My link of the week is our favorite roving stationery reporter and knitting queen, Laura! She posted a link on her knitting/spinning blog about her secret identity as a knitting technical editor. If you’re curious about this unusual career, check out the interview. Laura is multi-talented and multi-faceted and I’m delighted to share this interview with you. Give her kudos in the comments!
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The Pacific Northwest Pen Show is only in its second year. Last year, the show was hosted at a hotel downtown which had its pluses and minuses according to attendees. For those staying the weekend, there was easy access to food and entertainment. However, the hotel was pricey, small and there were issues associated with any event in an urban metro— greater potential for crimes, vagrants and pricey parking, food and other conveniences.
This is my first year attending this show so I will be comparing it to other shows rather than how the PNPS compares this year to its previous year.
The Hotel and Accommodations
For 2024, the PNWPS was relocated to a suburb called Clackamas, about 20-30 minutes from downtown or the airport. This locale made the event more conducive for regional visitors (more parking), nearby restaurants and a Target (better for vendors and weekend guests).
The hotel was not the most modern in aesthetics which is not a big deal. However, many folks mentioned the lack of communal visiting space for after hours. The hotel had a restaurant and a speakeasy bar but neither was designed for the sort of communal hanging that often occurs among pen show attendees and vendors after the show closes in the evening. There was one sitting area just to one side of the registration desk and just outside the restaurant which didn’t feel as comfortable for hanging out as other hotels. All these places to meet and hang out were either dark (not conducive for writing or pen sharing) or loud (not conducive for chatting).
Why, yes! Those shelves are crooked! Oops!
Some views from the Dromgoole’s booth nook and ink palace!
The Show
The PNWPS is one of the few shows I’ve attended that is only open for two days — just Saturday and Sunday. The only other show I know of that is two days is the Dallas pen show but it is Friday and Saturday and both days are packed to the gills with attendees.
The actual pen show was held on the lower level which had only one elevator access and a set of stairs to access it. This made loading products in and out a bit challenging for the vendors and slowed entry a bit on Saturday morning but didn’t end up to be as big a deal as I would have expected. The St. Louis show is also in a lower level ballroom but there is direct access to underground parking lot for vendors and the elevator bay had multiple elevators which was more convenient but they had their own delays as well.
When the show opened, on Saturday morning, it looked like there were about 30 vendors from across the country. It is not a ton of vendors but they were all top notch products and a nice assortment of nib grinders and retail or online shops from a nice spectrum of the pen community.
Ryan Krusac and his amazing scrimshaw pen wpork and excellent fashion sense.Fountain Pen Dulum wood ink holders, pen trays and more.The amazing Oblation Papers had a booth set up at the show with a few of the many, many goodies that can be found in their shop.Laser etched wood cover books from CurnowOh, the colors of leather covers available from Curnow Book & Leather
Strangely, there was a lot of space between each of the tables which created some weird traffic flow. I would have preferred the tables to have less space between them to help move traffic a little more directly and a little less chaotically. The extra space could have been used for meet up tables, ink testing stations or places for bored significant others to park and wait.
The tables were also shorter in length than the tables at most conferences and shows (6 foot instead of the standard 8 foot tables at most hotels). The shorter table lengths are an annoyance to vendors as many plan their table set up based on the length of the tables so being 2 feet shorter means folks needed to squish up or put fewer items out.
Overall, Saturday was very busy and we were run off our feet from the moment doors opened until about 4pm. The show closed on Saturday at 5pm so a one hour lull at the end of the day is welcome.
Information on the PNWPS websiteInformation about entry times found on Instagram on Sunday. Confused? So were we.
Sunday, there was some major confusion about the time that the show opened and closed. On the official web site, the hours were listed as 9am-4pm but an Instagram post went live Sunday morning with the hours listed as 10am-4pm. While an hour difference isn’t huge, it was confusing to attendees and annoying to vendors who could have had a more leisurely breakfast or not at attention for an hour for an empty room.
