10 tips for busting the queue

I’m not a fan of speed painting, though I enjoy painting at a reasonably fast pace, simply because I can!

However, I hate being forced to go so fast that I feel pressured or begin to feel stressed.  To ease the pressure, here are my top ten tips for getting through a queue quickly.

1. When doing PPF and taking money – ask them how they are going to pay before you have finished painting. The payer can then prepare the method in advance, be it by card or cash and requiring change (always ask for the right money!)
2. Then as one child leaves the chair, ask the next one to get up and ask them what they want. This is while still smiling and sorting the money for the previous.
3. The skill is keeping the two conversations going, smiling and engaging with them both. Make it a bit of a joke – saying how you keep the line moving and speed them along!  This way you won’t lose a minute.  Praise them for their speed in getting on the chair and say it loudly so the people waiting behind know what is expected of them.
4. Keep your phone over your shoulder on a cord if using Sumup or similar – you will avoid putting it down and losing precious seconds finding it.
5. For taking photos, obviously ask three times, then as you reach for the mirror, prepare your camera/phone and hand them the mirror so you get their expression just as they look in to it.
6. Make sure you have an unbreakable acrylic mirror –handing it to the child leaves your hands free to take a photo and take the money. Some people prefer them to get down and look in another mirror.  I like to see the Mirror Moment for myself!

   

7. While they decide what design to have, you can use the time washing brushes, tidying a bit, drying stencils, changing water, and at the same time engaging in conversation with child and adult.
8. Try to keep everything in its place – immediately put everything back where it belongs, stencils in place, one-strokes back where they are stored, dirty sponges in the sponge bag or in the dirty water etc.  Keeping your kit organised can save lots of time.

   

9. Save time in water changing by having two buckets – one for clean water and one for slops (and dirty sponges to save them staining as much). Tip in one bucket and scoop from the next.
10. Have a bottle of water mixed with liquid soap to wash hands and another with fresh water to rinse them and some swipes or a towel handy to dry them.

These short snippets of time saved will add up and help you to bust that queue without losing your enjoyment of painting!