# How accurate would a police sketch based on your description be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2022, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613 "2022-04-10T04:57:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/41 "2022-04-15T22:15:16Z")
Well, they did get Smooth-Faced Man’s facial shape correct. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2022, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/42 "2022-04-16T13:42:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m godawful lousy with faces and suck at art. If I sat down with a sketch artist I don’t think I could help make a drawing of my gf, my son, or my daughter. I’m the same, except for some reason I can do a reasonable perspective drawing of things like cabinets and such. When we were having our house finished, I could draw what I wanted them to look like. If they police ever need a witness to describe a murderous kitchen cabinet, I’m the man! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/43 "2022-04-16T13:56:01Z")
I have moderately bad aphantasia and being distractable I tend not to pay much attention to people anyway, so I’d probably be useless. I mean, there have been times I’d have been unable to pick my server at dinner out of a lineup if they’ve been gone from the table for longer than 20 minutes, so an ideal eye witness I am not. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/44 "2022-04-25T06:42:14Z")
I have always imagined that I would struggle mightily if I had to describe a suspect to a sketch artist. Honestly, I could very easily imagine the poor sketch artist tossing his sketch pad in the air and mumbling something about going into an easier line of work as he storms out of the precinct. Of course, sketch artists probably have a lot of tricks that they can draw upon to help witnesses who don’t think they’d be able to produce anything usable. I might even kick some ass. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/45 "2022-04-26T15:51:27Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Another face blind person here–I’d be absolutely useless. Yup. I do eventually learn to recognize a few people, especially in context, but I’m capable of carrying on a half hour face to face conversation with somebody and not recognizing them five minutes later. And in addition, I might well have no idea what the person was wearing, and would certainly have no idea what they were driving, beyond car, van, pickup, semi, or bicycle. If anybody ever attacks me, I’m going to have to do my damndest to leave some visible mark on them. > [@elfkin477](#): > > aphantasia I suspect I’ve got that too. I always thought “the mind’s eye” was a metaphor; but apparently people are literally seeing things they imagine? ETA: Ask me to identify a cat, though, and I’ll do better than most people. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613/46 "2022-04-26T16:45:02Z")
One of my favorite comic strips, from **Mr. Boffo: Unclear On The Concept** : Five shady looking guys are in a police line-up. Old lady with purse is making the ID. Suddenly, #2 yells out, _That’s her! That’s her! I’d recognize that purse anywhere!"_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-would-a-police-sketch-based-on-your-description-be/962613.md?page=2)