How many faces per hour

[Kristal]

40 an hour? holy shamoly! Do they all get rainbows?!

I had that tire track stencil - I HATED IT, haha. I did my display pic on my brother's arm, and it was great - but he's a power lifter and has massive arms, so it was super easy. The only other time I used it was a PPF event, and the boy wanted it on his arm - but he was about 8 and had these teeny arms, and I had SUCH a tough time keeping it still and it turned out ok - definitely not good - and I felt so bunk about it that I've more or less sworn off stencils, haha.

For birthdays, I say 15 in 2 hours - but I also do balloons, so the numbers for FP only aren't accurate like that. Yesterday I had a FP gig and did 55 faces in 4 hours - 13.75/hour. Not bad. Mix of full face and cheek art. Averaged out to just over 4 mins/child - but that includes in and out of chair time, and the fact that even though you have those velvet ropes sectioning off your lineup, and a giant display board at the end, and people have been waiting for 30 minutes, some people STILL haven't decided what they want by the time they get to the front of the line. I have a sign on my display board that says "Please choose your design before getting in line" - clearly people don't read these things!

[Sherry]

I have a sign like that on my table, to please have design choice picked out before taking a seat.  I also added, "we may need to serve the next in line until you've picked out your design.  Thank you!"  I can see a difference, but I still get a few here and there that don't know what they want, so I'll wait a second or two, but if they don't make up their mind... I ask them to hop down and that I'll work on painting the next person until they decide.  Usually either them or their parent will make an immediate decision, but a few times I paint the next in line. 

It is crazy when you think about how long they've been in line!     Maybe we give them too many choices. 

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

Mandy, I feel so slow next to you. 40! I need to start adjusting my boards more, so that I can work quicker. Advertise the simpler designs. I may have done 20+ in an hour, but no where near 40. I guess I get lost in the details. I show off my more time consuming work and then that's what everyone wants. Gotta stop that.
 
My other problem was addressed earlier. I think I work too wet, so it's taking me longer cuz of the drying time. Thanks for all your advice. 

[LillyW]

I have a 2 hour minimum.  I tell them I can do 25 amazing creations in that time.   I even have a PDF file up at my site so they can see what they can expect. http://www.funfacepainting.com/prices.html

I have done 32 full faces in an hour. You will NEVER see photos of those!!!

I hate going that fast. Yuk

- Lilly Walters, 909-398-1228
Henna Tattoo Artist, Face and Pregnant Belly Painter http://www.funfacepainting.com
 
Books and Face Painting Classes http://www.funfacepainting.com/book.html

[reginanewsum]

I would safely say that 15 to 20 face paintings an hour would be a close guess for me.  I do go faster if it is a pay per face gig. Thats not all FULL face designs,  hopefully there would be some eye designs and just some princess designs requested in that count!  Oh my if there is alote of spiderman, no way!  I don't like to be real rushed, I love to be able to chat with the kids and do the best job for them.  So I never tell a client just what I can do.  I say 20 to 25 faces for a normal birthday party in a two hour spand is a great amount, and a good delivery

[sparklingfaces]

I bought a few of the air brush stencils for a sports event. they are hard and reusable.

Dont like them.... you have to have the paint more on the dry side and you still get bleeding.
and once the bleeding starts... it's hard to make it stop.
another thing is cleaning it when you switch colors - urg - takes more time then it's worth.
I TRY not to switch colors so if they want a butterfly - it only comes in pink
if they want a peace sign - it only comes in green...etc....