“Do Something”: The People’s March

 

1/18/25 Pre-march rally at Cal Anderson Park, Capitol Hill neighborhood

A sea of pink hats and human solidarity: That was my lasting impression of the 2017 Women’s March in Seattle. On Saturday the vibe was very different at the (more inclusively named) People’s March, which was much smaller and quieter. Recalling vividly the logistical difficulties of taking public transportation that day eight years ago, I almost hesitated, but I needn’t have worried; participation this time was a small fraction of the 130,000 who turned out in 2017.

A few women broke into song as we all waited for the march to get under way.

No pink hats anywhere to be seen on my light rail ride.

I also missed the strong symbolism of pink pussy hats so many women (and even some men) donned back then. When I got on the light rail Saturday morning, expecting to see at least a few other pink hats besides my own, I saw none. Although that discouraged me, I felt better by the time I met two friends for the pre-march rally at Cal Anderson Park. There, we saw lots of signs and enough pink hats to feel some of the solidarity we had all remembered in 2017.

The march is finally under way down Pine Street from Capitol Hill toward Seattle Center.

While some people say that participating in protest demonstrations is a waste of energy that could be applied more productively, I kept hearing Michelle Obama’s voice in my head to “do something.” Sketching as we marched, I suddenly became aware that I probably would not have come if it hadn’t been a sketch reportage opportunity. For me, the “doing something” is not just showing up for the march; it’s documenting that it occurred. Many people have deep concerns about our country and the man who takes office today. The ones who turned out for the march were expressing those concerns with their presence. I, in turn, sketched their presence. It is never a waste of energy to use art to express our views. 

The march continues through downtown Seattle.

The two-mile march ends at the Space Needle.

Before the march began, I made a journal page at Elliott Bay Book Company's cafe.

Marching Tools

Searching my blog for the post I did in 2017, I also found this one about the tools I used and what I learned from sketching during a march. As I prepped for Saturday, I didn’t remember exactly which materials I had brought then, but I knew they were simple. I chose simplicity again: A brush pen containing water-soluble ink for easy tonal washes and two pink brush markers.

Simple materials: From top, Kuretake Zig Clean Color brush marker, Akashiya Sai watercolor marker, Pilot brush pen

Picking out the pens was easy. Slightly more difficult was the sketchbook. I wanted something very slim and lightweight, yet in a slightly larger format than my usual Uglybook. And I wanted white paper so that the pink would pop. I dug through my stash and found a 6-inch-square signature that I had stitched years ago, probably to sample some new watercolor papers.

Doing something!

The format was an ideal choice: I had 50 percent more real estate than in an Uglybook, and whatever the paper is has excellent sizing. In fact, the heavy sizing turned out to be a problem for the water-soluble brush pen ink, which took a bit of time to dry completely, and I kept smudging it, especially when I tried to write. Writing while walking is way harder than drawing! I wanted to record some of the signs, but I gave up after a couple of messy attempts. 

Thankfully, rain was not in the forecast as it had been in 2017. On Saturday, my usual convertible mittens enabled me to keep sketching even though the temps were in the low 30s!

Product Review: Stillman & Birn Beta Sketchbook

My first Beta filled on the streets. . . a little road-weary, but not much.
The plain cover is a great showcase for my favorite stickers.

I’ve been using Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbooks for seven years (my first blog reference of it was in 2012), so it seems strange to be reviewing them only now. I’ve filled several with still lives and other sketches made at my desk, and the Beta landscape format has been a supplemental sketchbook whenever I’ve traveled the past few years. I’ve also used a Beta sporadically on location here at home. But after my trip to the Netherlands made me question S&B Zeta for daily field use, I started wondering if I should be using Beta all the time. I just finished filling my first everyday-carry Beta, so it seemed high time to finally write a review.

The spine is wrinkled . . .

When Stillman & Birn sketchbooks first came out, they were only available in hardcover and spiralbound, so those were what I used. As soon as they released softcover editions in 2015, they became a fast favorite. The lower weight and slimmer profile of the softcover is a major benefit for everyday-carry. Even at my desk, I prefer the softcover to the hardbound because the pages open flatter and are therefore easier to use and scan. The softcover is now the only style I use.

