Lowana Willoughby1

How and why did you start your business?
Well I started my face painting business called Funky Faces, because I was into child care and our team at work was given a face painting kit and we use to use face painting on our themed days at work such as Jungle, Circus, Animals etc. and the face painting went along with the themed days. The reason I started up my own business was all my friends and family and others around me said that I was talented and had a gift with art and face painting.

 Is it a business to easily start and get into?
It is easy for people how have access to the internet as that is where I access most of my equipment and supplies. It’s not overly expensive as it is a business where you don’t need a shop front, so that lowers the costs and makes it easier and quicker for your business to be up and running. Basically all you really need is a table and chairs and your supplies. It was a bit of a struggle to begin with when I was first getting my supplies online as they came from America and that about 3 weeks for them to arrive, but now I get my supplies from still online but from an Australian supplier and they only take 2-3 days to arrive which is much more efficient and easier for me.

 Was it a struggle financially when you started?
For myself it wasn’t a big struggle as my husband supported me, but if I was trying to do it all by myself I guess I probably would have had a few struggles and it would have been slower in starting my business. Also I am constantly updating my brushes and paints and a few other items, as they either run out or the brushes get split.

 How do you get your inspiration for different face painting ideas?
I mostly get ideas off the internet, and other face painting pictures. I have made some creations myself by just experimenting or I just simply and change some that I have seen on the internet just to make them easier and quicker as you only have a certain amount of time with each child. So to make a flower or butterfly quicker I use a split cake which you can use up to 4 colours at once on instead of having to do each colour individually and that saves a bit of time on each child.

 What is the craziest face paint you have ever done or get asked to do?
The stupidest ones that I get asked to do is Woody or Buzz or Bart Simpson, which cant be done as they are people and don’t have and features that could be painted to make you look like them like a cat or dog do. But the craziest and coolest face painting I have done was on my husband and son, I painted the back of their eyelids with eyes on them so when they closed their eyes you could see the eyes painted on the back, on my son I done big owl eyes with the rest of his face painted as an owl.
 Have you ever completely ruined a face paint?
Yes I have, but it easily fixable as I can just wipe the paint off with a wet wipe and start over again. I have never let any child walk away with a completely ruined face paint on their face.

 What is the most popular face paint you get asked to do for Boys and Girls?
That’s easy, for boys it is Spiderman and for girls it is butterflies.

 What occasions do you mainly get asked to do face painting for?
Markets, Fundraisers and Birthday Parties, but the one I mostly get asked to do face painting at is Markets.


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