For the painting contractor that follows color trends and keeps his eyes open to what is happening in the painting and decorating market, he can’t help but conclude that color is more important to the homeowner than ever. If you have some doubts about this, then just browse through some of the most popular home-furnishings stores. There you will find up to date color charts and books from the leading paint manufacturers to help customers coordinate colors that are in vogue with their furnishings.

Paint manufactures spend tremendous amounts of money on studying and interpreting color trends. If they fail to get the colors right during a trend shift, it will mean a tremendous loss in sales to their competitors who’s color palettes reflect the shift in color trends. Not only will the paint manufactures loose direct sales to the homeowner, but they will lose a lot of sales to the painting contractor looking to make their customers happy. Getting their color palettes right is paramount.

Paint manufactures determine color trends through the study of the following social dynamics.

1. The economy
2. Politics
3. Technology
4. Lifestyle issues
5. The green Movement
6. Pop culture

The above list is only some of the dynamics that are considered in their studies. From these studies one thing has become clear about the year 2009; color is going to be very popular.

Because of my trade, I am exposed to the new color palettes and the new trends in color they represent. There most certainly has been a recent shift in peoples taste in color. If you compare the color forecast of Rohm & Hass Paint quality institute with the color palettes of Benjamin Moore, Pittsburgh Paints, Porter Paints, and Sherwin Williams you will find there are a lot of similarities in the colors offered.

An international association of design professionals called The Color Marketing Group, who are responsible for keeping their finger on the pulse of color trends, forecast that in the spring of 2009, consumers will be moving to pinks with a bluish tinge, earthier greens, and the bright yellows, turquoises, magentas and the brightest whites.

Almost every collection of colors has been influenced by environmentalism. For many Paint companies green is becoming the new neutral tone. Eco friendly colors of hues of fern, palm, sage and pine mixed with clear blues or aqua to give a sense of outdoors. The combining of warm browns with sandy tans to project an eco friendly aura will be popular.

Another example of the trend is a Benjamin Moore color called Split Pea. Split Pea is forecasted to be one of their hottest colors in 09.

The director of color marketing for Sherwin Williams says that peoples taste for the color green are shifting to greens with grayer hues.

Similarly, the “Voice Of Color” program of Porter Paints and Pittsburgh Paints features the following very diverse eco palette of colors.

1. Fair trade warm organic colors

2. Eco Techno balance between core colors and neutrals

3. The EcoLoco colors of bold pink, blue and orange meeting acidic green symbolizing expressions of freedom

4. The Vintage colors featuring a wintry palette of pale, spidery blue to paper-turned-creamy-yellow with age

Rich and Restful colors are going to be popular. Rohm & Hass has a palette of colors called Returning Home that features rich cranberry reds, pumpkin orange, warm browns and deep-toned blues. Similarly Benjamin Moore has a palette of colors called Homey which includes color names such as Cherokee Brick, Gypsy Pink.

Plums and violet colors continue their regal influence, however orange is becoming more muted and a bit more elegant looking.

Designers and architects who generally lead the fashion pack are putting more importance on cleaner less muddled colors of dark greens, periwinkle, mauve and medium neutral with clean colors of red, yellow, green, peach and blue.

My recommendation as a painting contractor to the trend conscious homeowner is to first find out when the new color charts will be on display in your leading paint stores, and then compare the colors of 3 or 4 different paint manufactures. An analysis of these color palettes will give you an idea of near future color trends.

Free face painting patterns are as close as your fingertips and your imagination. You should first try practicing drawing and coloring your ideas onto paper first. If your mind is drawing a blank canvas, let your fingers do the walking through the huge expanse of the internet world.

A newer addition to the face painting supply family is the powder based paint stick. It activates with the use of a wet paintbrush, dries quickly, and doesn’t melt. Melting is a disappointment to both the artist and the receiver of the artwork!

Teenagers can be a great help at creating patterns. Adept at experimenting with make-up, many times having taken their own art classes in school, and still in touch with what is popular for the younger aged children, they would be flattered to share their skills with a parent in need or maybe just a single older friend having to come up with ideas for themselves. If you will be attending a party and just need help painting your own face, it could be fun and rewarding to enlist a young friend’s help.

Many parents just can’t afford the costumes or simply don’t want to invest in something that will be outgrown before the next year’s event. This makes face painting a great choice. You can paint the right face and wear one of your own outfits to make it work!

A bunny face is a simple face painting pattern to follow as well. The most relevant feature would be the buck teeth, followed by the whiskers. If you want a mouse pattern, this is easy to follow. Use a dot of paint to accent the nose. Place tiny dots atop each side of the top lip, apply whiskers coming away from the dots towards each cheek area. If you want a little more pizzazz, add darkened eyebrows, maybe creating funny shapes for them.

Using a timer with children could be helpful. They should enjoy having their picture taken as well, for addition to your portfolio and to use as an example for other customers. Will you want to learn how to accept credit cards for payment with bigger crowds and more involved artwork?

Even when using face painting patterns rather than freestyle take care when painting around the eye area. Besides it being a sensitive area with thinner skin and not wanting to get too close to the eye itself with the paint, a squirmy recipient could create a poke in the eye with your brush if you aren’t paying close attention.