Yes, it’s designed to be washed off, and you should probably do it before bedtime. But try telling that to the second grader who just miraculously transformed into a menacing tiger.

This new identity is a game changer, after all. There are friends to show. Prey to catch. Reflections to admire. Little Johnny is going to need some time.

Longtime face painter Lori Thompson is well aware of this phenomenon. Kids’ faces light up as they happily take on the persona of whatever creature or character she turns them into with her collection of brushes, sponges and glitters.

“Often people will tell me that the last time I painted, their kid kept it on for three days or something like that. Or they’ll ask about sleeping in it,” Thompson tells The Ticker. “If they’re not going to take it off, I recommend at least putting an old towel or something down over the pillow, and hopefully they’re not too rough of a sleeper.”

Thompson has painted countless thousands of local faces over the years through her business, The Painted Lady Face Art. She’s a fixture at birthday parties, fundraisers, festivals, corporate events and more. Now about 15 years in, she still never tires of the “pure delight” on a child’s face when she completes her work.

“It brings me so much joy to see that glow,” she says. “Nothing compares to the smile when they see themselves in the mirror and knowing that I have totally brightened up their day.”

The Traverse City native worked as a greeting card designer and later a graphic designer before transitioning to life as a stay-at-home mom when kids arrived. It was 2009 when the seeds of her new career were unexpectedly planted at a zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her daughter Sophie, 4 at the time, was absolutely enamored with face paint applied by an artist there.

“She just went crazy for it, so I started doing it for her at home, and then on some of the neighborhood kids. And I thought ‘Hey, I can turn this into something,’” she says. “Face painting was great balance with my husband’s schedule at the time, as most events were weekends or evenings.”

She used YouTube videos to hone her skills, learning about the finer points of painting on the curves of the face and the many tools used to apply the specialty paints used. Though Sophie is proud to have inspired her mom’s current career path – and helps her mom out with painting faces now – it wasn't always all fun. 

“As I was learning and developing new designs, both my children would be my practice palettes,” Thompson says. “So there were a few years there where she was probably not so enamored with it.”

Thompson is now a well-oiled machine of sorts, maintaining a busy schedule (she paints 4-5 days a week all across the region in the summer, often with multiple events each day) while navigating various challenges inherent in this line of work. Luckily these challenges are relatively minor, ranging from swapping out sticky paints in the summer heat to managing a line of squirming, impatient children.

“One of the biggest things is managing that line. I have a menu of really fast designs if it’s a lot of people to paint in a small amount of time,” she says. “Generally speaking, I aim for three minutes (per painting) for large events, but for birthday parties it’s about five minutes.”

She generally shies away from full-face paints these days, which helps move things along just a bit quicker.

“Since COVID especially, I keep things above the mouth,” she says. “If the kids are eating and drinking, it can get messy, but it’s also more sanitary to keep it away from the mouth."

Regardless of their antics in line or individual personalities, the kids themselves always seem to get transfixed as Thompson begins her work. Parents never cease to be amazed by this phenomenon.

“Most kids are actually really good. I’ve had so many parents comment over the years that they can’t believe how still their child is sitting while I’m painting their face,” she says.

Her work is not just for kids, though. She’s at plenty of corporate events, and she encourages adults at kids events to try it out.

“There’s no age limit, and I love it when adults get in on the fun. Their patience is a bit better, but the skin is a little more pliable,” she says. “It’s not as easy to paint on as that fresh skin of a little person.”

Thompson is always trying to push the envelope with her designs. She follows face painters from around the world on social media, one of several places she looks for inspiration.

“I absolutely love painting and developing new techniques and designs as well as updating existing designs with new colors, interesting line work and special effects,” she says. “I’m always trying to switch things up, for myself just as much as for everyone I’m painting.”

She charges $125-150 per hour, which seems like a lot, but is still only enough for part-time earnings (“This is a job to do for love, not money” she says). Still, she’s proud of her business and reputation.

“I did just kind of stumble into it, but I’ve definitely advanced and worked on it and promoted myself and gotten better and faster.”

And it's a job she wouldn't trade for anything else.

"I'm spreading color and sparkles and happiness," she says. "It's just wonderful."