Any awkward moments sketching out in the open world?

[Samari]

Sorry if a similar thread was already posted. Anyways, I wanted to know if any of you guys ever had any awkward moments sketching people in public. Did anyone ever catch you and get mad? Or did they appear freaked out? I don't think it's happened to me yet.

I've found a few people that have noticed, and I think one looked point blank at me, and I kind of just lightly smiled back and then diverted my eyes elsewhere and put my sketchbook down. When the person stopped looking at me, I picked up my materials and started drawing them again haha.

[Alex Chow]

Little girl: Mommy, what is that boy doing?

Mom: He's just doing what an artist does.

Then the entire family stops to stare at me suddenly while I slowly closed my sketchbook as if nothing happened. I'm such a wuss.

[mazouko]

Once when I went out to do some practice drawing people, some old lady came up to me and asked for spare change. I told her I didn't have any and she looked kinda mad when she walked away. After that she started talking to and bothering anyone she saw me trying to draw.

[Mirana]

Took a drawing trip to a zoo with the fiancee. Of course we went on a day with TONS of ankle-biters with a school group. I didn't mind so much them being curious and asking to see...it was the fact that they have NO sense of personal space. Not only was I fending off kids running headlong into our asses and crotches, but hardback sketchbooks HURT when ya smack into the corners!

The adults were ultimately the annoying ones. They think 'cause you're drawing, that means it's okay to converse. Not so much when you are drawing a MOVING ANIMAL and need to concentrate. Please don't tell me about your failed art career, your kid's amazing ability or the following...

"It's faster if you take a picture! HURHUR." Or conversely, when I do stop to take reference, "That's CHEATING! HURHUR." No, I'm not laughing. I've heard those two lines from old men ALL DAY.

[Jazz]

I think the awkwardness would come when I showed people that I was gesture drawing them. Last summer I showed a woman, and she didn't look at all impressed. She was like, "...Oh. :)" It's got better though, but still...

[m0n3y]

I used to spend many hours sketching in public, cant really remember any bad, or overly awkward experiences, but I have had lots of good experiences with people. One place I would draw, was sitting on the steps of a church in central Melbourne, diagonally opposite the church is what is more or less the central train station of the city, and across the road is most likely the most famous pub in the city, "Young and Jacksons". for years, an old man would sit in a doorway of a disused door and slur abuse at all the pedestrians. It could be quite confronting if he singled you out, and im sure if any one has spent time in Melbourne Australia years ago, you would know who I am speaking about. On one occasion I sketched him as he stumbled across the road from the Pub towards the church where i was sitting. Several days later I was sitting at the church, and the same man came and sat close to me, he had a terrible cold, and was coughing badly. As he seemed to be sober, I began a conversation with him and showed him the drawing I had made of him several days earlier, he laughed and laughed. We spoke for quite some time, and I was surprised that, when sober, he was really quite a nice man.

[Sir_E_Pent]

The only thing I have to say is never stop what you are doing. If someone notices you sketching smile, nod your head and keep going. If they approach you keep on keepin on. What is the worst that will happen? They'll tell you to stop, ohhhhhhhh nooooooooo. Like that hasn't happend before.

[Murder Tramp]

I've had a bum on the subway come up to me and demand I pay him first before completing my sketch. o_o

[kennygeeze]

I was sketching in a shopping mall (completing a public-draw assignment for my 2nd year life-drawing class) and a security guard approached me and explained that I wasn't allowed to draw the architecture because it was copyrighted and that she "knew a thing or two about the law."

She asked me to go back and inform my teachers that the shopping mall architecture was copy-righted and the students were not 'legally' allowed to draw it.

[Levitation1o1]

Whenever I'm drawing in class (academic classes are really just for life drawing opportunities) and the person finds out I'm drawing them they can't help but continuously watch what I'm doing to the point that I have to stop and try to move on to someone else... but at that point there is no point to draw anyone because of the attention

Not really awkward, but you all have to remember those days

[Samari]

The only thing I have to say is never stop what you are doing. If someone notices you sketching smile, nod your head and keep going. If they approach you keep on keepin on. What is the worst that will happen? They'll tell you to stop, ohhhhhhhh nooooooooo. Like that hasn't happend before.

I guess it might seem a little strange if you stop when they look at you. Since it's like you're trying to hide what you're doing, which may seem weird. I'm trying to get out of that habit.

[Alzorath]

I don't have any really awkward public drawing experiences...I've had the people come up and ask to see, start conversations, etc. etc. (which I have to agree - conversations are very distracting).

I have to say though - that catching that one really good moment while drawing is something that gives me a bit of pleasure (my favorite is still of this guy, probably in his early 40s and a little rough around the edges, sleeping on a couch with his baby sleeping on his chest - his hat sitting down on his legs - the guy looked so 'gruff' yet at the same time so peaceful - very interesting dichotomy of a rough old life and a new one just beginning). I've had other good moments that I've caught, but none have stuck with me like that one.

Basically, if you're conscious about where and who you're drawing - the good seems to outweigh the bad imo.

[DavePalumbo]

I was sketching in a shopping mall (completing a public-draw assignment for my 2nd year life-drawing class) and a security guard approached me and explained that I wasn't allowed to draw the architecture because it was copyrighted and that she "knew a thing or two about the law."

She asked me to go back and inform my teachers that the shopping mall architecture was copy-righted and the students were not 'legally' allowed to draw it.

that's awesome :)

I think I related this in another life drawing thread? I was sitting in the corner at a Dub Step night in SF drawing the people dancing and a thugged out (though in a well dressed way) dude came up and started giving me compliments and asked that I draw him. He then posed very, what I'll describe as "thug life", style for me. This happened two more times (one of them approached me so stone faced I thought I was about to get my ass kicked) before I quietly picked up my book and jacket and moved to another part of the club. It was fun though, just started to feel a little weird.

[J Wilson]

My favorite place to draw out in public is the mall. I'll set up in the food court, grab some food or a drink, and just draw whatever. It's such a wide mix of people. Sometimes I'll draw the impression of people, either gesture drawings, or maybe just an interesting element that caught my eye. Sometimes I'll just draw whatever comes to mind and largely ignore everyone there. I don't think I've had many people notice that they were being sketched, since it's busy and they are usually more concerned with eating. Other people have noticed and asked to see the sketchbook, which for some reason often leads to asking if I tattoo -which could be my appearance, or possibly it's just the most accessible form of artist people are familiar with these days.

So far
compliments: many
awkward moments:zero

[KingCobra00]

Haven't had any awkward moments drawing people, but when I'm drawing aircraft, I always get the "why not just take a picture?" comment and stuff like "no no no, that's not perfect, I don't think you're looking at it right" all the time.

[Blue]

Most unusual happening for me was at a college football game. I was sketching a black girl sitting a row away from me (really pretty girl) and I finished a fairly decent image of her. Around half time I think a friend of hers walked past me and noticed my drawing. Here where it gets weird, she goes and tells the girl i was drawing and the girl gets furious. She comes up to me flailing her arms, waving her finger and ranting about the whole thing. She kept saying how I should pay her to use her face or something. I don't know, i was with my girlfriend (who was the one who wanted to see the game) and didn't want trouble.

So i signed the sketch, ripped it out of my book and gave it to the girl. Her mood did a 180 at that point and she was pretty happy to be given it.

Weird moment.

[Ridz]

not a 'weird' experience really, but a year or two ago on a camping trip i was sitting by the water drawing, and a guy sat down beside me and we started talking. he was visiting from the bronx or something (i'm in canada), he liked my drawing and i just ended up giving it to him once i was finished. later i met him again on the beach and he taught me how to kickbox.

[Samari]

Most unusual happening for me was at a college football game. I was sketching a black girl sitting a row away from me (really pretty girl) and I finished a fairly decent image of her. Around half time I think a friend of hers walked past me and noticed my drawing. Here where it gets weird, she goes and tells the girl i was drawing and the girl gets furious. She comes up to me flailing her arms, waving her finger and ranting about the whole thing. She kept saying how I should pay her to use her face or something. I don't know, i was with my girlfriend (who was the one who wanted to see the game) and didn't want trouble.

So i signed the sketch, ripped it out of my book and gave it to the girl. Her mood did a 180 at that point and she was pretty happy to be given it.

Weird moment.

Wow some people...

[otis]

The only odd thing that happens to me on occasion is getting hit-on by women who want me to draw them. It's crazy...you sit in a corner by yourself, mind your own business with a sketch book and the whole world suddenly will notice you.

Usually, I get a few beers out of it and some phone numbers. Easiest way to meet people. ; )

[Sudsy]

When I was stationed in Korea, I was on the train from Seoul (check out the Insadong District while you are there, great place for art supplies), and three Korean teenagers were taking cell phone pictures of my buddy and I and giggling. Since I didn't have a camera, I pulled out my handy sketch book that I'd bought that day in Seoul and started drawing the cameraman and his buddies... Needless to say, it wasn't awkward to me so much as it was for them. They took a picture of the page and seemed to enjoy the sketch.
Link to sketch on another gallery: http://sudsysutherland.deviantart.com/art/Outback-Steakhouse-hunt-65544609

[Samari]

The only odd thing that happens to me on occasion is getting hit-on by women who want me to draw them. It's crazy...you sit in a corner by yourself, mind your own business with a sketch book and the whole world suddenly will notice you.

