YES.

[ellenmillion]

I get tomorrow off. Thursday, I'll have some work to do, then Friday is the 4th and I will be off until Tuesday.

Tomorrow I have the following plans:

Calendars.
Product photos.
More designs up at EMG.
And, orders. I'm fairly well caught up to where I need to be on these.

Tonight, I will ink further on the Morrighan piece. Slowly, slowly coming along.

I got 10 designs up yesterday, and an email out to the update list. Still need to email the EMG-Zine update list.

That Ren faire thingy that I finally decided not to do last weekend? Got canceled because of rain. Very glad I hadn't invested much energy into it. They're going to try again for next year. Maybe I'll do it then! (Because, of course, I won't be busy or anything NEXT year...)

Gaming tonight. My big plans are to bake pizzas and ink the Morrighan. Maybe blow something up, perhaps shoot some nuns. You never really know what will happen with our group. Which - oh! That's a question I've been meaning to ask!

Is drawing while hanging out considered rude?

I am not keen on 'hanging out' for the sake of 'hanging out.' I like to have something to do in my hands, and my something to do is generally art. Every so often I zone into my art and lose track of the conversation, but for the most part, I just doodle (or ink tedious texture) while paying some amount of attention to the goings-on.

Do you do this? Do you find that if someone does it to you, you feel slighted? My gaming buddies are very tolerant with me, but I've often itched to pull out a little sketchbook when conversations fail to entrance me (which is... like all the time, because I have the attention span of a gnat) in other situations, too, with people who maybe aren't artist-tolerant.

Probably most of the folks on my FL are artists, or know them, so maybe you aren't the best folks to ask...

But it's something I was wondering.

Comments

[mckenzee.livejournal.com]

I think drawing while hanging out is fine, but my wife disagrees.

Someday when we both have time (stop laughing!), I'd like to ask about business.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

What is this 'time' thing you speak of?

And yes! My husband disagrees with me, too! He thinks it's the rudest thing in the world to draw when socializing. I just can't NOT do something.

[mon-enfant.livejournal.com]

I'd feel a bit slighted, because I'd think I wasn't interesting enough for the person and they were bored. I think it would be one thing if it were a group of artists and you were all chatting while drawing, but if everyone else is just talking and you're zoning out and drawing it would make me wonder why you were even there, to be honest.

[lvictoriaart.livejournal.com]

maybe a little rude... but that depends on your friends really. Growing up one of my friends loved to watch me draw while we hung out.

Actually, I love to paint while talking on the phone, or phoning someone to chat while painting :)

[sister-bluebird.livejournal.com]

Around my friends, it's completely appropriate to work on projects. We are a busy people, and project days are an important form of socialization. However, around some, it is considered rude. I'd say the best thing to do would be to ask.

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

I do that too. >.> <.< Some people knit, I doodle. (Okay, I knit too...) But whether or not I pull out my sketchbook depends on the situation, and the people I'm with.

If I'm going to be somewhere that requires conversation, I usually leave my drawing behind because it attracts too much attention. With knitting, they usually ask "What are you making?" and I tell them, and that's that. With drawing it devolves into "Ooh, let me see what you're doing! Wow, I wish I could draw like that! Can I look through your sketchbook? How long have you been drawing?" And then I become the center of attention, and that makes me uncomfortable. Not that I don't LIKE being the center of attention sometimes... but it's not fair to the conversation and the other guests. So... yeah.

I like to draw while watching movies, because I like to keep my hands busy. It bugs my husband, though... "How can you possibly pay attention to the movie when you're looking at your sketchbook?" So I don't do it all the time. Just when it's something I've seen a lot. :)

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

I invariably draw while gaming -- well, except if I'm taking notes or running. Usually it's something related to gaming, but not always. No one seems to mind. (On the other hand, I haven't gamed for squat in ages, which sucks but is my own fault, so there ya go.)

I don't remember one way or another before the kid; sometimes I had the doodle book sometimes not, probably.

I suppose with people who didn't already know me it might be a problem, but since *that* doesn't happen so much anymore, no one seems to think anything of it. No one's ever said "pay attention to ME" (well, except my husband and kid, but that's hardly a surprise there *chuckle*) I had my sketchbook with me at my college reunion the other weekend, but actually didn't use it when with people. But at other gatherings I did, and have some fairly crappy work to show for it, but each time I look at the images it brings back the rest of the time in a deeper, more comfortable way than photos do (although much less clearly).

[uminomamori.livejournal.com]

I do it all the time. It's only my parents who complain.

[carmensylph.livejournal.com]

Oh, I usually bring along something to do at social events. Like a crossword puzzle or crochet -- if it's around someone stressful I *definitely* bring the sketchbook, heheh. I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about it.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

I'm very much that way. I also like to have a sketchbook or project in my lap while I'm watching TV. I think most people who know me are used to it; the only person who complains about it is my sister, but, well, she's my sister, so annoying and oppressing her is my dutiful responsibility as an older sibling. *g* I figure that if you (generic "you") are my friend, you should be willing to put up with my weird personality quirks -- and vice versa.

My mother and her friends always had knitting/sewing projects in their laps whenever she'd go out visiting when I was a kid. I suppose that I just grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to do something else while you were socializing. If you think about it, that's the traditional way that women socialized with each other -- chatting while cooking or making quilts or whatever. There's something vaguely unnatural to me about just sitting around talking for hours without doing anything else, unless it's something like catching up one-on-one with a person you haven't seen in years.