Generally speaking, Sundays at pen shows are generally slow and the PNPS was no different. For attendees, they certainly had more opportunity to browse and chat. For vendors, it can often be a little disappointing. Because the PNWPS is only open for two days, the hope was that Sunday would be busier than it was.
Goofin’ around with Jonathan Brooks of Carolina Pen Company – Photo from @slumberland_studioI think I was the only person who used the “selfie station”. Damn I look tired!
My Final Comments and Recommendations
My overall feeling is that it is a pleasant albeit small show. If you live within a few hours of the show, I definitely recommend attending. If you would need to fly to this show, I’m not sure it’s quite up to the task to appeal to folks who travel long distances for pen shows.
The social and evening activities are not as robust as shows in other cities. If the show remains in the same hotel, a one-night stay is fine but, for visitors, the show doesn’t offer enough classes, activities or vendors to warrant a two-day or longer stay. If the organizers build up the classes, workshops and evening activities and create more of a conference environment over a traditional pen show, I think it could be a really great way to grow and differentiate this show from other mid-sized or small shows.
There were more attendee-specific aspects to the show which I don’t have as much information. There was a VIP pass and I’m curious to know if it seemed worth the additional fee since, unlike other shows, 3-day passholders or VIPs at PNWPS did not get early access. I am sure there will be other recaps listed in the next week or so that I’ll be sure to include in our Wednesday Link Love.
A few of the items I picked up at the show: a Stationery Cafe coffee mug, a new Ink-a-Pet Coloring Book, a vintage telescoping dip pen and a Blackwing x Traveler’s Notebook insert with Midori MD COTTON!
Stay tuned! Later this week we will have a special pen show giveaway!
Much like Ana, I had my own “objects are smaller than they appear” experience recently. For the past few months I’ve been eyeing journaling tools in an effort to make my daily journal more visually appealing. For a while I saw a beautiful stencil repeatedly advertised on both Instagram and Facebook (that I now can no longer find!) that was terribly expensive. Looking for a more reasonable alternative, I turned to JetPens and their selection of Hobonichi stencils ($7-$9.25).
I eagerly purchased the Activities and Speech Bubbles. Only when they arrived, I realized that I had failed to read that they measured 2.5″ x 3.75″ (6.5 x 9.5 cm). Honestly they’re pretty tiny and while they may work perfectly in a Hobonichi, my fountain pens and even jelly roll pens don’t fit inside them easily with more room for writing.
They’re cute, well made, perfectly portable and a bit smaller than I intended.
Does anyone have a stencil set that works well with an A5 journal that you would recommend?
DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us free of charge for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
The SF Pen Show for 2024 has an amazing roster of classes and workshops. Some will even be taught by me! If you missed our previous post about class opportunities at the DC Supershow for 2024, check out this post.
The Secrets of the Ink Collector: Swatch & Catalog Your Collection
In SF, I will be teaching a class “Secrets from the Ink Collector” in a two-hour session where I will share techniques I use for cataloging and swatching inks. I will demonstrate swatching techniques, methods for organizing and inventorying your ink collection and even some fun ways to choose an ink for your next fill-up.
Class participants will get to try out some tools and techniques for starting their own swatching collection. Class fee for SF includes a mini ink swatching kit. No additional materials are needed for the class but feel free to bring a notebook, recent ink acquisitions, and ink samples.
This class will be a two hour, hands-on session. Be prepared to get inky.
In SF, I will also be teaching a class showing you how to make magic using pens and ink. I’ll discuss the ancient technique of sigil making and help you in creating your own sigil, a symbol imbued with intent and meaning to help you manifest your goals.
I will discuss the process of making a magical symbol, how to use color correspondences to strengthen your intention and what you can do with your sigil creations.
We will walk through the process of making your very own sigil so bring paper and a pen (or multiple pens) to the class (no additional materials are required.)
