Convention Center Redux (Arches Paper Again)

11/8/13 PR Velvet Black and Diamine Grey inks, Zig markers, colored pencil,
Arches 140 lb. hot-press paper

When Kate and I sketched at the Washington State Convention Center last month on our way to 6 Arms, it must have been a rare day when no events were happening there, because it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Not so today.

The Friday sketchers got together there this morning in the company of (what seemed like) a million high school students more interested in flirting than attending their college conference. At the same time, the Christmas in Seattle Gift & Gourmet Food Show was going on, where another (what seemed like) two million attendees flocked, so whenever I wandered around looking for a sketch, I guess I looked lost, because a helpful WSCC staff member would offer to show me the way to the gift show.

“It’s like a zoo in here,” Lynne said, sketching a fabulous view of I-5. Despite that, we all found ample seating and interesting sketches in the public areas. My first sketch was of one of the many banks of escalators between the second and third levels. Then I moved over to the same window where I sketched Union Street last month, except this time I chose the north side of the street.

11/8/13 Water-soluble pencil, Zig markers, watercolor, Arches paper

Unfortunately, after discovering that Arches paper in my current sketchbook signature doesn’t like fountain pen ink but does take Copic Multiliner SP ink fine, I forgot to bring my Copic. So I decided it was a good opportunity to try out different media that I rarely use. For the escalators sketch, I used mostly a water-soluble pencil and Zig markers. For the Union Street scene, I was curious whether the Arches sizing would repel water-soluble ink as much as waterproof Platinum Carbon (which I had tried previously). Interestingly, water-soluble Private Reserve Velvet Black ink took to the paper much better than Carbon. But once again, the sizing kept the ink from sinking in quickly, so I kept smearing the ink. Not wanting to muddy up watercolors with the water-soluble line work, I used colored pencils and Zig markers to add spots of color. But overall, I felt stymied by the paper and the limitations it was putting on my media choices.

A good turnout for today’s Friday sketchout and excellent sketches by all!

Slightly blurry sketchers. . . 

. . . but their sketches are all sharp!