A Morning at the Burke Museum

I met a few other Urban Sketchers at the Burke today.  We were amazed at the special exhibit on Plastics - very interesting.  But when I remarked that I was inclined to sketch the natural artifacts in the "Before Plastics" display, Carleen, who happens to be a member here, encouraged me to go downstairs to the Ethnology displays.  Within a minute, we were both sketching this life-size Dance-Clan mask - that is until the  grade school kids appeared!   This sketch was first done with a Derwent medium-wash graphite pencil.  From home I added a bit of color after I applied some washes, but then I strengthened it with a Uniball pen.

Around the corner I found an entire display case of ceremonial masks.  What fun!  Since we were told we could not use watercolors inside the museum, I was drawing with a med. blue colored pencil for placement, intending to render the actual sketch in the black waterproof ink of a Uniball pen.  But I was so thoroughly enjoying sketching with a pencil, that I stayed with that medium.  Once home, I added color to one of the masks.

Sketching at the Burke today was good reminder for me to realize how very much I love, love love pencil sketching!  You know, it is almost a physical thing - I love how the pencil feels as it moves over the smooth paper!  But then I also love how a good fountain pen feels!  I would guess there are a few other Urban Sketchers who feel the same way.  So will I choose to render tomorrow's sketches at St. James Cathedral in ink or pencil?  That remains to be seen!