Cheap face painting lands local artist a fortune

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
MANY people have been making money by selling merchandise associated with the State of Origin rugby league tests.
For example, Alfred Sondowe, from Southern Highlands and living in Port Moresby, paints people’s face for K1 or K2 the colour of their favourite team – Blues or Maroons.
“I do not have a formal employment so I look for any available business opportunities to earn a living in the city,” he said.
Sondowe told The National that during the first test, he bought K30 worth of paint.
“I set up a little stall at the Gerehu bus stop and painted the students and children’s faces before the game kicked off on the night of the first game,” he said.
He made around K250.
“Because I did that with my other friends, we had to share the money,” he said.
Sondowe did the same in the second test and raised about the same amount.
“This is the third test and you can already see how Papua New Guineans are excited about this deciding game. So people are looking for ways to support their favourite team and they will do anything,” he said.
Sondowe said he taught himself how to paint.
“I uses my imagination to picture the Blues and Maroons logo and I paint them,” he said.
Sondowe does face-painting on special occasions.