Share your favorite instructors here! :)

[Sherry]

O.k. I had to post about the instructors here at the FPBAA Convention.  I do have a top 2 so far. 

Took my first class with the Wolfe Brothers and I have to say they're AWESOME!  They are not only wonderful face painters, but very informative, kind and FUNNY!     The class was packed so it looks like many others agree. 

The gave useful tips for real world, out in the field face painters.  They were approachable and attentive.

I think my second fav was Cathy Corbett from Canada.  She rocks!  She is friendly, approachable and so helpful.  You could tell that she was loving what she was doing (sharing and teaching us) and was willing to try out whatever the class was interested in seeing.  In fact she kept going even when the class was ending.  I walked by later as I was heading out and it looked like she was still in her class sharing and teaching the students who had lingered.

I will share pics when I return.  Super fun!  Anyone else would like to recommend instructors, you can in this post!

I think one of my husband's favorites (gafacepainter) was Pashur.  Hopefully he'll tell more.

[Glitterfly Faces]

From what I have seen the Wolfe Brothers are super likeable and approcahable.  I would love to meet them in person one day.
They amaze me.

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

How great for you to learn so much. The Wolfe Bros where in Chicago recently, but the class was $500. Too rich for my blood, for right now. Can't wait to see you photos. How many people are attending the conference?

[Sherry]

Woah!  That would be too much for me to spend as well. 

We ended up taking their class again yesterday.  It was a flame face painting theme.  I think my favorite of the day was the one they did on our very own Kristal! 

A flaming flamingo.

[Sherry]

O.k. more of my impressions of classes from the convention.  Kurt Drake and April Powell's advanced sponging class.  They were awesome!!  After seeing them at a St. Patty's Day festival last year and spotting Kurt's green monster, I knew we needed to take their class.  We were not disappointed.  I learned a whole new way of sponging that I haven't really tried before and I LOVE it!  In fact I have a big event coming up next week where I'll try it.  Kurt and April are owners of the Wolfe makeup.

I guess it's the Disney method where they said they started their face painting adventure.  They were so helpful, running around the class trying to help everyone and cram as much as they could in our hour and a half or so class.  I've always spritzed my cakes and then applied the sponge to the cake to load.  They teach a method where you barely dip your sponge in water first and then load your sponge from a dry cake... no spray bottle needed.

  I noticed Cathy Corbett used a similar method, but she dipped her finger in the water first and then rubbed it around the sponge.

Kurt started face painting one of his monsters, but only had time to get down a basic start to one.  Pretty awesome anyway!  Also, April's cheek art unicorn.  So cute! 

[Kristal]

Ahaha Sherry, I was so sad when I had to take that flamingo painting off! It was adorable and I was in love with it.

I LOVE the Wolfe Brothers. What a wealth of information! (I didn't take the sponging class - although now I wish I did - but I did notice how Nick and Brian barely touched their sponges to water. I tried that today and so far so good!)

I also learned tons in Mark Reid's pre-convention class - loved that it was hands on and not just a demo. Also, we practiced teardrops and I was so proud when I got the spacing he was talking about - showed him, and he said he had goosebumps - haha!

Really liked Raphaelle Fieldhouse and Carol Turnman as well, and Leah Reddell is adorable. I wish I'd had time to take classes with Cathy Corbett, Lisa Smiley, Carolyn Roper and Pashur. Also Nick Herrara, Charlotte Herring and Lucie Brouillard. Next time...

(Also, it was SO good to finally meet you and Jack!)

[Sherry]

There were so many instructors that I wishing I could take their classes too, but like you said... next time.  

One lesson I learned is to take a REALLY pared down kit next time.  We had two cases of stuff and barely used any of it.  I didn't realize so many classes would not be hands on.  The only professional class I'd taken in the past was Mark Reid's, so I was expecting most of the classes to be hands on like his.

I was so glad to get to meet you too!  I wish things weren't so rushed and that we had more time to visit.  I probably could have done that more in the evenings, but by the end of the day I was beat and all I wanted to do was head back to my hotel and relax.  Each morning, I was thinking I'm going to jam tonight.  I need to do a jam!  By the end of the day it would be a 180... "I think I just want to go back to our hotel and chill, see the sights maybe... relaaaaxxx"  

I saw others I recognized there, but didn't get to speak to.  I really wanted to go up and introduce myself and chit chat a bit, but I think it was my shy gene acting up and I didn't.  

So a shout out to Lilly!    Maybe we'll get to visit next convention.

We met a wonderful lady from Canada, Marilyn... a super fun lady.  We ended up taking a lot of classes together.  She's a clown and showed us her book.  It gave me ideas to make my book look more presentable.  I thought hers was really nice.  Check her out at www.pttheclown.com  I love the Canadian accent and think I was talking with a bit of a Canadian sound toward the end of the convention.    

[Kristal]

Lilly painted my face to match my shirt on Wednesday - it was great! I need to go through my pix.

I totally understand - I had a hard time going to jams, and I was staying in the same hotel! I wish more classes were hands on - I found that during all the demo classes, I was itching to paint, but by the time the jams rolled around, I really wanted to watch/get painted more than I wanted to paint...I figured I could practice at home, but how often could I get Leah to bling me up?!

What I think is hilarious is that I spent a good chunk of time with Mamie (from Montana) and there a lot of people with pretty strong Southern accents, that I had to fight the urge to speak with one CONSTANTLY, haha. Mamie mentioned something about my Canadian being distinct - and I have no idea why; I don't think I have an accent I mean, I let "eh?" slip a couple of times, but still!

Bodyssey is in Calgary in August...It would be great to go, but it's over a weekend. Why would they do that?!

[Sherry]

Oh Kristal, I hope you do get to post pics.  I'd love to see any that you have to share, especially any I didn't get to see or take.  There was so much!

The one thing I really didn't like at the convention was the rule to only take pictures after the class.  I missed some pictures because of that rule.  My favorite dragon face painting in the Wolfe Brothers class is one example.  We got a shot from up on the screen, but you couldn't really discern details.  This one:




If you happened to take a picture of this face, I would love it if you could email it to me at sherrys.funfaces@gmail.com  

[GaFacepainter]

I'd have to say my favorites was the Wolfe Brothers also. A close second was Kurt Drake's class. I had a light bulb event there. I have always disliked using sponges, and have predominately used powders, but after that class I feel ready to give sponging another chance. It blew me away how little water they used, boy was I doing it wrong!! Pashur was good also. I would love to take the creature cruise they a planning later this year.
     Sherry could you post my spider? They demo'd his drop spider, VERY cool. I didn't have the right colors, but it still didn't come out too bad.



Done! (Sherry)