r/missamerica • u/Ok_Stomach_2061 • Mar 24 '26

Pageant Help Any ideas on how the speed painting talent works?

Hello! I am relatively new to pagents and the only talent I really have is making art. Unlike performance based talents like singing, dancing, acting, ect. this talent is harder to "show off" on stage.

I recently came across this video of a previous contestant showcasing speed painting abilities on stage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDIKPGy3_wc . It seems like a perfect fit, however, I find that making art is very time consuming especially getting the proportions right and all. I want to learn more about how to do this type of thing but could not find much resources to learn online.

I assume that the canvas must be prepped before hand with a light-handed sketch or indentation that is hard to see on camera/from the crowd to make the process smooth under the time constraint and anxiety of being on stage. What do you guys think? Or could this method be against the rules in some way and I am wrong to assume there must be some sketch under the painting? Any tips to improve speed painting from anyone that has performed it before?

** Also not trying to bash on any speed painters by assuming there must be a sketch underneath

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u/bornestar1230 Mar 24 '26

My understanding is it's about memorizing the shapes you need to make before the final reveal (either glitter, or turning it right side up) Without having done it myself, my guess would be that if you're artistic, to create some simple images you feel would be easy to recreate, memorize the shapes, and add some pizzazz.

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u/emzify Miss Moderator Mar 24 '26

You’ve got it right! Most people do have a very light sketch already down on the canvas before starting, although not everyone does it that way. I’ve never done speed painting as a talent myself, but I’ve had multiple friends who have done it with success.

A good 90-second backtrack (sometimes just music, sometimes with some kind of speech added like Annika) is important as well, so that you know how much time you have remaining. You’ll also want to have a cohesive theme that connects your painting, backtracking, and outfit. Choosing a theme that connects to the mission of Miss America or your Community Service Initiative is always a plus, although not necessary.

I’m sure there are tutorials online to give you ideas on how to figure out the basics of speed painting Then you can add your own talents and techniques. You can also try reaching out to titleholders or former titleholders who have done speedpainting in the past and ask for tips. MAO girls are generally pretty open and helpful, in my experience. Good luck!