I frequently get asked the question "If I hire you for my event, how do you handle the lines? Do you have a sign-in sheet or some sort of ticketing system so guests won't have to wait in line the whole time." I get the logic...but the reality might surprise you.
Me and many of the other artists I've worked with throughout the years have tried having a sign-in list or "ticketing" system at the clients request. The honest answer is it never works. People sign their name then go to the bar and disappear on the dance floor...only to return hours later to complain they were skipped, etc... and it never ends pretty.
The only time a list or "ticketing" system works is if someone who knows all the guests and knows "who is who" is assigned to manage the list and the line. that way they can find the next person on the list in time for their turn so the artist isn't sitting around burning the clock.
Ultimately, the best, most efficient way is for guests who want a caricature to wait in the line for their turn. We're fast. And in my experience most people waiting in the line actually have MORE FUN than getting sketched themselves because:
- A) they are not feeling the pressure of being in the "hot seat"
- B) they are drinking their cocktail making fun of the folks who are are
- C) I always hear people in line behind me saying they could watch me draw all night and are amazed at how we do what we do.
Believe it or not, the line is the entertaining part, getting drawn is the stressful part, seeing the completed sketch is the mind-blowing part.