Face Painting for Kids

Face painting for kids is a fun activity that you can do at home, at school, or even at a local festival.

If you've visited any amusement parks, festivals, or fairs or attended any birthday parties, you've more than likely seen face painting. Face painting booths usually charge a small fee to paint a design on a child's face. In many cases, these face painting booths are fund raising projects. In some cities, schools offer face painting on special days as a way to raise money for a particular group or organization.

Face painting for kids isn't hard to do. You may want to practice your designs and patterns a few times before you actually attempt to paint a face. The following tips will help you get started on this fun project.

• If you are planning to offer face painting at a party or festival, be sure that children's parents give you permission. Some children are allergic to various types of paints, and you never want to paint a child's face without his or her parent's approval.
• Purchase washable paints. These will be water-based and can be easily removed with soap and water.
• Do not use acrylic paints although they are water-soluble. These are not FDA approved for cosmetics.
• Stock up on face paints around Halloween. You may be able to find some great deals right after Halloween, and the selection may be larger as well.
• Gather together your supplies. Supplies should include paints, sponges, brushes, and stencils.
• You'll need a good supply of clean water.
• Start out with simple designs until you become more adept at handling the paint and utensils.
• If you use glitter, use only glitter that is approved for the skin. Do not use metallic glitter!
• Do not paint over sores, blisters, rashes, or wounds.
• Be sure and clean your brushes and other utensils before you work on the next person. You should clean these with hot, soapy water.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before you begin working on a new face as well.
• Let your client borrow a mirror to see the results of your artistry!

Face painting is all about getting the right paint texture, finding a comfortable spot to work, and taking your time. You can always wash off the design and start over, so don't be afraid of making a mistake.

• Gather your supplies.
• Use water sparingly so the paint doesn't run.
• If you are doing the whole face, paint a base color over every area, then add additional colors, glitter, or sparkles on top of the base color.
• Try face-painting stamps, which make face painting a breeze. This is a great option for very young children.
• In addition to face painting, you can also use washable tattoos.

Popular designs for face painting include the following:

• Rainbows
• Flowers
• Hearts
• Balloons
• Tiger paws
• Ladybugs
• Smiley faces
• Dolphins
• Birds
• Cats
• Dogs
• Spiders
• Snakes
• Sharks
• Cars
• Trains
• Popular characters, like Spiderman, Dora, Diego, Tigger, etc.

You can often purchase face painting books at bookstores and craft shops, but there are also numerous patterns, designs, and ideas on the Internet. Remember, face painting is an art, so take each design and make it your own. You don't have to stick to the pattern exactly. Experiment with colors and sizes. Add glitter, tattoos, and stamps to enhance your painting. Most of all, have fun making children happy! The following sites will help you get started.

• Face Painting Designs
• Easy Face Painting
• Me 2 You Face Painting

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