Paintertainment's Glossary of Terms for Face Painters

Every career path brings with it a unique set of industry terminology, even face painting! For the benefit of new artists, I've created this face painter's glossary of terms. Please feel free to contact me if you know of any terms that you think I'm missing, or if you've heard one somewhere that you aren't familiar with...this is a working document!

A
Acrylic - Artist's paint that you should NEVER use on skin. Here's why.
Agent - Someone who does all the crummy, boring parts of booking gigs and hires you to do the fun part: painting! ;-)
Arty Cake - Silly Farm's brand of one stroke cakes.

B
BAM - Acronym for a stencil brand name, "Bad Ass Mini"
BAS - Acronym for a stencil brand name "Bad Ass Stencils"
Base Blender - TAG's name for their large split cakes.
Blacklight - A type of light that some paints fluoresce when exposed to. Click here for more info.
Bling - Glitter, Rhinestones, and all things sparkly!
Booking Fee - A sum of money required by artists in order to book an event on their calendar. Usually applied to the final total due.
Brush Tub - A brush rinse water holder made by Loew-Cornell with ridges in the bottom.

C
Chapstick Sushi - A sushi cake made in a chapstick holder. Click here for how-to.
Cheek Art - Designs created to fit on one cheek. (Check out the Facebook group) Click here for an article with suggestions for achieving small details quickly!
Coffee Water - A term for dirty brush rinse water.
Contract - Something all professionals should use or aim to create in the future. Click for more.
Corporate Gig - A job done for a large company.
Cosmetic Glitter - Glitter that is approved for cosmetic use.
Craft-n-Go - A brand of case that can be used to hold supplies.

D
Dagger Brush - A brush with a long, pointed angle, great for painting whiskers!
Dauber - A round sponge attached to a stick/handle (aka Pouncer)
Deposit - A sum of money required by artists in order to book an event on their calendar. Usually applied to the final total due.
Detailz - A brand of detailed painting tool by Mehron.
DFX - A face paint product brand name, aka Diamond FX
DJ Hero Case - A video game accessory case often converted into a paint kit.
Double-Dip - A technique used to create two-toned shapes like flower petals.
Dotting Wand - A sponge tipped brush for creating dots.
Director's Chair - A tall chair preferred by artists who like to stand while painting. 

E
Exposure - A useless "incentive" painters are often presented with in leu of payment. Also, something you can easily die from, especially here in Minnesota in winter.
Eye Design - A design created to go on or around the eye area.
Eyelash Adhesive - An adhesive often used to attach rhinestones and other things to skin.

F
FABATV - Subscription based online learning resource
FABAIC - Acronym for Face And Body Art International Convention.
FDA - Food and Drug Administration (USA) - may approve certain ingredients for use in cosmetics. Click here for more information about the FDA and neon makeup with uapproved pigments.
Fixer / Fixing Spray - A product sprayed on a painted face to help it last longer. There are also fixing/setting powders.
Filbert - A brush shape: flat with a rounded cut.
Finger Dauber - A dauber with a base that can slip over your fingertip.
Full Face - A design that covers the majority of the face.
FunStroke - A brand name of Global's one stroke cakes.

G
Gig - A face painting job/event.
Gigmasters - A website that connects clients looking for entertainment with artists.
GigSalad - A website that connects clients looking for entertainment with artists.
Glitter Dust - A super fine glitter powder. Fine enough to dispense with a glitter brush.
Global - A face paint product brand name.
Glycerine Based - Makeup that is more transparent and good for blending and shading. Examples: Mehron's Paradise, Kryolan's Aquacolors, FAB and Snazaroo are glycerine based.
Grease Paint - Makeup that is not water based; requires a makeup remover to take off.
Guitar Case - A case formerly for a guitar, often converted into a paint kit.

H
HAS - Acronym for a stencil brand name "Half Ass Stencils"
Hourly Gig - A job you are being paid hourly for.
Hypoallergenic - A marketing buzz term that you should be wary of, because there is no science or regulation behind it.

I
INtense Pro - A brand of powders created by Mehron.
Independent Contractor - An artist who is hired out by agents but is responsible for their own taxes, etc.
Invisible Glove - A product designed to keep your hands from getting stained from paint.

J
Jam - When artists get together to practice and share with each other. Also good on toast.
Jewelry Trays - Plastic, sectioned trays often used by face painters to store and organize paints.

