THE MOST FASCINATING FACE PAINTING YOU'LL SEE

    ST. CHARLES - Portraits have been a staple in the art world for centuries. Practitioners apply their paints to canvas to capture the likeness of a subject. What our face painters do is entirely different. They apply their paints on faces and figures to create living, breathing art.

    You could call it face painting - until you experience it. Then you realize how other-worldly it becomes. Calling it face painting is rather like equating a pre-schooler's crayon work to the Mona Lisa. There is no comparison.

    During the Pride of the Fox RiverFest, our face painters will work their magic at Lincoln Park in Downtown St. Charles from 11am to 6pm daily Friday through Sunday, courtesy of Colonial Ice Cream and Cafes.

    There is no charge. The face painting is free, but if this year is anything like previous years, people may stand in line a long time. It's that popular.

    Playing with shapes and colors, the artists "paint dreams on peoples' faces".

    At RiverFest, the artists will paint a child's (or adult's) face according to their wish. Each artist paints between six and ten faces an hour, depending on the choice of character and it's complexity.

    You might view it as a performance. Seated on a stage in an open-sided tent, the artists transform a person into a piece of living breathing art.

    They use a brand of professional products that is hypoallergenic and washes out easily with water. It's been common in years past for people to sleep carefully to get another day's display from their fantasy.

    Face Painting is FREE, courtesy of Colonial Ice Cream and Cafes. Tickets will be distributed at 11:00 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.; tickets are good for the session immediately following distribution and do not transfer.