[brightling.livejournal.com]

I actually find it really soothing to sketch while hanging out with people. Absurdly enough thats often when I get my most productive and best sketches done. (Which is really annoying when I'm isolated from groups of people I can do this with on occasion!)

If its going to be a really engaging evening of dancing and singing around (or DDR on the porch) then sketchpads are definately not appropriate, but if its just casual sitting around and chatting midafternoon or a quiet evening then I've not seemed to have had people mind. I don't really have an issue keeping part of the greater conversations when I'm drawing so the flow of discussion is really relaxing for me to focus in and out of.

There are some groups and individuals that I won't draw with, but when the atmosphere is appropriate sketching with company is one of my favourite things.

Also, I'm glad to hear you're getting a bit of a break from the job! Remember to keep taking some of that break time for actual breaks and don't work yourself to exhaustion. We'll still love you! <3

[brightling.livejournal.com]

Sorry! Replied to your post rather than the greater thread apparently. ^_^;;

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Heh, no problem. ^_^

[laken-steeljaw.livejournal.com]

I sketch while socializing all the time. In fact, with one group I hang with, it seems to be encouraged. There's almost always at least a couple of us sketching away, and talking as well. I'm like you- I have to keep my hands busy to keep from zoning out completely, but it also helps me focus. I'm usually good at talking and drawing at the same time. :>

I've only had one person tell me they thought it was rude, and that was way back in highschool. I mostly just tell people that I won't be ignoring them, I just have to have something to keep me half occupied so that I won't get restless and wander off in the middle of a conversation. Everyone so far seems pretty cool with that. Though in highschool (I used to doodle during classes in order to help keep from fidgeting) I had a teacher threaten to give me detention if I kept drawing in class. I explained to her why I did it, and after my test scores dropped, she allowed me to draw in class again. ;>

So glad you're getting some time off! Whoot! :>

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

It depends on the context. Generally, I'm artist-tolerant and don't mind people doodling or drawing. If I have carved out a chunk of my day to spend with someone, though -- which is not easy for me -- and they then proceed to ignore me, that's very irritating. And I will get up and go to work myself.

Yeah, it's rude. But who cares?

[natsunekko.livejournal.com]

I have always sketched (or quilted or knitted) any time I am sitting down--work meetings, gaming, movies, hang-out times... It never occurred to me that other people would mind (in fact, it had always seemed like people generally liked it, particularly if I was drawing their characters while we gamed). I'm horribly hyperactive, and frankly, if my hands are NOT busy, my mind WILL wander!

Then I moved to Colorado about six years ago, made new friends, and joined a new gaming group. The day after the first game, I got a call from the GM's room-mate, who thought I should know how insulted and angry the GM was that I'd been drawing during the game (I was even drawing my character, not working on an unrelated painting!). I explained and appologised to the GM, and smoothed things over. And continued to draw in his game.

Another time, I was listening to someone gripe about the horrible, terrible, rude person that had just joined their gaming group, and listed among his crimes was that he sketched during the game.

Clearly, non-artists (or non-hyper people?) think that if you are not staring at their faces, you are not listening. I think you should draw anyway, but when hanging out with new people, explain that if your hands aren't busy, your mind wanders.

[katemccredie.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, I've found that when I draw I listen harder. So in lectures or such, I will always sketch if I'm not taking notes. I've also been known to sketch while with friends, but only those who know (and love!) me already. Other folks tend to regard it as rude, which is kind of silly if you equate it to something like knitting.

But I carry a small visual diary with me at all times, just in case the opportunity presents itself. Waiting for friends/family at the shopping centre; times like that. ;~)

[piotrov.livejournal.com]

I haven't gamed regularly in forever, but when I did, I was usually sketching throughout. But it really does depend on the group, I suppose. My old regular group were all best buds, and semi-artist types (Pat, Adam, Alex, etc.; y'know the gang), and they understood I was always drawing so it wasn't a problem.

Nowadays I try to have a little sketchbook with me if I can. Unfortunately I don't draw near as much as I used to, but it's nice to be prepared, just in case inspiration hits. I've also started carrying a little moleskin notebook around with me everywhere I go to take notes and make lists, and I can sketch in there as well.

But if there's one thing most people know about me, it's that I'm an artist, so nobody's bothered if I whip out a pen and start drawing. Oh, and my wife's an artist, so she's just as bad. :)

Jenny Heidewald forgot her LJ password...

[(Anonymous)]

Hmm, when I am out in a social situation I usually leave off drawing if talking with someone, I feel it is a bit rude of me to not actually look at the person when they are talking. On the other hand, when I talk with my family on the phone, I tend to draw. It is usually mindless drawing, where one half of my brain is focusing on the art, and the other is focusing on the conversation.
I would ask them if they are ok with it, or just go "I don't mean to be rude, and I am listening it's just that I need something to occupy the right side of my brain."
Sometimes when I am talkign a lot with a person I end up yawning, and I tell them, " I am not yawning because you are boring, I am interested, it's just that " either the light is bright, or I've been talking a lot, and need some more air to replace the stuff going out. :)

[pixiewildflower.livejournal.com]

**hugs** Well, at least you aren't pulling out a cell phone and texting during a meeting...I've heard of people don't that. I think you can draw and listen...I know I can. I know some people taking their knitting everywhere because they need to keep their hands busy. I wouldn't pay it any attention but I don't know what others would think.

[laffingkat.livejournal.com]

I'm neither an artist nor hyper, but I generally think this is ok. Some people probably will think it is rude, but you can probably either smooth things over with them, or else find more compatible people to hang out with. The older I get, the more I'm inclined to think that life's too short not to do what makes you happy.