Fountain Pens for Lefties: What every left-handed person needs to know about fountain pens.
In this seminar, I’ll dispel the myths about fountain pens for lefties and share some tips for tackling problems lefties might face when using fountain pens, different nibs, papers and ink. Whether you are an over-writer or just lefty-curious, bring your questions!
Seminar time TBD: Stay tuned!
Free
And I’m not the only one teaching some cool classes, my pal Julia will be teaching a couple classes as well.
Inkwash Workshop: Painting with Ink
Sunday August 25, 2024 1pm-3pm
Tuition: $85
This one is for the ink-lovers! Learn brush and ink techniques to explore the depth and range of your favorite inks.
Students will practice brush handling, experiment with water and paper, and create an art piece in this hands-on workshop.
Bring an object for still life, or paint from memory and imagination. Materials included in class fee.
Method to Madness: Creating personal systems with all our fun stuff
Saturday August 24, 2024 9am-11am
Tuition: $50
Do you have stationery or art supply items that are waiting for their own special purpose?
Do you have a purpose in mind but have yet to find the right supplies for expression?
Do you flip between digital and analog throughout the day?
Join artist and web developer Julia van der Wyk as we match up methodologies and systems with our beloved stationery and art supplies. Our daily routines can be structured or fluid, and either way have great opportunities for enjoyment of stationery, pens and ink. We’ll talk about what we do, what we’d like to do, and finding a routine that sticks.
Bring your favored stationery or art supplies, questions, and conundrums!
There are lots of other classes and workshops coming for SF so check out the SF Pen Show site to get all the info. In the meantime, don’t wait! Sign up for these sessions now so you don’t miss out!
OMG, gang! It’s really happening! I am going to be teaching classes at both the DC Pen Show and the SF Pen Show this year. Classes are now open for enrollment, this post is specific to events and classes happening at the DC Show. If you’re attending the SF Show, please check out this post.
The Secrets of the Ink Collector: Swatch & Catalog Your Collection
In DC this year, I will be teaching a class I’m calling “Secrets from the Ink Collector” where I will share techniques I use for cataloging and swatching inks. I will demonstrate many swatching techniques, methods for organizing and inventorying your ink collection and even some fun ways to choose an ink for your next fill-up.
Class participants will get to try out some tools and techniques for starting their own swatching collection. Class fee for DC includes a mini ink swatching kit. No additional materials are needed for the class but feel free to bring a notebook, recent ink acquisitions, and ink samples.
The DC Class is only an hour so I will be 2x speed and we won’t have quite as much time to play. I will also be teaching this class in SF but for two hours so if you’re attending both shows, you will have to decide if you want concentrated, caffeinated version of the Ink Class or a more laid back two hour session.
At the DC Pen Show this year, Vanness Pen Shop is also hosting the Vanness Pen Lounge Friday, August 2 and Saturday, August 3. For newbies, there will Fountain Pen Basics demos throughout the day that will be hosted by some of our favorite pen friends: Trinita, Essandra and Charlotte and folks from the local pen clubs.
In between sessions, feel free to hang out and talk with experienced volunteers who will be available to help you learn about the pen and stationery community. All questions are welcome and this is a perfect place to get answers. Take a break from the crowds and show off your latest pen purchases.
There are even more events being planned for DC and the Pen Lounge so stay tuned and I’ll do my best to keep you posted.
Don’t forget to check out the full list of seminars (free or low cost) and workshop listed on the DC Supershow site. There looks like a lot of great sessions are being planned!
The Vanness Pen Lounge is sponsored by Vanness, Luxury Brands and Mnemosyne Paper
Opaque white pens: The bane of my sketching existence.
Intermittently during my 13 years of sketching, I’ve tried various white gel pens for those infrequent occasions when I want to make white lettering on a sketch or draw thin highlights. Though not without its faults, the Sakura Gelly Roll has long been my standby. The past year, however, as colored Uglybooks gradually took dominance over my urban sketching materials, white became increasingly important – not just for occasional writing with a fine line, but also for coloring in large blocks of sky. A full-on hunt commenced.
