oye vay - - clown stress...

[Wendell]

Hello, I have so much I need to ask. . . I am getting my clown character Wendell together. . . I am from NW Ohio, in a small little backwards town, but everyone is so supportive of my clown, they just love it. However, I need a few tips. First, my makeup, I put it on last night for the first time. It looked pretty good, I even added eyelashes and red rhinestones, not to brag but I really liked it for my first time (I had a few lines here and there off balance) The powder went smooth, I was afraid I'd " brush wet paint across my face" I didn’t!! After I did a 15-minute performance, I was out of things to do... (I did a few balloons and I juggled the dime store scarves) I went to wash my make up off with the Cold Cream... My makeup would not come off... I just kept washing and washing, the make just stayed on, my whole face was a light pinkish white. I used my dial soap, that brought most of it off, then I used a exfoliate cream that help... Today my face is smooth, almost like the makeup is still on, but its not, "greasy" I would say. I have read books that say use cold cream or oil... If oil is used to take off make, might it break out? Please. TIPS ON MAKEUP Now for my clown, Wendell, he is a silent clown for his first year. I want to learn to express myself, however my friend keeps telling me how awful it is that I am silent... She says kids will not understand, is this true? I tried to explain to her that it would only last a year... (My clown was born May 28 2005, from when I put on my whole outfit. wig, nose and all) So is it okay to be silent? In addition, my outfit/costume... it is a white shirt (I think I should change) yellow tie, blue w/ red lines suspenders, plaid green/yellow pants... and I do not have my shoes yet from e-bay yet. Now when I put on my shirt last night, makeup got all over the color, I washed it twice, bleached and all... Make-up still stayed on it... I have my first "walk around" in art in the park, I feel like I need to DO something before, I feel like the biggest amateur ever! What do I carry around for this walk around? I will just be doing balloons, handing out little "prizes" and handing out business cards. I start my second semester of nursing school June 6, so I am going to be extremely busy, but I really want to work on my clown, so I am worried about that. I sometimes feel like I am just going everything head first and I am about to lose my balance. . . I am going to a school for clowning in September on Monday nights in Michigan, but I feel like I could have so much practice with the holiday and parties this summer, so I want skills for these parties/events. I don't want to let anyone down, One things I KNOW I’m good at is ballooning, I can make anything if I see the picture!!! My mom loves my balloons! Can a clown’s act be based on balloons? I can face paint too, just not...”good", and the juggeling of scarfs might not go over too well... I just do not know... I am too stressed all right lol, but I must say, being the "clown" itself you tend to forget the stress, it is just before hand jitters!

Someone help me- - -
Joey AKA Wendell :lol:

[saphireSue]

Take a deep breathe, BREATHE...... :lol:
look around on the post under walkaround and parades, you'll find plenty of ideas. the thing about walkarounds you can repeat as you walk around and different people participate in what you're doing. Balloons are great but usuually you're stuck once you get started if it's crowded, a line usually forms and you will not be able to get away [so pick a shady spot].
For walk-arounds I carry simple magic tricks I can keep in my pockets, small sight gags, jokes.
Although Harpo Marks wasn't in make up, he's one of my favorite silent clowns, he never spoke aword [I don't even know if he could] whether you're silent or speak that's your decision.

Make up. I use proface make up, and baby wipes. works well, but I have use face cream, and cooking oil. you have to working into the makeup and allow it to start desolving before trying to wipe it off.

[Scruffy]

wendell,
Go to walmart, get a coconut creme pie and hit yourself in the face with it..... Okay, feel better. I find custard on the face to be very therapeutic. J/K take a dddeeeeepppp. breath. exhale slowly.
Welcome to clowning. You are right now standing the the same place every one of us once stood. It' thrilling, and wonderfull, and ties your gut in a knot all at the same time.First a couple of questions: what kind of makeup are you using? And second, did you apply a miosturizer before you started?
It is very important that you use theatrical makeup ONLY! You can buy very good Ben Nye makeup at Stoners funstore in Ft. Wayne. It's pro grade stuff, and won't irritate your skin. A very important thing to remember is to rub moisturizer in first. A good one that I like is Ponds, not cold cream. Rub it thouroughly into your face and neck. every where the makeup goes,By using the moisturizer first. It helps to seal the pores of your skin so that the makeup doesn't stain and helps make it easier to remove.
To be silent is up to you. In the histiry of the circus, clowns originally talked. And, today it is hard not to. Especially if you are going to do birthday parties.I suggest, if you intend to talk eventually, that you begin to develop a voice now. Walmarounds are a bit different. I suggest you read what we have here on the board for walk around Ideas.There are some good simple ones on there that are easy to make and require no real expeience to do. Please, join us for chat on thurdays. we start at nine PM. Nothing wrong with baloons. I do more balloons than anything else. and I do just basic balloons. but, kids love 'em.
Hope this helps!

[Scruffy]

Almost forgot about the collar.
Make an oversize one that lays over your actual shirt collar. It will heelp keep the makeup off of your actual costume. And you can bleach it.
It is important that we know what kind of makeup you are using.
Keep on clowning!

