I've gotta have a gimmick

July 15, 2011 1:19 PM

I have a very small side job as a face painter. I need a name and maybe a 'gimmick'.

So I am getting a little business as a face painter going, by word of mouth. I need to come up with a name for myself/business. Something cute/clever. I just came from the Brimfield antique fair and bought a cute wooden suitcase from the '20s and want to carry my supplies in it so I want to figure out my name so I can paint it on the side.

I am a woman so Miss... Would work.
I am not planning to Dress up as a clown or anything but did want to have some little gimmick to stand out as the face painter. Something fun. An outfit? An accessory?

I wanted my card to be clever too.

Any ideas are welcome!

posted by beccaj to Media & Arts (10 answers total)

Miss Teak? Take your wooden suitcase and add some wooden accessories. That would make for a play on words and fits in with the similarity between masks and face paint. You can work in a nature theme too.
posted by ODiV at 1:22 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I like Miss Cellania with an eclectic wardrobe (blog by the same name though)
posted by lizbunny at 1:31 PM on July 15, 2011

ODiV...you realize that could sound/look like 'Mistake', right?

I second Miss Cellania.

Also, if you dressed normally but called yourself Miss Ter or Miss Tache and wore a hilariously huge fake mustache, I would pay all sorts of money to get my face painted by you. And your card could just have the mustache on it as a graphic, and before your contact info it could say "If you mustache me to paint parties, etc:" and your info after the colon.
posted by Chipmazing at 1:34 PM on July 15, 2011 [7 favorites]

I'd think you should paint a hilariously huge mustache onto your face in that case.
posted by Beardman at 1:49 PM on July 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

The most fabulous face painter I've ever seen was dressed up like a fairy with really elaborate, sparkly wings painted around her eyes. All the girls wanted to look just like her. Of course this wouldn't work as well with the boys.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2011

going along with ODiV's idea, perhaps 'Aunt Teak'? maybe too quaint; i also don't see how it would tie in with face painting ideas.. i like miss tache!
posted by ilk at 3:31 PM on July 15, 2011

Avoid puns because they grow old fast. Having new people laugh at an old pun is tiresome after just a few times of the not-really-funny grunt-laugh people do.

Suzette Pallette
Colleen Colors
Miss Magic
Miss Mystery
Mistress of Disguises
Faceplant
Brushella
Woman of Ten Thousand Faces

As for gimmicks:

--Convince people you have a partner that they cannot see because they are hidden by your clever painting disguises.
--Master camouflage painting. The boys will go crazy for it.
--Tell them it's cheaper than plastic surgery.
--Try for strange animals. "The only facepainter in the state who can turn you into a pangolin!"
posted by Mo Nickels at 3:58 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Miss Becca the Facepainter Extraordinaire from Parts Unknown and Uncharter
posted by ian1977 at 8:00 PM on July 15, 2011

*UncharteD that is
posted by ian1977 at 8:00 PM on July 15, 2011

"The Miss Terry of face painting"?
posted by ewan at 10:37 AM on July 16, 2011