• Use a sponge, instead of a brush. A sponge will help you cover the face more quickly - which is very helpful when you have small children with limited attention spans. Have a different sponge for each color you are using.
• Consider making your own paint. For a simple recipe, mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with half a teaspoon of cold cream. Stir in half a teaspoon of water and mix in some food coloring.
• Make sure you have a lot of ideas ready for the children. Find out what is popular among children before you start so that you can ensure you have the appropriate face painting designs ready.
• Spend some time visualizing the end product before you start on each face. Even if you have the design in front of you, you still need to consider how it will look on the face you are painting. You should also spend a moment considering how best to apply the paint to achieve the required design.
• Ensure that you have all the necessary materials for cleaning up and fixing mistakes Keep plenty of tissues on hand. Some children will not like the end result. Also, especially with your first efforts, you are likely to make errors.
• Use stencils if you are not confident of painting freehand. Stencils help ensure your design turns out the way you want it to.
• Practice before you start on children. Try practicing on paper or on a friend who is a good sport!
• Get a team of at least two people together. This helps reduce the amount of time that children have to wait, and it also means you can take a break when you need to.
• Be prepared for children asking for designs that you do not have. Decide beforehand what you will do in these cases - will you try it anyway or will you ask children to stick to the available designs?
• Prepare yourself for tears! Not all children will be happy with the end result and some will ask to have their face painted, only to start crying when you start. Don't take it personally.

Face painting can be lots of fun - both for you and for the children. It is a hit at parties, fairs and other functions, and the kids love it. With some face painting designs and a few face painting supplies, you have all the tools to start!