Face Painting at the Richmond Carnival

Face painting at the carnival was serendipitous. I was approached with this opportunity while I was painting my picnic table for Tourism Richmond.

Action shots courtesy of my roommate who came to visit me!

West Coast Amusements tours western Canada every year with their traveling carnival. In addition to their rides, they also have independent contractors for food and other entertainment. The owner of the face painting tent was looking for someone to fill the position while the carnival was in Richmond, and happened to come across the Tourism Richmond picnic table painting event while I was there.

The setup inside the tent

Though it took some time for me to get used to painting on faces instead of flat surfaces, I felt pretty at home quickly. Certain paintbrush techniques and familiarity carry through no matter the canvas. The main challenge was speed. I had to move as quickly as possible to accommodate energy-filled children and a long line of waiting families. Switching modes between greeting each child and their family, getting them set up, painting, seeing them off, rinse and repeat, was a learning experience. Parents love photographing and filming their kids, so I also quickly got used to multiple people watching and recording me closely while I worked.