# Drawing random people in public?



## Samara (May 30, 2011)

So I'm about to start drawing from life outside, including people, but I'm a bit apprehensive about drawing strangers since I've heard some horror stories on deviantart (destruction of sketchbooks, people whining that it doesn't look like them, people getting pissed that you're drawing them in the first place, etc.), and according to some link I googled it's considered 'defacement of property', though I'm willing to bet the person who wrote that was full of shit. Link

Anyhow, if you've drawn people out in public before, do you have any stories to tell, good or bad? Any tips on how to deal with those who _do _want you to draw them? I'm far from being commission ready, and I like to keep the work so I can see my progress later on.


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## Thaily (May 30, 2011)

I think they're kidding, you know, drawing people _on the street._ ;P

I've done some life drawing, busy places are best so you can squirrel away in a corner, have a nice view of the crowd and a tiny bit of privacy. I would also suggest working somewhere inside, where you can sit and look out on a crowd, like at a coffeeshop or a library.. If there's a window between you and your subject, there's an extra barrier to block their assholishness if they even notice you to begin with. Also, wear headphones. The bigger the better. Again it's an extra little barrier to keep people from talking at you, even when (not if) they come look over your shoulder. 

Doesn't stop all dumb behavior, I've had people shout "DID YOU DRAW THAT?!" over my headphones, because a woman hunched over a sketchbook, staring at a lion (I do mostly animal studies at the zoo) like it owes her $20 and wearing huge fuck-off headphones = invitation to come over and ask dumb questions, obviously. 

I do have a "horror story"; I was drawing at a central station once when this guy came over uninvited. I ignored him and he eventually told me "You suck, you should kill yourself." which is such a terribly nice thing to tell a 17 year old girl, right? I ignored him and kept working, as he was clearly unhinged. He left. I trust natural selection has filtered him out by now.
Not much you can do about stuff like that except shrug, keep working and laugh it off with fellow artists. The opinions of random troglodytes = moot.


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## Arshes Nei (May 30, 2011)

I've done it for years now. Other than sometimes people trying to talk with me with my  headphones, it's not a big deal.
I don't really have time to sit there and "prepare" for inspiration, or make some area where "I'll only draw here"

What I'm saying is I no longer distinguish my time when drawing. I draw outside because I need to practice, and whether or not it involves people around me is irrelevant. The only thing that I may not draw is porn outside, but I have drawn fantasy creatures and have had some nudity.

Time is a precious thing when you have to limit it due to other obligations - like work and so forth so I use what I have to practice drawing. That means on the bus or outside, at cafes, malls etc...


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## Taralack (May 30, 2011)

I've only drawn actual people around me in public once, and it was on a train. My advice is to try and sit in a corner and hide yourself as much as possible. :V The headphones trick works well, too.

As for just general drawing in public, I do it on public transport all the time. I get motion sickness when I read on a moving vehicle and plain listening to music makes me bored, so I draw. The other day as I was drawing on the train a family with a pair of kids sat next to me, and the kids were staring at me drawing, so I took off my headphones and asked if they wanted me to draw them something. The kids - practically with stars in their eyes - got me to draw two cute dogs for them. It was a really liberating moment for me, haha. That is, until the two teenage girls next standing next to them asked me to draw one of them. *facepalm* I declined saying I don't draw humans well.


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## Jw (May 30, 2011)

The park is a great place to draw people. Often you can see some playing games, running, being active somehow--lots of good practice. I also bust out my sketchbook around campus and draw when there is nothing else to do. 

In my experience, I've had people come up to me and say "are you drawing me?"
"nah, not really, just getting some ideas down before i forget"
"hmph". 

Or, more often "Aww, i was hoping you were"
In which case I show them what i have. 

as far as anyone taking legal action over an artist drawing someone at random... I think you are not likely to have that happen in the real world. 

If they ask to be draw, you can oblige them or you can say "I would really love to, but I got to go right now. I'm flattered/honored you asked though!"

If someone is claiming their sketchbook was destroyed by a random person, I call bullshit. A real artist would go to jail for beating the hell out of the person in revenge. It's obvious when someone pries your lifeblood from your hands anyway. And you certainly would not sit there while they desecrated the whole thing. Sounds like a drama queen to me.


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## Deo (May 30, 2011)

Buses. I'll spend hours on public transit, not to get anywhere, but for shittons of people to draw who have to remain somewhat still (confined to a seat or small area for standing). Parks, libraries, public spaces, public transport, etc. Draw people from a distance, draw up close, whatever. Though I don't really ever ask to draw anyone, that just brings you to their attention more and they may do something stupid, but for the most part people don't give a fuck if you draw them.


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## FireFeathers (May 31, 2011)

I just try to be secretive about who i'm drawing; aka, don't draw the guy glaring at you angrily across the way on the train. It won't end well.  I did have one guy who kept looking back at me because i was looking at him; so i showed him the sketch and he kinda smiled and left. *shrugs* Then we characature'd the hell out of it on our own because he seemed so disappointed with it: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4094515/


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## Namba (May 31, 2011)

Someone's asleep on a bench. BAM! You have an unsuspecting model.


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## Hissora (Jun 2, 2011)

It's just like photography in public. It's definitely legal because they are on public grounds.


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## Deo (Jun 2, 2011)

Hissora said:


> It's just like photography in public. It's definitely legal because they are on public grounds.


Depending on the use of the photos, and if their faces are exposed/visible, you could be sued for it.


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## Arshes Nei (Jun 2, 2011)

Hissora said:


> It's just like photography in public. It's definitely legal because they are on public grounds.


 
No actually that's not true.
Ever heard of a model release?
http://rising.blackstar.com/when-do-you-need-a-model-release.html

This depends on usage.
If you're in a crowd like at a public park and you're showing you and your family, probably not.

But if you're using work for promotional means it can be grounds.


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## Hissora (Jun 2, 2011)

Arshes Nei said:


> No actually that's not true.
> Ever heard of a model release?
> http://rising.blackstar.com/when-do-you-need-a-model-release.html
> 
> ...


 
Well of course if the focus is the people then yes. And you're selling it then yes. I meant in a sense of street photography. Should have made that clear.

But a few months back we were discussing this on a forum on dA and in most cases in public places it doesnt matter.


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