My first glint of optimism was for the Omiowl acrylic dual-tip marker, which was unfortunately short-lived (literally). I like the paint it contains, but the pen, as inexpensive as it is in a bulk pack, is not a good value.
Shown in this post are others I’ve been trying since then. First, let’s get the white party poopers over with. The Deleter Neopiko 0.5mm is the same as the Uni Posca 0.7mm – except worse. See that messy blob on my swatch page? Yeah – that’s what pumping does when the paint won’t flow. (Ironically, the Posca that I had been cursing for being clogged up suddenly put out decent lines on my swatch page, just to be contrary.)
I was excited about the Kuretake Zig Cartoonist brush pen, which has a unique twisting mechanism to make the pigment-based ink flow. I like the dry brush effects possible, and its opacity is better than most I tried. Unfortunately, even when recapped religiously, the brush tip seems to dry out easily, which means that when fresh ink is pumped out, it’s like painting with a half-dried-out paint brush. I suppose it needs to be cleaned off completely like a paint brush, but at $14, I don’t want high maintenance on top of high cost.
The Shuttle Art Tempera paint stick is unique in this comparison in that it’s not an ink at all – more like a solid, oil-pastel-like substance. But unlike oil pastels, it dries immediately and is no longer sticky – like a roll-on paint that dries fully. I like it a lot, but it’s impossible to draw fine marks or color small areas with its broad, flat tip (I cut it into a point in my photo), which is intended for kids. Sadly, my small A6-ish format sketchbook just isn’t big enough for such a broad tool, but it would be great on a larger drawing. It’s only available in a set of 15 or more colors.
The Pentel Milky Brush is OK when applied, and the brush doesn’t dry out like the Zig’s, but like most acrylic markers, it requires pumping and shaking. Nothing new here (and also a bit pricey).
Now I’ll get to the only two markers worth using from this batch. My hands-down favorite is the Sharpie Creative Marker. It requires some shaking, but no priming, and the paint flows evenly and smoothly every time – no blobs or clogging. (Ana gave a full review of these Sharpie markersrecently, and she likes them, too.)
It has only two drawbacks: For my uses, the tip of the brush is fine, but not quite fine enough to write with on small sketches (like the Posca 0.7mm or a Gelly Roll). Overall, however, the Sharpie’s brush tip has a good range from fine to broad (shown on my swatch page) that meets most of my needs.
The second downside is that I had to buy a pack of 12 colors to get the white, which is the only one I really wanted. Despite that, I’m having fun using the other colors, especially the pastels. Picking out just one or two colors that contrast strongly with whatever Uglybook color I’m currently using has become a fun part of my process.
If I hadn’t met Sharpie Creative Markers, I would have picked Utillo acrylic paint markers as my top choice (I bought a mixed pack of all-white fine and medium tips, which doesn’t seem to be available currently). I balked at yet another bulk pack, but this one seems to be a good value in that the pens have already outlived the Omiowl. They require shaking, but no priming, and they are as well-behaved as the Sharpies. The fine (0.7mm) is finer than the very tip of the Sharpie, but I’d have to carry two Utillo pens to get both a fine and a broad, so the Sharpie is still more versatile.
There you have it – the white party poopers and the stars!
So much news this week, both from around the pen community and from me. First off, I am headed off to Portland on Friday for the Pacific Northwest Pen Show with Team Dromgoole’s. If you are coming to the show, please stop by and say hello!
Next, there are lots of “currently inked” posts this week which I quite like. I love seeing what colors people choose and why. Do you match your ink to your pens, do you have a theme for the month or the week?
And finally, there is a lot of pencil news this week. After been overlooked and neglected by the stationery community oh these many months, this week, if you’re a pencil fan, we have news and posts for you!
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