K
Kabuki - A big, fluffy brush.
Kit - A face painter's tool box.  Also a constantly evolving obsession of many artists! 
Kryolan - A face paint product brand name.

L
Laptop Case - A plastic case for paints that is about the same shape/size as a laptop.
Linework - Term for the fine outlines done on a design. Wax based paints like Wolfe are great for linework.
Line Manager - Person in charge of keeping the line of kids in order and ending it on time.
Liquid Bling - Amerikan Body Art's brand of glitter gel.
Load - The act of picking up paint with your brush.
Lollipop Blender - A foam pad on a stick, often used to apply powders.

M
Mehron - A face paint product brand name.
Menu - A board or book that shows what designs a painter can do.

N
Neon - Term used to describe fluorescent makeup. Click here for more info.
Newbie - Someone who consider themselves new to face painting.

O
One Stroke - A technique of loading one brush or sponge with multiple colors and applying them in one stroke of the brush/sponge. Click here for a book on this topic.
One Stroke Cake - A cake with multiple colors, sized to be loaded with a 3/4"-1" wide flat brush.

P
PainterTemplate - Wipe-off face painting practice boards by Paintertainment
Paradise - A face paint product brand name.
Paypal -  A payment processing site that many artists use to collect payment. 
Pay-Per-Face Gig -  An event where you charge each customer for their individual face.
Petal Brush - A brush with a unique shape designed to create petal shapes.
Petal Pot -  Small paint pots designed for double dip petals. Click here for a how-to.
Petal Sponge -  A sponge cut into a petal or teardrop shape.
Poofer Bottle -  Small, plastic bottle with a nozzle, often used to "poof" glitter on the face.
Pouncer - A round sponge attached to a stick/handle (aka "Dauber")
PPF - Acronym for "Pay-Per-Face"
Practice -  makes perfect!
Practice Head - A mannequin head used for practicing designs.
Professional - Someone who is paid to face paint.  Click here for a more in depth article.

R
Rainbow Cake - Another name for a split cake.
Rake Brush - A brush with gaps between bristles to create multiple lines at once.
Realism - The practice of painting realistic images.  Also, a book you can find here.
Retail Rate - The hourly rate that you charge the public when you book gigs on your own.
Ruby Red - A face paint product brand name.

S
SBS - Acronym for "step-by-step"
Script Brush - A long, narrow brush used for creating thin lines and scrolls.
SFX - Acronym for "Special Effects," often refers to adding fake skin, blood, etc for realistic gore.
Smoothie Blender - A foam "brush", often used for powders, with a handle like a brush.
Snazaroo - A face paint product brand name.
Speed Painting - Grueling conditions in which some painters may work (for an extra fee).
Special Request - A design requested by a client that is not on the menu.
Spirit Gum - A latex-free adhesive used to attach gems, google eyes, etc. to skin.
Split Cake - A cake of paint with multiple colors in it.
Square - A brand of credit card reader that some artists use to accept payment.
Starblend - A makeup made by Mehron that can be applied wet or as a powder.
Stipple Sponge - A coarse sponge often used to add texture.
Sushi Cake - A round split cake. Click here for instructions to make one.

T
TAG - A face paint product brand name.
TAP  - A brand name of stencils.
Teardrops - A shape that is used in many designs and practiced by professionals.
Tempera - Craft paint that you should NEVER use on skin. Here's why.
Thick-to-Thin - Process of painting a teardrop shape starting on the thick end and ending on the thin end.
Thin-to-Thick - Process of painting a teardrop shape starting on the thin end and ending on the thick end. 
Thumbtack - A website that connects clients looking for entertainment with artists.
Travel - The fees charged for travel to/from a job. 

U
Undercut - Purposely charging much less than the going rate to win jobs from other artists.
UV - Ultraviolet - Term used to describe fluorescent makeup. Click here for more info.

W
Water Based - Makeup that is activated by and cleaned up with water.
Wax Based - Makeup that is more opaque and good for linework. Wolfe, TAG, Cameleon and Diamond FX are examples of wax based makeup.
Wholesale Rate - The reduced hourly rate that you are willing to work at for an agent.
Wolfe - A face paint product brand name.
Wolfe White/Black - An elusive product sought out by many and often sold out by many
Word Menu - A menu of designs displayed as words instead of pictures. Design one here.