After a little more than a month in my bag, the cover is showing small signs of wear along the edges (above), and the spine has shifted a bit and is looking somewhat wrinkled (left), but I have no fear that the pages might come loose; they are firmly bound. (A serious binding issue when the softcover edition was first released was a different story, but after they fixed it, the binding has been completely reliable.) I don’t mind any of these minor signs of wear because filling a 52-page book over four or five weeks is a typical usage rate for me. I also like

. . . but the binding is fully secure.

it when a book looks like it’s done some living. I have inadvertently set it down on coffee and water spills, and the cover wipes off well. If I were planning to carry the same book for several months or longer, however, I might consider putting a slipcover on it to protect it.

The 180-pound Beta paper (along with ivory-colored Delta and smoother Zeta) is the heaviest I’ve used in a sketchbook paper, and I love the fact that I can use both sides of the page without ghosting. The paper warps in areas where I’ve spritzed heavily and remains warped when newly dried. But if I keep the book closed in my bag for a day, the page flattens completely.

Over the years, I’ve used just about every medium that I typically use – colored pencils, water-soluble pencils, markers, brush pens, watercolor, ink – and they all look vibrant and sharp on Beta pages.

5/18/14 watercolor

I’ve heard some watercolor painters complain that the paper’s sizing and fiber content aren’t ideal for watercolor, and that might be true, but I find it ideal for my purposes. While the tooth isn’t as pebbly as some cold-press papers I’ve tried, it’s enough to grab watercolor pencil pigment aggressively, which is ideal for working quickly on location. The texture does show through with dry media, which some might not like, but I prefer it in nearly all urban and natural scenes. In fact, when I switched from cold-press Canson XL paper (which I used for years in my DIY sketchbooks and which has a Beta-like surface) to smooth S&B Zeta last winter, the feature I missed most was the texture.

 

2/13/19 Watercolor pencils and Beta are best friends.

What I didn’t fully realize at the time that I switched to Zeta, however, was the difference in sizing among papers intended for wet media. Watercolor painters will talk for hours about different types and degrees of sizing used on various papers, and I don’t know enough about it to go into the technicalities. But what I learned from using Zeta for a few months was that even though the marketing information describes it as being appropriate for wet media, it is not the same sizing as Beta’s. Hues from the same water-soluble colored pencils look slightly less vibrant on Zeta’s surface compared to Beta. In addition, I had trouble when I spritzed Zeta pages for wet-in-wet techniques because water would sink immediately into the surface and even leave a permanent measly pattern where the water drops first landed.

Whatever type or degree of sizing Beta has is just right for spritzing: The water stays on the surface long enough to apply wet pencil color, then disappears without a trace. And the spritzer/Beta team really shines when I spray foliage in my sketches to intensify the hues in an irregular, organic way. The paper’s texture and sizing both enhance the appearance of foliage. (Below is the same sketch I showed the other day; it’s the best recent example I have.)

 

10/13/19 Spritzing watercolor pencils on Beta's textured surface gives foliage a natural organic appearance.

With such a prominent surface texture, I’d expect to have difficulty with Beta when making finely detailed colored pencil drawings. In the maple leaf below, I used both traditional (Faber-Castell Polychromos) and water-soluble (Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle and F-C Albrecht Durer) colored pencils. I had to keep sharpening the pencils, and it would have been easier to get the fine leaf points with a smoother paper. Yet I’m happy with the result here, and I like the subtle texture on the leaf that was easy to achieve on Beta’s surface. If I were using colored pencils to make anything more finely detailed than this leaf, I would probably choose a smoother paper (Zeta would be ideal).

 

10/30/17 Colored pencil and water-soluble colored pencil

So far, the only medium I don’t like at all with Beta is graphite used in the way I learned from Eduardo Bajzek that requires constant blending with a tortillon to achieve the lovely tonal modulation that appeals to me about this technique. Smooth paper is essential for it.

Fountain and ballpoint pens are both more pleasant to use on a smoother surface, but Beta’s surface is certainly tolerable with either. Markers and brush pens bring out the texture also, and I like the subtle “dry brush” effect.

