A Clown, Face Painter, or Balloon Artist?

A Clown, Face Painter, or Balloon Artist?

The phone in my office rings and I answer.

"Magic Moments, this is Bob."

"I’d like to know how much it will cost me to have a clown to face paint and do balloons ..."

I sigh. Another depressingly familiar conversation begins.

I am delighted by the call because the caller hopes I can add festivity to their event. But depressed by the request for a clown to face paint and do balloons.

For me face painting and balloon art are wonderful skills but they do not describe what clowns do. I train professional clowns at The Ohio College of Clowning Arts. We prepare students to become actors who specialize in broad physical comedy.

Does that include balloons and face painting? It could but usually does not. Face painting and balloon sculpture are insignificant elements in our curriculum and I seldom see professional clowns while working as clowns engaged ballooning and face painting.

I suspect local clowns feature balloons and face painting because they do not know any better and these are skills they have. So prior to the engagement they spend the time to dress and make up and afterwards undress and clean up. In the process they invest an hour of their time in non revenue producing effort that is also not related to what they do.

The public seeing clowns face painting and ballooning assume that is what clowns do so the call goes out "how much it will cost me to have a clown to face paint and do balloons."

Though I would like to believe otherwise I know that in my lifetime this situation will not end. It is very easy to put on makeup and a colorful costume and twist balloons and do “cheek art” as a face painter.

At The Ohio College of Clowning Arts, however, we aspire to teach new clowns the exciting panorama of professional clowning. We train entertainers whose focus is upon the customer and their enjoyment.

We understand that a person is much more interesting and enjoyable than a thing (balloon or made up face). We understand that interesting characters doing interesting things make for excitement for the audience and the entertainer. We understand that the laugh is in the body and that people are hungry to experience with us the silliness of the human condition.

So if you are planning your next event ask yourself, "Do I want things for my customers or entertainment? Do I want a balloon artist, face painter or physical comedian?"

If you want the former and want them dressed like clowns know you are probably engaging a big-hearted and well meaning amateur. Your cost may be lower but you have probably shortchanged your audience.