Usually, I get a few beers out of it and some phone numbers. Easiest way to meet people. ; )

All the more reason to practice drawing!!! :^^:

[nonie]

Dave - that same thing has happened to me a lot too. Seems like thugged out guys love having their portraits drawn :D

San Francisco is such a great place to draw. People are super open, or have no sense of personal space, whichever way you want to look at it, so I often get approached and watched, or asked for a portrait. More often than not it's people who don't speak much English and will ask me to draw them all in pantomime, and then call their friends over to see the result. Sketching at a park in Chinatown, where there's always these little groups of old men or old ladies playing cards, little old Chinese dudes often form a little circle around you to watch (and comment to each other in Chinese) and then you can't even see what you were sketching anymore. It's pretty adorable.

The best thing though, was one time on a train when I was drawing a guy and he noticed. He did the thing people sometimes do where, to avoid a confrontation or to be nice, he tried to pretend he didn't know and stay in the same position. I think he was trying not to let on that he'd noticed. Anyway I was just finishing the sketch of him and looked up again, and suddenly he whipped to face me and made a goofy face. I jumped a mile and almost dropped my pen, and then he laughed all the way to the next stop, where he got off. It was pretty awesome.

[BlackGuy]

nonie, that story happened to me, almost in the exact same way. Reading that made me bust out laughing at the memory.

I have to go with Otis on this whole thing too, if you're shy or nervous about meeting girls , post up at a bar/starbucks/whatever and absorb yourself in your sketchbook, they will come. Not even just girls, people of all types. I met a homeless man who explained the basics of how a rocket is ignited and the kind of chemicals they mix to cause the reaction. That guy was awesome, I bought him lunch and we hung out.

[Main Loop]

Oh I have plenty.... I will have to come back to this thread when I have time. You guys have posted some great stories that I want to comment on as well.

[Nrx]

oh wow i really wanna go get life drawing now :P

[Pixeltron]

I was on a bus once and decided to sketch this gal sitting a few seats away. She got this freaked out look and eventually moved to a different seat.
I dunno if she even knew I was drawing, maybe she just thought I was some creepy guy checking her out?

Either way, that was about the last time I've drawn in public.

[nonie]

Either way, that was about the last time I've drawn in public.

Wuss :P If drawing's important to you, gestures from life in public places is more important than not creeping some random person out. If I notice someone's spotted me drawing them I'll move on to another person until they stop paying attention and then finish them. Drawing people who are a little further away is good too - they're less likely to spot you. And you could wear sunglasses - then they don't know where you're looking :P

[Samari]

I was on a bus once and decided to sketch this gal sitting a few seats away. She got this freaked out look and eventually moved to a different seat.
I dunno if she even knew I was drawing, maybe she just thought I was some creepy guy checking her out?

Either way, that was about the last time I've drawn in public.

Oh geez. Yes you'll run into those kind of people. The kind that are paranoid. Just remember, it's them that are the weirdos, not you. :^^:

[dorian]

haven't read all the posts but the best thing if someone notices and you don't want to let them know is to just continue looking in their direction but past them and continue drawing ;)
but you can also ask, many people might enjoy being drawn!

as for awkward moments, not really had any so far other than it seeming to have some sort of mysterious magnetic effect on the ladies :D
I actually enjoy working in front of people as much as watching someone draw or paint. It's so much more intimate and close than just looking at a finished piece. The sharing is more direct, for everyone involved.

[~Faust~]

One time I was drawing a girl while waiting in some Governmental waitingroom. After I finished my business, it seems like she waited all the time for me and ran after me to see the drawing I made of her.

When I showed her she became really sad and asked if she really had that kind of a deformed face.

That made me sad.

[J Wilson]

One time I was drawing a girl while waiting in some Governmental waitingroom. After I finished my business, it seems like she waited all the time for me and ran after me to see the drawing I made of her.

When I showed her she became really sad and asked if she really had that kind of a deformed face.

That made me sad.

That's rough, but not surprising. When I sketch in public I'm not usually doing the sketches to a finished enough degree that non artists would be all that impressed. I'm often sketching in that sort of artist short hand that we all know, just capturing the big forms, or the gesture of a pose (you have to work quickly after all). Honestly when most people want to see what I'm doing they aren't going to see much that they'll be used to. I'll usually let them flip through the book though if they want, and there is usually more sketches within where I've explored something more fully and they'll respond to those with more enthusiasm.

[BlightedArt]

Me and a couple other people were at a small cafe here drawing in a group, when a guy walks up to us with a leather jacket, long hair and a big beard, dangerous looking fellow. He asks us for "a dollar to catch a bus to Wellington" which's absurd since it's on another island. At the time literally none of us had change on us (I had... 20c, so that's kind of a lie there) and said we didn't have a dollar.

He presented an ordinary 10c coin and said that it was from the 14th century, and asked us if we wanted to hear a story about it. At the time the way he came off made us feel very awkward, and we kind of wanted him to leave us alone (sounds mean :() so we said "No, but thank you for offering". He suddenly looked at me and raised his voice asking if I was "a racist or something", to which I didn't know what to say... since like, the racial issue was so far off that it could have sent me a postcard from Nepal. :P

We were sitting there silently, he shouted at us saying "RACISTS" and walked away grumbling, then about 10 mins later I got up ready to leave the cafe, and saw him just outside the window peering in looking right at me. XD I grabbed a pamphlet and sat down until he left. :P

Thinking back on it, I never saw the race card pulled off so beautifully and randomly before. It was... odd. XD

[Pixeltron]

Wuss :P

Not I


If drawing's important to you, gestures from life in public places is more important than not creeping some random person out. If I notice someone's spotted me drawing them I'll move on to another person until they stop paying attention and then finish them. Drawing people who are a little further away is good too - they're less likely to spot you. And you could wear sunglasses - then they don't know where you're looking :P

Hmm, I get what you're saying although I have never found drawing in public all that rewarding and I've tended to get a lot more out of a life drawing class than by sitting in a cafe. Something I chalk it up to personal comfort and the ability to concentrate on the task at hand with the distractions that come from the environment. If I was more productive doing it I'd probably have kept doing it.

[Black Spot]

I used to sketch buildings in Eton when I was about 16. One day these cartoon-like American tourists (large and wearing load shirts with Bermuda shorts) came up behind me. “Oh gee, George, look a real live artist,” squealed the wife in a very loud voice. “Oh, dear, she hasn’t started yet.”

I think trying to keep a straight face at that moment was the hardest thing ever. Yes, I wasn’t dead!

[Samurai_em]

Many years ago, before I was into life drawing (I just drew anime/cartoon stype stuff) I was drawing at a train station in Northern California and some guy came and sat next to me and asked what I was doing. I dunno why, but my immediate reaction was annoyance so I got up and left and walked over to a stairwell to continue drawing.

Same day, or maybe a few days later I am doing the same thing and when I get on the train, I go up immediately to the top floor and this girl (hot chick, with some piercings) follows me up but sits on the other side (not sure if I need to explain Caltrain) and asked to see my sketchbook. I am very embarrassed but I had no ability to say "no" to women back then so I handed it across to her.

Anyway she's looking through it and saying that my drawings are cool, and then suddenly my stop comes up (redwood city) so I get grab my book back and get off the train. She looked kind of disappointed when I said "this is my stop" and got off. About 10min later I realized that I probably could have gotten her number. I was jackass back then... what the hell was I thinking?

[MurdokX]

A drunk guy on a train gave me his phone number...

[aaro_n]

I reside near Las Vegas, and I hit up Fremont Street, which is this brightly lit arena inhabiting all walks of life which can be very interesting at times. Drawing the passed-out, watching the inebriated tilt to a fall, sharing conversations with nobody sober, its pretty dope ;) I agree with nonie when it comes to respecting someone who doesn't want to be drawn. Shit, who wants to be eyeballed by some creep scribbling in a black book? :P Public life drawing is nice for cloth, and if someone is willing to be drawn, you can't beat that for dimensional form practice. Also exing an agoraphobic-like personality is always a plus

[Max Challie]

I was in the lobby waiting for my flight, and felt reluctant to draw the people around me (this being my first real time doing so). When the man I was drawing saw my sketchbook, he sort of looked away and laughed, as if he didn't take it too seriously. I couldn't stop laughing for a while either. He didn't exactly sit still, so only got to draw most of his facial features.

[Jie Kageshinzo]

Hmmm, maybe I really should start life sketching in public. :D

[deepbluehue]

One time I was drawing a girl while waiting in some Governmental waitingroom. After I finished my business, it seems like she waited all the time for me and ran after me to see the drawing I made of her.

When I showed her she became really sad and asked if she really had that kind of a deformed face.

That made me sad.

That made me giggle.

[nonsane]

Me and a couple other people were at a small cafe here drawing in a group, when a guy walks up to us with a leather jacket, long hair and a big beard, dangerous looking fellow. He asks us for "a dollar to catch a bus to Wellington" which's absurd since it's on another island. At the time literally none of us had change on us (I had... 20c, so that's kind of a lie there) and said we didn't have a dollar.

