life drawing in cafes

[r.mccabe]

What are peoples experiences with life drawing in cafes, or in general? The college has lounges which I draw in on occasion, but I have a hard time outright looking at poeple while I do. I find myself doing quickies of whatever catches my attention. I wonder what would their reactions be if I carefull drew them. Do people do that, is consent ever an issue?

[Stephen Mason]

a teacher at my uni said pretend you are looking at something above them lol. they might get a little self conscious but most ppl will never ask if your drawing them because they are too shy. it may be awkward at first but you will get used to it and the less awkward you look and feel the less awkward you will make the person your drawing feel. Your gonna get some embarrassing moments but its all for a good cause so just blush and move on, :D

They wont hit you 99% of the time lol :)

[Dile_]

you shouldn't go to a cafe and try to make final renderings... Try to catch rythm, shapes, form, balance, value and color etc...

[Jacob Kobryn]

I've been caught once or twice, it's not a big deal. They give you a weird look and that's about it. Then just move on to other people. I draw people a lot in class.

[Dizon]

I just take quick glances so it's not too obvious. I also choose to sketch people who are not facing me hehe.

This whole sketching thing can lead to memorable experiences. One time, I was at the Borders cafe section sketching and a guy came up to me asking if I could sketch his daughters. I was like, "hells yeah!" and I ended up giving the sketch to him and he even offered to pay to which I politely declined.

[reme]

i sketch people in the train because thats my main transport to school. since its train, ill be facing people opposite but after days and weeks of consideration i told myself "i should not care or bother how people will look at me" so i took out my sketchbook and sketch them even though they knew it.. some people will be shy and move about so its hard to sketch their faces @_@ but yeah i always sketch people who are sleeping in the train or aren't facing me :D its a really a fun thing to do when u have nothing to do :P

Its always the first step that is hard to do, after u get past it ull have the confidence to sketch the peeps :D

[Straight Edge Ryan]

I try to use people around me for references when I need them, but I haven't actually tried drawing just random people. I can definitely see how someone (especially a girl) would be creeped out if they noticed a stranger not only eyeing them attentively, but drawing them. Some might be flattered, but I suppose it depends on the people

Usually worst case scenario is you get some weird looks and maybe the person you're drawing gets up and leaves because you're weirding them out. Best case is the person notices you're drawing them and stays still for longer periods of time so you can draw them better, or maybe even comes over and talks to you

[Tea of Doom]

Last summer I sketched people in a library.

Definitely the ''safest'' bet in my opinion. It was my first time sketching in public and being pretty shy, here is what I did: I took myself a big book ( something like The History of Neoclassical Architecture) and put my sketchpad on it. When the people that I was drawing occasionally looked at me, I pretended to be sketching something off the book I had.
After a while tough, I realized that this whole cover-up operation was useless because usually people aren't mean. ( Of course this can vary)
So I started to sketch people just like that...and yea sometimes you do receive that weird gaze but that's about as bad as it gets.

I really suggest the library, especially for beginners, because people can stay in the same position for hours...
Of course, the poses get boring after a while.

[Matsign]

I've never had a problem with drawing people. I find that I'm distracting myself more from drawing when I give a damn what they are thinking.

The people are just starting points. Get the idea of their body structure, or expression, clothing, stance, action, then interpret.

[Atastrophea]

When I was at my first art course my teacher said "take a sketchbook everywhere - draw people on the train into college...." so I did....

My FIRST drawing and I thought I was being oh so subtle, the guy I was drawing blissfully unaware, I go to put my sketchbook away and he leans accross the train and says "don't I get to see it then?" I'd chosen to draw him caus he was a funny looking guy with a big beard and a scarf and looked kinda like a hibernating bear..... needless to say he was not particularly flattered or impressed and I am still scared to sketch in public :p

~^-^~

[Fraz]

When I was at my first art course my teacher said "take a sketchbook everywhere - draw people on the train into college...." so I did....

My FIRST drawing and I thought I was being oh so subtle, the guy I was drawing blissfully unaware, I go to put my sketchbook away and he leans accross the train and says "don't I get to see it then?" I'd chosen to draw him caus he was a funny looking guy with a big beard and a scarf and looked kinda like a hibernating bear..... needless to say he was not particularly flattered or impressed and I am still scared to sketch in public :p

~^-^~
Hehe, that has put me off sketching people from life, for life. Nice stories people!

[CGMonkey]

That's how I spent my every day for 3 years while at uni -- sitting at a café drawing people. I've had some pretty fun memories (and all the fun gossip you here while sitting quiet is fun).

I've never had any problems at all - quite the contrary in fact.

[Jason Rainville]

I think it's pretty rude to put people on the spot by staring at them. I'm a fairly self-conscious guy and I know I wouldn't want someone staring at me (for a drawing or otherwise) so I try to return the favour.

