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Karlee Patton

@bykarleepatton

2.3K

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Portland, Oregon 🌲
People are magic.
I draw Bad Portraits at parties.✍🏼👀
Link in bio to inquire 💌

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A re-introduction since I rarely post my own face here☺️

I’m Karlee. If you follow me there’s a good chance I’ve drawn you at a party. If not, then maybe one day you’ll sit across from me at a special event or in the wild and I’ll stare into your soul while I try to get your eyebrows right.

🐣 I started this project that I call Bad Portraits several years ago with no aspirations of turning it into a business, but now here I am, grateful beyond words that people hire me to draw their guests at special events. My first paid gig was in 2018 at my friend Kara’s wedding.

✍🏼 I draw at weddings, company parties, and wherever people invite me to come and help them entertain and honor their guests through live portrait sessions.

⏰ I can draw for 4-5 hours before my wrist hurts. Once I stayed so late at a wedding that I drew more than 50 people during the reception. They were taking the tablecloths off the tables and everything, but I was determined to draw as many folks were still waiting. My hand eventually recovered.

💬 Not so secretly, the true joy of this work for me is talking to people. I love learning about each person I draw and infusing each portrait with a bit of their personality. I honestly believe that everyone is interesting; you just have to ask the right questions to get to the nugget of what matters to them. I don’t always get to the juice, but I sure try.

Do you have any questions for me?

✌🏼Karlee by @bykarleepatton

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2 years ago

I tried something a little different for this illustrated guestbook and designed a cover. Usually I go with a simple linen cover but I had an idea to make a collage of faces and I think it turned out really cute! I wonder if the couple was able to recognize anyone from their wedding by looking at the cover or if my portraits are still bad enough that the context is necessary. 😝

Cheers to Adriana and Scott and all their fantastic wedding guests. 🥂

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#badportraits #weddingideas #pdxweddings #portlandweddings #guestbookideas #guestbookwedding by @bykarleepatton

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2 years ago

Illustrations from the guestbook I designed for Kendre and James ✍🏼

For the dinner scene I tried a method that’s been a lot of fun for me lately—drawing the scene half-blind, sometimes looking and sometimes not looking at what I’m drawing. My aim is to capture the energy of the scene without obsessing over every small detail.

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#guestbookideas #weddingguestbook #oregonwedding #portlandwedding #liveartist by @bykarleepatton

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5 days ago

Michelle and Jordon told me the mountain brought them together. Fitting to be married and throw a party with the mountain as a special guest, at first clear and bright against the hot June sky and then a pastel shape dissolving into a moonlit night.

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#mthood #oregonwedding #hoodriverwedding #liveportraits #sketchartist taken in Mt. View Orchards by @bykarleepatton

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10 days ago

Self portraits, 9/25 by @bykarleepatton

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17 days ago

Looking back on this Nike team bonding event gives me life! So much laughter and good conversation. There’s clearly such a spirit of camaraderie and playfulness among this team and I was honored to take part in the vibe earlier this month on the famous @revolutionhall rooftop!

Thank you so much Blake for having me out and for the team for being such great portrait subjects. I’ll always remember this iconic late summer evening together with the golden clouds as our backdrop, talking about our passions and whether we believe in fate. Yall are special. ✨

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#badportraits #liveportraits #pdxevents #liveart #pdxart taken in Revolution Hall by @bykarleepatton

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24 days ago

Portrait sessions that live rent free in my head 😂

Bro, EVERY pool? I was appalled.

The thought of Christine putting her husband’s socks on his feet, just for fun, was so incredibly precious.

The last portrait here is an oldie 😉 by @bykarleepatton

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a month ago

Highlights from Chase and Kelly’s wedding at @brasadaranch on a sunny and romantic weekend in June. Lots of happy tears were shed and the only thing hotter than the day was the dance floor! 🔥☀️

I had to put Taylor Swift on this video for Kelly, and it feels like a good fit for this very sentimental bunch. 💞

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#liveportraits #weddingideas #oregonweddings #sketchartist #badportraits taken in Brasada Ranch by @bykarleepatton

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a month ago

Portraits from a very special session yesterday! Whose quote do you resonate with most??

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#badportraits #liveportraits #liveart #portraitart #pdxart by @bykarleepatton

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2 months ago

What a whimsical weekend filled with art, wine and adorable farm animals at @abbeyroadfarm for their annual Silobration event! It was truly such a treat to spend two days on the property that exudes peace and intentionality. Thank you so much for having me!

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#liveportraits #sketchartist #badportraits #oregonwinecountry #liveart taken in Carlton, Oregon by @bykarleepatton

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2 months ago

Does anyone else feel this way? What’s a simple daily task you find daunting?

#adhd 😋 by @bykarleepatton

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2 months ago

Making an illustrated guestbook for Kelly and Josh ✨

Thought it could be fun to show a little more of the process and how everything comes together to make a guestbook. I’m always experimenting with different ways to design and illustrate these books. Each one is different but with the shared elements of portraits, messages and a few extra illustrations.

I really like to take my time with each one, and I have my work cut out for me in the months to come during the busiest year of weddings I’ve ever had! I feel so stoked that this is what I get to spend my time doing. 😊

Thank you to the party guests who help make these books so special!

🫶🏼

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#liveportraits #weddingideas #oregonweddings #guestbookideas #weddingguestbook taken in Oregon by @bykarleepatton

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2 months ago