gz-Body Painting or First Birthday... and Selflessness

I painted this afternoon at a first birthday. While the birthday boy didn't want to get painted, his friends and family were certainly willing... but then, I've painted several of them before! Remember these guys?

Well, you might recognize two of them from today's party.

The kids at this party were great. Even the ones who started out reluctant, like this girl who wanted a tiny butterfly on her cheek came back later for a flower on her arm, and wanted blue to match her dress, which you all know I love.

I tried a new puppy, and love the ears on this one.

And I got my first ever parrot request!

Maybe it's not entirely accurate, but it's not bad, if I do say so myself. Of course, there were still the requisite butterflies.

Spidermen too, but these boys wanted them all on their arms!

One young man who'd already been painted as a lion decided he also wanted a pirate. Since I couldn't put one over the other on his face, I suggested this skull pirate on his arm. He was very skeptical beforehand and as I painted him, but once the design started to take shape, he understood and then he loved it.

Meanwhile, I did get to do one tiger, on this terrific little boy. He's four years old.

And here's where the lesson in selflessness comes in. He loved his tiger. He and the lion were going around growling at all the butterflies and puppies running about. But when he approached another four-year-old attending the party to play, the other boy, who wasn't a fan of face painting and was quite shy, got scared of the poor tiger-faced kid. Apparently, my tiger kept trying, and the other boy kept getting scared.

So what did tiger-boy do? He went and washed his face so he could play with the other boy, who then happily followed him into the playroom. I've never before seen such a mature decision in a four-year-old. Heck, I've yet to see some adults behave so selflessly!

Kudos to you, kid.

Tips When Hiring a Face Painter

I've just read an article by Anders Eriksson, located here.

I don't know Anders Eriksson, but he makes some very good points I thought I should highlight for my readers.

If you can, know your face painter before hiring him or her for a party.

You do want someone who's good with kids, who can interact with them well, and who is neither bouncing off your walls nor standoffish. You want someone fun, but who can cotnrol the line and insist upon maintaining a "polite zone."

You want someone who's using the proper products; not just FDA-compliant face paints, but also glitters and shimmers. You want someone who is concerned for the safety of your child and your guests. Always ask!

And you want to see samples of your face painter's work. Unfortunately, there are an uncrupulous few who lift the photos of others' work off the Internet and advertise them as their own work. Most painters who are willing to misrepresent their work in this way can't live up to their promises; they don't deliver the work the advertise. Again, always ask! It's worth it!