Month: October 2012

I wanted to announce a little update to my Smile Painter Set face painting kit, which I put together about 6 years ago to help out those who have been asked to volunteer face painting for their local church or school. 

Smile Painter Set – Available now for $64 (you save over $8.00)

I have just decided to swap out the previously included sable brushes with two Wolfe synthetic brushes, in a round #1 and #5. While it is true that sable bristles are the highest quality and most long lasting bristles you can get in a brush, I have come to the realization that they are not necessarily the best choice for the beginning face painter.  Sable brushes are finicky and do require a little more TLC to keep their tips nice and pointy, and without the proper care can soon become “fluffy,” making it hard to be precise when painting cheek art.  I personally own several sable brushes which have “fluffed out” on me, and I now use them for things like blending colors and creating textures like fur, where a fluffy brush comes in handy!

I personally have found myself using my new Wolfe synthetic brushes more and more as my go-to brush for all my main painting now.  The synthetic bristles are still of a great quality, and they really hold their shape nicely even if they have been used and abused.  High quality synthetic brushes are more likely to give you a steady and predictable outcome every time, and I think that by swapping these out, new painters will have less frustration with stray bristles!

Halloween is just two and a half weeks away!  What?!  You’ve been invited to a party and you don’t have a costume yet?!

It’s okay! Don’t cry!  A professionally done makeup job can turn your last minute costume idea into the hit of the party!  You may remember one of my posts last year, where I painted Father Frost and Mother Frost…they ended up taking home the GRAND prize in the costume contest they were entering!

I am currently booking a limited number of private Halloween sessions this season at my home in Mound, Minnesota.  Sessions start at $20 for up to 15 minutes of painting.  The amount of time required depends on the design you choose, but we can go as simple as a cat face or eye design, to more complex designs like a mask, to full-face designs like this comic girl that I painted on myself.  Check out this previous post for ideas of what costumes face paint would be perfect for!

Contact me today to discuss how we can help turn heads with YOUR costume this year!  Email me at Gretchen[at]Paintertainment[dot]com.  Be sure to check out my Halloween page and my private session page for more photos!

If you like the smooth, velvety coverage you get from Mehron’s StarBlends, You’re going to love their new INtense Pro Pressed Pigment Powders!  Many artists love to use dry pressed powders for the base coverage for full face designs, and especially for designs that go around the eyes and over the eyelids…especially for children who don’t like the feeling of cold, wet paint around their eye.

From Mehron’s website: “Mehron’s INtense PRO™ Pressed Pigments are super long-lasting matte finish shadows that are edgy, bright, and sophisticated. The pigment rich, high-performing shadows offer an essential range of intense hues and a velvety matte texture. Formulated without shimmer, these completely matte shades have an incredible silky finish which allows for amazing color payoff.”

Samples of WIND Palette colors shown on skin

The INtense Pressed Powders are available now on Paintertainment.com in three different sets, each including 8 colors ($50.00 each).  Above are some samples of the “Wind” palette brushed on my arm, and below, the “Fire” palette.

“Fire” palette samples on skin

Earth, Wind, and Fire palette colors

Each palette comes with a makeup brush! I find that the sable brushes that we sell are also great for applying powders. Sponges also work well for covering large areas.

Closed palette box shown in my hand for scale.  (On the right is a black Starblend.)