Signs at the San Francisco Women's March, January 21, 2017

I went to a sign-making party at StoreFrontLab the day before the march, but had no good ideas for signs so I ended up sketching the sign-makers, who all looked to be having a great time.




At the rally before the march the crowds were so tightly packed that the only way I could sketch was by backing up against the wall of Brooks Hall where a slightly protruding bit of decorative stone kept my right elbow from being jostled too much while I sketched. I found that I couldn't pay attention to the signs and the faces at the same time, so I took turns appreciating the cleverest slogans and enjoying the brightest faces.

As the march got going the rain started and it got dark, so I gave up on trying to sketch and just enjoyed the sensation of being swept along in the crowd of happy people. 

– Laurie Wigham