 

7/16/16 Brush pen and Kuretake Zig brush markers

Overall, I’ve been very pleased with S&B Beta as my daily-carry, and it makes sense: I used 140-pound Canson XL for years in my handbound books, and Beta’s surface and sizing are similar to Canson’s. (A major advantage over Canson, however, is that Beta’s surface is identical on both sides. Canson XL, a student-grade paper, has the annoying “feature” of being slightly smoother on one side than the other.) It’s only logical that if I’ve been using Beta happily at my desk all this time, I’d be happy using it on location, too. And I am.

Marching Tools and Tips

Simple tools for marching.

After I shared my sketches from the Women’s March Saturday, some friends commented on how challenging it must have been to sketch while marching or while simply being in such an enormous crowd (latest counts put the number at close to 175,000 in Seattle). Although it was definitely the largest event I have ever attempted to sketch, I was surprised that it wasn’t as difficult as I had expected. I thought I’d share here the materials I prepared and tips I learned along the way.

The first and most important rule for me was to keep my sketch materials simple. Although many sketchers at the event were able to make spectacular sketches in full watercolor, I knew I didn’t want to attempt it. I’d be on my feet and possibly moving the entire time, so my only goal was to capture the dynamic energy of the day – not with any accuracy, precision or even color.

The crowd from afar is a mass of abstract marks.

It was helpful that I knew ahead of time that the color theme of the event undoubtedly would be pink. So I picked out a couple of shades of pink in colored pencils and Zig brush markers, and I also brought a trusty non-hairy brush pen containing waterproof ink. I did all my quick gestural sketches of the crowds with the black brush pen, then gave them small splashes of pink.

I got bumped occasionally, but the view hardly changed.

I brought my usual sketchbook signature, which is 6-by-9 inches and contains 140-pound Canson XL watercolor paper. When I fold back the side of the book I’m not using, it’s very stable for sketching, even held with one hand, and the page size gives me enough space to capture crowds.

When I first arrived at the park where the opening rally was held, I had approached from the top of a hill looking down on the crowd. At that distance, everything is abstract and relatively easy to capture with nothing more than lines and marks.

Marching (the way slugs march) in the street, we were all moving at the same pace and in the same direction, so I simply kept moving with the crowd. The view didn’t change much directly in front of me, so that was the easiest sketch to capture, even though I got bumped occasionally.

At one point during the march, I swam out of the stream and onto the sidewalk. Turning to face the crowd at a right angle, I got a different view of the participants flowing by. This time it was both easier and harder: Easier because I wasn’t being jostled by other marchers, but more difficult because the view changed every second. Still, I kept in mind that it was about capturing the group and the energy – not individuals – so I stayed loose and open to the changing scene.

I stepped out to sketch from the sidelines.

One part of my prep turned out to be unnecessary. For days before the march, the weather report had predicted rain. I was determined to participate, regardless of weather, but I still wanted to sketch. How could I prepare?

I knew that Field Notes’ Expedition notebook is made of that strange synthetic paper called Yupo, so the pages and covers are completely waterproof. I also knew that many types of inks can’t be used on Yupo because they won’t be absorbed, so they would smear or wash off the surface. Internet research indicated that the best results would come from ballpoint pen and graphite pencil. My own tests confirmed both – I could easily write with ballpoint and pencil on the page and then spray with water afterwards, or I could spray the page first and write afterwards. In both cases, the pen and pencil worked fine.

My rain kit: maybe next time.

But what about color? Finding colored pencils that worked turned out to be a challenge – my favorite soft pencils seemed to slide off the Expedition paper’s slick, completely toothless surface. Then I read on the blog Pencil Revolution that Prismacolor Verithin colored pencils do surprisingly well on Yupo pages – and author Johnny Gamber was right! Although I have a small selection of Verithin pencils, I ordinarily don’t like them at all – they are intended for precise detailing and outlining and are therefore too firm for the way I like to use colored pencils. But the hardness is apparently exactly what’s needed on Yupo paper, because I got the best colored pencil results with them.

