I am currently sitting on my living room floor in suburban Philly, well after dark, surrounded by four different printed sketches of men who look absolutely nothing like each other. If you had told me a year ago that my 'joke' hobby—born on one humid evening last July during a wine night with the girls—would evolve into a multi-folder filing system and a spreadsheet, I probably would have laughed until my Pinot Grigio came out of my nose. But here we are.
It started as a way to cheer myself up after a particularly messy breakup. My ex couldn't even commit to a haircut, let alone a future, so seeing a sketch of a 'soulmate' who looked nothing like him was weirdly comforting. Since then, I’ve tried four different services, ranging from the late last autumn through the end of this past summer, and I’ve realized that if you don’t have a system, you just end up with a pile of digital files and a lot of confusion.
The Logistic Setup: From Screen to Spreadsheet
Look, if you’re going to do this, you can’t just leave the files sitting in your inbox. Most psychic soulmate services deliver their products as digital files, usually a JPEG or PDF, rather than through physical mail. To really see what’s going on, you have to print them. I noticed that most of these sketches arrive as standard web images, often around 72 DPI, which is fine for your phone but can get a little pixelated if you try to blow them up. I keep it simple and print them on standard US Letter paper dimensions, which are 8.5 by 11 inches.
As I sat there late last month watching the fourth sketch come out of the tray, I was struck by the sharp, chemical smell of fresh printer ink and the way the 20lb bond paper curls at the edges under my desk lamp. It makes the whole experience feel more tangible. Once they’re printed, I label the back with the date I ordered it and the 'vibe' of the reading. I’m not a medium or a spiritual advisor—I’m a customer service rep who spends all day dealing with logic, so I needed a spreadsheet to make sense of the 'woo-woo' factor.
My Side-by-Side Comparison Categories
I started a spreadsheet to track commonalities. It sounds intense, but when you have four different psychics telling you who 'The One' is, you start looking for overlaps. I track physical traits like jawline shape, eye color, and hair texture, but I also include the specific personality traits they mention. For example, a few days after New Year's, I received a sketch of a man with a chin so sharp it could cut glass. I remember looking at it and thinking, 'My ex couldn't even commit to a haircut, let alone this jawline.' That’s when the comparison game really began.
I also track the astrological details. There are 12 signs in the Western zodiac, and they are divided into four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. I make a column for which element the psychic mentions. Interestingly, while the faces in my sketches vary from 'rugged lumberjack' to 'refined professor,' the elements suggested have stayed strangely consistent. Most of my readings have pointed toward Earth signs, which is a nice change of pace from the emotional hurricanes I usually date.
The Discovery of the 'Coastal Air' Pattern
Okay, so here is where it gets a little spooky, even for a skeptic like me. When I was doing my side-by-side review mid-spring, I noticed a strange, recurring detail in the written descriptions that accompanied the sketches. Three out of the four readings mentioned a 'preference for coastal air' or a 'connection to the sea.' Now, I live in suburban Philly. I’m not exactly a beach bum. But seeing that specific phrase pop up repeatedly—despite the drawings looking like completely different people—made me pause.
This is why spotting patterns across multiple readings is so important. If you only get one sketch, you take every word as gospel (or you dismiss it entirely). When you have four, you can start to filter out what feels like a 'canned' response and what feels like a weirdly specific coincidence. I’m still not convinced it’s magic, but it’s certainly more interesting than another night of mindless swiping on dating apps.
The Likeness Trap: Why I’ve Changed My Mind
Here is my hot take after a year of doing this: focusing too much on the physical likeness of a psychic sketch can actually blind you. I used to think the goal was to find a guy who looked exactly like the drawing. But I’ve realized that creates a restrictive confirmation bias. If you’re walking around looking for a guy with a specific nose and a 72 DPI jawline, you’re going to filter out genuine connections with people who don't fit that exact mold.
The sketches are more like mood boards for your future. They give you a structured way to imagine a life that isn't defined by your past mistakes. I’m not saying you should ignore a guy if he looks like your sketch—definitely go for it—but don't let the drawing become a checklist. I’ve written about this before when I discussed my soulmate sketch rabbit hole comparison experience, but it bears repeating: the value is in the reflection, not the literal portrait.
Final Thoughts from the Soulmate Sketch Lady
I’m obviously not a therapist or a professional advisor, and you should definitely talk to a real pro if you’re struggling with your mental health or major life decisions. These sketches are entertainment. But for me, they’ve been a way to process my own desires and deal with the boredom of the suburban dating scene. It gives me something to talk about over brunch and a reason to keep my printer stocked with ink.
Whether you’re doing this as a joke or you’re genuinely looking for a sign, just remember to keep your head on straight. Use a system, track the details, and don't take it more seriously than your own intuition. At the end of the day, I still haven't met a man with a jawline that could cut glass, but at least I know I'm looking for someone who likes coastal air—and that's a start.