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"How to be prepared to be photographed before a clown photo shoot."

Before even applying your makeup, there are things that are overlooked quite a bit that needs to be considered. Simple tips can make your Clown Portraits more beautiful than you ever thought possible.

1. Make sure you use Visine, Murine something to get the red out! You know how white makeup makes teeth look yellow. Imagine what white around the eyes do to bloodshot eyes. Even if they are not bloodshot, use it anyway, eyes usually get aggravated from makeup and photographic lighting.

2. When you apply your makeup, start early and pay attention to detail. Make sure you look at yourself while you are applying your makeup from far back and close up while applying your makeup and before you powder.

3. Try not to cake the white on too thick. It creates wrinkles on us that we really don't have.

4. After applying your makeup for your Photo Shoot, make sure you get the white makeup out of your eyelashes. We see in photographs where people leave the white makeup in their eyelashes. It will show. Women and men can use mascara to cover it up. Men, if you do not want to use mascara, I will understand, then what you need to do is be very careful when doing this....Put a little baby oil on your fingers and rub your fingers together. Then grab your eyelashes and gently pull down until you get the white off. Wash the baby oil off your fingers and wet your fingers with water and repeat gently pulling your eyelashes down again. Do this step after powdering.

5. After you are through powdering, and brushing the powder off very good, then get a wet towel and brush it with your powder brush. Then apply the moistness of the brush and rebrush your face taking some of the unnecessary powder off. This will make your colors "pop" in photographs. You can do this also with a wet cloth, but sometimes when you do, you can either smear your makeup or you can see wet spots, dry spots and it will show up that way in your portrait. By using your powder brush, you are smoothing the moistness all over your face.

6. Wear Gloves in your photographs. They look better and disguise our hands and of course, it disguises our age.

7. Who says you cannot smile and show your teeth in photographs? Do it both ways and you will see that a smile with teeth says more than a smile without.

"How to: How to apply makeup and make it stay on..for oily skin users

It's summertime and during clown gigs, lets face it, indoors or out, we sweat. The humidity makes you sweat in your clothes so make sure you wear an undershirt to absorb sweat. I assure you after an all day Saturday company picnic, one can ring out sweat in a cotton undershirt. So make sure you drink plenty of water or Gatorade. Play it safe because heat is very dangerous.

These are steps I have found over the years of clowning to keep your makeup fresh and looking good. It requires preparation before your actual makeup application.

First start with a cool shower, make sure your scrub all oils off your face. Next take a cotton ball with some kind of astringent. I usually buy Clinique #2 at the department store like Macy's. Take a cotton ball dipped in astringent and take off remaining oils on face and neck. Actually you are also removing dead skin cells too.

If your face is really oil, I recommend going with a makeup called Apple White, purchased through any clown supply dealer. You may want to try Betty Cash for Apple White Makeup. It is a really tough makeup to go on when your face has no oils, but then again, it's really kind of hard to get off also.

Apply makeup normally, make sure you pat your face really well before you powder. Powder very well with baby powder not breathing the powder please.

By following these little directions, you can last all day, sweating all you want and your makeup will stay looking crisp all day. Good luck and stay cool!

 

"How to: End your line when it is time for you to go!

Do you ever notice that it is time for you to leave your gig but your line seems to be getting longer? People don't know that you have to leave. They think you are going to be making balloons or painting faces all day and night. You have to let them know in advance like before you need to leave. You just can't say, "Well everyone in line, it is time for me to leave now, maybe you will get a balloon next time.

This is the fastest way to get a bad clown reputation. It's another good reason why clowns should not have the same names in the same city. If a clown were to do this with the same name as yours, you would be the one who would get asked why did you do that or why did you act that way. Let's just make sure we know to close either our balloon sculpture line or our face painting line the proper way, making everyone happy.

The way to do this...I call it "Line Time" When I know it is getting near time for me to leave, I look at my watch and see how many people there are in line and how long it will take me to make balloon animals or face paint all of them in line. By following a few simple tips you will be able to leave on time without disappointing anyone. I will go over some ways that I have heard other people close their lines then I will go over how I do it.

Some people post signs that they will be doing face painting from this time to 4 or 5:00. You can post 500 signs in a 10 foot area. Most people will read them and stay in your line. :-) Signs never worked for me.

Another way is an easel at the end of the line stating your line is closed. The problem there is as your line moves up, the easel stays where it is and people get in front of it and they are again, in your line. You could always stop, take the time and keep moving it up as the line goes up or have the last person in line help you out.

Another way is to have the last person in your line hold a sign for you that you have written earlier stating your line is closed. The problem with that is the last person in line starts talking and forgets to show the people the sign in line. Then you have people in your line again.

I want to share this idea that I got from my dear friend, Mary Lostak, Sugar Plum, 12 years ago and it has been working for me since. First, you want to make sure the last person in your line is an adult; maybe waiting with a child. Go to the end of your line and ask that person to help you out by telling everyone that gets in line after they do that your line is closed.

People like free things. Tell them you will have them a special surprise for them just for helping you close your line or when it gets their turn, you will give them a special face painting design or a multiple balloon sculpture just for them. This takes you away from getting out of your character. But remember, if you turn one person away and keep turning people away, and you see you have 5 minutes left, whatever you do, don't say, well, I have 5 minutes left, I can face paint a few more because the people you have turned away will be watching you and the best thing to do for the 5 minutes you may have left is to do a walk around type entertainment or just use that time to clown around with people. Remember, that person helped you close your line, so keep your promise and keep your line closed and give them a reward. They will feel good they helped you and you will feel good because you were able to leave on time. Happy National Clown Week to all and big Congratulations to all the Cheerful Clown Alley's Clown School Graduates!

