Journaling Superstitions #13: Special Tools Make All the Difference

Left: State Fair sketch by Marty Harris using a Pilot Better Retractable Pen. That’s right—an office pen. Click on the image to view an enlargement. Image ©Marty Harris.

Pffft!

That’s hooey. Special tools don't make all the difference—just look at what Marty Harris can do with a simple ball point pen.

Yes you know that already, but every so often your critical mind might try and tell you this, might suggest that your drawings or paintings or quilts would be better if you had the Wonder Pen 3000, the Ultra Brush FS (fine stuff), or the Magical Motion Revolving Quilting Arm EX (excellent, as opposed to the SP model which is only super).

What’s really happening is a form of procrastination.

If you have any old tool and you work consistently with it for a set amount of time the improvement you see will be greater than any improvement you see if you have the Wonder Pen 3000 and only use it on holidays! (Remember what Malcolm Gladwell says in Outliners.)

Left: Another State Fair sketch, ©Marty Harris, using the Pilot Better Retractable Pen and a bit of marker. Click on the image to view an enlargement.

To prove my point (well it doesn’t need proving—but to illustrate it) I offer work from the extraordinarily talented Marty Harris. (You can see more of Marty’s great work with a ball point pen [and other art tools] at his Flickr site. You'll also find links to the various Moleskine exchange projects he coordinates. Be sure to check out Marty's raccoons!)

When you read about James Jean on the internet you’ll find more than one person longing for the magic pen. Sure they really know there is no magic in the pen he uses, it’s James Jean. And yes it is alright to fall in love with someone’s line and style and wonder how you might replicate that line if you had a similar tool—because it’s through that experimentation that you find your own unique style.

What isn’t good is to wait until the right tool comes along—or to simply keep buying more and more tools which you never put enough effort into using to gain any proficiency.

Look long and hard at your collection of art tools and materials today. Are they stacking up unused? If so, then now is the time to use them with abandon. Burn right through them—no waiting for anything, in fact, hardly draw a breath. Because those unused and “precious” (Oh, I’m saving that for a special occasion) supplies will just weigh you down like so many lost opportunities—just like the chains that weigh Jacob Marley down.

If you’re frustrated that your friend Bob is a master of the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen don’t take your brush pen out once or twice, have a go, and put it away in disgust. Instead take out that brush pen for 15 to 60 minutes every day for three weeks and really learn to employ that tool in your art. See what line quality you can get, how you have to adapt your normal shading methods, what size constraints you have to adjust to…

If a brush pen seems ambitious, just grab a pencil, a 3B to 6B which can be smudged with your finger for shading. Use it every day for 15 to 60 minutes for three weeks and discover a new affinity for a tool many folks over look.

This holds true of paper as well. Perhaps you’ve been frustrated by a particular paper not yielding the results you want. Examine whether or not you are using a tool suitable to that paper—for instance people who use Moleskines often talk about the sketchbook paper version not working well with watercolor. Well if you’ve found that to be the case then maybe it’s time to find a paper that works well with watercolor, since that’s important to you. Or if the Moleskine is more important, then find pens that you enjoy working with on that surface. Chances are the simplest of pens will not only be your best starting point in this experiment, but will prove the most useful. Soon you’ll find an office supply pen that is readily available to you, inexpensive, and provides the line you want. All because you took an actively aggressive approach to finding out what works for you—which is different from simply gathering “potential” materials together.

I hope you’ll be inspired by artists like Marty Harris. It isn’t about the tool, it’s about drawing, and drawing, and drawing.

Make 2010 about using what is at hand and about focusing on learning how to use what is at hand. If you do, when you look back on 2010 a year from today, you'll see a progression in your art—real progress. There will also be a new freedom to work with what is at hand, and to work more often, without delay.

Have a great 2010.

