Lucas Varela's brilliantly funny illustrations for The Telegraph offer a timely reminder of the one party guest nobody wants to encounter tonight.
It's Halloween! A night for dressing up, letting your hair down and, naturally, embracing a little mischief. But while vampires are very much welcome tonight, there's one particular kind you might want to avoid becoming: the social vampire.
You know the type. The person who monopolises every conversation, makes everything about themselves, drains the energy from the room and leaves everyone else quietly searching for an escape route.
Illustrator Lucas Varela explored this wonderfully recognisable social phenomenon in a series of illustrations commissioned for The Telegraph, accompanying an article about the telltale signs of a social vampire.
Revisiting the commission for Halloween, the subject feels particularly appropriate. After all, tonight's parties should be about good company, entertaining conversations and enjoying the occasion – not leaving everyone feeling as though their social energy has been sucked dry.
So, before heading out tonight, here's a little Halloween party etiquette to keep in mind. Don't monopolise every conversation. Give other people room to speak. Resist the temptation to make every story about yourself. Pay attention to the atmosphere and recognise when someone might want to move on. And remember that a good conversation should give as much as it takes.
Varela's wonderfully expressive characters capture the awkward, uncomfortable and often absurd dynamics of social interaction. His visual storytelling gives the idea of a social vampire a suitably theatrical presence, making the illustrations as entertaining as they are recognisable.
Of course, nobody is suggesting you spend the evening conducting a forensic examination of your own social behaviour. Just be mindful of the energy you bring into a room.
So, this Halloween, wear the fangs, enjoy the party, but whatever you do, don't be the social vampire everyone is trying to escape.
Happy Halloween!
About Lucas Varela
Lucas Varela is an internationally recognised illustrator and cartoonist whose distinctive visual language combines expressive characters, graphic storytelling and a sharp sense of humour. Dutch Uncle represents Lucas Varela worldwide across illustration and creative commissions.
