New Category!

[Sherry]

I thought we could add an Off Topic area.  If you have something you would like to post about and it just doesn't seem to fit anywhere else.  Feel free to post it here.   

Thanks,
Sherry

[Alison]

That's a good idea.  Like, I wonder how other people fit their business into their lives.
Me, between housework and a job that I'm always working on,
I feel like I'm just always working.
Not to say I don't like it.

But here it is - I wake up late, get right to the computer while eating bfast.
Shower, with calls on my mind.  Put up laundry and do dishes etc
while thinking that I'm not really doing anything - just going to quickly stick that in
on my way up to the office....

Get back into the office, check computer again.  Maybe steal some time for a wordgame, but that doesn't count.  Make calls, put together folders, perhaps push myself to work on a Studio job if there's time.  But I usually have to put together folders for upcoming jobs, look up travel information, explain things to clients that might take 20 emails before they book, dream about advertising that I can't afford, purchase supplies.....

etc.  Call coming in.  Gotta run just now

[Alison]

I'm back.  Juggled a few calls, sent out literature, changed around the laundry and decided not to sweep up the mud that was tracked into here since I swept last night....

I want to come back to my rant before I get to the Studio job that I am intent on starting before I eat lunch today.  Because this is a day when I'm 'don't have a job'.  Like, here's a typical conversation we had at the dinnertable last night:

Husband:  You working tomorrow?
Me:  No.  I'll be here.  I don't have a job.

Even when I go out to by a present for a friend (or more likely new pants for a gig),
I'll have my eye out for things that might make my set-up easier - perhaps I'll see a new cart, a new bag, a new box, an idea on a sign.....  Or if I'm standing in line, I'll be sketching out an idea.  Also a caricature artist, so I'll be drawing people (gotta stay warmed up) if I'm waiting at the hairdresser or the doctor's office.  Even if I go as a guest to a party (or to visit), people are always so interested in what I do - sometimes I end up networking or taking addresses for people who might want to hire me, etc.  Then, in the midl of the night, you people know what I'm doing - more paperwork and perhaps practicing some designs....


I hope you will share how this all works into Your life.  Am I the only one
who is so focused on work?  Barely earning 1/3 of what my husband earns?
Yet I work at it All the time, while  he goes to work only for set hours in the day -
during which time he 'does lunch' once a week with his buddies,
gets out to his friend's shop for coffee,
sees interesting stuff on You Tube,
works on his hobbies, frequently coming home early to tend to them
(things like racing pigeons, beer brewing, old radios....)

Hello.  Coming up for air.  

[Sherry]

Yes, I feel like I'm always working on my business too, in between taking care of my family.  When I have big themed events coming up, I'm making time to work on the designs I need to offer and this is time consuming.  I'm researching, researching designs.  Then I'm trying them out on me, my kids or family members, then getting the pictures, developing them and picking them up at Walmart.  Then re-arranging my boards for the next event which is always so time consuming.

In between, long term events, I'm checking my email, taking and returning calls.  Writing down new gigs in my appointment book.  Sending out booking forms, printing them out and mapping out my route.  Cleaning my kit and making sure I have everything I'll need.

When I'm out and about or going about my day, I may get ideas of things to post on the board, so I'll write it down.  If I don't, it will disappear out of my brain.  For example,  I may get a call from a customer that I'm puzzled over and I think, "That would be something good to post to the board and get their opinions.", so I'll write it down and post later.

Then there are the files that pile up.  I try to make time once a month, while the kids are napping to work through my paperwork.  Filing, separately and tallying up the different categories to put in my ledger.  I feel so much better after getting this completed, because my desk looks so much nicer!   

I think you're looking for a typical day, but every day is so different.  Maybe I could describe my yesterday.  But business has slowed down the last few weeks.

[Alison]

Yeah - and this is on a day when 'We don't have a job'. 
And we're usually the type who always have something else to clean, file, pay, arrange, plan for
in the house too.  Always working.

How do you feel about that when you look at other people who are 'off' when they're not 'on the clock'?

BTW, I think my post of yesterday made it sound like my husband doesn't work.  I certainly didn't mean that.  He actually WAKES UP AT 5:00 AM every day (leaves me sleeping) and gets right out to work.  Where he does have to handle people, finances, heavy shipments, deadlines.....  I was just saying that
he does that for several hours, sprinkling it with lalas, and Then finishes.  Is Off.

I do know some very successful Artists who do something like that.  They 'go to the office (in their house)' at 10 a.m. and they don't take calls or work on their stuff after 5.   With real lunch-hours and coffee-Breaks.  Something like that.  Monday - Friday. 
The only reason for working on their off-time is if they have a gig - and then they only spend the time necessary there - fitting it in with their family stuff - like going to a gig for a couple of hours during their visit to their Mother-in-Law.....  Or bringing their kid along to a gig 'still in his baseball uniform' sort of thing.

It's like - my focus is always my work even when I'm doing other things.
But their focus is their families or hobbies - even though they fit in their work.

[Sherry]

I think it would be nice to have a set time to focus on the work without interruptions and when you're off, you're completely off.  I think I sometimes get annoyed with my husband when he's on the computer just playing around and I'm worrying about getting on to finish up my work or check my email.  I think customer's want prompt attention, so I start to worry if I haven't checked my email in a while.

