Painting Babies?!#!@$$!

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

There have been many times when a parent REALLY wants to have their baby or young toddler painted.
I understand, they WOULD look soooo cute. The question is WILL THEY LET us touch their faces?

Many times, I do succeed. The artwork is NOT usually my best, but there IS a design on their faces.
To get them to sit still, I let them sit on mom's lap, look in the mirror, hold a clean paint brush, let them have a pacifier, a toy or some candy. It must be scary to see some big person going at your face with a pointy stick. I do suggest that their child might sit better if we painted their arms instead. Then they can LOOK at the pretty picture and watch it being painted.

Check out some of successes and failures. What do YOU DO with tiny kids?

[Sherry]

Sometimes I inwardly cringe when a baby is brought to me, but I understand your point of why a parent wants it done.  I also try to get them to let me paint on their hand or arm if the parent will go for it and let the  child sit on the parents lap.

I will only try to do it if the child is willing and not crying or fearful of me.  Love the pics!   

[Psalmbook]

I take babies on a case by case basis. If it's obvious the baby doesn't want it I won't do it. If the baby is unaware & lets me, I go for something quick. I always explain to parents that the child might not understand what's happening & last time a stranger came at them w/ a pointy object, it was a shot. Babies will often think you have a spoon & try to eat your brush
I did do a lovely set of angel wings on a babies back once(I didn't get a pic

[Wildcatfin]

Many EU painters won't paint anyone under 3 anyway, though I will do toddlers over age 2 if they want/ ask it.

Its not just the they don't want it (not that i'd paint any kid who wasn't keen, however pushy parents are), its the sensitivity thing.

Some paints do say they are fine for babies but considering all the pre-natal classes and midwives I had when i was preg told us that you should never even put soap on a babies skin, its not worth the risk. Something to do with the rise in allergies/ skin conditions being traced to all the rubbish we now put on kids skins - its why you have to clean baby butts just with water the 1st few months.

So even if the paints are 'ok' as far as is known (and I don't think face paint has actually been big enough for long enough to factor into that sort of research) you'd probably still need soap etc to take it off. Ans thats the sort of thing they reckon causes problems, if not straight away then in the child's future.

It does seem putting even normal make-up on babies is more popular in the US than over here and I have to say I think that look awful. Yuk. But then I don't like much makeup on grown ups either:)

Cat x

[sparklingfaces]

ugh - hate that.... it makes people think it's okay or question ME what kinds of paints I'm using that it can't be used on babies.... iritating!

[Psalmbook]

I got a cute baby pic! Mom wanted a snowman on her baby. At 1st I cringed at the idea of trying to make a cheek design & then the light bulb went off & I came up with this:

[Sherry]

Too cute!  I love it.    Perfect when you have plenty of forehead to work with.  I think the cheek area is too much in the line of sight sometimes for babies.

[Psalmbook]

I know. When I'm going in for the cheek their little eyes just follow what I'm doing & the babies turn away. I find forehead designs much easier. I do artycake crown on baby girls & do dot clusters instead of teardrops.

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

GREAT idea! LOVE it! Will try this the next time that I get a request!