He presented an ordinary 10c coin and said that it was from the 14th century, and asked us if we wanted to hear a story about it. At the time the way he came off made us feel very awkward, and we kind of wanted him to leave us alone (sounds mean :() so we said "No, but thank you for offering". He suddenly looked at me and raised his voice asking if I was "a racist or something", to which I didn't know what to say... since like, the racial issue was so far off that it could have sent me a postcard from Nepal. :P

We were sitting there silently, he shouted at us saying "RACISTS" and walked away grumbling, then about 10 mins later I got up ready to leave the cafe, and saw him just outside the window peering in looking right at me. XD I grabbed a pamphlet and sat down until he left. :P

Thinking back on it, I never saw the race card pulled off so beautifully and randomly before. It was... odd. XD

bloody south islanders eh lol
:)



i usually draw scribbles and doodles when im on the bus and i had an elderly man ask to see my sketchbook, he was nice but he smelled funny and sometimes you couldnt understand what he said because of his accent which made it a little awkward. was pretty funny though

[Costau D]

Tips:

Wear Sunglasses

Make sure a wall is behind you

Wear headphones

If you have a laptop have it open

No laptop? Have one or two books open that look like text books

Don't carry around a sketchbook that has spirals, is too large, or has the words "Sketch Pad" on the back of it. If you want to go crazy print the words Bible or something on the cover.

If all else fails. Learn to develop some social skills, and just interact with people. Interacting leads to new experiences which leads to new ideas... and possibly a date or new friend.



oh right and dont do what a fellow classmate of mine did. He went to a playground in the park and wanted to draw the kids and people there. The cops eventually were alerted and he was kicked out of the area.

Edit: key tip, learn to take public criticism and compliments.

[km]

most of the time when im life drawing in public, i just get dirty looks, no one's ever approached me.. cept just yesterday actually for the first time some guy came up to me and asked to see, then told me it was beautiful lol nothing special i was just doing gestures

[Konstruktion]

Once me and a friend of mine were drawing, and some guys came to us and started talking about how we could make big money with our drawings. One of them started looking through my sb, and said "How come you draw almost only men, and all of them are naked? Do you have a problem with men?". I believe I answered "No, I have a problem with women.". Fucking asshole. All of them!

[Samari]

Many years ago, before I was into life drawing (I just drew anime/cartoon stype stuff) I was drawing at a train station in Northern California and some guy came and sat next to me and asked what I was doing. I dunno why, but my immediate reaction was annoyance so I got up and left and walked over to a stairwell to continue drawing.

Same day, or maybe a few days later I am doing the same thing and when I get on the train, I go up immediately to the top floor and this girl (hot chick, with some piercings) follows me up but sits on the other side (not sure if I need to explain Caltrain) and asked to see my sketchbook. I am very embarrassed but I had no ability to say "no" to women back then so I handed it across to her.

Anyway she's looking through it and saying that my drawings are cool, and then suddenly my stop comes up (redwood city) so I get grab my book back and get off the train. She looked kind of disappointed when I said "this is my stop" and got off. About 10min later I realized that I probably could have gotten her number. I was jackass back then... what the hell was I thinking?
Ahh yes Caltrain, my frequent companion...

[Samari]

Oh and yeah just came back from Japan and I sketched a lot when I was around central Tokyo, especially the HUGE public parks. It was great. I tried to remain secluded as usual, but when most people noticed me they either laughed, or were just whatever about it. But there was this one instance during the Sunday was I there. I happened to go to Shibuya to check out the Harajuku area with all the scary looking kids dressed up. I was drawing this one girl who was dressed up as a pink elegant umbrella girl or something, and she seemed to understand what I was doing, but then she came up to me to check out my illustration and just seemed...confused or something. I had barely started and I was only on her face, but she seemed/scared and just turned away to her friend. It was really weird since she was cooperating early. Perhaps she didn't like the drawing, but geez I was only a minute into it!!! Hahaha, but good times sketching in Tokyo.

[rpace]

Back when I was in college, on of my best pals was from Montreal and, to him, going out for a beer meant going to a strip joint. So I brought my sketchbook. First few times drawing the strippers was fine, but I soon became far more interested in drawing the patrons. That was perfect since they were so distracted they never noticed they were being drawn. Many of them dropped their social armour after a few drinks and were really gestural and engaged in the performance. People getting table dances were really intense drawing experiences. Wish I still had those sketchbooks (or knew which box they were in)

The weirdness was the occasional dancer asking for a quick portrait, buying me drinks or offering free table dances for drawings (I refused to the dismay of my pals -- couldn't see myself involved in that after drawing other people -- real ick-fest of thoughts).

One night the manager (or owner, I really don't know for sure), offered me free drinks as long as I did "sexy colour drawings of the girls" for the bar. I declined, primarily because I didn't have the proper materials at hand, but without listening to my reason, he started negotiating starting at free table dances and escalating to "alone time" with one of the girls!

I was really creeped out by that. When he finally finished his hard sell, I lied and said I needed better paper from my home and would be right back and just stayed away.

~Richard

[Max Challie]

A few days ago I was in Hamburg meeting SgtDirtbag, and we were on the train. There was a woman sitting there who had a rather wide jaw which was completely horizontal, with no diagonal slanting. I studied it for a while and hoped she wouldn't be offended, then talked to him about human anatomy, people in the open world, etc.
When we got off the train she walked past us really fast, and I felt bad for creeping her out just because I want to study people's features. Maybe she didn't like her jaw, or maybe I just seem creepy. On the way back to his place we talked about what's going on in this thread (not specifically, just the subject in general), and how you can't really start up a conversation with anyone anymore because they're all listening to iPods or something.

[Mirana]

I happened to go to Shibuya to check out the Harajuku area with all the scary looking kids dressed up.

Scary? They were pretty tame for me...but maybe that's what I get going to nerd school and working at cons. The "interested but suddenly coy" thing is something a lot of them do. It's part of the act. The bands are more interesting to me. Didn't draw 'em though...we spent our time in the Meiji sketching up the architecture and the traditional costume (yay weddings!).

[Samari]

Scary? They were pretty tame for me...but maybe that's what I get going to nerd school and working at cons. The "interested but suddenly coy" thing is something a lot of them do. It's part of the act. The bands are more interesting to me. Didn't draw 'em though...we spent our time in the Meiji sketching up the architecture and the traditional costume (yay weddings!).

Oh okay...hahaha because I was really confused.

[Samari]

Back when I was in college, on of my best pals was from Montreal and, to him, going out for a beer meant going to a strip joint. So I brought my sketchbook. First few times drawing the strippers was fine, but I soon became far more interested in drawing the patrons. That was perfect since they were so distracted they never noticed they were being drawn. Many of them dropped their social armour after a few drinks and were really gestural and engaged in the performance. People getting table dances were really intense drawing experiences. Wish I still had those sketchbooks (or knew which box they were in)

The weirdness was the occasional dancer asking for a quick portrait, buying me drinks or offering free table dances for drawings (I refused to the dismay of my pals -- couldn't see myself involved in that after drawing other people -- real ick-fest of thoughts).

One night the manager (or owner, I really don't know for sure), offered me free drinks as long as I did "sexy colour drawings of the girls" for the bar. I declined, primarily because I didn't have the proper materials at hand, but without listening to my reason, he started negotiating starting at free table dances and escalating to "alone time" with one of the girls!

I was really creeped out by that. When he finally finished his hard sell, I lied and said I needed better paper from my home and would be right back and just stayed away.

~Richard

Hahaha wow what a story. This thread has really made me realize what simple sketching can do.

[otis]

Drawing people in public, is like looking into their souls. Most people are flattered, captivated, or embarressed. the one's who get defensive have serious issues with themselves.

It's like having a deep and private conversation without words.
Very powerful stuff.
Don't underestimate the power of art.

:wink:

[Pawkfox]

I havent drawn life drawings for several years now but I do remember some times.
Most commonly some old folk would come up and stare at what I was doing and talk to me about what not (I never really listened because they were so annoying..) I really hated when Old folk would come and talk random crap about their lives while I was working =/

Second on the list was the sudden grouping of small 6year old brats asking me 4billion questions, HANGING on my shoulders and legs and drooling all over... God it was so frustrating. Their parents or Daycare teachers usually just looked away and seemed to be relieved because they didnt have to pay them attention anymore.

Most awkward situation must've been when this older woman (like 7-10 years older) started flirting with me and she was soooo hideous. I don't think she realized how young I was. I've never heard of drawing being a good means of meeting people really. Most just look at you and leave or at best gives you a standard generic comment and leaves.

Really love the stories in here!

[Asuka Mai]

I was in class when I got bored and decided to draw the students in the room at no matter what I angle I sat. My friend in front of me turned around to ask something but instead made a point of what I was doing seemed pretty cool. When class was over one of the students had seen me doing it and wanted to take a peek at some of my drawings. She was in the picture as well and wanted me to give her a copy. :] It was a nice actually. I've never had the moment where people thought it was weird. :]

[~Faust~]

If you hate children, they go annoy you more, because it's funny to annoy bad people. So you should stop being haters and be happy that the youngsters are actually taking interest in something else than TV. Actually, I do the same all the time, when I see someone scetch in a museum or outside I always go stare.

Artists hate me :(

[timpaatkins]

Hehe, when drawing in Astor place nyc, this dude came up and said, "hey man, you might not wanna draw those guys over there. they are all druggies."
i replied naively

"oh i don't mind"

he chuckled and said

No, I'm sure you don't, but they might..."
Penny dropped and I moved on.

And yes, girls really seem to love guys drawing.