So, armed with a graphite pencil, a four-color ballpoint pen and a pink Verithin pencil, I was ready to sketch in the Expedition notebook, rain or shine. Fortunately for us marchers, it didn’t rain at all, for which I was very grateful. A tiny part of me, though, was disappointed that I didn’t get to use my precipitation-ready sketch kit! But I’m sure another opportunity for wet sketching will turn up very soon, and instead of being bummed by the weather, I’ll give the Expedition a try. (Updated 2/24/17: Read my full review of the Expedition with field testing.)

Seattle’s Women’s March

1/21/17 Marching toward downtown Seattle

I am generally not politically vocal. As an introvert, I prefer one-on-one conversations to public expression. Whenever possible, I avoid large crowds.

1/21/17 Women in Pussy Hats waiting for the bus.

But I have deep concern about the U.S. being led by a man whose values support so many things I abhor. I am afraid – both for my country and myself. Trump offends me whenever he speaks. Despite every cell in my body telling me to stay home, I decided to participate in Seattle’s Women’s March with the hope that the event would help me turn my anger and fear into a more productive energy.

Joining 130,000 Seattleites at what turned out to be the largest gathering in the city’s history, I felt an immense bond with all the women and men who share my concerns and fears. Although I had some anxiety about potential violence, the event was as peaceful and affirmative as I had hoped it would be. Afterwards, watching media coverage of similar marches throughout the U.S. and even other countries, I was deeply moved by the enormous solidarity demonstrated today. I came home from the event feeling hopeful that we have the collective strength to take positive action.

1/21/17 Marching through the International District

1/21/17 Gathering at Judkins Park for the rally.

1/21/17 A sea of human solidarity at Judkins Park.

At Last – the Minnesota Fair Sketchout!

8/27/16 colored pencils (rooster)

Greg and I have been visiting his family in the Twin Cities annually for 30 years. During those decades, due to various family events, we’ve managed to time our visits to coincide with the Minnesota State Fair only a couple of times, and the last time was about 10 years ago – long before I began sketching.

Certainly I’ve been to our own Washington State Fair, and the last few years I’ve even joined Urban Sketchers Tacoma there. But I have to say, our fair cannot hold even a 15-hour votive candle to Minnesota. One of the oldest and biggest state fairs in the country, the Minnesota State Fair is arguably the best.

Ever since I started reading Roz Stendahl’s blog several years ago, I’ve been fascinated with her passion for sketching at the Minnesota fair – and for the fair in general. I could see that she worked very hard to organize a very special outing for sketchers in the area – bringing together not just urban sketchers but art groups of all kinds. Every year her sketches of animals at the event and eventually the sketches of other Twin Cities Urban Sketchers inspired me, and I became more and more determined to get to the fair again someday – this time with sketchbook in hand.

My prized Fair Sketchout button on my bag!

This summer the stars finally aligned, and we were able to make it to the fair again – and even better, I made it to the 8th Great Minnesota State Fair Sketchout! Since I had used the previous day with Greg’s family as a preview, I knew exactly which animals and attractions I wanted to sketch, so I hit the ground running! Before I took off, however, I joined Marty Harris, the current sketchout organizer, and an enthusiastic group of Twin Cities sketchers at the morning meet-up. I was proud to finally wear an official Fair Sketchout button (artwork by Marty)!

I spent quite a bit of time wandering slowly through all the animal barns. The chickens were so colorful, and the bunnies were adorable, but I think I had the most fun sketching a broad-breasted bronze turkey. Constantly twitching, his bluish-pinkish head had a bizarre texture that was very challenging to capture. It was fascinating to watch that thing that normally hangs down over his mouth lift up when he ate or drank. Eyeing me intensely, the tom occasionally turned around to display his rear end.

8/27/16 colored pencils (broad-breasted bronze turkey)

In the Dairy building, I watched a demo of the Smart Masker Pro several times. This product would be 10 times faster than using an ordinary roll of masking tape, he assured us. Although he moved quickly, the demo guy made the same motions repeatedly, which made it easier to anticipate what his next gesture would be.