Comments

[donnamcm]

Yes, of course all that is true Roz, but.................it is fun to buy new art supplies. (And the James Jean pens arrived, very thin line for a ballpoint, with a light line. I will probably use it to draw depth in my drawings).

[Julie Broom]

Brilliant advice, Roz! I'm one of those guilty parties who seems addicted to buying more and more art materials. Time to take stock and put what I've acquired to better use!

[Nancy Patterson]

The PERFECT post for New Year's Eve...to start the new year fresh..with fresh eyes, and perspective! It's not about perfect tools..it's about DOING your art. You can't get better, achieve your goals without DOING!! No matter if you are using office supplies, or crayons or a $100 brush. If you are not using it...it isn't helping you!

Thank you Roz for the inspiring discussion. I have a tendency to hoard my sketchbooks...buy, buy, buy..and then only put one sketch in them a day. Thanks for the kick in the butt!

Happy New Year!

Nancy Patterson
Crivitz, WI

[Katy]

Roz, you nailed me! I had already been thinking about this, and now I'm going to DO IT! Using what I have starting today! Thanks!

[Roz]

donna, as long as you are using those tools you are buying I'm not worried about you at all! Other folks I know and a large portion of my students, are always expressing frustration over how certain tools aren't working and it comes down to how those tools aren't being used, and then you did deeper and you find that few tools are being used and more and more are added to the pile and well I just wanted to give those folks a little push.

I can't hide the fact that I buy new tools—but I always buy them when I know I have a block of time to actually use them. Then then can become a useful addition to my choices for work.

Have fun with those pens!

[Roz]

Julie, I'm glad that you're going to take stock (it's that time of year) and really dig into that pile of tools and materials. The fun thing is you'll probably find new combinations of things to try and use together. The main thing is to have fun experimenting and reacting to the lines and colors and results you get from a certain product. Have fun in 2010 using your art materials up!

[Roz]

Thank you Nancy, but now I want you to stop hoarding those sketchbooks. Fill them up. I've written a lot of posts about this so if I provided links you would be reading all year long—instead, I want you to just pick a book and use it up, and if you don't like the paper, then do speed drawings every day for two weeks, or until the book is filled, while you turn to another journal for other types of journaling work. In that way you'll get through those books and get some sketching practice, and get some of you out on the page.

It's difficult I know, to resist the beautiful books people have on offer, or to resist the books that are unique because of the paper they have. Also, in this consumer culture we can't often find the same type of book for the course of our artistic lives (Many of us miss the Pentallic square blue journal!) so I think we all have to be realistic about how much stuff we bring into the house. Our tastes change and if we don't get around to using something until our tastes change, well then, having that book or tool around has been pretty much a waste.

And all the while we having been DOING as you say.

I hope your 2010 is full of DOING with all the tools and sketchbooks that you have. I hope you find a sketchbook that suits you and fall in love with it an all the tools you've been gathering!

And Nancy, if you put one sketch in a sketchbook and find it isn't for you don't give up on the sketchbook yet—make a point to sketch in it everyday for a week, with different media to discover if it isn't just the media.

And at the end of the week if it still isn't for you, well shelve it and forget about it, move on to the books you are aching to fill.

[Roz]

Katy, I'm glad I'm helping with a little push to that conversation in your mind. Sometimes the most exciting things we do are with whatever little odd thing we have lying around. I hope you have a fabulous start (today) to this adventure, and that it lasts all year long (2010) and beyond!

[Marty Harris]

It is a huge honor to be referenced on your blog Roz. A Pilot Better retractable pen is 2 inches from my left typing hand. As the camera pans across the deskscape there is a spent glass of a yogurt, juice, fruit, and oat bran concoction, and in quick rolling succession, scissors, wacom pen, triangle, 10 dollar bill and change, scraps of paper, a RISD cup with pencils and stuff, with Sedona-like cliffs of books as a back drop. I've got all I need to make as fine a picture as I've ever made. What's my excuse?

Happy, healthy & productive 2010!!

