Nothing like getting an Experienced Artist for your Events. It really makes a difference. Even now, even me, having been a Party Artist since the previous Century (lol - that was less than 20 years ago ~ It's only 2013 now), but well, that's the Caricature-Way of saying that I've had a Lot of experience working at Parties. A Lot of Experience with all kinds of parties. And all kinds of Art.

Birthday Parties. All Ages. Newborn through Eighty. Rites of Passage. Bar/Bat Mitzvot. Communions. Office Parties. Bar-b-ques. Pool Parties. Beach Parties. Engagement Parties. Showers. Weddings. Retirement Parties. Christmas Parties. Proms. Graduations. Schools. Camps. Surprise Parties. Cocktail Parties. Dinner Parties. Dances. Block Parties. Costume Parties. Singles Parties. After-Proms. Housewarming Parties. Sweet 16's. Boat Parties. Indoor Parties. Outdoor Parties. Reunions. Mardi-Gras Parties. Halloween Parties, Day of the Dead Parties. July 4th Parties. Purim Parties. St Patrick's Day Parties. Super-Bowl Parties. Store Openings. Show Openings. Valentine's Day Parties, Mothers' Day Parties, Fathers' Day Parties........

Caricatures. Face-Painting. Balloons. Fashion Sketches. And Before that, I did Portraits and En-Plein-Aire Paintings, Pastels, Oil, Alla-Prima. Taught Crafts. Also taught Oil Painting and Controlled Painting. Sumi-e Painting, Color Theory........ Yet it's still better if I have Experiences with a new Activity before offering it Professionally.

Glitter Tattoos. I've been practicing on friends for a few years already. And I've really Upped my Practice onto myself recently. I have all the Supplies and I'll be taking them out to Parties now. But I'm still offering it at a Discounted Rate. Just in case I hadn't thought of something yet.

Some of the things I've learned recently are:

1. Do not rely on the stencils that are sold for Glitter Tattoos. The stencils are usually small dinky things that need freehand embellishments, anyway, so I might as well paint my own shapes. The stencils feel tedious. Not to say that painting with glue is graceful. But at least I end up in a relaxed buzz as I glue, dab, glue, dab, glue, dab..... But when I was using those Stencils, I just felt tense. Not a good vibe for a Party:

   

2. It's much easier to create a Tattoo on a person (or body-part) that's sitting in front of you than to handle that type of painting in a mirror. Here, for example, is a photo of a swirl design that I made with glue in a mirror. Even though the decollete-area is a lovely place for a Glitter Tattoo, it came out so much more gracefully when I was able to see my ankle directly in front of me (as decorated in the previous post):

   

   

3. Do not make Large Closed Areas full of Glitter. Looks and feels Great ~ talk about skin-tight clothing! But I didn't feel comfortable about having such a large area of skin covered. Didn't seem right.

   

4. Be clean with my lines, carefully leaving spaces between the shapes. I liked this tattoo, but it would have been better if I left more spaces:

   

5. Even though I've only used Professional Glitter created and sold explicitly for Glitter Tattoos, some brands are better than others. I didn't like the ones that are not shiny:

   

Now I'm ready to start Glitter Tattoos at Parties. They look so glamourous. I have the right supplies, the right attitude, the right history, and some real experience with both making and wearing the Glitter Tattoos.

Middle of the night. I feel so tired. So many exciting things I do ~ And I'm only showing my Professional life here. Oh it's all so exciting.

This week I drew Caricatures at two different College Openings in Suffolk County, one Corporate event in the Theatre District, an Engagement Proposal Caricature in Manhattan, and I did Face-Painting at a Nursing Home in Harlem for Grandparents' Day.

Last week it was Caricatures and Balloon-twisting at a 3-year-old's Party uptown Manhattan and another College Opening in Suffolk County.

The week before, it was 3-days of Face-Painting at an NFL event ~ Manhattan Theater District, 60's style Caricatures at a Retirement Party in New Jersey, Caricatures at a Sweet 16 in Yonkers, and Face-Painting at a 5-year-old's Party in Suffolk County. And while I was at it, I took a workshop in Manhattan for Painting Tribal Face-Paintings. The Life of a Freelance Artist.

I discourage drawing from photographs during a Party. There's plenty of people who got dressed up to be seen Right There.

But I'm not in charge. Once in a while, I'm expected to draw from photographs during the Party. Here's 2 that I did at a recent Corporate event.

Don't hide! BE at the Party. Be Yourself. I wish people would Act and Interact themselves ~ ~ not hiding behind their labels, not hiding behind their children.

I like the pictures. I'm just trying to do what's best for the Party.

I tell clients to Estimate 10 faces to be drawn per hour. And I've been happy to see lately that I've been pretty consistent about making 12 good faces per hour. But I was disappointed in myself in that I only drew 8 per hour at this Child's Party. I Reeeeaaally like these people, repeat customers, pleasant, good people. I want to do my best for them. But my hands were tied. I can only do what works in the moment.

What affected my productivity was the Requirements they ordered when they booked the Party. Reasonable, but I don't think Clients understand what they're asking me to do. These clients wanted me to include something about the Party Theme as Body or Hobby in each picture which should also include Color. These are things that are frequently included in my pictures Only as needed ~ It flows as the picture progresses. If space or situation requires something extra, I'll pull ideas quickly from what I see and hear at the Party ~ of course that means I'd easily include some Party Theme stuff if needed ~ I'd have the references all around me. But when I have to Control the picture, when I have to make sure to include space for these extras ahead of time, it's a different Activity for me.

To draw good faces, I have to be in the Moment, reacting to what I actually See. But to include SpongeBob/Calypso Body/Hobby, Oh, I have to study ahead of time and draw from memory. But not completely. Because it has to be designed in with the face that I'm seeing in that moment. So I never quite get into either Zone.

Live and learn. I've been drawing at several Parties per week for over 15 years. And I just decided on a different way to handle this type of Request. Maybe that will Up my productivity in such a situation. WHAT I HOPE TO DO THE NEXT TIME A CLIENT REQUESTS MORE THAN FACE IN THE DRAWINGS IS TO SIMPLIFY. I WILL COME PREPARED IN MY MIND TO DRAW BASICALLY ONE OR TWO SPECIFIC PICTURES WITH EACH FACE. It's the thinking/designing that takes the extra time. Oh, I want to do my best for each Client.

Actually, I think the Client gets a better deal when s/he just leaves me on my own to Entertain as needed in the moment. More pictures. More creativity. More Party Fun. But that's just my opinion, so I'm trying to handle my Client's requests as well as possible. What do you think is the better Entertainment?