Street Artist

[Linda Brandon]

Michele is right, of course. Also be sure to check into loitering, trespassing, solicitation and vagrancy laws which could interfere with your plans even if you were planning to give sketches away.

[Dianne Gardner]

Linda,
This is the only photo of any of the sketches I have done and this one was actually a 45 minute sitting. I do have some photos of the painting commissions I got as a result of them. I set up at the Renaissance Faire here every August and it is so fast pace that I do not think about taking photos of the finished work. Once I get started I am doing a painting every half hour for the entire day. I hire a helper. I charge a very minumal fee-$25 and have not had one person dissatisfied with their sketch. If they didn't like it they would either get their money returned to them or else I would take a photo of them and do the portrait at home. All my work is guaranteed. Most people come to the Faire for the entire weekend so the paintings have time to set up (I use a copal medium or liquin) and then pick them up when they are ready to go home. I have sent the paintings to their owners after the Faire too for those that didn't want to transport them wet. They are thrilled with the idea of posing for a portrait-a very 'Renaissance Period' thing to do. We have a lot of fun with it. The children want me to dress them in fairy costumes or give them a sword and shield.

This weekend I am going to an art festival and may do portraits (or not) although I have to admit I am much more comfortable at the Faire when everyone is in costume.

Sorry about the rash term 'lucrative'. I don't think of it as just a money making opportunity so shouldn't have made it sound like that. I love doing it. I have met so many wonderful people and the challenge is stimulating to say the least. I am looking forward to this opportunity again in August. The Faire runs for three weekends.

I do not use lights. There is no electricity at the Faire. Just the sunlight. I might have to move things around during the course of the day. I'm very spontanious and flexible.

Thanks for asking.
Dianne
This sketch was not done at the Faire, that's why I have a photo. This was a son of a 'pirate' family that was advertising for the Faire at an Art in the Park event a couple of weeks before. It was done outside and I just changed the background. But it gives you an idea of what I do.

[Julie Deane]

HI Judson -

When I was in college, I worked at Busch Gardens for two summers doing just this sort of thing. It was great practice and a good confidence builder. We did profiles in pastel with a very limited palette and a pretty canned approach. It took 15-20 minutes to do. Possibly other theme parks would be willing to allow an artist to do this as well, for a fee.

In the mountains near my home, there was a gallery advertising for a street artist, I guess to add "atmosphere" for the summer visitors to the area. Someone drawing from life is quite a draw for a business, because folks gather to see what the artist is doing.

Fairs are a way to go too. For example, three years ago, I got in practice by doing profiles in my school where I work at $10 a pop (took 10-15 minutes, charcoal). I started out by doing them at our school's fall festival.

Good luck with your endeavors!

[Linda Brandon]

Dianne and Julie, these are wonderful stories. I don't quite know what it is about seeing an outdoor artist at work that makes me so happy, but there is a "bring the art to the people" aspect to it that cheers me up (unless the artists are aggressive hustlers and won't leave you alone). I think that having a succession of different faces, ages, races and gender is good practice for "serious" portrait work for so many reasons. If an artist were to do this during the day and then go home and do some long, carefully observed still life practice - think how fast our draftsmanship could progress. Getting out there also takes some courage because it is hard work, there can be hecklers and you don't always get a 100% success rate.

Dianne, I think your idea about working with costuming is a lot of fun. I watched a "Paint Out" a couple of months ago where a group of artists painted volunteer teenaged girls in antique dresses, leaning on trees and sitting on grass in one of our parks down here. More art groups should consider doing this (I can't remember how the paintings were sold, though). I'm impressed that you were able to get oil commissions from your setup, good for you!

If you don't want to charge but just want some practice drawing faces, by the way, I would consider going to a local nursing home. Old people are very rewarding for so many reasons. It is heartbreaking to be told, as I was more than once by sitters, that nobody has really looked at them at all for twenty or thirty years.

[Dianne Gardner]

Originally Posted by Linda Brandon

Dianne, I think your idea about working with costuming is a lot of fun. ..
If you don't want to charge but just want some practice drawing faces, by the way, I would consider going to a local nursing home. Old people are very rewarding for so many reasons. It is heartbreaking to be told, as I was more than once by sitters, that nobody has really looked at them at all for twenty or thirty years.

