DVD/Book recommendations

[apriladventure]

I'm shopping around for DVDs or Books that will help me take my face painting to the next level. (Whatever level that may be.) Does anyone have a recommendation on the video or instructional book that helped them the most?

[sparklingfaces]

honestly, i would reccomend neither.

I would search youtube or google and practice designs other people are doing.
it's free and there are tons of great designs out there without getting a book.

it's not the design, but the basics of putting down a base, using your brush correctly and placement of tear drops and dots that I think makes design pop.

[Sherry]

I haven't used a lot of books, so it's hard for me to make a recommendation, but I'll tell you about the little bit I have.  I started out with the Usbourne book ages ago in the nineties and I thought it was just great.  It would probably be too dated now.

I was a bit disappointed with The Book of Princesses by Marcela Murad.  I didn't think it gave much detail on how to do the faces.  What colors or specifics that were being used for the designs.  I haven't tried her other books yet.

I think the Illusions & Friends Step-by-Step guide is a quality guide.

 I'm not so sure I like all the designs on the older Snazaroo books, but I do think Gary Cole does a great job of describing the face painting process in detail, which is great for beginners.  

Roberta Mandella's "3 Minute Cheek Art" is my best seller and has step by steps and detailed instructions.  I hope that helps!

[Shannon Fennell]

I'm not so sure I like all the designs on the older Snazaroo books, but I do think Gary Cole does a great job of describing the face painting process in detail, which is great for beginners.

Gary describes it in all of the books except mine, the first in the series. "Your Face or Mine" because I wrote it all myself and he only edited it. The book is is for beginners - not sure if you are a beginner-beginner or not.  But I think (and I am COMPLETELY biased here!  LOL) that the designs are better than most beginner books.

The books that I like the best are Creative Faces (which is out of print) and Making Faces by Sian Ellis-Thomas (this is a beginner book and was my inspiration!  A great book.)  Mark Reid's books are really great for inspiration and the Illusion books offer a nice selection of styles and artists.  The Wolfe FX books are great BUT as there is no written instruction to accompany the photos it can be a problem for artists that are not yet completely comfortable with techniques enough to know HOW to do what the photos show.

American Face Painter magazine is a great resource too as it is ALL step-by-step designs and nothing else and is very reasonably priced.  Illusion is a good magazine too... but spends a lot of space on articles and work that is not everyday workable designs, but it is great inspiration.

I don't use/watch DVDs or videos on the net so have nothing to offer there.

[LillyW]

As you can see, everyone has various ideas on what is best.

Personally, I love Marcela's books!  I have every one.  I still look at them for ideas.

I hear the new Follow the Rainbow Cake DVD from Silly Farm is really good, but that the first spilt cake one was not so good.

I like Mark Reid's Boys Will Be Boys. 

As already suggested, those YouTube videos are WONDERFUL!  And there are a zillion of them out there.  Plus, just do a search for "face painter" in Google images, you will get all kinds of ideas  )

- Lilly Walters, 909-398-1228
Author of 4 books for Face Painters, including the new 3-D Jewels and Necklaces
Books and Face Painting Classes http://www.funfacepainting.com/book.html