Face Painting Inspiration

When you are a beginner face painter, the amount of talent and wonderfully advanced designs can seem so overwhelming. Nearly 10 years ago when I started face painting, as many others do, I directly copied other artist designs. After I committed them to memory, I was able to add my own bits and pieces and try to make them my own. I would (and still do) spend hours scouring the internet for inspirational designs to add to my memory bank. I love to take bits and pieces of things I see and love and incorporate them into my designs. I would directly copy a face from an image, and eventually after I did this so many times, I started to understand different elements of design and started making my own original designs.

Well pretty much my own, let's face it, we are all inspired by bits and pieces of others designs and rarely we see designs that are totally new and original. It seems that the learning and growing never ends. I love my job, face painting is so much more than that for me. It's my passion and joy and it allows me to share those things with the world.

I painted for several years before I took my first class with a master painter. I have since taken many workshops to advance my skills. By far, my largest inspiration is Ronnie Mena,

Not only is he hella talented, he is a super nice guy. He has inspired thousand of painters with his use of design, flow and color. He single handed raised the bar for the industry and in turn raised the talent world wide. I was fortunate enough to take a two day workshop with him in 2015 and it changed my face painting world. Continued education is invaluable in an ever changing industry. The bar is constantly being raised for face painters, and those who do not continue to grow quickly fall behind, which is why I work so hard to always enhance what I do.

Another artist I strongly admire that I have taken a couple course lecture with is Heather Green from Silly Farm. While her face painting skills are amazing, I get most of my inspiration from her business model. Her work ethic and drive is above anything I have ever seen in the industry. I took an one hour business lecture from her and learned more about business in that hour than in my previous 8 years of face painting. She showed me the importance of relationship with your clients and peers.

Whether in nature, a movie, or other's works, there is always inspiration to be found, so that we as painters can bring fresh new designs to the people we paint.