[Asatira]

This one wasn't awkward but one of the few I can think of. A few weeks ago, one of the ballet companies in my home gave a little lecture/demonstration at one of the libraries. I went there specifically to do some gestures, nothing finished. After it was over, I talked to who turned out to be the director and he commented about noticing me drawing (I wasn't exactly hiding, and I was right on the side). I got embarrassed and "complained" about the angle, and he commented that side and rear angles are always more interesting. Seemed glad I was doing it.

[thesinfulsaint]

I don't so much have awkward moments while sketching, but I overhear interesting conversations. Since one of my favorite spots to draw is the zoo, I frequently hear interesting parent/child conversations. For instance, while sketching the bears a few weeks ago I heard a child ask his father why the bear was walking so strangely. Without missing a beat, the father replied in a knowing voice, "Well, son, it's because he's got gas."

I heard an interesting story from James Gurney when he visited my school last fall. He had been sketching a goat, but he didn't have a chance to finish the drawing because it moved. A few days later, he was in a bar and started sketching the body of a man sitting a few tables away as the body for the goat head. The man noticed what he was doing, and asked to see the drawing. Apparently, the man made little to no reaction. Mr. Gurney thinks the man was too drunk to tell.

[Max Challie]

That was funny.

[Rich Pellegrino]

oh yeah. i love when this stuff happens. you really get to meet interesting people when out drawing. i'm with nonie too. when i get the feeling they don't want to be drawn i stop looking at them. it's a fun challenge to take qick glances and memorize features, folds, and forms.

here's a quick story. sometimes i get really into what i'm drawing and sort of forget there are people around. when i start to get really involved in the drawing my eyes get all serious. i must look mad because of the way my eyebrows are shaped. actually, sometimes i do get mad when the drawing isn't going right.

anyway, about a month ago i was sketching in a small cafe in providence and this was all happening. i was listening to music with earphones while vigorously drawing away. oblivious to anyone around me until i stopped. i looked up to see what was going on and there was this table full of girls with one of them just staring at me with this look n her face. i got the feeling that she was either scared or thought i was possessed. her mouth was hanging open and her stare was no moving even when i looked back at her. i felt instantly exposed. I looked back at her and then went back to drawing. after that some people sat between us and her view was blocked. awkward? oh yeah.

later that night a cute girl sat in front of me and bumped into my table on accident. she apologized and in turn i asked to draw a portrait of her and blah blah we talked for the rest of the night. i didn't end up drawing that portrait but i did make a new friend!

[Brushcommander]

sometimes i get really into what i'm drawing and sort of forget there are people around. when i start to get really involved in the drawing my eyes get all serious.
Oh I know that. People told me I'm making the weirdest faces when drawing. Probably because I'm making the expressions I draw with my face to get a better feeling for it.. it is totally unconscious though

[ChristianWeeks]

Sounds like I need to get out drawing more :) Sucks living in the suburbs though, there aren't really any good places within walking distance I can go to to draw. Itd take about 45 mins to drive to Charleston (SC)which is great because it is a beautiful and scenic city and theres always people walking around. Just isnt something I could do too often with gas prices nowadays :(

Hopefully once I get into college ill have more opportunities :)

But yeah im really enjoying reading all these stories keep em coming :D

[Mirana]

Sucks living in the suburbs though, there aren't really any good places within walking distance I can go to to draw.

Park, pool, fast food resturant, mall, strip mall with benches, front porch, wildlife refuge, gardens, beach... If you live in SC there are many natural and touristy spots to visit ASIDE from the everyday-anybody-could-go-to stuff. :P

[AsaB]

I love this thread, great stories everyone, keep them coming :D

Unfortunately I don't have any to share, it's not a habit of mine to go outside to draw. It's rather uncommon up here, actually. But living downtown and such, I'm gonna try to get comfy in a café someday soon and try this out :D

[ChristianWeeks]

Park, pool, fast food resturant, mall, strip mall with benches, front porch, wildlife refuge, gardens, beach... If you live in SC there are many natural and touristy spots to visit ASIDE from the everyday-anybody-could-go-to stuff. :P

Oh yeah i know - now that you say, the beach would be a real fun to go sketching :)

But i mean the only one of those I could really walk to would be a park where only a few little kids come and play here and there. And I dont know if there parents would be so keen on letting them play while a strange man is watching them. lol.

Otherwise, I'd have to drive which isn't really a viable choice right now - my dad got in a crash with my car last night :( He's a motorhead and he'll fix it (the front is pushed in but no real damage) but itll take a while. Until then im stuck on foot (or bike, i suppose) haha

[MM Howard]

:rocker: I always have headphones when I sketch in life. I'm usually always riding the bus, so sometimes people look and sometimes they do.

I remember one time when I was bothered by some kids, but this group was actually polite (I wasn't sketching anybody, just a cartoon character). I've gotten compliments from adults, but a kids honesty is the best and when they say they like my drawings, it makes me happy.

I don't remember awkwardness though, probably because I'm always concentrating and listening to music, and those two activities alone almost make my brain "explode-ded".

:yum:

P.S. The story about the girl asking if her face was deformed is just so sad:(

Okay, I laughed a bit.

[dcorc]

.. my dad got in a crash with my car last night :( ..

Hey, isn't it traditional for that to happen the other way round?

[ChristianWeeks]

yeah i know im lucky he got in a crash instead of me. He's spent a bunch of time working on the car and fixing all of its MANY problems, so if i wrecked it he would destroy me.

[Mirana]

yeah i know im lucky he got in a crash instead of me. He's spent a bunch of time working on the car and fixing all of its MANY problems, so if i wrecked it he would destroy me.

Not to mention insurance. Front "pushed in"? Tailgating, perhaps? ;) If that had happened to you the insurance would have been ridiculous!

[ChristianWeeks]

damn right that would suck. again i was lucky he got in the crash (as wrong as that may sound haha)

[StephenJ]

I heard an interesting story from James Gurney when he visited my school last fall. He had been sketching a goat, but he didn't have a chance to finish the drawing because it moved. A few days later, he was in a bar and started sketching the body of a man sitting a few tables away as the body for the goat head. The man noticed what he was doing, and asked to see the drawing. Apparently, the man made little to no reaction. Mr. Gurney thinks the man was too drunk to tell.

James is a great guy, and I know he's always sketching people in random places. He has crazy stories.

Okay my turn.


I sketch in public alot so I've gotten kind of use to having people stare over my shoulder. You get alot of diffrent kind of people.

1. Mr/Miss look and run: People who only take a passing look at your drawing, shrug and then go on your way. These people are interesting because they kind of objectify you as an odd anomaly, diffrent than what they're use to.

2. Mr/Miss superspy: This is the person who really, really tries to be sneaky about their watching you work. They don't make a peep, they don't even breathe to hard. They get right up to you and just stare for a while. It's almost like they don't think you can see them perfectly. My reaction is to either let them continue to assume that they're getting away with it, or if they show particular interest let them know that I can actually see them.

3. Mr./Miss "wow I want to talk to that artist": These are the people who are the bravest of the bunch, they realize that you probably won't bite them, and will actually start up a conversation with you. Often times their parents with kids who are amazed that there are adults who don't grow out of drawing. I find that the conversations consistantly go in any one of several directions.

A.While you're holding your pencil and drawing filled sketchbook in hand they ask with total ernerst "Wow! Are you an aritst?" Obvious question? Yyes, but you might be suprised at how much it's asked. I usually answer with either "yes" or "Yeah, I'm an art student." I guess to the person asking it doesn't seem as obvious.

B. "My cousin/brother/child/parent/random relative is an artist": I find that alot of people will tell you about their artist relatives. Which can be pretty cool, as you can learn something that you didn't know before.

C. You're a good artist. It's a pretty straight forward compliment, and I usually just respond with thank you. I think that anyone who's been on the spot drawing for even a brief amount of time will seem amazing to a non-artist.

I find that drawing in public will also make you witness some pretty interesting behaviors from people. For example once when I was working at the zoo, I set my tackle box and newsprint pad down so that I could draw some Ibex (there like goats) in my smaller sketchbook. As I was in the middle of drawing this group of school children come up to the gate and this really excited kid just walks right up to my supplies and steps up on them to get a better look. Needless to say his chaperon was particularly apologetic towards me and concerned for the kids safety as he nearly tipped over my box and fell. I just thought it was funny.

[Main Loop]

StephenJ - Great breakdown of the different types of onlookers. Dead on.

I have a few interesting stories about going out and sketching or painting, my most memorable ones are these two:

I was out sketching outside the Metreon in SF with a few friends when this guy and his family came up to us and started trying to talk to us about art. I was using a brush pen, and he goes "Look honey, he's using a pencil that looks like a pen and it draws like watercolor!" He then went on about liking Chagall, and this bizarre story about his kid crashing Ferraris. All the while his wife is just looking at him like STFU and sort of shaking her head. At least she got what a jackass he was making himself look like.

Another one was when a friend and I were out sketching in Chinatown where the old chinese guys play that board game (You know where I mean...) and this ratty guy with almost no teeth comes up to my friend and looks at his drawing and says something like, "My drawing better than that...5 minutes!" You'll have to imagine the accent.

