faithb wrote:
My church had adopted a women's shelter.  One night they had a pampering night for them.  One of our members had a hair salon so they all got new hair styles and I did makeovers.  They told me what colors they normally wore and I did the complete opposite.  They were so amazed to see themselves completely different from what they look like every day!  I might have enjoyed myself more than they did.  I felt really good.

yah i have worked with the Gean Tweed society its for batter women and children we do face painting on the kids and beauty make overs on the moms its such a great feeling to make some one feel amazing with some thing so simple as a little make up and a hair style.

Deyanne Holmes wrote:
Whether they're sick or well - the reaction to face painting never fails to amaze me.
I volunteer at a hospital here in Toronto and during one shift I was asked to please not forget J - - - - because he had so been looking forward to having his face painted. Finally it was his turn. We leafed through many idea books and he wasn't too impressed or animated. Suddenly something caught his eye - it was a full face monster thing complete with green skin, black sunken hollow eyes, white fangs painted on his face with dripping blood - the works! His mother tried to coax him out of it but his mind was made up. So I obliged and made him virtually unrecognizable. He was very happy when I was done, but that's not the end of the story.

Approx. a week later, I heard from another face painter who hadn't been there on the same day as I was but had heard about 'The Face.' "How did you  know?", I asked. Well apparently everyone on that floor had heard about it because that boy refused to wash his face for 3 days.
I was told that this was the highest compliment a face painter could get.

That was a very emotional 'high' for me.

awww so sweet, I had this happen once too when the whole ninja turtle fase was in in the 90's and a little boy had come to a party I was working at and I painted the "mask" on his face and about a week later, he was at another party I was working at, he still had remnants of the "mask" on his face, his mom said he wouldnt let her near his face, and tried to get it off in his sleep but he would wake up. So i painted another mask on his face, I wonder if her still has it on??

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:
ok so I vollenteer at the hospital...

See if you can find a photographer to take snapshots or take along a camera yourself so that the kids an parents will have something to help cheer them up when they're not made up. Keeping spirits up can be a huge edge in recovery.

Deyanne Holmes wrote:
On the surface that sounds like a good idea but privacy regulations forbid photographing of patients. Hospitals are very strict about things like that and volunteers receive training and a whole list of do's and don'ts.
I do find however that many parents carry digital cameras with them and now we have camera / cellphones so as long as the relatives of patients do it, photographs are OK. I'm sure most painters have had the experience of being asked to pose while the work is in progress as well as at the end with the finished result along with the child - it makes a nice picture story.

exactly, I have worked with a society for battered women as some are in "hidding" so they cant have pictures take and I understand that. I do have a couple of "me and the make-up artist" shots that were taken by a mom and sent to me via e-mail I acctually never ask to take the kids pictures even if I do a awsome job becasue of the whole leauglities that comes when working with kids, especially sick kids,and for the most part the moms send me images

Deyanne Holmes wrote:
I just thought of another thing that amazes me:
Do you ever notice that the kid who can't be still for 2 seconds, who is punching his sister in line and who probably suffers from ADD, will sit absolutely perfectly still while having his face painted?

Go figure.

yah I have noticed that, when they are really little you just need to do something really quick,
I wored on a childres theatre group last year in T. O. and there was one artsit who i think shouldnt ever work with kids, but any way, she tried to paint a "face" onto this 3 yearold but it didnt go so well he freeeked out because of the way she "gripped" his chin. So his mom took him away to calm him down, then once her stopped cring I whent over to him and asked if her wanted to get his make-up dont, all he needed was a little brown nose and wiskers, he was a mouse. so I did this in like 30 seconds then he wanted glitter, so he got glitter every colour, and he was very happy in the end.

Vladimir Londono wrote:
I don't have any really touching stories but I do feel kinda touched when i hang out with one of my next door neighboors who has down syndrom. He loves the attention and that makes me happy. Good job for your efforts it will eventually pay off one day.

i think it already has payed off, i feel so great when working in these situations and money or fame could never give me the high i encounter when working with these specail people.

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:

i think it already has payed off, i feel so great when working in these situations and money or fame could never give me the high i encounter when working with these specail people.

That is great that you have found that type of satisfation and at the same time helping other people.
Much

Deyanne Holmes wrote:
Sounds like you know what you're doing Deadly - you salvaged that child's experience by making it pleasant after all with the mouse and whiskers. Sometimes parents will ask for something too complicated for the child's age and I'll advise them to go the simple route. All they want is the picture and meanwhile the kid is scared to death esp. if it's their first time. What I'll do is get the child to select his/her favorite colour, then I ask the parent to hold the mirror so the child can watch what I'm doing. After a few quick strokes and the application of sparkle dust, they break out into that great big smile. Sometimes I use sponge stamps on the little ones - then add a line or two plus sparkle. It's a great method for 2-3 yr olds.
But don't you think that smile at the end is the greatest reward in the world?

One would think youv've just painted the Sistine Chapel or something.

it's like winning the lottery with out the taxes, eating your fav. ice cream cone. or finding your wedding dress ( I just experianced that yester day when I found my wedding dress )
and i love how excited the parents get even if you do a star they think your totally amazing well I am hehehehe kidding dont worry my head isnt getting big