jawad_babar
Dec 23, 2005, 09:36 AM
Hi, I love drawing. I am by profession a textile engineer. I will soon get my immigrant visa to settle in canada and I plan to live in calgary. I have to think and plan of how I will start my new life there and how to earn money as I don't know a single person in calgary.
Regarding earning I have a lot of ideas in my mind. One is to go and find some kind of job (maybe an odd job at the start) but I have another idea of sitting in a street and drawing and especially drawing on women's hands with hina. But I don't know whether it's legal or illegal. Can anybody advise me how much can I earn from this. And what should I do to make this thing legal.
Will canadian like this type of art on their hands? Our ladies love this.
Waiting to hear...
Thanks.
CaptainForest
Dec 23, 2005, 06:36 PM
You will need to get a permeit so you won't be charged with loitering.
I don't know about women here in Canada who like their hands drawn on, but you could perhaps set up shop somewhere in the Pakistan community in Calgary (if they have one, I've never been) as they might be more interested in it.
orange
Dec 23, 2005, 09:21 PM
I'm pretty sure there is a Pakistani community in Calgary... it's quite a multicultural city.
Captain Forest is right... you will need a permit, which will cost money. Also, Calgary, like the rest of Canada (except maybe for Victoria, haha), has winter and I don't think many people will be wanting their hands painted on the street in January. You would be able to do that only say, from May to September. However, if you're lucky, during those months you might get a fair bit of business. I myself am an artist and although I have my own studio, I sell a lot of my work at street fairs in the summer and early autumn. And in the winter I go to artisan and craft shows. Each street fair and artisan show has a fee for vendors though - usually 50 dollars or more. As an artist I make enough money to live off but it's not lots. I think most people in Canada are artists because they really want to be, and not for the money. There are much more profitable jobs to be had.
It might be a good idea for you to contact a local immigrant society once you get to Calgary. We have two such societies where I live in Saskatchewan (that I know of, anyways) which help immigrants with finding jobs, friends, a place to live, etc. You could start with the Immigrant Aid Society of Calgary:
http://www.calgaryimmigrantaid.ca/
I'm sure there are many other organizations, too. Also you could join a mosque, church or another religious organization in order to meet people.
Good luck to you!