Have you been to Paris? One part of Paris that people love to visit is Montmartre. It’s in the 18th arrondissement and you can get there by line 18 or line 2. Anyway, if you go to Montmartre, here is one thing I want you to know: the men like the one above that walk around with their sketch pads and ask to draw you aren’t usually the best artists. Now I’m not saying that all of them are bad, but I have been there enough times to have seen that these artists aren’t that great.
What they will do is walk up to you and tell you they want to draw you and you don’t have to pay. Then they draw it and it’s not very good. So then you don’t want it but then they get upset and try to pressure you into giving them something. I have talked to several people that have felt pressured to pay for the picture even though it wasn’t very good but it was easier to pay the “artist” than to argue. Because many of these men will try to argue with you after they draw your picture, even though they told you there was no charge for it when they started.
When you get to the top of Montmartre, there are artists stands in the middle of the square. These are true artists that have paid to have their goods displayed and if you want to get your picture drawn, they will do an excellent job but you will have to pay a higher price. The men (and a few women) that are walking around with their sketch pads have not paid to have space, they are freelancers.
I have walked around the square and seen many of the artists as they are working. They do a lovely job so if you want a portrait done, spend the money and get a real one by a true artist.
You can also get a caricature done which is always fun, check out the one below, I think it’s pretty good, what do you think?
Have you ever had your portrait done? Have you been to Montmartre?
