Friday, August 21, 2020

Baltimore Convention Center Worldcon 1998

 


Welcome to Baltimore! August was Worldcon time in Crabcake City. Worldcon had a "pirate" theme that year, and they put a pun in the name. It was "BucCONeer," dreamed up by clever fans. I did a lot of the promotional graphics for this convention, including the official T-shirt design, which was in the colors of Maryland, red, yellow, and black. The Convention Center was built in the 1970s and I just had to do a drawing of this geometric concrete hall, sparsely populated by fans. As I remember I had a good time with my local and faraway friends, and made some bucconeer bucks in the art show.

I don't do conventions any more. Looking back on my journal, the preparation, logistics, and marketing for these shows was difficult and almost never made back my investment of time, energy, and money. The world is so different now that Worldcon 2020 ended up being a remote ethereal voice and image onscreen from New Zealand. I don't think there were any pirates at this year's Worldcon.

Brown ink and colored pencils on sketchbook page, 7 1/2" x 5", August 6, 1998.

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