[Scruffy]

Welcome Abigayl!
Clowning as something that each one of us learned to do. Balloons can be learned, juggling can be learned, applyng makeup can be learned. All it takes is the desire to do it and the perserverance to see it through.
There is nothing wrong with using your own name for your clown name.. In fact most of the great circus clowns didn't have a clown name. You might want to change the spelling, to make it a little easier for a little kid to read it. For instance, Ab-e-gail, or Abby-gail, or Abby-gal (Just and idea).
Coming up with a character is a very hard thing.Sit down and make a list of your own characteristics. Are you shy, boisterious,giggily, or serious? Decide what age you want your clown character to be.Pick a birthday, maybe even write a few sentences about your character. At this point don't give a lot of thought to what your face and costume will look like, concentrate your thought on the basic details of your clowns character.
We are here to help you in any way possible.

Here are a few books that will get you on the right track:
creative clowning by bruce fife
be a clown by turk pipin
how to be a clown by mark soltzenberg
Strutters guide to clown makeup
how to be a compleat clown by toby sanders
The world of Clowns by george bishop( a great read into the mind of clowns)

You should be able to get all of these book through your local library's inter-library loan program. There are two books in here that I reccommend buying. Creative clowning and the strutters book.If you can only get one of them then you should buy Creative clowning, It covers everthing makeup, costume, magic, ventrioquism, puppets, juggling, balloons, comedy writing.
Good luck! remember rome wasn't built in a day. neither is a clown character!

Please jion us for chat on thurdays. The wisdom of our membership will be availible for you to pick their brains!
Scruffy