SketchBot Ottawa: The Robot Portrait Activation Everyone’s Talking About

A robot hand drawing your portrait in real time.

That’s not a metaphor. It’s a literal description of SketchBot in Ottawa — and it’s one of the most-talked-about activations we run.

What Is SketchBot?

SketchBot is a robotic arm that draws portraits of your guests in real time. Guests take a photo, the system processes it into a sketch-style portrait, and the robot draws it on paper while the guest watches.

The result: a custom hand-drawn portrait, signed by the robot, that guests take home.

It takes about 3-4 minutes per portrait. Guests gather around to watch. It’s part technology, part performance art.

Why It Works

It’s Genuinely New

Your guests have never seen anything like it. The “what is happening” reaction lasts the entire event.

It’s a Performance, Not a Service

Unlike a photo booth (fast, transactional), SketchBot is theatrical. Guests gather to watch each portrait being drawn. It becomes an experience for the whole room, not just the person being drawn.

The Keepsake Is Premium

A hand-drawn portrait on quality paper feels valuable in a way a photo strip doesn’t. Guests frame these.

Best Events for SketchBot

Luxury Weddings

Cocktail hour is the sweet spot. Guests are mingling, drinks in hand, and gather around to watch portraits being made. It becomes the “wow” moment of the early evening.

Gallery Openings and Art Events

The natural fit. Robot drawing art, in a space that celebrates art. Captures attention from arrival.

Executive and VIP Events

Premium feel matches premium audiences. The drawn portrait becomes a meaningful keepsake for senior leaders and board members.

Brand Activations With a Tech or Innovation Story

If your brand is in tech, AI, or innovation, SketchBot reinforces your story. The activation is the message.

Charity Galas

The slow, theatrical nature of SketchBot fits the gala pace perfectly. Plus, the keepsake is meaningful enough to feel like a donor recognition gift.

Throughput Considerations

SketchBot is slow by design. 3-4 minutes per portrait means about 15-20 portraits per hour. For larger events, we run two SketchBots in parallel or pair it with a faster booth (print booth, 360 booth) for higher throughput.

Pairing With Other Experiences

SketchBot works best as a feature with one or two supporting activations:

• Print booth for high-throughput general photos
• 360 video booth for dance-floor energy
• Magazine cover booth for executive audiences

What Brand Activations Love About It

• The drawn portrait can include custom branding (logo, campaign theme)
• The robot itself becomes the photo op — guests film the drawing process
• It tells a “human-meets-technology” story brands often want to tell
• It generates 5-10x more dwell time than a traditional booth

Investment

SketchBot packages in Ottawa typically run $3,500-$6,000 for 3-4 hours, depending on the number of robots, custom branding, and pairing with other activations.

Booking

SketchBot is one of our most-requested experiences and we have limited availability for 2026. Book early for peak season events.

See our SketchBot page or reach out with your event details.