When the occasional drizzle dried up, I wandered around outside to capture the Sky Flyer ride (I stood on a bench to get above the crowds) and Fairchild, the fair gopher mascot, who is celebrating his 50^th birthday this year.

Speaking of crowds, I learned afterwards that a record-breaking 140,000 people attended the fair on the Saturday Sketchout. (A second Sketchout was held the following Monday.) While London crowds completely overwhelmed me, for some reason, I wasn’t bothered by fair hoards. Perhaps eating deep-fried foods on sticks has a sedating effect. (By the way, if you think that making all these sketches kept me from eating, you would be very wrong!)

Spin Art -- something I hadn't
done in decades!

My only regret for the whole day was that I missed sketching Princess Kay of the Milky Way! Crowned during Minnesota fair pageantry, the princess and each of her court members has her likeness carved in a 90-pound block of butter. At a previous fair, I had seen one of the princesses sitting for her butter sculpture (crowned and bundled in a down parka because the sculpting occurs in a refrigerated chamber with glass walls for viewing), and that image was seared in my memory. Where else on earth would I have the opportunity to sketch someone being sculpted in butter? Unfortunately, the sculpting schedule isn’t published, so by the time I got to the Dairy building, the sculptor was done for the day. Oh, well – it gives me a new life goal.

In the late afternoon the sketchers got together again to share sketchbooks, and that’s when I was delighted to meet Roz herself! After all these years of learning from her extremely informative (not to mention entertaining) blog, it was a thrill and honor to meet her in person.

8/27/16 colored pencils (rabbit)

Ken and Roberta Avidor, two more Twin Cities urban sketchers whose work I follow, were also a delight to meet. In addition, I was happily reunited with Amber Sausen and Daniel Green, whom I last saw at the Manchester symposium only a few weeks ago.

I know I’ve said it before, but the single-best thing about Urban Sketchers is the amazing network it offers. Whether I travel around the globe or go to Minnesota, I can find sketchers to spend the day with. The Urban Sketchers world keeps getting smaller.

Many thanks to Marty for organizing a fantastic Fair Sketchout! I can’t wait to get to another one!

Updated 9/2/16: Minnesota Public Radio News has been covering the fair on its website with many sketches by Sketchout participants, including a few by me!

8/27/16 brush pen, colored pencils (pig)

8/27/16 colored pencils (hen)

8/27/16 ink, colored pencils

8/27/16 brush pen (sheep shearing)

8/27/16 brush pen (bunny waiting to compete)

8/27/16 brush pen, Zig marker, colored pencils, ink
(Fairchild, the fair's gopher mascot)

8/27/16 brush pen, rainbow pencil (Sky Flyer)

The Saturday Sketchout sketchbook sharing!

Tina, Roz Stendahl and Marty Harris

Daniel Green, Tina and Amber Sausen

Ken Avidor and Tina

Out of Space

8/23/16 brush pen, colored pencils, Zig marker

Last week on a morning sketchabout, I spotted a cute Vespa in the ‘hood. I sketched it in my red Field Notes. Even on a full-page spread (which, granted, is only 5 ½ by 7 inches), I managed to run out of space for the front wheel.

The very next day, driving through the Green Lake neighborhood, I spotted an orange Stella scooter. I pulled over immediately to sketch it, this time in my Stillman & Birn. I don’t know why, but I started drawing the rearview mirrors near the middle of the page – so I nearly ran out of space again when I got to the wheels! It’s one of my ongoing sketching challenges – I don’t always plan the composition carefully on the page.

8/22/16 LePen brush pen, white Gelly Roll

Not Turning

8/14/16 ink, colored pencils, Zig marker

A couple weeks ago when I first started noticing that the trees are starting to turn, I spotted this one in a traffic circle and wondered if it had already turned completely – but on closer inspection, I saw that it was dead. A block north of the one I sketched the other day, it was apparently hit by a careless driver who ran right over the circle. The plants at the tree’s base are crushed and also dead. Someday the tree will probably fall over.