[Wendell]

I feel better after letting all the stress go... Make I am using is from clownntics.com (I love them) I bought mehron for all my makeup, I heard it was good. The price of it, it better be, well ya know what, it is good, it didn't even come off....(not even in the water LOL) gotta love it. I like how it feels... However, Olivia, my wonder dog......... She got up on my desk and took my black!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My 5 dollar small little container of black makeup, I got home tonight and I was shocked, all over my WHITE bedspread.... Word of advice, do have white with dogs... I would have liked to punish her, but she would have forgotten what she did already, so I just put what was left in a small bag and threw the bedspread out in the barn for the new kittens, I hope they enjoy that 200 dollar down bedspread... I have my first "party" June 11th, I'm doing it for free, I probably will all summer, I can't charge yet, I need the practice... It'll be only 7 kids. This store in ft. wayne.... is it a clown store? If so maybe they would know some closer clown schools... I read most of the board today, so I think I have great ideas for the walk arounds, My mom said I should focus on my balloons, she said, people will wait in line for good items...She thinks I'm talented... Goshly gee what are moms for!!!! Thanks so much for the tips... Oh i'm not SURE what you mean about oversized collar?

Wendell

P.S. will proknows latex work to apply rhinestones?

[ashes]

Welcome to the board, Wendell!

What a shame to get makeup all over an expensive bedspread!

Be sure to use an oil-based makeup remover -- it helps re-dissolve
the grease in the makeup after being set by the powder.

Once you get it off with that oil-based remover (Olive oil, baby oil,
remover products, etc.) then wash your face with soap and water
to remove the oil.

I found a new secret -- Ponds makeup remover pads. Unfortunately,
once you open them up they will dry out, so put them into a zip-lock
baggie after opening them.

I actually soak them with my makeup remover oil also.

As to your question about pro-nose adhesive, it will work for rhinestones.
I actually use it to adhere small (doll-sized) hats to my bald head.
Just use it like contact cement - put some on both surfaces and let it dry
until it is clear, then touch the rhinestone to the "dried" glue on your face --
just like putting on a nose.

As to being a silent clown, it is certainly do-able, but it will be much harder
than speaking, because EVERYTHING will have to be communicated by
body language. I like the combination of speaking along with exaggerated
body language for the best communication of both an idea and the emotion
behind it.

A word of advise -- if you want a "clown voice" or a "clown walk" make sure
they are not too different from your real voice or walk, so that you can
keep it up for the whole day, and also so you don't strain your voice!

Hope this helps!

Ashes

[TJ]

Wendell,

I have found that Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo works very well to remove make up. You know, the "no more tears" stuff. Yep. It has oil in it and soap. Plus it leaves your face feeling soft. You can still moisturize after that if you tend to have dry skin.

I too am trying to figure out the best way to keep make-up off of my collar. I've been told that scotchgaurd works pretty well. I'm planning to use it the next time I dress out.

I try to remain silent. I'm a hobo. It's easy during walk arounds and parades not to talk, but doing an event that exposes you to the same crowd for a longer period is a bit more challenging.

Best of luck.

[BananaTree]

Makeup removal was My first major problem when I started clowning too. It seems funny now, but it was teerrifying then - I thought "Mom was right. My face WILL tstick like this!!"

However, Ive learned a little secret that helps now.

You will need 2 washcloths, baby oil, DAWN dishwashing detergent, and running water.

First - be sure and rub your face down with baby oils BEFORE putting on the makeup. Cover your face well, and then blot off the excess.

AFTERWARD - again rub your face down with baby oil - this will soften the makeup

Then - take one of the rags and apply a generous amount of the dish soap on it - DAWN works best because it has GREASE cutters - scrub your face with this to get as much of the makeup off a you can. Most of it will come off, but you will have a lot of soap on your face that will not come off easily. Be careful around your eyes - it burns Work from the outside of your face to the center - this keeps the makeup out of your hair.

Then take the other rag and use it WITHOUT soap. wet it and use it to clean the soap off your face. Rinse well, and Viola! You're De-Clowned. You'll probably still want to shower to get rid of the greasy feeling, but you are clean again.

I used to take almost as long getting out of makeup as getting into it. This way I can get out of makeup in under 5 minutes - which works great when I need to switch to another character for children's church or when I need to change after a show to meet the family somewhere for dinner or something.


The only thing I would add about this method or any other is to watch the red areas of your face closely to be sure they ARE clean. Red has a way of hiding from you sometimes and you will inevitably discover it somewhere public after getting one of THOSE looks. Just remember Red blends into skin well.

[Scruffy]

Dawn dishsoap should work on your collar. use an old toothbrush. It works. TO remove makeup I use baby oil first, then cold cream, and finally baby shampoo. After I remove all the makeup, Iuse the moisturizer that I started with.
I really think that the key to makeup removal is moistering you skin before you apply any makeup. Recently I tried using a barrier spray to keep me from sweating so much. I forgot to apply moisturizer to my neck. I thought that the black was NEVER going to come off!
Even the "experienced" still goof up occasionally :roll:

[Blossom]

Wendell,
Try your library for books on magic tricks. I found that a magic kit "The World of Magic" by Peter Eldin has lots of great ones, even though it was written for kids. It has most of the things that you need for the tricks. Hope this helps.

Blossom