Things to know about hiring a face painter

• Professional face painters should be able to provide you with current proof of liability insurance.
• Ask to see photos of work and ensure that this is the sort of painting they can do at your event if this is what is required.
• Be clear as to how many people and the sort of faces (level of detail) you are expecting. If you are having 40 children and you want one painter for one hour only, you and the painter are unlikely to have a great relationship. Quick designs are approx 4 minutes, more detailed faces up to 8-10 minutes. Very quick and small images for larger crowds can be quicker, and limiting the options to say a spider, a small butterfly/flower, or Christmas icon can speed things up as well. Note that these times vary between painters.
  
• Are they experienced with working with both adults and children (ie handling impatient parents at a public event). What is their method of closing the line if there are still a lot of children waiting?
  
• If there are lots of kids (or adults as the case may be) please look at employing multiple painters. Or maybe multiple painters for part of the day. There is nothing worse than being at an event and seeing one poor over-worked face painter with a line a mile long. Bite the bullet, please, and hire a few. It's a much better perception that you are looking after your crowd and you will have face painters who will want to work for you again.
• Book us early as in peak times it is often impossible to find a good painter. Deposits may apply to confirm your booking. And if you cancel last minute in peak times expect a cancellation fee.
  
• Do they only use professional quality face paints? Just because a paint is sold as non-toxic doesn't mean it is safe to use as face paints, unless it is specifically sold as such. Craft paints etc are not suitable. Many things are labelled as non-toxic ie glitter glues and the like, but you wouldn't put them on your face
• Please provide a good environment for your face painter. This means at least a small table and two chairs, under cover (out of the weather, hot or cold, windy etc).
• We can't paint well if we are melting in stifling heat, and our fingers don't work if they are frozen. Please don't put us in front of the loos, or speakers! If you wouldn't want to be painting in your event environment, then neither would we. We respond well to offers of drinks and food, and have the right to breaks on longer jobs.
• If we are asked to paint something offensive we have the right to refuse to paint it. We also have the right to refuse people we deem to be rude or offensive, or if we feel the environment is unsafe.
• Confirm everything in writing between yourself and the painter - when, where, parking, arrival time and actual expected painting time, contact person and reliable mobile number, cost and any options, payment method, number of guests to be painted, the occasion, any outfit or kit theming (ie Christmassy) required - and confirm all this during the week prior in case anything has changed.
• Payment is expected on the day at the very latest. With corporate bookings it may be shortly after by prior arrangement. If the booking is done by a third party please note that it is not acceptable to wait for payment from another party before we are paid. Pay us up front or very quickly and we will be happy to take your booking next time.
  
• Some painters do additional activities such as balloon modelling or clowning. Check how much extra this is for each additional activity, or is it a complete package?
  
• Most entertainers will have promotional cards with them and it is always appreciated if you can keep a few in case your friends want the contact details later.