FAQ
Answers to your most frequently asked questions!
How Much Time Should I Book?
A guide I use when estimating how much time you need is approximately 5 minutes per face painting.
Children have such an active imagination which requires some time to think, Along side hoping into the chair, discussing colours and sometimes the designs have to be altered because of parents placement request (example: not near mouth / eyes etc).
To give a 100% accurate time estimate is hard, a little picture of a cartoon character they love so much on their cheek actually takes much lover then a large full faced tiger. I do my best to give an accurate booking guideline, and try my best to have every child painted by the end of my time. In my experience it is better to over book my time and have children come and get seconds, or even allow for the adults to come and have something done if they wish too rather then being pressed for time and not being able to let their imaginations run wild with designs and have the time spent to make their design even more amazing. In the end it is up to you and your budget what you can and can't afford, but not paying for enough time may result in a few children missing out.
How And When Do I Pay?
You can pay by cash on the day OR by bank transfer at least 1 week prior to the event. Please pay cash upon the artists arrival to ensure the correct amount money is being paid. The artist does not typically have change, so please have the correct amount.
Do I Have To Pay For Set Up Time?
No, The time it takes to set up and pack up is outside of the time you pay for. The artist will be there a few minutes prior to the booking to set up and be ready to paint for the allocated and paid for time frame of your booking. Once that time is finished, the artist will then pack up and leave the venue. Set up and Pack up can take between 10-15 minute
I Know Someone Who Can Paint, Can They Use Your Paint And Help You?
Sorry, but our insurance doesn't cover anyone but the professional artist and doesn't allow for this sort of arrangement.
The paint and brushes used are very expensive and high quality and can only be used by the owner of the paint. If your event is expected to be busy you could nominate a friend, relative or guest to be a line manager for face painting, Or for an additional charge I could hire a line manager and bring them along to the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.
My Child Doesn't Like Face Painting, Can You Just Do It While I Hold Them Still?
Please don't ask this of the face painter, Yes we can but it isn't a pleasant experience for the child or the artist and isn't a good way to get them out of the fear of trying something new. I would prefer not to so please don't make us.
We do want to please our customer, but the idea of forcing a child to get painted goes against what face painting is all about.
We will first try to paint a design on the arm if there is an aversion to the face. Face painting is supposed to be a fun experience.
What Age Does The Child Have To Be To Get Painted?
I generally paint children from the age of 2 years and up, But have painted children younger then this at the request of a parent.
I will not paint a child that is unable to sit / stand unassisted, Though my face paints are extremely safe, I personally don't feel comfortable using products on small infants. Please ensure your child is at least 12 months or close to that age before requesting us to paint the child, and also only if the child is happy and willing to be painted. This is a fun experience and as explained above, Holding and forcing a child ruins the experience for the artist and the child.
What Is The Best Way To Remove Face Paint?
We recommend cleaning the skin with warm water and gentle soap (such as baby shampoo / wash). I personally have used coconut oil to remove the paint and then washed my face or my child's face as per normal with a gentle soap and warm water, do not scrub!.
Avoid using baby wipes to clean, they are fine to tiny area's, or wipe the mouth but to use as the sole method of face washing / paint removal can be harmful. Face Paint is very safe and rarely causes reactions, the reactions that might occur are usually caused by the removal method and scrubbing of the child's face.
Please note that some colours may stain the skin, if this happens avoid vigorous scrubbing, the paint will fade out in time.
If you think your child may be allergic to face paint, Please have them patch tested about 30 mins prior to their painting.
Do You Have A Minimum Booking Requirement ?
Yes, a Minimum booking of 1.5 hours is required in local areas and 2 hours for out of local area.
Most parties generally require a booking of 2 hours, which is the standard time frame for many events unless a small number of children are attending.
Please advise how many children are attending when you are booking for advice on the amount of time required to ensure they are all painted. It is better to book extra time then not have enough.
Do I Need To Pay A Deposit, What If I Need To Cancel?
At this stage, We do not require a deposit when booking. We like to put trust in our clients that they have a mutual respect for the business and will honor the contract as said. If for whatever reason you need to cancel please inform us as soon as possible. It's understandable that things such as illness can come on at the most unfortunate times and sometimes 24 hours or 5 hours is all the notice you can give then that is all you can do, but please don't let us arrive to your party to then either not be there or inform us that it has been canceled or we will send through a call out payment invoice for time and fuel use. 1 week minimum if possible would be the best time for cancelation, as we may be able to take on another booking during that time frame.
Why Should I Book You?
There are many things that should be taken into consideration when choosing to hire a face painter for your event.
We understand that sometimes your budget may not be able to stretch that little bit extra and you may want to go for hiring a friend or relative and buying some cheap paints online, or you might have seen someone do it for a lot cheaper than professional artists and there is a reason for that. You could be compromising talent, hygiene, product safety, insurance, and so much more.
Face painting may only last for a day, but the photos of the event, birthday, wedding etc last a life time. Is it worth looking back at your images and having them ruined, or risking a chemical burn on a child's face because the cheaper painter has used craft or acrylic paints? Surreal Strokes Face Painting is a professional High Quality service and no expense is spared when purchasing products to use on your childs face. Much research and training has been done to ensure we keep our services at such a standard.
You need to consider if saving a few dollars and hiring a non-professional is really worth it.
We are trusted by so many companies and also one of the 3 face painters at the Children's Hospital,so you can trust that our safety standards are at the highest quality.
Not only that, the art speaks for itself. You shouldn't settle for anything less than professional.
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