If you live in the areas of Renton, Auburn, or Kent and would like to know something about face painting in this area of Washington, maybe this article could be of some help to you. If you aren’t familiar with these areas, they are to the south of Seattle, WA.

Perhaps you want to enlist the aid of a professional face painter for a special event. Two of the artists near Seattle, Washington include Karen Haines and Jackie Brulotte. They do excellent work and offer a variety of choices. There are other artists who are willing to travel to Renton, Auburn, or Kent. Some wonderful Canadian artists are Penelope the Clown, located in Calgary, AB, Flying Bob, located in Red Deer, AB, and Tee Breeze Entertainment, located in Calgary, AB. These are not just average face painting artists, but entertainers as well.

Should you want to take up the art of face painting for yourself, consider working reunions, farmer’s markets, museums, or civic centers. Renton is currently searching for artists of all mediums, one of which could be face painters. Some places to check to hire out your talent is as follows:

Woodland Park Zoo, Phone: 206-684-4800
Seattle Aquarium, Phone: 206-386-4300
Bullwinkle’s Family Fun Center, Phone: 425-228-7300
Parkplace Books, Phone: 425-828-6546
Gillman Village, Phone: 425-392-6802
Northwest Railway Museum, Phone: 425-888-3030
Gametown Family Fun Center, Phone: 206-241-9108
SuperKart Racing, Phone: 661-616-5278

It may help to contact the Chamber of Commerce for Renton at 425-226-4560, or the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce at 253-833-0700.

Some supply stores located within a 35 mile radius of Seattle, Washington, include:

Ben Franklin, Monroe, WA, Phone: 360-794-6745
Michael’s in either Kirkland, WA, Phone: 425-821-4444 or in Everett, WA, Phone: 425-267-9088
Craftmart Super Store, Marysville, WA, Phone: 360-653-9828
Craft Star, Lake Stevens, WA, Phone: 425-397-0577

There are at least two costume shops in the area near Renton, Kent, and Auburn. One is Pacific Northwest Costume. The other is Display & Costume. Party supply shops and costume shops may carry ideas for your face painting as well. Sometimes just browsing in a store of this element gets the imagination flowing. If this doesn’t do the trick, try books on wildflowers, drawing books on birds, silhouettes, Indian designs and symbols. If you wish to perform for a festival of the western type, try painting pictures of things like spurs or saddles and cowboy hats, maybe hay bales and tractors or guitars and western boots. An Indian headdress would be a neat idea, or feathers and drums, and the popular cow skull.
A children’s toy store may have just what you need in both face painting supplies and in ideas. Try including things for people of different types, such as Hawaiian items (hula girls, exotic flowers), Dutch items (wooden shoes, windmills, tulips), Mexican items (burros, the sleeping senor, cactus).

You could appeal to the vegetarians with pictures of fruit and vegetables. Just make sure you have a well-stocked variety of choices for a successful booth. Good luck!