Face painting is such a fun activity for kids and adults alike to experience. You see Face painters at parties, festivals, and other fun events, but have you ever wondered how to become a face painter? Or how much a face painter actually makes?
The average nationwide a face painter makes a little under $30,000 a year. This number can vary depending on what state the painter lives in and what they charge. It can also change based on whether they are in high demand or not.
Face painting is not the usual job and because of this, there are a lot of variables to consider that can affect the rate or amount of income in a year. As you continue reading on, you will see that there is more to face painting than meets the eye.
Although a face painter can average about $30,000 a year the price can vary from $16,000 a year to upwards of $40,000 a year. This averages about $13 an hour or about $2,000 a month. These numbers can fluctuate greatly for many reasons:
Some cities or locations don’t need or have a high demand for face painters. If you want to be a face painter, you will need to go where there is a demand for it. You don’t want to place a garden in the middle of a desert. It wouldn’t be successful. Same goes for face painting.
You may also find that those who are better or have more experience will have a higher income than those just starting out. This goes with any career. Experience means your name has been out there longer and most likely more clients will be aware of you.
The seasons can drastically change the demand for a face painter. During the summer when there are a lot of events or activities, there is an upkick in the need for a face painter because there are more events. During the winter time, you may find less companies or people asking around for a face painter.
As a face painter, marketing will affect your income drastically. If you aren’t good with marketing, you will find yourself struggling. Your income is solely based on who will hire you. If no one knows that you exist, it will be more difficult for you to find a job or clients.
Figuring out how much you should charge for your services can be a little difficult, especially if you are new to the industry. You don’t want to overcharge your clients, but you also don’t want to undersell yourself. Many face painters charge about $150 to $200 for each event.
This price tag may vary depending on how long the event is. This price is the norm when charging for a birthday party. Birthday parties may only last a few hours or half the day at best, but some events could last all day.
You need to figure out if you will be charging by the event or by the hour before you start to market yourself. Don’t worry. You don’t have to commit to one plan. If you find out that being paid isn’t working out for you, you can change it as you go.
Find a mentor or peers that have been in the face painting business. You can see how much they charge and base your fee on that. You can always adjust the fee as you become more popular with clients. Remember, you never want to undersell your services.
Some venues and events call for a face painter. Face painting is such a fun activity that everyone loves it, even the adults. This is especially true when you can offer different styles of paintings.
Here are some popular venues and events that are great for face painters:
Many of these venues and events happen all year round and are great when the seasonal events are no longer occurring.
Not every city is going to be the same in revenue. If face painting is your path and you want to live where there is a demand, you will want to find the best cities. Never settle for less. Here are some of the best cities to be a face painter:
These cities offer an average of $33,000 salary each year. This is above the average and provides a higher hourly wage. You need to consider that the cost of living may be a little higher in these states than in others.
Marketing is a big factor in whether you will be successful or not. If you don’t market yourself well, you may find yourself struggling to the point you may reconsider this as your career path. Although marketing can be tough, your brand needs to have your name out there.
Marketing can be boring and a little expensive, but there are ways that you can market yourself without feeling too stressed or spending too much. Here are some tips and tricks to marketing yourself:
The more you are seen, whether via the internet or in person, the more you will remain in someone’s mind. Your presence is the biggest selling point. You will find that if you can get a great enough following on your social media platforms, you will find more clients than if you didn’t have this outlet.
Being a face painter may not be the best paying job, but it can be fun. It doesn’t have to be difficult to make ends meet. You can succeed and have fun. Plus, it is always nice to see the smiles on children’s faces as you finish your artwork.