Face Painting in Hong Kong - Meet the Amazing Face Painter Kiki Iwata - Plus Face Painting with DIPS
.This is Anna, here at Jest Paint. I have been following international face painters for over 20 years online and have had the opportunity to meet many in person at conventions in the US and South America. There is so much to learn from face painters from around the world so I started writing some blog posts last year featuring artists! Now we can all hear their face painting stories and know the artists behind the amazing works that we see on social media.
This month you will meet Kiki Iwata. She has been amazing me for the past few years with her beautiful bold tropical designs, sparkly bling and funky hair additions that make her work stand out! I noticed that she was using water resistant paints for pool parties and thought that she would be the perfect artist to interview to learn about what face painting is like in Hong Kong and learn more about her experience using Proaiir DIPS! Make sure to follow Kiki on Instagram and Facebook!
Getting to Know Kiki Iwata
How long have you been face painting, and how did you find out about this art form?
I've been working as a professional face painter for 3 years. I began my journey through a wonderful face painting group called FaMiMow; #mifacepainting (instagram) - who formed volunteer communities amongst likeminded and motivated parents in Hong Kong.
The group expanded rapidly and is now over 200 volunteers strong; and serves local schools, hospitals and social projects where the children and needy either have seldom had the chance to or indeed never experienced the joys of face painting.
As the high quality materials can sometimes be a tad expensive, I started to take bookings so that I can continue to provide help and assistance to the volunteer group.
"I feel blessed to have found my true calling in life and to be able to balance my young family and my career." - Kiki
Do you have any other types of art, or do you have any art experience from your past that you use in some way with your face painting?
Whilst I've never worked as an artist in the strictest sense previously; I've always been in a creative environment surrounded by beautiful stimuli. I have worked as a café owner, food coordinator and even a wedding planner in Japan for 12 years.
My mixed cultural experiences have helped to form who I am today and something I am passionate to pass onto not only my family but those in the community who need it the most.
What is the face painting community like in Hong Kong? Are there a lot of face painters? Do you jam together or have workshops?
There are probably over 400+ face painters in Hong Kong. Whilst face painting is a relatively new discipline; artists regularly jam within the same company to exchange best practices, skills and techniques. Its this togetherness that binds us together to continuously learn and re-invent ourselves.
I myself am a member of a company called Just Face Painting HK where we regularly come together in our support group and brainstorm for future events.
What type of events and festivals do you do the most, and what type do you enjoy the most?
I personally partake in a variety of activities; ranging from small birthday parties, company events and special occasions. Halloween is a particular favorite of mine. Mostly I focus on kids parties and I particularly enjoy painting in girls parties as I like to use a wide range of bright pastels and love to paint floral designs and all things cute!
Beautiful Bling, Bright Face Paint Colors and Wild Hair Extensions create a Complete Look for the Birthday Children!
How do you use social media to promote you business? I use instagram and a facebook page as my primary social channels and of course word of mouth and recommendations through communication tools such as whatsapp. I also make use of the Just Facepainting HK site (justfacepaintinghk.com).
Face painting a tiger can be fast and easy, or it can be detailed and stunning!
How has Covid 19 impacted your business? Have you been able to work since March?
Its true that most of the bookings were cancelled from February. Whilst I have had some small parties, it's a challenge to create wonderful designs whilst wearing face masks for example. However my passion has not been dampened and my spirit remains strong. I will be back fully once Covid has abated.
Covid 19 has changed the way we face paint for now
Where do you look to get new ideas for cool face painting designs?What are your favorite designs to paint?
I get inspired by the great artists all over the world as well as taking inspiration from the books I often read to my children.
I enjoy painting flowers, unicorns, princesses and rainbows - all the traditional girly designs. These allow me to use a wide variety of colours and designs. I definitely need colour in my life and like to bring it to others as well.
Face painting is a source of inspiration for others and I like to bring happiness to others and positivity. I believe that it often has magical powers to heal people in all sorts of difficult situations.
Kiki's Cute Unicorn and Butterfly Face Paint
What are some face painting colors and or tools that you cannot live without? My best partner is Leanne's collection by Fusion. I love the vivid color combinations; the color is so sharp and smooth. Sometimes Leanne's palettes will be the only paint I take to my events. My brushes of choice is Alliya and the Face Painting Shop Brushes.
Kiki's Face Painting Set up!
The Face Painting Shop Brush - Triangular Dagger #6
What materials are used in this Face Painting Shop brush?
Face Painting shop brushes are made from wooden handles and synthetic bristles. They are very well painted and durable.
What are the dimensions of the Triangular Dagger brush?
The Triangular Dagger Brush is 7 1/8" from tip to end, base of the bristle 3/16", and the bristles are 5/8" long.
What is this Triangular Dagger brush best for?