[AMAZINGface]

I'd like to branch off into doing Glimmers but I'm not sure how to charge.  I would like to advertise primarily to businesses and corporate events to avoid anything I'm not comfortable putting a glimmer on (read:where the sun don't shine or not tasteful.  Know what I mean?)  I'm thinking that if it's a professional event there's less likely to be someone to ask me to put a Glimmer further down a blouse than I'd care to go, not the mention that businesses can afford a higher, hourly rate.

Any advice?

Thanks, and Blessed New Year!

[Sherry]

I normally charge the same price hourly rate for any of the services I offer.  I have noticed that when doing the Glimmers, people ask for them in different places when compared to face painting.  I guess because it's considered a temporary tattoo?  I've noticed that they often want it on their feet or ankle.  I really don't like messing with people's feet!   

[AMAZINGface]

Thanks, Sherri.  I don't mind ankles...  I just don't want to be put in the position of questionable/distasteful/dare I say 'slutty' practices.  I am assertive enough to say no when necessary.  It seems to me that I could get stuck at a private party putting Glimmers where I really don't ever want to go.  I'm not real fond of the growing trend of real tatoos so I'm trying to just call them glimmers; worthy of being seen and enjoyed!

Happiest and most profitable Ne Year to you!

Daina

[Alison]

I guess I see it differently - I'll paint ankles, or feet, legs......  It's all interesting shapes.
Chests, backs, necks.  Arms, thighs, bellies (Now, they're really fun - The muscles move while you're painting them!) 

Of course, I take each situation individually.  If somebody had foot fungus, I would refuse.  I would just react naturally.  Or, or if I felt like the clients were getting too 'silly - is that the word?  I mean too excited about 'breaking boundaries', again, I would call it what it is.  I would react the same as if they asked me to get undressed!  Gotta be able to handle 'the playground'. 

But if it's just decorating, just painting fun pictures, feeling special, unique, the same sort of stuff I do on faces - like yeah.

[Sherry]

I think I'm more like Daina.  I don't mind hands, faces, arms, backs, but when it starts getting to chests, bellies and other areas, that's just awkward for me.  I don't like legs or feet too much either, because I find feet a bit revolting at times... my issue, I know.    I think that's why I know body or belly painting is not for me!  I love the artwork and can admire it from afar, but I know this is just not an area I would personally enjoy.

I did have a guy ask me to paint the superman logo on his chest at a festival once.  I did it, but let me tell you, it was awkward.   

[AMAZINGface]

Hey Sherry,

I'm a phlebotomist, too, so getting close to people isn't an issue for me.  Neither are body parts, though, like Allison, illness or disease is where I 'paint' the line, so to speak!  It's more about crossing the line.  The bra or bikini line.  I'm talking about in bad taste, suggestive or blatabtly sexual in nature.  That's why I mentioned in my original post, I'd rather not get too involved in private parties, especially if I don't know the people or what to expect.  I would do 'jewelry' on a woman's chest, though.

Thanks for the interest and posts, friends!

Daina

[Alison]

Of course we're interested, Daina.
These are the sort of questions that we all have to deal with.

For instance, and this is another one that comes up for Artists - not so much face-painters actually, but sometimes.  It's would you draw/paint a job which does not support your own value-system?  How about if it blatantly was Against your value system?  But you were being paid to paint what the client wanted you to paint.

[Sherry]

I feel like I would paint most things, because I don't really feel I can judge where another person's coming from.  For example, I've heard that some face painters won't paint teardrops because it's a gang symbol.  I had a customer the other day ask me to paint tear drops coming from his eye in the team colors.  I painted it.  I didn't think I could know for sure why he wanted it, where he was coming from with that request, if it really is a gang symbol... and I didn't think it was my place to figure it out.  I thought it was my job to make him happy and paint away.

If it was blatantly against my values I probably wouldn't paint it.  It could be different beliefs or religions, because I believe there are different paths.  I wouldn't paint anything that I thought was blatantly against or mocking God.  That's the thing that popped in my mind when I thought about where I would draw the line.  Other than that I think I'm pretty free spirited about what people want.  I've never had this come up.  Most people just want to have fun with face painting... becoming princesses or monsters and getting some attention for the day.

[AMAZINGface]

Wow, ladies.  Huge topic, really.  I work for God (Col.3:23 Do EVERYTHING heartily, as unto the Lord.) Therefore I do have a value system I work by.  It's not mine or even mine to interpret as it's His.  That was the motivation with which I posted the question in the first post.  That is also why I would prefer to do Glimmers in a public setting so as to probably avoid applying a glimmer or paint to any part of the body while others are watching.

One of the bullet points on my flier says I don't do gore or dark themes which, for families at least, may be a plus as they can be certain I won't express myself artistically on their childs face something goth, for example.  For teens I would suggest hippie styles, flowers or tribal designs, for example.  I would graciously decline to paint or go questionably, relying on graciousness to keep me out of a sticky situation.

Wow.  Gooood  morning, indeed!

Have a tremendous day!

Daina