A Glorious Failure?

In college I was privileged to have Frank Newfeld as an instructor in the illustration program I was enrolled in at Sheridan College. Frank was a major force for innovation and creativity in the direction that 20th-century book design and illustration took in Canada. For myself, he was one of those key individuals or mentors in one’s life who stretches and challenges you to grow and learn by making you think critically without simply handing you every answer. He would challenge preconceived ideas and expectations by turning them on their heads, many times through his famous abstracted dialogue which in the end, would help lead you to discover your own answers.

An Unusual Comment
Frank’s regular process with each assignment was to sit down with you in his office to discuss the mark given and his reasons for it. Even here he was unconventional giving out one of two marks: satisfactory or unsatisfactory. His reasoning was that an illustration could either be used by a prospective client (satisfactory) or was unusable (hence unsatisfactory). He did occasionally give a satisfactory plus, meaning that it surpassed his expectations but jokingly added that he would still only pay you the same amount as a client. At one such meeting, Frank started off by describing my assignment as a “Glorious Failure”. Which of course was uncomfortably mysterious at first, but Frank always had intent behind what he said. He went on to explain that even though the illustration was “unsatisfactory” it was because I had ventured into areas of unique technique exploration and colour use, that was completely out of my wheelhouse, that merited it as a “Glorious Failure”! Not simply due to my trying something completely new but because he felt that I should continue to develop and hone this new direction and technique. I took his advice and used this new method of working in many of my first professional illustration works.

Failure Only Happens When You Don't Try

It has been many years since that meeting with Frank and while I define the word “failure” only in terms of someone does not attempt to do anything, it taught me an important lesson. Never see a drawing or painting as a failure but always as something you can learn from. The very fact that you took the initiative to draw or paint something should never be seen as a failure but simply as part of the artist's ongoing process from which you can learn. Drawings or paintings that I see as not working (never a failure) are the ones I glean from the most. Going back and analyzing why they didn’t work can give new insights or direction. Sometimes it takes effort but many times the answer is informative or even "glorious". 

An Important Lesson for Artist's Block

This type of thinking is especially important when you hit that wall called “artist’s block”. Some artists have a tendency to stop working at this juncture, or wait until “the creativity returns”. I always encourage my students to keep going and keep pushing in. Many times artist's block is your unconscious mind helping you to verbalize a struggle that you are unable to understand as of yet. Therefore the importance to keep pushing in. Once you identify the issue you can then take the necessary steps to deal with it. 

Everyone Experiences It

A few years back I was working on a painting for James Gurney's Weeds and Wildflowers Painting Challenge. I had done my preparatory studies and scouted out my chosen subject for the final painting. My easel, gouache paints, brushes and the rest of my materials were loaded into my backpack along with high expectations as I set out to paint a group of wildflowers.

That expectation began to fade somewhat as I was not happy with the initial result, The larger flower didn't seem to fit in, while the area to the left of it was a compositional hole dividing the painting into two. Additionally it was the last day to submit paintings for the challenge, naturally my first response was to forget about entering it. It was my oldest son who encouraged me to listen to my own advice: assess what was not working and fix it. Below was the first version.

After an hour or so of work, the flower and compositional issues were addressed taking it from something that wasn't working to a painting that I was happy with. It was finished in time to be entered and I was quite surprised when it turned out to be the first runner-up in the challenge. You never know. Here was the final version. 

Many times what we perceive to be a failure is actually only a few steps away from being a success. Other times it leads us in new directions. Remember failure happens only when you don't try. Every time you choose to push in, regardless of the outcome. it is a success. 

And the Studio Sink...

One of the tenents of working on location is to travel as light as you can. Another is to bring only what you actually use. However, that doesn't mean you can't bring a wide array of tools and materials in a compact fashion. 

This map pouch, from Condor, serves a dual purpose. I can throw it into a medium-sized messenger bag along with a small sketchbook for urban sketching. For more sustained Plein Air painting, it gets added to a larger backpack that includes a tripod and additional supplies. The pouch's dimensions are 6.5" in height, 5.5" in width and 3.5" in depth. Originally, there was a velcro panel on the front flap, but I removed it as it gave added bulk and wasn't required.

This pouch holds any of the tools I may require in a sitting. All of them are not used during every session, as I don't always know beforehand what I will need. However, I can move between straight watercolour or ink with watercolour as the situation or time restrictions guide me. It took some time to narrow the selection down to the relevant pieces. Now it serves me well: I just grab it and go. A smaller more contained pouch, employed for very light carry, can be read about here.

What is in the Pouch
In terms of content, the map pouch holds a total of 33 items, if you include the lead pointer on the zipper pull.

Left to right along the top are shop towels, a calliper, four water brushes, a fan brush, a rigger, five travel brushes, two mechanical pencils, a spray mister, a kneaded eraser, three fountain pens (one straight nib, two fude or curved nibs), a metal ruler. The next row has a cut-up credit card and a value scale. Along the bottom, there is a spot value scale, a  white out pen, a Sharpie marker, a colour isolator, a sponge with magnetic attachment, a large watercolour box, a small watercolour box plus a tube of white watercolour paint.

All Packed Up
Below you can see how the pieces fit into the pouch before it is zipped up.

Travelling light doesn't mean you can't have everything required for your sketching and painting ventures. Keeping them compact and organized is the key to a more enjoyable on-location experience.

Protecting Brushes on Location

One of the more common problems you can run into when painting on location is damaged brush tips. There are different types of brush cases you can use when travelling outside the studio. However, I have found many of these do not protect the brush's bristles effectively. 