That and I can't for the life of me draw ANYTHING quickly, so all in all, no point for me to do it. If you see me, please don't draw me :)

[J Wilson]

When I was at my first art course my teacher said "take a sketchbook everywhere - draw people on the train into college...." so I did....

My FIRST drawing and I thought I was being oh so subtle, the guy I was drawing blissfully unaware, I go to put my sketchbook away and he leans accross the train and says "don't I get to see it then?" I'd chosen to draw him caus he was a funny looking guy with a big beard and a scarf and looked kinda like a hibernating bear..... needless to say he was not particularly flattered or impressed and I am still scared to sketch in public :p

~^-^~

Hah, that's when you pull off some creative artist bullshit. Tell them what you were drawing was not a literal interpretation of them, just a combination of some of their features combined with your own mood/imagination/artistic vision/whatever. Tell him Picasso would have drawn him with both eyes on one side of the head, and after that they'll feel much better and just chalk you up as some crazy artist they don't understand.

The even mostly true, at least for me. If I see a guy who's kinda heavy it may spark an idea that I want to explore of a monumentally obese man, a huge distortion of what he really looks like. At that point it's really a unique creation, that just happens to have a handful of features in common with the person who sparked the idea. Worse though is when some young girl with an interesting haircut sparks an idea that turns into a somewhat sexy warrior of some sort. It doesn't mean I'm envisioning this random stranger in sexy situations, only that I'm borrowing a few details to flesh out my own character. As potentially awkward as either situation could be if I was "discovered" drawing them, I've actually never had any bad situations what so ever. Then again, I prefer to sketch in places where it's easier to blend into a crowd, like a food court at the mall. For a while that was a regular Saturday activity for me, as you get a wide cross section of different people at the mall, and it's easy to grab lunch, sit back, and go mostly unseen as people rush and get their errands done.

[amarryth]

My favourite place to go is the airport. Arrivals area, people are usually waiting for someone and they're often so distracted by anticipation that they don't really notice you looking at them.. people sleeping on airplanes is great, it's not like we get to hop on one of those everyday, but I'm sure to get some good drawing in when I do travel.. last but not least, sunglasses! If people can't see you glancing at them.. they won't feel uncomfortable..

Personally, I don't know how I would react if I caught someone drawing me.. I think part of it is to be courteous enough that they don't notice.. everyone acts a little different when they know someone is looking at them.. trying to pose or not move or whatever..

[Alex Chow]

Go with a group of artists doing the same thing. I found that people would be less irritated if I'm in a group simply because it comes off much more obvious that the drawing session is for educational purposes. I've had too many "Stop staring at me you damn stalker" looks towards me and even threats if I get caught drawing them alone. Then again, I am an ugly bastard so situations may vary :S

The safest bet is to not do nice beautiful renderings of people in public and stick with capturing the essence of your subjects if you are not hanging out with a group. The trick is to be sneaky because there are cool people who are okay with you drawing, and then there are people who look like they're one step away from strangling you or calling the police. I would not risk having my eyes on a complete stranger for too long.

[James Kei]

What ever you do, don't draw Native Americans. In some cultures, such as theirs, capturing their likeness is the equivalent to stealing their soul. I figured this out the hard way.

[Dizon]

I figured this out the hard way.

I'd love to hear how if you don't mind. hehe.

[Smarty]

In my experience the busier the better. Also maybe places hwere people come and go to visit, Some of my best have been in KFC. Because people sit down, but are in a rush to eat their chicken wings so they concentrate on eating and don't have time to worry about what everyone else is doing. Any fast food joint has similar effects.

If you don't mind wierding people out coffee places are good, but they otice it more because they're taking in theyre surroundings just like you, its more passive to drink a coffee than to demolish a twister before you bus turns up.

Buses and trains are mostly rubbish because of the seating arrangements, 90% of the time im looking at backs of heads.

[r.mccabe]

Wow really great responses. I think I'm more confident to draw people now. Guys have given me an uncomfortable vibe once or twice, but I find girls are happy to oblige as long as I'm smiling a bit. So anyone else have stories? maybe this could turn into a regular feature. :yayca:

[cactusman0072]

I'd say if you're gonna get better at drawing as an artist, by all means keep drawing and sketch in public as much as possible doing live sketches because that's the whole point of doing art. You do it to get practice and get used to your rythm of drawing. It's good for your career and growth. I used to think that people may think I'm trying to show off something doing this in public but often times I experience people being impressive at what i was doing and they would come talk to me and ask questions relating to what i do and art in general. I find that most people are in public just doing their own thing but they are out to be notice, to be entertained, to be surrounded by the crowd, to look good or pretty, to show off, to look at other people, whether it be a bar next door or club or just enjoy looking at other people around. People are on the look out for other people everyday, so take a sketch book and go out there and be free, do something different, and who knows, one day you will attract a client or work partner.