My 5 Favorite Things From My Face Painting Kit

5) Fantasy World Wide Sponges

Why?:I can't Sing my Praises about these enough. They are my favorite sponge EVAR! These come as a full round that you can cut into two sponges. They in my opinion, hold paint better with less waste, are softer, and apply the paint to the skin far better then others i have tried.

Want?:
Buy these bad boys at Face Paint Forum Shop - 1 for $.99 or 10 for $7.99


4) These Brushes

Why?: 

Protege Set: This 3/4 brush is the shiznit. Once I saw it in action I bought 10 of them. They come as a package of 2 and the smaller one is absolutely amazing as well. The secret is in the shorter bristles and that it's not that thick of a brush, so this allows for more control when doing one stroke designs.

Silly Farm Set: These silly farm petal brushes will make your double load press flowers stupid easy. I know they are already easy, but this makes them FAST and the thick brush holds a crazy amount of paint that will make it so you can paint LOTS of flowers without having to reload so often (if at all).

Gold Grip Set: Meet my workhorse's. The #4 round from this set is the brush I probably use more so then any other. These are great for dots, teardrops, line work, and small filler. I have one #4 each for black, white and other colors. They truly are the best. I saw them first is a Lisa Joy Young youtube video (check her out if you haven't already) and after I saw them in action I HAD to have them. She said they were the best and she was right. They are also the favorite brush of Heather Green (owner of SillyFarm).

Want?:
Protege Set:  Email the lovely Laura to get your hands on some writelaura@gmail.com for $9.99 per set of 2. OR you can by the full set on Amazon for for $25 and you get the 2 brushes and a bunch of others of the same brand. But note that you only get 1 of each of the 3/4 and the 1/2 short flat size

Silly Farm Set: You can find these on SillyFarm.com Here and Here for around 8 bucks.

Gold Grip Set: You can pick these up at SillyFarm (USA) as a set or they also sell each one individually. FacePaintForumShop (USA), and HokeyPokeyShop (Canada) also sell them individually, or there are MANY other places to acquire them - just by googling "Loew Cornell Gold Grip Round Brush". Prices Vary depending on where you buy from.

3) One Stroke Rainbow Cake

Why?:
This is a HUGE cheat/time saver to do rainbows. I can't live with out it in my kit really. You can also do other things in rainbow with it like flowers, butterflies and more. You can get them is many different brands and in a few different combinations, but I don't recommend getting the neon rainbow as it doesn't like to be applied with a brush too well - it always comes out too sheer.

While the TAG true rainbow is nice, I find it a little dark, so I have taken to making one based of a previously discontinued rainbow one stroke called 'Leanne's Rainbow'.

Want?: You can get the regular tag rainbow one stroke or other rainbow one stroke brands on most face paint supply stores depending where you are from. Typically about $12.
Since they brought it back - (Here is where i get my Leanne's Rainbow) because the Canadian site I that usually order from doesn't have it in stock at the moment.

If you want to make your own  Leanne Rainbow the combination is
Tag Red, Neon Magenta, Double Neon Yellow, Light Blue, Dark Blue

2) Brush Easel

Why?: 

This is a better and safer case for your brushes AND it's a space saver on your table AND your brushes are stored upright for easy pickings. Love this so much. When i first put it on my face painting table I had fellow Makeup Artists asking me where I got it! lol Few months later you could find it in specialty makeup stores. This isn't the first thing that made an appearance in the face paint world before the makeup world lol.

Want?: You can get these just about anywhere now in the $20-$25. There are a few different types, some with zippers with with out, some bigger some smaller. Mine is the first TAG one that was sold, with no zipper like the one you see in the photo.

But there are many others

1) My 'No Touch' Sign

Why?:
This is my most favorite thing on my table because it sends a clear cut message not to touch my stuff! lol

Before this sign, kids would stick their fingers in the paints all the time, pick them up, play with them, and finger the bristles on my brushes. As I like to keep my tools sanitary, it's really best if as few dirty hands touch them as possible, also flicking the brushes with your finger totally ruins them.

"Excuse me Mam, I paid $20 for that brush, I didn't by it so your child could explore tactile sensations."

This would happen all the time even with the parents standing right there watching them do it! By the time I say something the damage is done. So i took action and made my 'No Touch' sign. I rendered it using photoshop with a stock photo of a rainbow cake, paint brush, red crossed out symbol and I made the hand using a photoshop paint brush.

Finally i wasn't sure if i wanted the bottom blank, or to say 'thank you', so i put it to a vote on my personal face book page and also made the 'Rage Face' version as more of a joke because that's kind how i feel and the face I want to make when people touch my tools.

Pretty much 9 out of 10 people voted for the 'rage face' version! It made sense I suppose, it's funny AND it's pretty hard to miss the message. So I went with the Rage Face version for my table and stuck it to the back of my brush easel.

Want?:
If you outright want to copy my awesomeness (and I don't blame you if you do) you can Get Yours Here. Just print it to the size you want, cut it and laminate it so it lasts. The print version has my watermark on it because, comon' I made it; I suppose you could just use photoshop to remove it but if already know how to use photoshop, then dude make your own! lol