The Face Painting Shop Triangular Dagger No 6 is perfect for painting super thick to thin lines, double dip flower petals and tiger stripes. You can also use it for teardrops and leaves! The Triangular Dagger has gotten a ton of good reviews online for its versatility, so we knew we had to add it to our Face Painting Shop brush collection here at Jest Paint.
How do I use this face painting brush?
Get your brush wet, wipe the end of it against the edge of your water container, rub against your dry cake until you create a creamy consistency and then paint on the face/body. Use the brush to create small flower petals. Make a small dot to use as a center and then go around the dot pressing 4 or 5 times with the tip of the brush pointing towards the center or pointing out. For thin to thick lines alternate firm pressure to light pressure, pushing the full brush down and then lifting and dragging just the pointy tip.
What is included in this Fusion Body Art and FX Spectrum Painting Palette?
The Fusion Body Art & FX Spectrum Leanne's Butterfly Palette includes 6 Fusion Body Art mini Split Cakes: Leanne's Lollipop, Berry Butterfly, Berry Pretty, Tink, Leanne's Sunshine and Leanne's Princess.
Leanne's Lollipop fx: Prime Deep Purple - Prime Deep Teal - FX UV Neon Yellow - FX UV Neon Orange - FX UV Neon Pink
Berry Butterfly fx: Prime Deep Purple - Prime Magic Magenta - FX UV Neon Pink - Prime White - FX UV Neon Yellow
Berry Pretty fx: Prime Deep Merlot - Prime Magic Magenta - FX UV Neon Pink - Prime White - FX UV Neon Orange
Tink fx: Prime Deep Green - FX UV Neon Green - FX UV Neon Yellow - Prime Lime Green - Prime White
Leanne's Sunshine fx: Prime Magic Magenta - FX UV Neon Pink - FX UV Neon Orange - FX UV Neon Yellow - Prime White
Leanne's Princess fx: Prime Deep Purple - Prime Deep Teal - Prime White - FX UV Neon Pink - Prime Magic Magenta
What are the dimensions of this palette?
The case is approximately 8 3/4" x 2 1/2" x 3/4". Each container is approximately 1 1/2" x 1 1/4" x 1/2". There are 10 grams of paint in each container. The containers are removable to use separately and to make cleaning the palette easier.
What is Leanne's Butterfly palette best for?
The incredible Leanne Courtney designed this Spectrum Butterfly Palette for all of the color lovers of the world! You can paint all sorts of tropical and colorful neon/UV inspired designs, from butterflies, to roses, fairies and princess crowns, there is nothing that you can't paint with this beautiful palette. It’s perfect for your cosplay characters, Halloween costume parties, carnivals, birthday fun, etc. All Fusion Neon colors are black light reactive! They will not glow in the dark without a black light.
How to apply and remove and store Fusion paint?
Add water to your brush or sponge and then load the paint onto your tool, rather than spraying the paints with water. Sweep your tool across the Split Cake until you have created a light creamy paste. You want the paint to be fully loaded, but not drippy. Remove paint with soap and water. Store in a dry and cool place away from a direct source of light. Let your paints air dry before storing away.
What else should I know about Fusion paints?
Fusion paints are not tested on animals and they are vegan, hypoallergenic, and perfume, parabens, and lanolin free to reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Neon colors are made with pigments that have not been approved by the FDA to be used in cosmetics (the FDA has not tested them yet for cosmetic use) They have been independently tested and determined safe for cosmetic use by independent labs. Following FDA guidelines, they are labeled as a Special FX product. Fusion Body Art & FX paints are manufactured in China under the direction of the Fusion Body Art & FX team in Australia. Check out the bottom of the Fusion Category Page for tons of extra info on this amazing brand!
Though determined skin safe by independent labs, following FDA guidelines these colors are labeled as follows: Special FX Product - Prosthetic Paint (for professional use only) - Not a cosmetic Product Apply product to prosthetic appliances, bald caps, clothing, etc to create a glowing effect that will be even brighter under black light. Use contrasting colors to achieve a chromadepth or 3D effect. Because this product can stain other surfaces, please avoid contact with carpets, fabrics and upholstery. Use within 12 months of opening the package. Access Fusion Body Art MSDS here
Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glycerin, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, PEG-32, Water (Aqua), may contain: Iron Oxides (1332-37-2)(CI77491), Titanium Dioxide (CI77891), FD&C Yellow 5 (CI19140), FD&C Red 40 (CI16035), FD&C Blue 1 (CI42090), Ultramarines (CI77007), D&C Red 7(CI15850), Mica (CI77019), Aluminum Powder (CI 77000) and non toxic neon pigments. Made in China.
¿Qué incluye esta paleta?