Tac in a Box

A solution I have been using for almost a decade now is with a lidded box and two rows of sticky tac. Find a metal or plastic pencil box big enough to fit the brushes you use. I prefer the hinged types. Place two rows of sticky tac across the inside of the box. You can do this with both the bottom and top lid if space allows. Make sure the top row of sticky tac is placed where the ferrules, the metal part of the brushes, will adhere. With the second row positioned closer to the end of the brush handles. Add your brushes as required.   

The Right Way to Dry Your Brushes

This method of brush storage has one very big advantage over most other brush carriers. When you have finished painting, cleaned your brushes, and put them back in, the box can be placed in your bag or backpack, with the brush tips pointing down to dry. Brushes should always be dried tips facing down, now you can do it when on location.

Test Things First

As with anything, always test the brushes and other implements you will be using. Various brands of sticky tac have different adhesive strengths. Some won't hold at all! I use UHU brand tac as it stays malleable and has good holding strength. Additionally, different materials adhere with varying degrees of strength. Some plastics can stick quite strongly to the tac, making them harder to remove. With wooden-handled paintbrushes, be careful of ones with cracked enamel on the handle as the sticky tac could lift it off. 

Organizational Advantages

Besides all the benefits mentioned, this provides great organization and easy storage. I keep most of my brushes this way, some are stored by type. For example, the far right set of brushes below are all squirrel or synthetic sqirrel hair. The far left box I bring for my workshop students.

A simple solution that gives convenience, protection and longer life to your brushes.

Working With Grids

Using grids to block out a drawing, when working from life, is a common practice and goes back a few centuries. They can be an effective tool, but can be tricky to use unless you take a few steps to help make the experience more productive. Grids like this can be store-bought or drawn out with permanent markers on plexiglass. Many people handhold their grids, others attach them to their easel or tripod. 

Getting Started

Once a scene or subject is selected, I will set up my tripod, paints and other materials as required. By moving the grid around, I can fine-tune the relationships and other compositional elements to my liking. Below you can see the design divides nicely into thirds horizontally, as indicated by the heavier horizontal lines. When using grids, my paper or canvas will always have the same framework proportionally drawn out, so I can transfer the information accurately from my plastic grid to my working surface. 

Using a Grid
Once a composition is finalized, I will start blocking out the various shapes and forms as required, indicated in green below. However, anyone who has used a grid knows that this is not as easy a process as it appears. 

A Common Problem

Difficulties can arise as soon as you glance away from your grid and then look back. Everything seems out of alignment, as seen below. This can happen for any number of reasons. Stepping back or forward a bit, leaning in or out, holding the grid with an outstretched arm and then bending your elbow, or even moving your head up or down an inch. All of these things can change the alignment and even the perspective of what you were initially viewing. It can get frustrating and time-consuming to try to realign everything. Even with a grid firmly attached to your easel this can happen.

A Solution
One answer to this is when you initially look through the grid, immediately mark off three or four key points in your scene around the grid, indicated in red below. Remember these key points. These will act as common references for you to line up the grid to your subject. Then, whether you move in any way, you will quickly be able to realign the grid to your scene and continue working.

There are many tools available to help us with our drawings and paintings. Not all are for everyone but always be willing to try something new, you may be surprised.

Sketching with Fountain Pens

As today is International Fountain Pen Day I though it would be a good opportunity to talk about using fountain pens in regards to sketching.

When I first started doing ink and watercolour sketches I used a variety of waterproof markers, each with different sized tips. Which was great but I wanted to work with a single pen that would make a variety of widths. It suited the way I worked. I discovered that many Urban Sketchers were using various types of fountain pens. Liking the results I was seeing, I started researching what might work for me.

The Fude Nib?
After trying a variety of pens and straight nibs, I came across styles that were fitted with what was called a Fude or calligraphy nib. "Fude" is Japanese for "writing brush" but bent metal nibs seem to fall into the same category. These nibs have a curved tip which enables you to create a variety of thin to thick lines depending on how you position the pen. The higher or more vertically you hold the pen the thinner the line while lowering it creates wider lines. They are very spontaneous in terms of line making and do away with the need for a variety of nib sizes.

Watercolour and Ink
If you will be adding watercolours to your ink drawing it is important to be aware that most fountain pen inks are NOT waterproof. If they get wetted the ink will bleed all over the paper. Additionally, regular inks, like India Ink, will destroy most fountain pens. You need to find an ink that is waterproof but specifically made for fountain pens. The brand I currently use is: "Art Alternatives India Black Fountain Pen Ink". There are other brands available. Not every one adds watercolours to their ink drawings so waterproof ink would not be a concern.

Wanting To Try One Out
Pens come with two types of nibs straight or fude (sometimes called calligraphy tip) nibs. Straight nibs are sized in small, medium or large while the Fude is one size. Also check accompanying images to confirm nib type. In terms of purchase there are many venues, including art stores and pen shops. However some of these pens can only be found on eBay. It pays to shop around, especially on eBay as you can find a large price range for the same item.

Here is a list of pens I use and recommend as a starting point.
- Hero 9018 Fude Tip          - Baoer 388 Fude Tip
- Duke 209 Fude Tip           - Jinhao 159 Calligraphy pen
- Sailor Fountain pen Fude De Mannen special nib calligraphy Green shaft

Fountain pens are a great way to work quickly when sketching. They are convenient to carry and can give added line variety in your work.