HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR BRUSH

Every painter feels like a kid in a sweetie shop when they see an array of brushes to choose from, but they can be expensive and it can be difficult to know which flavours you will like!

If you look after them well, your brushes should last for years and become your best friends.

Brushes come in 3 shapes at the base: flat, round and oval. This is the shape of the top end of the ‘ferrule’ - the metal part that holds the hair and is affixed to the wooden or plastic handle. Then there is the manufactured shape of the brush head - mostly pointed, flat or rounded, and the quality of the hair, and whether it is natural or synthetic.

The Face Painter's Mirror is an online magazine packed with the sort of articles that we love to read. Pitched somewhere between Radio 4 and Hello Magazine there is something for everyone. Members will have access to new articles regularly and to the archived articles, but everyone can see the articles on offer, some are free to read but most have read more links for members only.  It is easy to become a member so why not join us? Don't miss the article on Neil Hughes, a talented guy who has taken extreme make up out into the wide open spaces as make-up artist to Maelstrom a Live Role Play group. There are new Step by Steps and a weird conversation about What to Wear. Members will find any articles they missed in the Magazine archive .

We are pleased to stock the magazine for face and body painters. Produced in the UK, but with worldwide appeal, it covers the best of International Artists' work.

The premier issue is bound to  become a collector's edition,  the cover artist was 'The Wizard from Oz' Lynne Jamieson. WE HAVE NOW SOLD OUT OF THIS EDITION! But all the later ones are available at Facepaint UK.

We have some great ideas and new products that make perfect presents. Don't forget to click Read More at the end to see all the goodies we've collected .

Our new luxury set of daVinci synthetic brushes have been specially selected as the most useful brushes you could get, all with snazzy clear acrylic handles and a free acrylic brush holder while limited stocks last. These are perfect for those that are dubious about using natural hair brushes - a cruelty free gift!

So you're new to the facepainting world! Welcome, put your seat belt on, it can be a bumpy ride! It can also be a lot of fun, really rewarding, and EVERYONE (professional) seems to get told "that's the best facepainting I've ever seen".  It's a wonderful ego boost, a child's smile as they look in the mirror is worth a thousand thank you's (they often forget, bless). To be properly prepared, we hope you've done a few courses, got insured and practiced lots and lots, those with children of their own are at a definite advantage (it does wear off, make the best of it while you can but don't overdo it!). It can also be really tiring, backbreaking, fingernumbing and frustrating, but we're here to help! Send us any questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you. The most common question we get asked is "How much should I charge?"  ...
Members read more (how cruel is that?!) (we offer 6 months free membership to students of the London School of Face Painting )

Feeling Despondent? Can't think what to do? Got a tricky problem? Write to Aggie, facepaint-uk's very own advisor on all things to do with face painting (and everything else!). Just try her out, it's better than sitting at home worrying. Aggie will respond personally to all emails, in complete confidence if you wish, or if it's interesting it might appear anonymously on the website. Either way her helpful advice and enormous experience may be just what you need to get you back on track.

EVENTS
This is a link to the Events Calendar. If there is anything you feel facepainters should know about, maybe you are looking for volunteer face painters, or you have an event that needs face painters coming up, or perhaps you are organizing a conference or trade show - send us the details and we will list it with your contact details.

Facepaint-uk offers a unique service to members of a research facility or reference library. Members can email us with requests for a design for any unusual event, themed party or photo shoot etc. We will send them photo/s or a link with helpful notes if need be, or if no photo of a face exists already, reference pictures and suggestions for ways of interpreting the image. The current Library offering can be found in the Members Menu, we regularly haul an image or three off the groaning shelves and leave it on a table for members to view. If you can't get in, remember to log on to see what is there.  For other queries ask Aggie!

If you're not sure what you need to set up we have collated detailed information on the facepainting kits available at Facepaint UK. All are based on the Grimas stacking system that keeps your set up neat and tidy, and can be built upon if you find you fall in love with facepainting, as so many do. We are called, variously, facepainting addicts, tackle tarts and worse. Bibi for example has been called a Trophy Whore by Mark Reid. No hard feelings then :)

All the kits are less than buying the ingredients separately, and the bag is free! We don't put rubbish brushes in our kits, proper brushes are important, and not cheap. All contain water-based paints suitable for painting on children. In general, we do not recommend that children under 3 years old have their faces painted.

NOTE! Grimas have made changes to some of their 2.5ml palettes - until we can photograph everything all over again some of the pictures are not 100% accurate. For exact colours see the listing for the palettes in the shop.
Where bags are no longer available;  we have reduced the price of the kit to reflect this.

Members benefit from a 10% discount on all purchases at facepaint uk. The discounted prices are shown once you are logged on.

We have some seriously discounted Burgundy Grimas 507 in 60ml size, Facepaint UK Member price £2.25 a pot, others just £2.50. Normal price £7.85.  Millwall supporters may like this, otherwise this is one for the red wine drinkers!