Pop icons at Funko

The monthly outing of Urban Sketchers Seattle was at the iconic pop-culture hub, Funko store in Everett.

Funko from Wetmore Avenue

The weather was bright, sunny with chilly winds. Being Sunday I was accompanied by my husband and daughter too. I was running late for sketching. I selected a spot near the bus stop on Wetmore Avenue diagonally opposite to Funko, to get the entire view of 1920's historic building and also the warmth of sun. This entire structure is remodeled with the display of huge pop-icons. I did the pen work only as my hands were getting numb, so left the coloring part for later.

After taking the stroll of store around, I sketched the pop entities Harry Potter and Pink monkey with fluorescent green jacket at the front entrance. Funko has only one floor and other floors are used for offices. I met other sketchers here, who were sketching the front view.

Pop-icons at Front Entrance

My daughter was thrilled by Harry Potter section inside the store and she bought her favorite character : Hermione Granger.
It was fun to sketch these characters which have so much impact on kids and adults alike. I loved the sign board with tiny lights and revolving crown icon.
Before going for the meet-up I did Funko sign board and few more pop-icons displayed on the building. I was fascinated by these highest selling geek figures made up of vinyl and bobbleheads. Unfortunately I was unaware of many of these characters.

Indeed a great Sunday fun, at Funko!

Fun at Funko

We went further afield than usual yesterday to sketch outside the new Funko Headquarters in Everett, WA. I've been looking forward to this for weeks, ever since Tina scouted it out!

There are oversized Funko figures on the overhangs above the first floor. I went up to the 3rd floor in the parking garage to get a look.




It was from there that I did my first sketch... Harry Potter!




I took a break to look around inside and to get warm. The Harry Potter display was my favorite. The did such a good job. I'm a major Star Wars geek but the Harry Potter area was better than the Star Wars one.

I next did an Inktober sketch of the Harry Potter trio inside the store.





We shared our sketches in a plaza across the street and took a group photo with the Funko facade in the background.  

 



There were some new people and also a couple sketchers who hadn't come out with us in a while.  And then Parker was visiting from New York! 

Many more photos, mostly inside:
https://redharp.smugmug.com/SketchOutings/2017-1015-Funko/

Sun, Fun and Funko

10/15/17 Funko storefront

The intersection of California and Wetmore in Everett was a lively place Sunday morning, and I’m not talking about the line of people waiting outside the Funko store door. It was lively because sketchers were on every corner and even on the rooftop of the parking garage across the street, sketching the most colorful residents of downtown Everett.

I was there a month ago scoping out the location for Urban Sketchers Seattle, but I stayed on the street level that time. On Sunday I went up to the garage rooftop with several others, where we got a fantastic view of the storefront (and the bright sun at our backs kept us warm). I’m not familiar with this lavender-colored monkey, but I was told he’s a video game character. I never found out why a line of people began forming an hour before the store’s opening, but I was told by employees that it’s been like that every day since the store opened in August. They obviously know something I don’t.

On Wetmore Avenue, I caught Anne and Vivian sketching the storefront (plus Batgirl and the same monkey overhead). 

Although Everett is a little further north than we typically go for a Sunday outing, we got a great turnout on this chilly but sunny morning. What a fun place!

10/15/17 Wetmore Avenue

Suzanne on the rooftop

Michelle sketching the storefront

Fun with USk at Funko

Urban Sketchers from Seattle traveled about 30 miles north to the world headquarters of Funko for the monthly outing today. We met at 10am even though the store doesn't open on Sundays until 11:00. A line was already forming when I arrived at 9:30 am. We got an insider's tip and went to the roof of a 4 story building across the street from Funko.

I brought two sketchbooks, one for ink wash and one for watercolor line and wash.

My "mysterious" sketch of  Bat Girl  for Inktober Day 15

The parking garage roof was a great viewpoint for sketching the customers lined up waiting to get in and the giant figures of pop heroes securely attached to the overhang. The sunny exposure made it much warmer than the cold 50°F weather would indicate. It was positively chilly downstairs in the shade.

Formerly the old Bon Marche, this was where I bought onesies for my babies. In the distance, down Wetmore Ave., you can see the tan colored Funko building reflected in the blue glass sides of the last tall building.

My finished spread with building reflections, fall foliage, people lined up and Carolyn sketching.

The Crown Logo casts a shadow across the sunny sidewalk where Carolyn was sketching.

I was hoping that I could Pop! myself at the little Do It Yourself action figure counter inside, but it's not quite ready yet. So I had to settle for a digital Pop!elganger with the Pop! Yourself avatar creator online. I do hope they add sketchbooks and pens in the accessories section.

I "popped" myself  as a super hero sketcher on the parking roof across from Funko