La paleta de mariposas Fusion Body Art & FX Spectrum Leanne incluye 6 mini Split Cakes Fusion Body Art: Leanne's Lollipop, Berry Butterfly, Berry Pretty, Tink, Leanne's Sunshine y Leanne's Princess.
¿Cuáles son las dimensiones?
La caja mide aproximadamente 22,22 cm. x 6,35 cm x 1,91 cm. Cada envase mide aproximadamente 3,81 cm x 3,17 cm x 1,27 cm. Hay aproximadamente 10 gramos de pintura en cada recipiente.
¿Para qué es mejor esta paleta de pintura?
Puedes pintar todo tipo de diseños tropicales y coloridos inspirados en neón / UV que resaltarán increíblemente, incluso brillarán bajo luz negra. No busques mas el combo de color perfecto, los tienes todos aquí en esta paleta bellamente diseñada. Desde mariposas hasta rosas, hadas y coronas de princesas, no hay nada que no puedas pintar con esta hermosa paleta.
¿Qué más debo saber sobre las pinturas?
Las pinturas de neón Fusion no contienen perfume, parabenos o lanolina para reducir el riesgo de reacciones alérgicas. Las pinturas Fusion son veganas y no se han probado en animales. Los colores neón están hechos con pigmentos que no han sido aprobados por la FDA para su uso en cosméticos, pero se han probado de forma independiente y se ha determinado que son seguros para uso cosmético por laboratorios independientes. Siguiendo las pautas de la FDA, estos colores están etiquetados como un producto FX especial para su uso en prótesis, ropa, etc. Los productos Fusion Body Art son excelentes para tus personajes de cosplay, fiestas de disfraces de Halloween, carnavales, eventos para recaudar fondos y más.
It's a given to use this and the unicorn pallette anytime I paint. I give the kids a chance to pick their colors on several different designs and they always choose from this or th...view moree unicorn pallette. I love how easy the colors flow, how bright and vibrant they are and the fact that they react to UV and have pearl colors mixed in is a bonus. These are hands down some of my most used pallettes. Love them
I've used them on a range of designs, unicorns ( duh) butterflies to pumpkins and even in out haunted farm in the black light room. view less
This is hands-down the most indispensable palette in my entire kit. I use it for everything, every time I paint. From flowers, butterflies and unicorns to Ninja Turtles and pumpkin...view mores. It has endless possibilities. The colors are vibrant and they load well on the brush. No dry loading here. The color placement is well thought out and the UV reactive quality is impressive view less
As soon as it was delivered I swatched the colors immediately. Not only were they vibrant and beautiful, but the paint washed off easily leaving no trace. That right there sold me...view more and I'll definitely be buying more fusion paints view less
I bought the leannes Butterfly palette by fusion and fell in love! The bright colors are my favorite but what I love even more is the consistency I get when I buy any fusion produc...view moret. I always know I'm getting a great product. Most of my buys are from jest paint because of the speed and care of the their deliveries. Jest paint and fusion are my perfect combination and this butterfly palette is the icing to my face painty cake. Lol view less
I see that you use ProAiir DIPS for pool parties! Do you see a big market in waterproof paint in the summer?
Yes! Its extremely humid here in Hong Kong, particularly in the summer time. I feel sad to see beautiful designs melting away right after they've been created - so I started using DIPS which is water resistant to address this issue. As ever there are challenges; especially as they're alcohol based and dry out quickly and are also in a liquid form; all of which is new to me. But I like a challenge and practice does indeed make perfect.
One of the few positives of Covid 19 is the time its afforded me to hone my skills and I feel so much more confident using the DIPS product now. I'm itching to be able to use it on either pool parties or even in our humid summertime. - Kiki
What are the dimensions of ProAiir DIPS face and body paint bottles?
This is a 1fl oz plastic container with a screw on cap that is 4” tall and 1 1/8” in diameter at the base.
What is ProAiir DIPS White best for?
ProAiir DIPS water resistant colors are perfect for creating long lasting, water resistant scary monsters, zombies, aliens, beauty faces, animals and so much more! DIPS is specially formulated to be used as a line work kind of paint, to add details to designs painted with ProAiir airbrush paints or with pressed powder face paints. Due to its highly concentrated formula, we don’t recommend using DIPS for covering large areas of the face as it will be hard to remove. Keep in mind that DIPS is simply a concentrated version of ProAiir Hybrid airbrush paint. ProAiir Products are perfect for pool parties, dance parties and all day events in the heat. Cosplayers, haunters, dance groups, makeup artists, theater groups, and both beginner and professional face and body painters all love the quality of ProAiir DIPS airbrush face and body paint. ProAiir Hybrid DIPS White is a perfect highlighting color for all of your designs! A lot of face painters are squirting out a little White Dips from the bottle on a mixing palette, right next to other bold DIPS colors to double load and paint 1 stroke flowers and other designs, like you would normally do with a rainbow cake. DIPS White is great for dots that pop, and bold line work!
