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.

Location, Location, Location!

Anyone who has taken a workshop with me knows I am a big advocate for working on location. I fully understand that it can be intimidating at first. The thought of people watching or asking questions can keep all of us securely locked in the safety of a studio. However, the benefits learned on location greatly surpass any fears we may have.

Two Types of Location Work

Most people think of working on location in terms of a full blow "Plein Air" painting setup, like above on the left. However, more common is the minimal setup shown on the right. A sketchbook, some pens with a set of watercolours. The setup on the left was the final stage from a month-long series of preliminary studies and sketches done for a painting challenge using the smaller setup. This was the finished painting. 

Urban Sketching

Additionally, you don't have to be in a field or a forest somewhere, you can sketch in a cafe, along the street or in a mall. This is where a smaller kit comes into play. A grassroots art movement that has spread worldwide in the last decade is known as Urban Sketching. Basically, it is about getting out into the urban setting and sketching anything from a coffee cup, a cafe scene, a bus or a family out doing some shopping. Urban Sketching is not about how "good" you are but simply to get out, draw and have fun. 

What Are the Benefits?

When you are on location quick decisions have to be made and adhered to. Light is changing, the weather is a variable, or you may be unable to stay in one place for very long. While this initially sounds unappealing what it does is cause your drawing to improve. How? You can't procrastinate. Judgements need to be made about what to edit out and leave in. Complex, detailed objects are simplified. You learn to see what is important about a scene and focus on that. You stop worrying about being "perfect" and focus on doing your best, which gets better much more quickly being outside than in your studio.

Getting Comfortable
To become more at ease when working on location, just take it in small steps. Start simple, a little sketchbook with a pencil or pen is all you need. Most people will think you are writing. As you get more comfortable you can add a watercolour set or coloured pencils, markers, etc. For some information on setting up a small sketch kit click HERE. Another thing that is a big help, whether just beginning or an old pro, is to locate a place to work where your back is against something. A tree, a wall, a building, etc. This way you can see who is coming at you with no surprises. People are less inclined to approach you from the front. 

You Never Know Who You Might Meet
One day during an outdoor workshop this curious Stellar's Jay popped in. He was grabbing at everyone's brushes and pens, even tired flying off with a few. I think he just wanted to join in.

Take A Friend 

People will be less inclined to come up to you if you are not alone. Bring along a sketch partner, a paint group or even just someone who is there to read a book, listen to a podcast, or enjoy the fresh air.

"Everything that is painted directly and on the spot has always a strength, a power, a vivacity of touch which one cannot recover in the studio... three strokes of a brush in front of nature are worth more than two days of work at the easel." Eugene Boudin

On Location: Mini Sketch Gear

There are numerous ways to transport your sketching materials when working outside of the studio. People employ a large variety of options for storing their materials while sketching on location. Several factors, based on personal preference and materials used, go into the development of a succesful working solution.

My Kit
This is my smallest sketch kit. It is very light and can go anywhere. It easily fits in a jacket pocket, on my belt, or in a messenger bag. I like organization and things staying in place. My solution was to contain everything in a zippered pouch with various sized loops for pens and pencils plus several insert pockets. All of which could be held comfortably in my non-drawing hand. Contained in this kit are three water brushes, two mechanical pencils, an eraser, a fountain pen, a fine-line marker, and a mini watercolour palette. A 5.5" X 3.75" handmade sketchbook using 90 lb Fabriano Artistico watercolour paper finishes up the package. The pouch itself is a military-style one that I picked up at a thrift store. Different types of pouches were tried before finally settling on this one.

One Size Does Not Fit All
It is important to note at this point that this is not the only size I work with. I have larger kits that I also use. It depends on you, how you work, and your specific needs.

Putting Together Your Own Kit
First, sort out the sketching materials you usually work with. Pare them down to what you actually work with. This is probably the hardest part of the process, we all want to bring every color, every sized brush, every pencil and pen, plus the studio sink with us. 

From there, decide how you would like to store those materials taking into consideration how you will access them as you work on location. Some people prefer a simple zippered pouch, like a pencil case, in which everything is thrown into and accessed as needed. Others, who carry a purse, bag, or pack of some sort partition off a section of that. A few forgo a pouch or bag all together putting their sketchbook in one jacket pocket and their other tools in another. 

Once you settle on a direction, test it out at home first. Get familiar with where your materials are kept and how you will access them as you sketch. In this way, when you're on location, everything will be second nature leaving you to focus on the matter at hand. 

An important thing to make a decision about is whether you will be standing or sitting to sketch. Or both. When sitting, you usually have a place to put down your materials, bags, etc. Standing, however, usually requires you to have your materials on your person in some manner, so your hands are free to sketch.

Ready to Go
The best thing about putting a kit like this together is that it gives me no excuses, or regrets, about not being able to do a sketch, whether waiting for a bus, out for a walk, or coming across something unique that I "just have to sketch". 

The Scouts tell us to "Always Be Prepared!" The same can be said for sketching on location. The best way to be prepared is to have your gear always at hand.