The Power of Imagination - SF Competition
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The following is an entry sent in for our monthly Silly Farm Supplies Competition!
“The Power of Imagination”
Sent in by Jane - Rainbow Rascals
Hello Philadelphia,
I am enjoying your website and all the links and blogs it is great to feel ‘connected’ with other artists from all over the world. I would like to share some thoughts with you …..and I have so many wonderful ideas tips, and stories but thought this one would be helpful as well as amusing. Its all in the imagination…well at least some of it!
I was painting at a large event a few years ago and had settled down to a steady stream of eager Spiderman and Butterflies and all the usual lovely requests that we all get. When a little boy sat down in my chairs and when I asked him the magic words ‘Who would you like to be today?” he replied that he would like to be his Hamster!Not just any Hamster but his Hamster. Now as you will all know some designs reach and and grab you with their wonderful bold colours and designs like the Tiger with its Orange and bold markings etc and the Butterfly with the opportunity for the artist to perhaps colour co-ordinate the wings with the models outfit and the mask like boldness of a Spiderman… but a Hamster~ little beady eyes and lots of fur spring to mind. He was really set on this idea so I proceeded to question him on the colour of his Hamster and set about with a little trepidation to reproduce his Hamster for him.
He closed his eyes and sat patiently whist I flicked furry marks with my paintbrush and busied myself doing my very best Hamster (hopefully!) when the time came for the ‘reveal’ I was little nervous I must admit but when my little model beamed and said excited ‘Wow that looks just like him!!” I was was thrilled and a tickled too because at that point I realized that so much of what we do is already in the child’s head.
From the moment they join the queue and decide and the wait and wait and finally sit in our chair and ask, by the time they close their eyes before our brushes and sponges touch their face they are beginning to ‘become’ that creation and our artwork is the delightful confirmation of that when they get to look in the mirror. I like to let them have a good long look in the mirror (as long as time will allow) because often we forget they queue for a long time they, sit for 5/10 mins and then perhaps only get a few seconds to glimpse their face so this bit is so important to remember. So the lesson I learnt from this is that we join our models on this wonderful journey of fantasy and never to underestimate the power of their imagination!
Kind Regards
Jane
Rainbow Rascals
www.rainbowrascals.co.nz
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Thanks for sending this in Jane, great story! I’ll be posting the rest of the entries until the end of April when I announce the winner. To find out more and enter the face painting Silly Farm contest click here.
Please leave a comment if you want to ask questions, or just want to offer encouragement!
Happy Face Painting,
Philadelphia Tivoli
P.s Learn how to face paint, with our step-by-step face painting designs photos and instructions now!
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April 22nd, 2008 at 9:29 am
Jane, what a lovely story… thanks for sharing! It’s moments like these that makes it all very worthwhile. I also hope anyone who’s feeling a little apprehensive or is lacking confidence will gain the courage to just go for it!
This reminds me of my own face painting experience long ago… at my very first event. I had NEVER face painted before but somehow got volunteered in to help out a fledgling entertainment business a friend of my then husband had started.
Everyone else had considerably more experience than I did and we even had an internationally known artist as part of the team. Did that make much difference to the children? Not at all! Each and every one of them were just simply delighted to have their face painted! It didn’t matter if their face was done by me and my clumsy, apprehensive strokes or by a professional artist (or anyone else who’s skill level was between these two extremes). They were all just happy, and our face painting team had a very good time doing it.
We did a few more events, but then life just sort of got in the way and I haven’t painted in over a decade. I’m missing it big time and am greatly looking forward to getting back into it… for now, I practice with acrylics on papers until I can afford the paints.
Hopefully, one day soon, I’ll be able to share a child’s joy and excitement when I pick up a mirror and say, “Wow! Look what you’ve become!”
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 am
Wow! What a wonderful story! I though it was just precious! I’m so glad you let your imagination move you to create that boy’s hamster face. Who would have thought of a wanted to be a hamster except a kid?! That’s so sweet!
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Great stories….I feel inspired to share my first face painting experience.
One day I was asked(no I was pushed) by my friend to do face painting for the neighborhood kids. She said just do something on their cheek, they’ll love it, and don’t forget the glitter for th egirls. Reluctantly and rather nervous I agreed. I mean after all it was just cheek art.
I proceeded to paint a candy apple on the cheek of a very excited little girl. When I had completed the masterpiece and gave her the mirror to have a look… the biggest, brightest smile came across her face. You see not only did I paint a candy apple I made to appear as though a bite had been taken out of it…but outlined the pretend teeth marks with gold glitter gel. She turned to her mother and said, “Look at my pretty apple mom and see I shared a piece just like you taught me”…..Needless to say I love face painting.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Awww, that’s awesome Chandra!