Lately I've been sketching and painting in more noticeable places, and I stopped wearing the headphones and all that "please don't notice me" attitude. These days I welcome the interaction, and will try to engage in conversation with a person if they choose to. It's more fun that way, plus I'm trying to become a more social type of person these days. By the way kids make the best fan club... I was out painting at this little fishing pond last weekend and a guy with his kids and nephews came up to me and started talking. Oh boy the kids loved what I was doing. They crack me up sometimes.
kid: "Are you a professional?"
me: "yep."
kid: "Is your work in a museum?"
me: "Not yet."
kid: "Oh. That sucks."
LMAO! I dunno about you guys, but me I like that stuff. And for everyone that gets so annoyed about being approached while sketching, I was the same way until very recently. But think about why is it that it bothers you? Who's more insecure? You or them? Here's a concept.

Instead of trying to take from the world, which is what you do when you sink into a corner and try to be a fly on the wall trying to steal an image off of them, give something back. This is what you do when you give a friendly smile to onlookers. Even greet them. Ask someone for the permission to draw them, even. You can't be the creepy guy when you state your intentions, and most of the time they won't say no. And when they show interest in you, show the same interest back to them. You're an artist, you're giving back to the world what it gives you, and the world will give back to you what you put into it. So put some positivity out there, and you'll enjoy sketching a whole lot more.

[bhanu]

I have noticed lotsa hot babes stop by and check out if you are drawing them...so I draw them...sometimes they even ask me to draw a a fast skech of them..not a gestural...I oblige..and everyones happy
and personally I have never had a bad experience......but I hate when people jsut stare...for a long time...I am used to it tho I guess.

[bhanu]

I agree with main loop here.... I am also very interactive ..mostly with kids..they jsut love art..more than adults...and make really nice conversations...

[J Wilson]

Drawing in public can be a lot of fun, and I've had some great interactions with people while doing it. However, there is a very small number of people who get a little creepy in their enthusiasm to talk to you. Like staying overly long to have a rambling conversation that you aren't really taking part in. It's like by having that ice breaker conversation starter, they suddenly feel like they have permission to be your buddy for the duration. I've even had people tell me what days they hang out at the coffee shop, and that next time they'll bring their buddy that draws a little too. Sigh :P

Still, for every one of those there are dozens of cool people with all different levels of interaction. From passing smiles and compliments, to nice enjoyable conversations. I agree kids can be awesome for how excited they get about talking to you about your artwork, and of course any time a cute girl comes up to YOU to start a conversation it's a nice change of pace :P

[chriskot]

I don't do much sketching in public. I really should do more.

A couple of years ago I was in my high school and I didn't have a class to go to, so I just sat down in front of my locker and started sketching random items. Since my locker was just a few feet from the library people would pass by every now and then and I got in a few good conversations.

One day, a couple of girls (one of which is now one of my best friends' girlfriend) walked by and stopped in front of me to look at my page. They seemed pretty impressed and we got talking. The conversation started like any of the others:

"That's awesome!"
"Thanks."
"Who's art class are you in?"
"Actually, I don't take art."
"Really?!"
"Yup."
etc...
(That's how all of the conversations went, followed by a request to see my other art. I really don't know why I never took art. I know I'd be much better if I did.)

Anyway, eventually they said that they had to go get someone and they'd be back. I kept drawing and they came back with the Media Studies teacher. I think that they actually pulled him from his class. Anyway, he started looking through the pictures on my clipboard (I don't use a sketchbook) and asked if he could have copies of a couple of a few of them. I said sure, and then he explained that he meant immediately. There was a quick trip to the photocopy room of the office, where he made four copies of each of my pictures (one of each for each of them and a backup copy of each for me which I ended up giving to my chemistry teacher when he walked past us and joined in on the conversation). I signed all of them and then walked to my next class. Apparently one of the girls has one of the sketches hanging in her office at work now and her coworkers keep asking where it came from.

It's not particularly exciting compared to most of your stories, but it made my day when it happened.

[Cepro]

I go sketching on the train almost every day and I have an awkward moment every 3 or 4 days.
I just had one today. I had been drawing a woman for about 10 seconds when she notices and proceeds to stare at me like she just had the biggest shock of her life. She does this for a couple of minutes with her mouth wide open and all. Then she gets up and starts to walk in circles in front of me (the train was almost empty) for about 3 stations , when she finally leaves the train.

Sometimes I get compliments form older people (noone ever starts a conversation though - I live in germany), but the other day 4 young guys (like about 17) get out of the train and proceed to look at my sketchbook through the window. First I pretend I hadn't noticed them and when the train finally left I shortly looked out at them and that's when they nodded at me with a smile (the thumbs-up type of nod). That was really rewarding, specially because young people here are allways very critical and indifferent.

[otis]

I was in the Louvre one evening when they were closing, sketching the classic sculptures. A curator / security came over, complimented my work and asked if I was from Disney! He then allowed me to stay for another hour while he escorted everyone else out!

Sketching in the Louvre by yourself is a humbling experience.
Years later when I saw the movie "the DeVinci Code" I had a total flashback.

[Silent Stander]

i think my most "out-there" story is the one i already told in my sketchbook thread, but i have another really good one. one time on the suway im drawing this pretty girl sitting across from me. i was making good progress, she hadnt notice me and wasnt moving to much, everything was good. then, this goofy guy who wasnt even sitting next to me comes up and says "oh hey is that her? *arm fully outstreched pointing* gee thats pretty good!"
i was so mad. he ruined my composition, then he goes over to the girl and starts asking her if shes a model and starts flirting with her.
this was definitely a guy who read too many how to break the ice/ how to talk to girls books. after that i couldn't even sketch anyone because everyone was onto me and would start to squirm if i drew them.

also one time i drew a guy who had the something about mary hair thing and im sure he didnt know

[Toxdel]

Hahaha, This reminds me of a time when I was visiting San Antonio Texas I decided to walk down to The Alamo from my hotel and draw the tourists walking around. A bum walked up to me and started up a conversation, it was an interesting one too, he had a lot of things to say :P he complimented me on my drawing and walked away.

-oh and zoo's are the worst place to do public drawing, I'm never doing that again.

*sigh, these memories are starting to cheer me up :)

[StephenJ]

Oh not to long ago I had some mall security guard come up to me and ask why I was drawing in the kid's section (as none of the kids were mine.) Of course I was not there for "that" reason but in this day and age her caution was all to understandable. She called over her boss, and fortunately (and suprisingly) he was an artist. He told me all about the company he use to run that did portraits, and how he often sat around drawing people in public (like at coffe shops.) He still politely asked me to leave the kids area, but he was totally understanding.

[Kman.]

Great thread, read all of it!

Once when my commercial figure drawing class was downtown sketching, some guy and his girlfriend walked by and went into a restaurant. As they came back out, he had sort of a disgruntled look on his face, glaring at us, and was talking to his girlfriend, he cracks a couple smirks, then right as they are right in front of us, he turns around and moons us. Thats right, pants all the way down the ankles. Balls and all. They walked away laughing. What the bastard didnt know was i got his ass in my sketchbook. haha

[Aila]

Haha, awesome stories. Although I may say some have scared me off drawing people from life, in public :teeth:

I had my first drawing-in-public session recently, was only drawing the scenery. I found it slightly awkward one time when I had just sat down and started, and a man came up to have a look. I really only had a few lines on the page. I was all "Err.. I've just started!" :P

The people there were considerate though; one lady asked if it was alright to look, and when I was sitting on a bench sideways to draw, another tourist wanted to take a photograph quickly by standing on the bench, he was very apologetic about it ;D sweet.

[talbot]

I live near the zoo here in the city and go there to get some drawing done. One day I’m in the monkey house just observing the Marmosets (I think it was). Kind of got into a trance just watching them swing back and forth. Just standing there like a big dope.
Then a group of school kids round the corner and plaster their faces to the window. I decide to give them some room and move on when suddenly the kid at my side lets out this gasp; “Holy crap! I thought you were a statue!” He had this terrified look on his face and was white as a ghost. I got a good laugh and started to leave. One of the adults came over and was looking to see what all the shouting was about. She gave me this weird stare like I’m some creepy pedophile trying to touch the kids. That made me feel a little bit uneasy and ruined my mood so I just went home.

[Pawkfox]

People always look at me like im a pedophile.. or a nazi.. or a really really fat guy.. But I'm not.

Point being, when people look at you weird, either look back at them even weirder or just smile. Makes me happy.

[t0po.inc]

I was at the park in downtown Chicago, drawing some architecture thumbnails for a school assignment.
As I was drawing this railing, some guy came up to me with some other folks, and started asking me if I drew people. I said, "Yeah, I suppose."
And then said, "Ooh, I would love it if you drew me.." in a rather sexual manner.
And I'm like, "Uh...I dunno. I'm a pretty busy person..."
And he's like, "Well you think about it, and I'll be back here tomorrow at the same time." Winked. Walked away.

I never went back to that park.

The same day, my teacher told me that some hobo splashed a cup of liquid on another one of her students [who was a female wearing a white shirt, lolz.] while she was drawing.
Honestly if that was me instead though, I probably would have pulled out my x-acto knife and shanked the son of a gun.

[t0po.inc]

Point being, when people look at you weird, either look back at them even weirder or just smile. Makes me happy.

Oh dude, something even better.
Cup your hands over your eyes like they're binoculars and keep staring at them with a serious frown or a creepy smile. Maybe even rotate your hands in a focusing like fashion.

