I think that its kind of neat. Actual pictures with a camera would be creepy to me though.
I vote for not creepy. Probably because I had a random person sketch me once …
I was sitting in an little plaza in downtown Indy on my lunch break, reading a book. I had a reaaaaally long lunch break, since I worked at a restaurant (usually 2:00 - 5:00 PM). So I’d been sitting on this bench for quite some time, and really really needed to go to the bathroom. I got up, gathered my things, and started walking towards the mall. A gentleman simply said “here you go” as I walked by, and handed me this piece of paper with my sketch on it. I was surprised at how good of a likeness it was. Unfortunately, I set it down next to the sink in the bathroom and forgot to pick it back up. 
Here’s what amazed me on this site:
These days, I figure you risk getting arrested for hanging out near elementary schools, much less sketching the kids!
Btw, anyone got any idea what’s going on in this sketch?
sorry was out of town and couldn’t get my laptop to connect so I haven’t been able to come back and read or post here.
well it would seem I am in the minority. Alas–the story of my life.
But perhaps creeps me out is too strong of a term—maybe bugs me is the better word. But then you ride the ferry for several years and you notice that seeing the same people over and over—well little things start to bug you way out of proportion to the reality of the situation 
I am an Architect myself and I sketch things–inanimate things mind you (well I suppose if you are fast asleep you qualify as an inamimate thing!). So I do understand the need to practice and I suppose someone sleeping is going to hold the same pose for awhile.
Just much easier with buildings–they just don’t move or care if you sketch them!
thanks for the responses–was interesting to see how people reacted.
btw–hi seattle neighbors!
I am an artist and I am going to disagree with the majority.
I wouldn’t sketch someone (much less a child!) without their permission.
I was on a bus in San Fran, with my wife and a rather interesting-looking friend of ours. I kept seeing the girl across from us look up at my friend furtively. All of a sudden, he said “Aha! I caught you! You’re drawing me, aren’t you?” Sheepishly, the girl showed us a very nice sketch of him…
If I were in a bad mood, boy, this would piss me off. But if I were asleep, I’d be grateful that someone didn’t draw ON me before I woke up…
George
I wouldn’t mind. But if I DID mind, I don’t think you can prevent someone from sketching you anyway, so I’d try not to piss the artist off, for fear of an unflattering rendering.
The idea of it doesn’t bother me too much (as long as it’s sketching and not real photographs), but I’m sure I would be very startled to wake up and see someone looking at me.
Once I was on a field trip to Pittsburgh and fell asleep for ten minutes or so. When I stirred and opened my eyes, I found myself starting straight into the eyes of the girl in front of me, turned around in her seat. That woke me up fast! I started laughing nervously and said “Whoa, whoa, whoa, how long have you been watching me?”
And she just laughed too and said, “No, I swear I was just watching everybody and happened to be looking at you when I woke up.” I don’t doubt she was telling the truth, but it is a very odd experience to wake up and find someone looking at you.