I think my passion for people in costume stems way back into my childhood. I hated modern clothes and always wished I could be dressed in long dresses and hoop skirts. The modeling with the teens in antique dresses sounds fabulous. I bet they all had a wonderful time. Someone has started a plein air paint group like that here and unfortunately I'm going to miss the first one but plan to attend all the others after that!

Your idea at the nursing home sounds wonderful. I may start something like that this fall when I'm not so busy. Perhaps I can find a couple of artists friends to do it with me.

Thanks for your encouragement and great ideas, Linda!

Dianne

[Debra Jones]

I think there is a need to be showman and salesman when out in public. I had a couple of weekends in the early '70's trying to fulfill that fantasy I had as a kid of being a street artist at Disneyland, but I lived in Denver instead. I set up an easel and I think I was doing color and charcoal and all I know was that I managed $65 one day... remember the time and the economics... and I was thrilled! Going out to celebrate with my boyfriend, I came home and my money, which was sitting on my dresser, was missing. I couldn't prove it, but it was obvious the landlord's son sneaked up and lifted it.

I was so happy with the cash, but can only remember not going back. I think I was sitting with a friend who had a vendor booth at an event.

There is also the double purpose here of practice and income. It is a little harder than it seems to nab subjects off the street to paint them. It pays to bring your own. I have been doing my doggie demos for a couple of years and there is usually a silent crowd behind me that I miss while working.

Linda has mentioned that the general public may be more excited by watching us draw from life but I kind of get the feeling that a general public is more impressed when they can "see" something they want in the experience. I bring photos, usually nice little 3x4 size to clip on the board with me. The scale-up does impress them and they can visualize their photo of a family member or pet they want done. The conversation is definitely based on whether they WANT to pose or have me work from a photo. In general they are more excited by having me take a photo or give me one they love.

I also am perplexed by the pricing. There is such a market for caricature that a realistic rendering is never what I am asked to do. Friends are always trying to get me to come over for kids parties etc. I can only imagine how frustrated we all would be with me trying to get little ones to hold still and then NOT having the speed or cuteness. 2 hour party and four kids drawn... not a good thing.....

[Michele Rushworth]

Debra wrote:

There is such a market for caricature that a realistic rendering is never what I am asked to do.

When I did realistic color pastel portraits outdoors during my college years the guys who did the caricatures made the most money.

I did it at a summer festival for two years and worked for a company who paid the festival organizers a portion of what we earned. Our "boss" had 30 pastel artists and probably as many caricaturists set up all over the festival grounds.

I did make a pile of money, though ten portraits in ten hours got to be tiring. Though the slow days were even more tiring!

[Dianne Gardner]

Here is one that I did this weekend at an arts festival. I was really happy with my clients response. After all the hard work posing for it...he was tapping his fingers but he sat still otherwise...when I showed it to him he said very emphatically, "Awesome!". So that makes me happy! He's giving it to his mom for her birthday.

This was done in exactly 30 minutes. I could have fussed another 15 to make it a bit more like him but I'm trying to stay in my time limit. Besides, he was getting really tired of sitting.

It was fun.
Dianne

[Debra Jones]

Dianne, the question is, was it profitable?

I know it is good exercise and the idea of taking what you get is a great way to get out and stretch, but in a sense, does it dilute your marketability because you are not doing your VERY BEST. It is also, as you say, a lot of work for the model.

I think the street art expectation is to be part of the performance "model for a day" and brag it off at home. But as a high end portrait artist, seeking serious commissions, is the income, say $40 an hour at the LEAST for $20 a 30 minute portrait if you get booked. To make it economical you have to have a style or gimmick. Something to get them to sit there and line up to be next.

Were you selling finished art along side these demos?

I am struggling to get the paycheck coming in from this. I am nearly out of clients in the day job and seriously pursuing angles to get a predictable flow. I have done demos for NO pay, which I think is in a sense a better plan, just as teasers to get people interested.

This is a marketing and PR room. I am serious, what you all think as far as the longer term benefit of street art.

(I had my socks knocked off five years ago by a street artist in New York. The charcoal work was amazing! His skill was fun to watch. It was a good half hour or more of work and I never asked what he charged. BUT the likeness was crummy. A very convincingly real and sharp piece unless you knew the sitter... is that a career or an advertisement?)

[Michele Rushworth]

BUT the likeness was crummy. A very convincingly real and sharp piece unless you knew the sitter... is that a career or an advertisement?)

Neither. If there's no likeness there's not much hope for business success as a portrait artist. Everything else comes in a distant second.