Gets them every time.

[Dusty]

I often go draw homeless people down near Seattle's Pike Place Market. It's really easy because for the most part they don't move. Unfortunately, they are also the ones that are the biggest curmudgeons when they realize they are being drawn. I've had to close the book up and kind of hightail it because I saw one shambling up to me a little faster than I wanted him too.

Then I went back and finished my drawing a little later because he ended up getting in the same position as before, haha.

-D

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Awesome stories. Love reading this thread. I've noticed the same thing that some people when they notice you are drawing them they act like they don't know. It's way funny. Nothing dramatic to share though yet. Maybe when I get to drawing more out on the battle field:)

[Toxdel]

and of course any time a cute girl comes up to YOU to start a conversation it's a nice change of pace :P

Damn I haven't had that really happen to me since high school. And I was always too shy to say much more then "thank you" Here is an interesting discussion topic... how to respond to compliments when drawing in public and start conversations with cute girls after they compliment you :P

[Jens]

I've made it a sport drawing in Parisian bars these days..

Some of my loot:

I met a photographer for Vogue, who wanted to buy my book, good for a contact, 7 beers, an invitation to a restaurant

Next day I met a cook, who I had a really nice talk with, good for about 6 beers and cooking tips.

A girl gave me her phone number, "so she could help me find art classes", and she got in an argument with her boyfriend 5 seconds later. I slapped my forehead.

Another night, met some random people, talked with them, recieved a beer and a shot of vodka, later that night a rose from a girl.

Talked to a crazy guy, who bought be a beer, who tried to pick up two blond girls. Next day I met one of the blond girls, who's a jewelry designer, I apolagized for the crazy guy.

Met a lot of cool people, recieved more beer, I'm becoming an alcoholic :)

Yesterday I met Aleksi Briclot and Emmanuel Malin at a Cafésalé exposition. Really nice and cool people!



Awkward moments

I started drawing a girl she started laughing hysterically.. she was nice, still :)

In a bar, the boss lady came over, said that she didn't like me drawing because there's a lot of young girls coming there. And that there was an old man with a camera who demanded their telephone numbers. I kindly replied, m'am, I actually the same age as these girls, so if want to ask their telephone numbers I can, and I'm sure I'll have succes. Then I pinned a paper saying ""Nazi" on her forehead. (ok i didn't do that last thing :))

I'm unable to go stealth mode for some reason, seems like an A4 book is too big to do that, or mayby it's my head :) I really don't care wether people get uncomfterable hehe, usually smiling and doing a "yea i'm drawing you" face helps to put them at ease :)

[Jens]

Toxdel, you can always ask them if they are interested in art, or if they do art themselfs, if they don't draw, mayby they write or play music, if they don't play music mayby they like music, if they don't like music, talk about the weather, that works very well.

[alesoun]

I've always found "you have a great face, do you mind if I take a pic/make a sketch" a good icebreaker. No need to mention that what you find fascinating about a person's face is probably what they hate most.....

[demha]

Yesterday I went outside for my first public life drawing, there weren't many people out and about since it was christmas, but a group of asian girls walked by and came closer to see what I was doing. The girl with the camera stood over my shoulder and watched for a few seconds and then asked if she could take a photo of me! It made me chuckle but I said yes of course. I continued sketching (it was a tree!) and then heard 3 or 4 camera clicks. It's just a shame the drawing sucked.

A few minutes later an old lady was walking by and saw me looking at the tree and back at my sketchbook a few times, and stopped in the middle of the pathway, like people do when they think that you're about to take a photo. She stood there for a short while until I smiled at her and then she passed.

Overall it was such a pleasant experience and by the time I returned home, all I could think about was why haven't I started drawing in public years ago.

[Andrew Sonea]

A couple years ago I took this painting course in which we had an assignment to go out and start a landscape from life, then to finish in studio later. It was awful weather and I didn't feel like getting wet so I went to this lookout area that had a great view and a veranda type thing that kept me dry. I was pretty nervous as I was really crappy back then and I had never really painted before or done any landscapes. A few minutes in I had several full tour buses pour out dozens of Japanese who quickly thought I was a tourist attraction and posed next to me for photos as if I were some inanimate object. I got used to it pretty quick. When I went back to the class I found out nobody else had even bumped into other people. They all chose the most secluded places possible, and one painted a view through his window because he was so afraid of having people see him painting (it was a beginner class so we were all very self conscious). They all thought I was crazy when I told them my experience.

[Vermis]

I don't sketch in public too much, but luckily I mostly get encouragement and compliments when I do. But those are the awkward moments. I get ridiculously tongue-tied. Though I'd still like to know where in the world people are running into all these appreciative cute girls...

Old wisecracking guys: "C'mon now, get it right!"

Copyright: A Japanese collection - including a huge palanquin and excellent wood and ivory sculptures - was moved to a small museum closer to home, when the Ulster Museum was under renovations. I asked the security guard beforehand if it was okay to take photos as well as sketches. Turns out it was okay if they were for personal use - the exhibits were apparently copyrighted to the museum. And I had a good chat with him about the different objects, too.

Unimpressed bystanders: A trip to Australia Zoo (that Australia Zoo) years ago. I started a sketch of a Galapagos tortoise, rough shapes to begin with, heard one or two tsks from people pausing beside me. "Stick around 'til it's finished, it might surprise you!" I would've said, if I had any guts.

In the stables at an agricultural show. Some nice, interested people asked would it be easier if I was in the stall with the horse. I look up (and up) at the huge horse I'm sketching, rolling it's eyes and ears in a vaguely nervous way.

"No."

[eezacque@xs4all.nl]

Some of my favourites:
- My neighbour does that too, and *he* is really good at it!
- If I stand here long enough, will you include me in that street scene? ("Yep, but you'll need a lot of patience")
- I know who you are... you are that man that draws things
- My portrait? Could you include my partner and our dog?

[dpaint]

At the beginning of a drawing or painting people will stand right next to you and talk about you in the third person like you're not there. I always hear,
'he's not very good';
'it doesn't even look like what hes doing,' etc
Towards the end of the painting or drawing I get,
'how long did that take you',
or if they have come by since the beginning, they feel they have to share with me,
'we saw that when you started but thought you couldn't do it, but now it looks just like it',
the best is
'how much do you charge for that',
after I tell them its followed by the blank stare while they calculate my rate into an hourly wage, as if I sell everything I paint right off the easel when its finished.

[Arshes Nei]

I usually have my headphones on to shut many people out when I draw.
Sometimes, however, against their better judgement people try to come up and poke at me - then I promptly scream "YOU ARE A STRANGER PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH ME" which gets people to look at that person and the person backs away. This leaves me happy to continue my drawing.

[pixel cheetah]

In the zoo it is not unusal that kids stand next to you and watch; then ask their parents "what is he doing?", "why is he drawing the leopard?", etc. It is fine with me, I got a few compliments too, though most of them undeserved. :P
I too got in into the situation when I started to draw a girl, her friends alerted her: "Look that guy is draing you!!!", "He did not asked your permission!!!", I just packed my things and went to a different spot.
Perhaps the most interesting story when I was drawing the birds in Saint James' park an old guy came to me and started to talk about Estonian (or perhaps Latvian? sorry I forgot) art education and the university he came from (if I got it right).
I have to admit I never got to the part when cute girls walk to you and gave you their phone numbers :[ perhaps I should try the bars ...

[DanialGlover]

I never get the comments or people watching during a painting or drawing, I only get it when I just start the piece. Right when I'm toning the paper/canvas. I get comments like "All he's doing is scribbling".

Weeee

[wroblewski-art]

I was sketching in a shopping mall (completing a public-draw assignment for my 2nd year life-drawing class) and a security guard approached me and explained that I wasn't allowed to draw the architecture because it was copyrighted and that she "knew a thing or two about the law."

She asked me to go back and inform my teachers that the shopping mall architecture was copy-righted and the students were not 'legally' allowed to draw it.

I feel like there is an exception for copyrighted material for educational purposes. And I think that if you don't use the picture for profitable purposes, it's completely legal. I feel like the security guard was, in fact, an idiot.

Personally I've never had any awkward stories yet. I haven't done it enough times. I'm definitely going to more often now that I'm visiting a more populated place like Chicago. It's actually pretty fun. I could've sworn the man that I was drawing today saw me, but I couldn't tell due to the glare in his glasses. They really can't do anything to me if they catch me, except ask if I could stop. Or they could feel very awkward that I'm glancing up at them quite often, which would actually make for a hilarious drawing.

[donm]

i was in a barnes&noble in downtown seattle, and was drawing this awesome nose bridge of this guy who looked like a skin-head...every minute or so he would look back at me with intense anger...i kept pretending to look past him. it was very awkward.

[Deadlyhazard]

Hilarious thread. The most awkward moment I've come across was when I was just doodling on a Lynx bus and a woman said "Oh that looks nice!" and I'm just like "heh." Then I didn't respond to her for like 10 minutes straight and she was basically talking to herself in the third person, and that's when she suddenly said "You want to buy crack?" And I was like WAT. She told me to go to the nearby Publix in a couple of hours if I wanted some. After that she began talking to herself again about her 'disabled roomate' who was apparently a painter. Then she left the bus.

She was the scariest middle aged woman I've ever met....I'm never riding Lynx buses again O_O.