Daresay

8/24/16 watercolor, colored pencils, ink, Zig marker

Ever since I got back from the UK, I’ve been seeing trees all over town that are starting to show hints of turning. They’re all still mostly green, yet leaves near the top are definitely going yellow-orange. I sketch this aspen a few blocks from my house every fall, and I know that in a few weeks it will be completely gold. Today it’s still got a lot of green left, but I was surprised to see how quickly it’s changing.

I daresay fall is coming. 

Technical note: Normally I would start a sketch like this with ink to give me some guidelines – the base of the traffic circle, the caution sign, the tree trunk and the general shape of the tree. This morning, on a whim, I decided to paint the tree first. Then I went in afterwards with colored pencils to draw the trunk, lower plants and other details. I like the effect of having fewer guidelines. What do you think?

The Old Pole Finally Goes

7/21/16 brush pen, ink, Zig marker, colored pencil

For the past couple years I’ve been telling the story about the utility pole in front of our house that needed to be replaced. It started two years ago, when workers came to install the new pole but left the old one in place. Six months later, workers returned to do some repair work. Finally in January this year, I thought I’d seen the last of them when they came to chainsaw the old pole down, though they left about half of it still standing.

It turns out that the saga wasn’t over. A day or two before we left for the UK last month, workers returned yet again, this time to fully extract the remains of the old pole from the ground. I saw how fast they worked when they removed the pole standing in front of the house a few doors down, so I knew I wouldn’t have much time. I was still sketching the crane operator when the pole came out – yanked right up out of the ground like a rotten tooth! A second worker filled the hole that the pole had left behind. By the time I got to sketch “our” old pole, it was already lying in the truck’s bed right next to the one they pulled from down the street.

Maybe this time the story finally concludes!

UK, Part 2: Northern Wales

8/2/16 Castle Conwy

Sheep, rain, magnificent castles – and lots of all three. That’s what I’ll remember most about northern Wales. It’s also a country of the greenest grass and some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. Ironically, I think I have the fewest number of sketches of gorgeous Wales because of all that rain and because much of that landscape was seen through car windows.

8/4/16 Castle Caernarfon

Although we didn’t have a car of our own in Wales (by choice – driving on the “wrong” side of the street was too fraught with peril!), it turned out that Seattle urban sketcher Julie Wieringa and her husband Doug were also planning to visit Wales after the symposium with some overlap in our schedules. They kindly offered to let us tour the Snowdonia National Park area with them one day, including charming small towns like Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestniog (Wales is also a country of unpronounceable words!). Frustrated by rain, I was “forced” to sketch things like cake and my tea and scones!

At another rainy time Greg and I toured the Trefriew woolen mill, where wool is processed and tweed is still woven on traditional looms.

8/4/16 Castle Beaumaris

On a couple of days the weather improved for us – still somewhat chilly, but at least the rain changed to drizzle and even sporadic periods of sunshine. We took advantage of the improvement to visit three castles – Conwy (very close to Llandudno, where we were staying in a delightful B&B), Beaumaris and Caernarfon.

Before visiting northern Wales, my image of castles tended toward pointy, glittery structures where Disney princesses live. (I stopped watching Game of Thrones after the second season, so those bloody castles have thankfully faded from my memory.) About as far from Disney as I could imagine, the results of King Edwards’ egomaniacal pursuit of dominance were made of formidable, impenetrable stone. Rounded walls (corners in a structure are the most vulnerable areas, so they were avoided) proved to be as challenging to sketch as they were to scale or penetrate! Despite my complaints of rain, seeing and sketching those spectacular castles made our trip to Wales more than worthwhile.

8/2/16 Castle Conwy

8/2/16 Gloddaeth United Church, Llandudno

8/2/16 Fishing for tiny crabs in Conwy

8/4/14 Trefriew Woolen Mills

8/1/16 Rainy-day Jaffa cake in Blaenau Ffestiniog

8/2/16 Tea (and scones, unsketched because I wanted to eat
them warm!) in Conwy.

How about some llaeth y llan for breakfast?

Tina, Julie, Doug and Greg in Porthmadog

Stone walls and sheep -- we saw lots and lots of both in northern Wales.

Sure was happy to have my waterproof Rickshaw
bag in Wales!