WALKABOUT
ENTERTAINMENT
TO ROAM THE LAND...
Walkabout entertainment (also known as roaming entertainment) means I move through the room with sketchpad in hand, navigating between drinks, conversations and canapés, capturing guests in quick, lively caricatures right where the action is. It’s sociable and spontaneous, with portraits appearing naturally as I follow the flow of the party.
Little clusters tend to gather around to watch the drawings take shape - friends comment, colleagues offer unsolicited artistic direction, and people who've never met can suddenly find themselves chatting over the shape of somebody else’s eyebrows.
There’s also an element of surprise. Guests don't necessarily have to decide to come and have a caricature done. They might be halfway through a conversation when I appear, or watching somebody else being drawn, and suddenly think, “Go on then.” It feels less like a planned activity and more like something simply happening around them.
...OR TO TAKE ROOT?
I can also work seated (or stationary/'stall format'), with guests coming over to sit for me. All I need is three or so chairs and anywhere that isn't in the way.
With the full attention of my sitters, fewer flying elbows and the calmer atmosphere, this tends to produce more polished sketches, but there’s something more to it - with everyone gathered around watching, there’s a touch more drama and ritual to the process, and people have time to enjoy commenting on the emerging likenesses.
Many guests also appreciate the excuse to sit down for a couple of minutes, especially those who aren't wearing flats!
Walkabout entertainment spreads the fun around the room, and working from one spot establishes a focal point. Each approach is effective as well as interactive. Fortunately, my act is very versatile and I can use either - or both - approaches during an event, depending on the venue, the movements of the guests, and what the client has in mind.
Whatever the situation, the objective is always the same - plenty of entertaining sketches.