[AlexEh]

About 2 years ago I remember I was sitting down on the side of an overpass near a bus terminal sketching.

An old man triped over my legs, and I looked up in shock. There was blood coming from his mouth, his jaw was out of place, his hands and arms were cut up, teeth were chipped.

I looked at his eyes and there was barly any viewable pupils, so he must of been basically blind.I panicked and asked him if he wanted an ambulance. In shock he said "No, no... and tried walking away as if nothing happened."

A bus driver came and took care of hi and called an ambulance.

His blood was all over my sketchbook, I decided to throw it out. When I see blood it tends to remind me of that sight and I cringe.

[Naidy]

The only time I've really drawn out in the open was last time I was in Ireland where I was trying to draw 5 times a day.
So I was in the Airport on my last day, having a cup of coffee with my gran when I hear this shrill "OH MY GAAWD- HEY *insert name here*, WOULDYA LOOKA THA'?"

And I turned round to see this little camp Irish man/waiter. He ended up having a drink, taking a seat next to us and saying how amazing my stuff was (Whilst at the same time I was babbling about every mistake I'd done) He sat and chatted with us until his superviser was looking a little disgruntled. Then after he left, my gran leant towards me and whispered.
"...Was he gay?"
"Yes, Gran."
she paused for a second, nodded in thought and said. "I'm getting better at spotting them."

I just shook my head. (She's not homophobic, by the way. Just very, very odd.)

[Xeon_OND]

His blood was all over my sketchbook, I decided to throw it out. When I see blood it tends to remind me of that sight and I cringe.
Sounds like your story has the potential to make an epic movie! :yayca::D

[Diarum]

Sounds like your story has the potential to make an epic movie! :yayca::D

/agree

[Ceinwen Fang]

Brilliant thread, read it all with great amusement
I've taken myself on a little new years break to the big city and was sitting sketching architecture today and a guy wearing a shark fin hat started shouting at me "Am I handsome?? Don't you want to draw me?" Eventually to get him to go away I said I was just doing buildings and wasn't qualified as a portrait artist, so I couldn't draw him if I wanted to. it worked, must have sounded convincing lol.

[MightyApplejacks]

On the bus, I sit there and draw while a bunch of chavvy schoolgirl types crowd around and watch me (not to mention ask far too many questions...). Then they demand that I draw them a picture of a Toy Story character for someone's nephew, funnily enough after mocking me for having a Toy Story bag despite the fact I'm 21 (well, 22 now). I did what they asked so that they'd leave me alone. 8D;;

Also, my boyfriend had to explain what I was doing to the cashier at Pets at Home, while I was drawing the guinea pigs... XD

I've found that when at the pub with my mum years ago, people find that being drawn is quite flattering. I got asked to draw one of the guys in the pub, and he even stuck around and posed for the job.

Another one in school. I got asked to draw a girl with fairly dark skin, and I was outright asked why I made the skin dark... :|

Experiences are sometimes awkward, but hey- I'm used to people staring at me as if I'm a ten-week old doughnut, with or without sketchbook! :D

Oh! Back when I was 16 and sat alone in Pontins' reception area to draw, I had random kids coming up to me, and one even asked me to draw a picture of Knuckles (I drew Sonic characters a lot back then). I did, and at the end of it, he took the proffered drawing, and out of the blue came back with a pound coin in hand, and gave it to me. That gave me a happy feeling for the rest of the day! :sungod:

[Sapphirelullaby]

the only real awkward drawing-in-public moment I had was when I was in middle school. I was drawing people, and by then had grown accustomed to drawing the naked (but not even defined yet) body before added clothes on top. I had just finished drawing the body and was about to draw the clothes when some random boy peeked over and yelled real loud, "SHE'S DRAWING NAKED PEOPLE!"

Needless to say a crowd formed and I had to fend off weird stares and people making fun/calling me a pervert and stuff, haha. I was pissed, but I laugh now.

[Ryan K]

Furrowed eye brows detour people well.

[Knarf]

One time returning from Downtown SF, I boarded the L car to head back. I was sketching this one old man. As he saw me sketch him, I diverted to the looking past tactic to continue on my sketch. Little did I know, the looking past tactic landed me to another patron on the muni. This other guy thought I was sketching him when in fact I was still concentrating on my peripherals to finish my initial sketch. When the old man got off the bus, the other guy got up from his seat and sat directly in front of me. He then proceeds to bust out his sketchbook and started sketching. We just then looked at each other and nodded for acknowledgement.

[sanakris]

Um idunno why some of the guys here think it's a chick pickerupper. By no means do I want to pick up chicks. ;D(I'm a girl) Nor guys. All the creepers are interested...

It all depends on what vibes your sending out. If you feel like what your doing is a crime. Then people will feel that your committing a crime as your drawing them. But if you exhibit confidence then they are less likely to question and are a bit more interested in what your doing.

And if you make people comfortable and be careful not to give the eyes "I'm totally analyzing your every movement look" when your drawing then it's all good.

One real awkward time was I was by myself drawing a church in a parking lot and this old grandpa guy comes up with his truck and asks me all about my information. And wanted me to drive me into town. Then he realized I was under aged and wasn't gonna go with him. I was scared sh*tless. Lesson learned don't go in the middle of nowhere stranded and go out drawing alone.

[Morris5446]

I draw on the commute to and from school everyday... often people just ignore me.

A few times, though, people have walked up to me while I was waiting for the train and asked if I am an artist. Mind you, I don't have my sketchbook out so its not that obvious. It turns out that I am drawing on the same train schedule as these people are commuting to work. And so one guy who saw me nearly everyday was working for an animation studio and asked me to apply for an internship. Another woman said she dropped out of art school when she had a kid.


Sometimes late at night the drunk college kids ask me if I'm an artist.


In the summer when I was drawing in a big tourist area a really cute french girl came up to me and started talking to me in english. She was very flirty and could see I was really into my drawing. So she left and came back with her friends, they were on a school trip, and start talking about art and how I am so good. And so I start busting out a portrait of them in a cartoony style and they are have a blast and chattering on in french. So in the end I give them the sketch and as they're leaving I sputter off a few lines in french "Au revoir, mes belle filles" and they go completely red in the cheeks.


Also one time late after figure drawing class I was busting out some real likenesses on the train. This gorgeous girl was sitting in front of me completely engrossed in her book. I drew her for 5 minutes and the women next to me were "ooh" and "aaah" and the gorgeous girl didn't notice. So I keep drawing for another 15 minutes and I get this great likeness of her holding her book. And I tear it out, sign it and lean across to hand it to her. She is super flattered and is all "Ooh my god, this is so perfect! This made my day wow!" And so I'm being my lackadaisical self I say thanks and then I totally ignore her and start drawing someone else. So after a few more stops she starts asking me if I go to school around her and how I made her night. We chat for a second and then I have to get off so I "this is my stop have a good night, beautiful." And I get off the train in a hurry. About thirty minutes later I'm sitting in the bar with brother having a beer when it hits me "SHIIIIIT! I could have got her number! She was soooo into me I could be having a beer with her right now!!!" So I facepalm. end story.




sketching in public is soooo much fun!

[stabby2486]

About 2 years ago I remember I was sitting down on the side of an overpass near a bus terminal sketching.

An old man triped over my legs, and I looked up in shock. There was blood coming from his mouth, his jaw was out of place, his hands and arms were cut up, teeth were chipped.

I looked at his eyes and there was barly any viewable pupils, so he must of been basically blind.I panicked and asked him if he wanted an ambulance. In shock he said "No, no... and tried walking away as if nothing happened."

A bus driver came and took care of hi and called an ambulance.

His blood was all over my sketchbook, I decided to throw it out. When I see blood it tends to remind me of that sight and I cringe.

Dude, did that happen for real? I would feel like shit if that happened to me, even if it wouldn't be my fault.

[Beeston]

Last time I caught the train I sat down opposite a woman who I subsequently started to draw as she was reading her book. I had about fifteen minutes worth downpat and she hadn't noticed at all, but as it turned out, all the Businessmen around me going home from work had. They made their remarks at my drawing and also proceeded to stare at the woman.. to judge the likeness, I guess. By the end of it pretty much everyone in the immediate area knew what I was up to except the subject herself, so out of politeness I took out the finished drawing and gave it to her. She looked at me in surprise and I said sorry... not because I had drawn without her permission but everyone else's attention was now focussed on her. Probably to see whether she approved of it or not.

The most common (and perhaps stupid) Question I ever get is when someone says. "Wow, that's really good. Did you draw that?"
It's unbelievable how much that question is asked. Sometimes I just stare back, or I say, no, no, that guy did. That time they went and harassed the poor man who has no idea what they were talking about, so I had to apologize and say it was only a joke.

There was also this one nice occasion where this Bogan kid invited himself to my table in a coffee shop, and said 'will you draw me?' and I obliged... So that's half an hour gone and he then asks 'I don't have to pay you do I?'
'Well no, but anything would be nice.' the resulting pay was three rounds of free laser tag (bout ten or eleven bucks). So you never know how these things turn out.

