AI Sketcher at a store opening: robot-drawn portraits at Pearle on Mariahilfer Straße

In short: For the opening of the new Pearle store at Mariahilfer Straße 124 in Vienna, our AI Sketcher spent two days in the middle of the sales floor: on 23 September 2026 at the VIP evening for press, influencers and partners, and on 24 September on the first regular day of business. Five robotic arms drew portraits on cards in Pearle's design, glasses included.

The occasion: an optician opens on Mariahilfer Straße

A new shop on Mariahilfer Straße has the same problem as every other shop there: a great many people walk past, and very few stop. The opening of the Pearle store therefore ran over two days. On the evening of 23 September, journalists, influencers and partners were invited; on 24 September the store opened to everyone.

The idea for our part was already in the enquiry: anyone who comes into the store should be able to take home a drawn portrait of themselves. At an optician's, that means a portrait with glasses.

Why a drawing robot suits an eyewear store

The AI Sketcher does not copy a photo. It reduces a face to black lines on white paper. What remains is what makes a face: hair, eyebrows, a smile. And the glasses. In a line portrait a frame is not a minor detail but one of the strongest elements in the picture.

For a business that sells glasses, that is a stroke of luck. The giveaway shows exactly the product the store is about, and needs no slogan to do it.

The setup: five robotic arms on a consultation table

Space is tight in a shop on Mariahilfer Straße, and there was none for a table of our own. So Pearle cleared one of the consultation tables on the sales floor: a wooden top, 65 centimetres deep, sockets right underneath, the eyewear shelves on one side and the wall with the Pearle logo in the background.

On it stood five robotic arms in a row, each holding a black pen, with the card holders in front. Next to them were two photo stations on stands: tablets showing "Touch to start" in Pearle green. Two stations mean two guests can take their photo at the same time and nobody waits for a free tablet.

We set up on the afternoon before the VIP evening and only dismantled after closing time on the second day. In between, the station stayed in the store.

How a portrait is made

The guest taps the tablet and takes a photo. The AI needs 40 to 60 seconds to turn it into a line drawing. Then the next free robotic arm takes over and draws the portrait stroke by stroke onto the card, for around two minutes.

This part is the real reason people stop. You watch your own face appear, and the people behind you watch too. Because five arms work in parallel, things keep moving even when several guests take their photos in quick succession. In addition to the card, guests get the drawing digitally via QR code.

The card in Pearle's design

The portraits were drawn on cards measuring 10 × 15 centimetres, portrait format, on sturdy 300-gram paper. The layout came from Pearle: a dark green frame, cut as an arch at the top and bottom, with the white field for the drawing in between. The Pearle logo sits at the top, the opening's hashtag at the bottom: "#PearleLiebe ♥ Wien".

This is the difference between a gimmick and a piece of marketing. The robot makes the drawing; the card carries the sender. Whoever puts it on a shelf or posts a photo of it always shows both.

The start screens of the two tablets followed the same design, right down to the hashtag at the bottom edge. We printed the cards a few days before the event, as soon as the layout was approved.

Two days, two kinds of audience

A VIP evening and an opening day ask different things of a station. In the evening, from 6 to 9 pm, the guests are invited and have time. For an audience of press and influencers, what counts is what films well, and five arms drawing at once are a rewarding subject.

On opening day, from 10 am to 6 pm, the visitors are passers-by. The station has to explain itself in ten seconds: a tablet, a photo, an arm that draws. No more instructions are needed, and our attendant is there for everything else.

What the AI Sketcher needs on site

The footprint is small: a table surface of around 1.8 × 0.6 metres, a standard household socket and a level floor. A table of our own is not necessary if the venue has a suitable one. At the Pearle store it was a piece of the shop's own furniture.

One point is not negotiable: the AI Sketcher only runs online. Without internet there is no drawing, so we bring our own mobile connection and gladly use the venue's Wi-Fi as a backup. And an attendant is always included; the station never runs unattended.

What we take away from Mariahilfer Straße

Three things carried this job. First, the motif matched the product: a portrait in which the glasses play the leading role. Second, the card itself carried the branding, not a sign next to it. And third, the position: in the middle of the sales floor on one of the store's own tables instead of in a corner by the entrance.

A drawing robot for your opening

Are you planning a store opening, a product launch or a corporate event and looking for something that makes people stop? Tell us the date, the place and how much table space is free. The AI Sketcher is part of our Premium Line, and we agree the card layout with you in advance. If you would rather have a photo than a drawing, our AI photo booth is the compact alternative, and for classic instant prints there is our classic photo booth. We work all over Austria.

FAQ: AI Sketcher at store openings

How long does a portrait take?

The AI computes the drawing in 40 to 60 seconds, then a robotic arm draws for around two minutes. Five arms work in parallel.

How much space does the AI Sketcher need?

A table surface of around 1.8 × 0.6 metres. In a shop this can be an existing consultation or display table.

Can the card be printed in our own design?

Yes. Frame, logo and hashtag are printed in advance, and the drawing goes into the blank field on site. At Pearle, the tablets' start screens used the same design.

Does the AI Sketcher need internet?

Yes, it is mandatory. We bring our own mobile internet; the venue's Wi-Fi serves as a backup.

Do guests also get the drawing digitally?

Yes. In addition to the drawn card, guests receive the drawing on their phone via QR code.

Is an attendant included?

Yes, always. One of our team explains the process, restocks cards and makes sure all five arms keep drawing.