How to: Overcome Stage fright from clowns who have been there, done that and got the T-shirt!

Have you been a volunteer clown for a long time and wanting to really get your feet wet and start charging for your services because you know you can do it, but you are too afraid to charge because you don't think you are good enough? Sound familiar?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! All clowns branching out feel the same way you do. But you have to start somewhere. First thing to help make your fear go away and get some "Clown Self Esteem." Chances are you have been asked for a business card. THAT'S A GOOD THING! This should help you feel self worth. They want you to perform for them. Don't turn them away and say you can't do it. What they are expecting of you is what you have shown them when they asked for that business card.

Lets take a look at some clown self esteem builders. Of course the first thing is Clown School. Not just one class either. We are talking continuing clown education. Just a pretty makeup face clown doesn't make you a clown. Your skills and how you can interact with people to get them and their children to laugh is what is going to get you paid. Chances are if you have been clowning in the past, you have routines already worked up. If you have been accepted as a volunteer clown and people have told you that you were a good clown, chances are, they are right.

Your biggest critic is yourself. You see someone juggling and say, well, I can't juggle, I can't do balloons, I can't do this, what if this happens, what if that happens. You can "what if" yourself to craziness. But until you get motivated, stop procrastinating and jump in and do it, your self esteem will get better and better. After many months, your timing with your routines will get better. I do recommend joining a local clown alley, get to know other clowns.

My clown stage fright dwindled in 1985, I contacted a daycare in a very poor neighborhood. I told the daycare director I wanted to come by and try some new material for the kids. I explained I was a clown working on my routines. I let her know right off all routines were safe and all G-rated . First, they welcomed me with open arms and in turn, I got my needs met. It was fun, I saw everyone having a good time and after that, I was not afraid to charge.

People are all different. Maybe that is what you thought you wanted to do but really didn't want to do it. Things fall into place with time. Don't push yourself too hard. I do want to tell you when you do start charging to make sure you get performers liability insurance. You can get it through Clowns of America, International for about $90.00 a year for a 2 million dollar policy.

My last statement is by being a clown, we are all servants of the Lord. Don't forget to ask guidance from him also. Just follow the clown "Code of Ethics" when you go out in public.

Have fun!!!!

What is the difference between a professional and non-professional clown.

There are so many misconceptions about what a professional clown is and is not. Many people think that if you get paid for clowning, it automatically makes one a "Professional Clown." This is not so. Enumeration is one form of compensation of being a "Professional Clown", it is your abilities that allow you to be compensated.
Many professional clowns are compensated not monetarily nor materialistically, but by the love and joy it brings and they feel it is right in their heart that they are bringing such joy and pleasure to people whom they can reach out and touch.

There are clowns who have been clowning for many years who only do charity work. Because of their abilities, and knowing their art and possessing the skills, they have earned the title as "Professional."

Why its important to have Performers Liability Insurance

I cannot think of a reason why you should not have entertainers insurance. Even if you perform part time or even volunteer performing, no matter what, you should have liability coverage. You probably have heard of the horror stories of clowns giving children balloons and them putting them in their mouths and choking on the rubber. We don't even want to think this would happen but it has and it should be addressed. In the past 16 years, Eight of the years I have been covered. I had one incident happen and spilled face painting water on a family's oriental rug. It did not come up. Not only did the mom cry and I was asked to leave, but I was contacted by her lawyer the next day. I told the lady that it was an accident and a child had tried to grab one of the containers of paint. I saw her coming in the corner of my eye. I grabbed the paint away and knocked the container over with my wrist. I was very glad I had clown insurance!

We clowns work in very small spaces. We work with children and its almost a sue happy society. We have to work very flexible so we don't know what situation we are walking into every time we go to a party. I was also working a job where I was giving out helium balloons. I am totally against the inhalation of helium. These young teens were breaking the balloon apart and inhaling helium to talk funny. I told them not to and I was going to tell their mother. They laughed and said their mother wasn't there. I continued to beg them not to do that, Helium is a gas and is very dangerous. I just had a large line and just kept filling balloons and giving them out. Finally I heard someone yell to get an ambulance. I stopped and looked and the young teen had passed out from inhaling helium. His friend said I had given him the balloon, in fact, yes I did, just like I was hired to do. Then I heard someone come running over to me and yelling at me in clown and this lady that had been in line earlier stood up for me and told them that I had repeatedly told them not to inhale the helium.

The boy had become awake right before the ambulance had arrived. They took him to the hospital. It taught me a very valuable lesson. Please reinforce children not to put balloons in their mouths and also if you see them inhaling helium, please educate them on the dangers of inhalation. If anything had happened to this child, I don't think I would be able to forgive myself for not stopping it and since his parents were not supervising, I guess I should have addressed the situation to the contact person. But when I think about these things, I am just so thankful I had clown insurance. Purchase it from Clown of America, Intl or World Clown Association. For about $100.00 a year for 2 million liability, its worth ever cent to have it. You never know and never can predict the future. Now I educate people in the balloon line about dangers if I see them putting them in their mouths.

Just remember - "When you are green, you grow, when you're brown you rot"

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