[stabby2486]

Also one time late after figure drawing class I was busting out some real likenesses on the train. This gorgeous girl was sitting in front of me completely engrossed in her book. I drew her for 5 minutes and the women next to me were "ooh" and "aaah" and the gorgeous girl didn't notice. So I keep drawing for another 15 minutes and I get this great likeness of her holding her book. And I tear it out, sign it and lean across to hand it to her. She is super flattered and is all "Ooh my god, this is so perfect! This made my day wow!" And so I'm being my lackadaisical self I say thanks and then I totally ignore her and start drawing someone else. So after a few more stops she starts asking me if I go to school around her and how I made her night. We chat for a second and then I have to get off so I "this is my stop have a good night, beautiful." And I get off the train in a hurry. About thirty minutes later I'm sitting in the bar with brother having a beer when it hits me "SHIIIIIT! I could have got her number! She was soooo into me I could be having a beer with her right now!!!" So I facepalm. end story.



This idea just occured to me, sign the drawing with your number so you won't have to get hers at first. :D

[OnyxAuger]

well, lets see...
I'd just broken up with my girlfriend of 3 years the day before so for independence day I went out to the big downtown park to see the fireworks and get some air. I brought my stuff and at one point started to sketch.

So I'd done a few quick pieces from reference on my big sheet and then took the liberty of losing myself in a piece from mental imaging. It was on the same paper I might add. So I got done with it and tried taking a step back. Which is when I noticed there were a few... more than a few people behind me watching me work for the entire last piece. A lot of these people being the very people I'd drawn from earlier. Including a very patriotic Cancer patient. Awwwwwkwaaaaard

[HugeHarHar]

Once I was drawing at the Atlanta zoo when an old lady walks up to me and starts talking, which is fine with me-I'm fully capable of talking and drawing, but it got out of hand when she started saying I reminded her of her son. Who died recently. In a terrible manner. And that I looked just like him.

There's no returning to casual conversation after that.

[tribe]

IMO being an artist or art student, and sketching people in public is a GREAT way to meet new people, make friends and pick up girls.

I've even given this some thought, if you're any sort of stalker / pervert, getting a camera will creep everybody out.

Get some pen and paper and start sketching - instant ice breaker, people get curious, some of them are reminded of their own artistic ideas / attempts / relatives and even if the sketches suck the civilians generally don't seem to care all that much, it's the idea of having to do with an artist that somehow improves their day, or walk through the park / mall whatever.

No bad experiences to speak of, for me it's generally a blast :)

[bustthewave]

I'm surprised how many people don't like the conversation/interaction element of public drawing. I love that part! Yea, it distracts me from art, but sometimes it's really amazing to have someone you were drawing interact with you. It adds that much more depth to the simple gestural.

Not to mention I love to interact with random people, and don't really mind showing off my sketchbook. Just different strokes for different folks I suppose.

And my story - In highschool I was sketching my teacher in class. From a side angle her face kinda looked bird like (I mean it did... for realz), so I decided to do a charicature of what I saw. The person next to me glanced over and almost fell over in his chair laughing (not really my intention for anyone to see it). Then of course the teacher comes over, before I can hide the picture and yea... I got detention. What's funny is she bent over with her arms on her hips almost like a chicken to yell at me.

I still feel bad about it though :/

[Zantillia]

Nothing really bad, but during my school assembly I started sketching one of my friend's friends, sort of an acquaintance thing. So I'm drawing the side of her face and her mouth is half open so I'm having a little trouble with the top lip in relation to the bottom so I was probably looking intense or mad. My friend, who is also an artist, looks over and is like, "Who's that?" I blush a little since it was almost done and *I* thought it looked like her, I felt kind of sad then. =/ I told her who it was and the girl sat really still for me so I could finish. (She had a really well formed nose and piercing that was fun to draw!)

Also I was sketching profiles during study hall of the kids at my table and this girl saw me, she would look up, laugh and smile and then go back to her work while holding really still, it was nice of her. I was also sketching kids at other tables and I was quick-glancing them, maybe too quickly because this one girl met my eyes and I spazzed and never looked up again.

[danny4]

at nycc last year, a girl came up to our table and requested a portrait on a sketch card. she then preceeded to stand towering over me completely stone faced as i sketched her. i usually dont have any problems drawing in public but for some reason i felt intimidated.
in the end, she liked it and thought it was a good enough likeness...but still a weird experience.

[dsacc]

I've never really had an awkward moment but in my classroom I am always terrified of drawing people incase they are unimpressed with the picture I draw or if they think I'm really creepy D:
Welp, thats my school for you.

[Caboodle]

I had a very sweet moment once when I sketched an elderly man in Italy.

My family was on vacation in Caorle, and we sat in a café and drank a cappuchino, and I - as always - sketched the people around us.
And then there was this very sweet old guy, who noticed that I drew him, and obviously tried to stay as still as possible so I could draw him properly.

When we left, my sister convinced me to show the sketch to the old man, and so I did.
First he smiled, and then he pointed to another sketch I drew of a quite... obese german tourist, and gestured if this was him, and we both laughed.
He then nodded and said "Complimento!"

That was a really nice experience. :)

[KONM]

I haven't done many sketches outside of the house, but when I do I am normally with a friend. In some cases, this same friend will inform the people I am drawing them and they will completely change their pose or even get up and talk to me -- which only makes things more difficult.

I wish I had more of a story to share, but this thread makes me want to do some more often. This is a good thread.

[Taroan]

I haven't done a whole lot of life drawings (I just got my license so I'll be doing more soon), but most of the colleges I'm looking at are kinda far away, so I usually have time after the visit to draw, plus the mall near my school is a really awesome place to draw.

Most of you are complaining about people coming up and talking to you, but thats part of what makes drawing in public rewarding. Usually I'm hearing about my drawings from my dad, my classmates, and my art teacher, so hearing criticism from other people is really interesting. Plus some of them are just really cool to talk to.

One guy was a bomber pilot, who told me this really awesome story about how he ran out of fuel on the way to a target, and had to drop his payload half way, and turn around. The rest of his squadron kept going and bombed the intended target. When they got back, everyone else had hit the decoy, and only he had hit the actual target. Think he said it was in Vietnam, but I could be wrong. He was pretty old.

[creeptool]

really old thread..we don't even know if the person who made this thread is even on conceptArt.org any more lol just saying lol.

[OHI]

This one day, I was sketching in a coffe house and you had to buy something to sit in there, So I bought a cookie. It was a tiny cookie and I think I made it last for about an hour, haha. I could see that the people working there wanted me to leave... haha

[Conniekat8]

I haven't done very many yet... My first goofy mishap was going out to a park to sketch trees and other natural occurring clutter for a class assignment. I was so discombobulated about it that I forgot to close the door o my car all the way.
Few hours later, I pack, try to start the car, and... battery is dead. Hubby had to come out to jump start the car and get me. I'll never hear the end of that one.

The limited time sketching people, I actually like it when someone is looking over my shoulder or wanting to talk. I'm always so damn critical of my stuff, that an occasional compliment can feel very encouraging.

Sometimes unsuspecting people have noticed me sketching them, got uncomfortable and moved off.

[Immortal Cintiq]

Drawing a sleeping lady on the train. She woke up and noticed me intently staring at her, but she was too tired to do anything about it. She woke up about three more times to get a gimps of me sketching her only to fall into a deep sleep once again.

I sorta felt like I was violating her, or taking advantage of her.

[skMOP]

Always good to see this thread revived.

Not really an awkward experience but a really good feeling one.

I was at the airport waiting fro my flight from Nanjing to Hong Kong and there was a little girl that I was sketching. She saw me sketching her and rushed over and pointed to my drawing. Me, not being the best at understanding Mandarin, translated that to "who's that". I pointed to her and said "you" and she responded in English with a "oh my god".

I teared the sketch out and gave it to her. One of the best feelings I'd ever gotten from art.

[Vertical]

Awesome thread, I've been laughing my head off and getting pretty inspired by some of the comments here! These aren't nearly as funny as most the stories here, but I got a few. I was doing caricatures for a little 4 hour festival thing my church was hosting a month ago and it wound up being a lot more tiring than I thought. I felt like a lot of the caricatures I drew were pretty good, but I had some screw ups.

1. There was a family who wanted me to draw their two little daughters in the same picture, so it was hard to find a good spot on the paper for them. I wound up drawing the older one near the center so the younger one wound up really squished in the bottom corner of the frame. She looked totally deformed! I felt really bad for making her look so awkward, luckily the parents wanted me to draw them again so both of the girls would get one, and I think I screwed it up the exact same way! Scary thing was I couldn't tell what the parents thought at all, I was always thinking people were secretly mad at me but didn't want to complain since the caricatures were free.

2. There was this rather chubby kid who had this super intense stare. With every drawing I made when I finished the pencil sketch I turned it around to show the sitter, and they would always be really happy or say how they liked it or laugh or some emotional reaction. This kid just nodded like a secret agent giving a signal. Most serious 12 year old ever. He kind of scared me.

3. One guy wanted to give me a tip, so he went back to his car. A while later he came back, but there was a bit of a line so I took quite a while to talk to him again once he got back. I feel like he got sick of waiting and lowered the tip for every minute he waited, because it was just $1!

4. Like I said by the end of the event I was really tired and cold and my drawings were starting to look like crap. I accidentally made the second to last kid way too fat and I think the drawing made him sad. Then after the last drawing I gave the final to the kid and he just said "no." "no?" "that doesn't look like me!" And it totally didn't look like him, but I was way too tired to redo it so I just left. It was pretty embarrassing.