This is one of those times when I'm reminded that I'm Working for these people. A Servant. But by the time the Party ended,

I would have forgotten about all the difficult conditions if not for my Headache. The guests were really turning on to the activity by then, and that feels good. The guests were very happy. But I knew I was Working for them. I was well aware that I was there for Their joy. Even though I was feeling uncomfortable.

It started like this: There I was, happily coming in An Hour Early to set up. I usually show up less than a half hour before I'm scheduled to draw. But this time, I felt happy and giving ~ Walked in plenty plenty early ~ Figured I'd have plenty of time to set up just ever so ~

I'd worked at this Venue before, so I knew what the space was going to be like. The previous time I had worked here, I was allowed to take over the whole Stage. I liked that.

But different clients plan different activities. So many good ideas. Turned out that this client wanted to use the Stage to have photos of their people showing on the big screen throughout the event. But that meant that I couldn't set up in such a way as to block 'movie'. I was actually told, and this seemed ridiculous, to set up on a 'leg' of the stage that came from the side of the stage. This was an elevated stage-like area that was only 3 or 4 feet wide before we'd fall off the edge. No barrier, one flamboyant step, and I'd take a fall.

And the lighting was not only very low, dark; they also had constantly changing Colored lights. Red. Yellow. Blue, Red, Yellow, Blue, Red.... No room for any sort of a table to hold the papers and supplies on that stage-leg. No room to set up my easel because the guests could fall off the stage while trying to walk passed it. I set up as close as I could to the wall..... well, window. I had a real Cold draft coming in from that window. This was nothing like the previous time(s) I had worked here. Oh. Okay. I'm here to add to their fun. And they had lots of different activities to choose from.

A Corporate event. Many people meandered in late. It was a slow start. I kept at it. I pushed for interactions. I got them laughing. The Party warmed up. People got involved. And I made some Fun pictures. I'll show some here ~ I tried to make the photos as visible as I could. Can you see the quick drop from my setup by noticing the man that is standing on the lower floor at the end of the stage-leg?

a few more pictures i drew at that Bloomberg event:

Did you ever notice that the same picture looks different in different settings? That the same clothes look different when you get to the Party than when you're dressing at home? The same attitude looks different in your family's kitchen than at your friends' Party?

Studying my technique. I felt like I would be able to interpret it better if I saw it posted on my blog. Looks different than when I just look at the pictures here on the papers. I want to see if it's really better if I put in the extra steps.

I think it is. So it makes me wonder when clients tell me to cut back on details so they can get More More More papers. I, myself, would rather buy one picture that I'd want to hang up than buy three pictures that I just think are good ideas. Basically the same artwork, the same vision from the same artist. But the extra steps make the pictures better. And here I'm just dealing with black/white.

The first picture is my direct pass ~ just the Caricature. The second picture is the same picture with an Outline added. Better. The third picture is the same picture with the outline and then also a little bit of Shading. Even Better.

Here I am. Trying to photograph the shirt I recently made for a t-shirt party. Trying to photograph my own front And back. Lol.

Maybe the drawings will show up better if I just drape the shirt on the back of the chair:

What had happened was that I had been hired to draw Caricatures on t-shirts. Wintertime. So I didn't feel like wearing a short-sleeved shirt. I felt happy that I was able to throw this together. Then I was really impressed with my client. She included Sweatshirts for me to draw on at the Party. That was a great experience. I really liked drawing on the soft fabric. Oh so lovely. I feel so happy.