How I Made My DIY Craft-N-Go Style Face Painting Kit

If you’ve ever wondered how professional face painters organise their face painting kits, today’s tutorial takes you behind the scenes of my latest project.

I’ve just finished making a brand new DIY Craft-N-Go style face painting kit, and in this post I’m going to show you how I transformed a makeup case on wheels into a compact, mobile and highly organised face painting station.

I’ve been using a similar style of face painting kit for more than 13 years, taking it to countless children’s birthday parties and events.

While a Craft-N-Go is a popular option for professional face painters, I personally love the idea of creating a face painting kit that is customised specifically to the way I work.

And if you’re just starting a face painting business, a DIY setup can also be a much more affordable way to create a professional mobile face painting station.

Why I Love a Craft-N-Go Style Face Painting Kit

One of my favourite things about this style of kit is how mobile it is.

The case folds down like a suitcase, has wheels for transporting it and has removable telescopic legs that allow the case to be raised to a comfortable working height.

This means I can arrive at a children’s party or event, wheel my kit into position, attach the legs, set up my high chair and I’m ready to face paint.

I also prefer face painting standing up rather than sitting down for long periods. When you’re painting dozens of children at a busy party, having your workstation at a comfortable height can make a big difference.

My Old Face Painting Kit

Before making the new kit, I wanted to recreate the setup I’ve been using for years.

My old face painting station includes:

• Face paints
• Split cakes
• Brushes
• Brush wallet
• Stencils
• Sponges
• Glitter
• Gems
• Spritzer bottles
• Brush cleaning supplies
• Face painting design boards
• Mirror
• Business cards

I also use covered containers to store my split cakes and flat colours, which keeps everything compact and protected while I’m travelling.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that good face painting kit organisation can help you work faster.

When you’re at a busy children’s party, you don’t want to constantly reach across your workstation searching for supplies.

Everything needs to be easy to see and easy to grab.

Creating the New DIY Face Painting Kit

I started with a makeup case on wheels similar in style to my existing case.

I completely gutted the inside, removing the lights, mirror and other sections so I had a blank canvas to work with.

The idea was to rebuild the inside specifically for professional face painting.

Creating the Internal Boards

For the new backing boards, I purchased inexpensive whiteboards from Kmart.

The boards were measured to fit the inside of the case, with the dimensions I used being approximately 56 cm wide by 44 cm deep.

I then carefully cut the boards down to size and kept the lightweight cardboard backing.

One of the advantages of this approach is that the finished setup is considerably lighter than using heavier metal boards.

However, because whiteboard material isn’t as magnetically strong as a substantial metal board, I use rare earth magnets to hold my stencils securely.

Magnetic Stencil Organisation

One of my favourite features of the new kit is my stencil organisation system.

Rather than permanently attaching magnets to every split cake or piece of equipment, I use magnetic strips on the back of my lightweight face painting stencils.

The stencils can then be placed directly onto the magnetic board.

When I need one, I simply grab it, use it and put it straight back when I’m finished.

It’s a simple system, but it keeps my face painting supplies organised and easily accessible while I’m working.

Organising Face Paints and Split Cakes

I like keeping my split cakes in covered containers rather than having individual lids to deal with.

This makes it much easier when I’m working quickly.

Instead of opening and closing lots of individual containers, I can simply grab the split cake I need and start painting.

I also keep my flat colours organised separately.

The aim is to create a face painting workstation where everything has a place.

My Brush Storage Solution

My brush wallet presented a bit of a challenge with the new case because of the hinges.

My old case had a different configuration, which allowed me to hang part of my brush wallet outside the main desk area.

The new case required a little more problem-solving.

I ended up cutting the whiteboard slightly differently so that the brush wallet could sit flush against the side without taking up valuable working space.

In fact, the adjustment actually gave me more space for my stencils.

This is one of the reasons I love DIY face painting kits — you can change the design when you discover something doesn’t work exactly the way you expected!

Don’t Forget Face Painting Hygiene

A professional face painting kit isn’t just about paints and brushes.

Hygiene and brush cleaning are incredibly important when you’re face painting multiple children at parties and events.

I keep my brush bath and cleaning supplies within easy reach and use a three-pot brush cleaning system.

I also carry a spare spritzer bottle.

It’s one of those little things that I hope I never need, but having a backup is worthwhile when you’re working at an event.

Sponge Organisation

I use breathable lingerie wash bags to store my sponges.

I have one bag for clean sponges and another for used sponges, keeping them separated while I’m working.

They’re lightweight, breathable and easy to hang from the side of my kit.

This makes it really easy to grab a sponge when I need one without searching through the rest of my supplies.

Keeping My Mirror Away From Children

Another little tip I’ve learned from working at children’s parties is to be careful about where you place your mirror.

Children naturally want to grab the mirror and look at their new face paint.

Rather than leaving a breakable mirror within easy reach, I keep mine safely inside my workstation and hold it up when a child wants to see their design.

It’s a small detail, but when you’re working at busy children’s events, thinking about safety and organisation can make your job much easier.

Don’t Forget Your Business Cards!

I always keep my business cards in my face painting kit.

You never know when another parent at a birthday party or event might see your work and ask for your details.

Having business cards immediately available means you can easily turn one happy customer into another potential booking.

This is particularly useful if you’re trying to build a face painting business or side hustle.

Why Organisation Matters When You’re Face Painting

When you’re learning to face paint, you might initially focus entirely on improving your designs.

Of course, developing your face painting skills is incredibly important.

But once you start painting at children’s parties, speed and organisation become just as important.

You want to know exactly where your brushes, paints, sponges and stencils are.

You don’t want to be reaching across your workstation or constantly searching for supplies.

As I mention in the video, having everything at arm’s length helps you develop a system and ultimately improve your speed when face painting multiple children at an event.

Make Your Face Painting Kit Work For YOU

The biggest lesson from making this new kit is that there isn’t one perfect way to organise a professional face painting kit.

Your kit should be based on:

• The types of designs you paint
• How many colours you use
• Your favourite brushes
• Your stencil collection
• How many children you typically paint
• How much space you need
• How you transport your equipment
• Your budget
• Your personal working style

You don’t have to copy my setup.

Take the ideas that work for you and create a face painting station that makes your own workflow easier.

Want to Learn How to Face Paint?

If you’re completely new to face painting, or you’ve been practising at home and want to take your skills further, my online face painting course is designed to help you build your confidence and learn the foundations of professional face painting.

You’ll learn essential skills including brush control, line work, sponging, blending, one-stroke face painting, speed designs, stencils, face painting supplies, hygiene, pricing and getting paid.

It’s designed for beginners as well as people who want to turn face painting into a side hustle, children’s party business or professional career.

👉 Learn more about my online face painting course:
https://facepaintingclasses.tv/

You can also find lots more free face painting tutorials, beginner face painting ideas and professional face painting tips here on the Let’s Paint website.

Watch the Full DIY Face Painting Kit Tutorial

Don’t forget to watch the video to see exactly how I put my new face painting kit together, including the boards, magnets, stencil storage, paints, brushes, sponges, glitter and all the little organisation tricks.

I hope it inspires you to create a face painting kit that works perfectly for YOU.

And if you have any questions about making your own mobile face painting kit, leave a comment on the video – I love hearing from other face painters!

Happy painting! 🎨❤️