How to apply and remove ProAiir DIPS water resistant face and body paints?
Apply ProAiir DIPS makeup a dry face painting sponge or brush. For best results, only apply ProAiir DIPS directly to the skin, not on top of makeup, lotions or sunscreen. It can be applied on top of other ProAiir airbrush paints or powder based face paints. When using ProAiir DIPS face and body paints with a sponge or brush, pour some paint into a plastic or metal palette and load your brush or sponge with it. Only pour a small amount at the time because it will dry our fast due to the alcohol content. Also, make sure to paint right away after loading your sponge or brush so that the paint doesn’t dry out. If you want to blend colors it is best to do it directly on your brush or sponge and apply it like that, as blending on the surface once the paint is applied won’t be easy.
ProAiir DIPS face paints are water resistant and need to be removed with an oil based cleanser or with liquid hand soap and water. Liquid hand soap or oil cleaner must be used first to break down the paint since this is a very durable face and body art product. Keep rubbing the cleaner into the paint until you see it release from the skin in small particles. Once it has all broken down, you can rinse it away with water. Repeat if necessary. Using a cloth or sponge loaded with soap or oil will help speed up the process, versus just using your hands. If you are using ProAiir DIPS on people who will be sweating a lot during the day, the oils in their skin will help soften the product over time, so that it will be easier to remove at the end of the day. Parents will be thankful for a product that doesn't smear like water based paints do, when their child gets wet or sweaty. To remove from fabric, do NOT use water. Instead, apply rubbing alcohol or an alcohol-based hair spray and dab to remove.
Manufactured for ShowOffs Body Art - ProAiir DIPS Products. Discontinue use if rash develops. Do not apply to broken skin. Avoid contact with fabrics, carpet and upholstery. Remove with mild soap and water. Some traces of color may remain for a short period after washing. Warnings on ProAiir DIPS label: Use adequate ventilation and keep away from flame. For external use only. Contact a physician if swallowed. Avoid contact with eyes. If contact occurs, flush thoroughly with water. Makeup contained in this package is hypo-allergenic & non-toxic. Storage: Like with all cosmetic products, it is always best to keep PROAIIR face and body paints away from a direct light source and store in a cool and dry environment. Excessive heat can dry up and spoil your face paints and excessive light can fade the colors. Make sure to always keep the lids/caps closed to prevent evaporation and spilling. ProAiir has a 3-5 year shelf life after the bottle has been opened, and 10 years unopened. Made in the U.S.A .
If you would like a copy of ProAiir DIPS and DIPS body paints' Material Safety Data Sheet, please click here and here to download the MSDS.
Ingredients: Isopropyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Caster Seed Oil, Alcohol SDA 40-B, Ethylcellulose, Zinc Stereate, May Contain FD&C Pigments, Black Iron Oxide, D & C Orange #4, D & C Red #7, D &C Red #22, D& C Red #27, D &C Red #28 Al Lake, D & C Red #33 AI Lake, F D & C #40, D & C Red #6 BA Lake, D& C Yellow #8, FD&C Blue #1 AI Lake, FD&C Yellow #5 AI Lake, Gold Mica - 1372, Titanium Dioxide, Orchid Mica - 1372, Tin Dioxide, Green Mica - 1372, Silver Mica - 1372, Iron Oxide, Soft Pink Mica - 1372, Carmine, Ultra Marine Blue.
This product takes some time and practice to get use to the flow and consistency, however once you get it down it's great. No more smeared faces walking around later on a hot, humi...view mored day!! I use them with starblends. I use a large 14 section pill box and squirt a little color in a front compartment to use and in the compartment directly behind it I put a little alcohol to rinse out my brush. I do this for each color as I use them to keep my brushes from mixing colors. view less
It has a strong alcohol/apple/nail polish remover sort of smell which is a bit overwhelming to the person being painted. I am thinking this paint is not really meant for children. ...view moreHowever I painted a team of Roller Derby Girls in the wet heat of Hawaii and through their ROUGH and tummble game it did not smear, dent, or drip. It was as they said afterwards, "Bulletproof". An awesome product, I am so happy I bought it and so was my customer. view less
If you have any questions, please drop us a line with your question.
Your daughter is such an adorable model, does she want to face paint or help you in any way in your business? Well, she loves face paint and really enjoys being painted herself. Like mother like daughter! She has incredible patience and I really appreciate her support and companionship - she certainly is a source of great inspiration to me and completes not only my designs but myself.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to meet with you and showing an interest in my passion. Its been a pleasure to share my journey with you. - Kiki Iwata
I was so happy to get to know more about Kiki and I hope you were too! Make sure to follow her on social media and let me know if there are any other artists that you would like to see interviewed for the Jest Paint Face Painting Land Blog!
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