed with feathers and sequins, with big hats and silly masks. Musicians are invited to bring their acoustic instruments, and groups, both established and spontaneous, entertain throughout the day.

Parking is scarce, so the Friends of the Forest Foundation organizes shuttle service from designated parking lots downtown. No bottles, cans or coolers are allowed, but visitors will find countless food and drink concessions, including Texas beer and BBQ turkey legs. Crafts, commemorative tee-shirts and other curios are also for sale in the kiosks. Eeyore’s Birthday Party is a celebration of spring, but also a celebration f Austin. The things that have made Austin unique – music, food, counter-culture, whimsy – these are the backbone of this long lasting event. This festival has been doing its part to keep Austin weird for over forty years, and will likely continue for 40 more.