[Diane Wesman]

Long ago I observed some of my best work was on cheap paper--after all I could go at it with abandon, no worry about "ruining" good paper. An unfortunate way of thinking with a scarcity undertone to it but also illustrating the fact that we need to get out of our own way and not be so up-tight about using materials. I also think your challenge to practice, practice, practice with materials before you say they don't work is right on. On the subject of readily available, inexpensive materials, here's a plug for my favorite pen: Sanford's Uniball Micro--available at your office supply store or, sometimes, the drug store.

[Jon Harl]

It's funny in a way... I've got tons of pens and I recently decided to see how fast I could wear one out. I was thinking I'd wear this one out then that one and so on. I'm not going to buy stuff I don't wear out.

[DragonLady]

I had a problem with this for a long time. I bought all kinds of stuff that that I didn't really use because somehow I was convinced that if I had it I would use it and I was just sure that the right tools would be the difference between so-so and great.

Now, I assign myself points for working. If I draw or paint for an hour, I get 50 points. When I accrue 500 points (ten hours of work) I set aside $20.00 for supplies. And what do you know? In that 10 hours I often use stuff up, and have to buy more of it. So now I'm not acquiring "new" stuff faster than I'm using up what up I have. And when I'm out of something is a perfect time to look through the stash and find something I bought but haven't used, and start using it.

I think everyone probably has to have their own system, but this works for me. And I've learned so much about what I actually use that when I do buy something new I make better choices.

[Carolyn]

oh, thank you Roz. I've been tempted to buy another book and a special dream pen, when it's REALLY my desire to create, mixed with a tad of fear or procrastination. Yep. My budget doesn't really need a new item, neither does my collection of books and supplies in my small house.

"Use it every day for 15 to 60 minutes for three weeks"

I'm glad you said 15 minutes, that's a very manageable space of time, and it easily flows into something longer....with joy resulting.

Happy New

[Lynn Fisher - Write Where I Am]

thanks for this post Roz, tonight I'm going to post "facing the new year in black and white" before I go out and party. I always have felt that sometimes when I'm bogged down in life, get up and journal with the most simple thing you have...for me, it's a plain 'ol pencil.
Have a Happy New Year Roz!!!

[Nancy Patterson]

Thank you Roz...you are such an inspiration. I look forward to your blog each and every day! I'm going to spend my New Year's Eve DRAWING!!! Happy New Year!

[Roz]

Marty, you continue to be an inspiration to me, whether you're using a Pilot Better Retractable pen or wacom pen. If you're not drawing right now I know it's because you're planning the next raccoon print right?!

have a great 2010!

[Roz]

Diane, I forgot about the Uniball you use. I should have mentioned it and your wonderful landscapes which I so enjoy watching you make! Here's to lots of drawing adventures in 2010—with office supplies!

[Roz]

Jon, I think that's a great idea. I can't quite follow along because I have more Pigment Liners than the law allows, some on my desk, some in my bag, some at the computer table—but except for them I think I typically do follow that idea.

And the whole push behind using those Stabilo Tones is to move them out of here so I can buy something else!

[Roz]

DragonLady—I love your point system, I can see it working for lots of people. I love that you look for new stuff in your stash when you've run out of what you were working with. This is a great system—keep going. Thanks for suggesting this to others!

[Roz]

Carolyn, you've got it "with joy resulting" that's exactly what we're aiming at. Buying more stuff can actually delay that joy. I'm so glad you're going to use stuff up, 15 minutes at a time! That will make some space in your house! And think of all the creative ideas that will come in! have a great 2010!

[Roz]

Lynn, I hope you had a safe and happy evening out tonight and also that you got some time to sketch with that pencil! Have a great 2010!

[Roz]

Thank you Nancy, for your kind words, and I hope you have a great New Year's Eve DRAWING! Draw on NY's Day as well!!!

now I have to go and do one more drawing—there's still time!

[Raena]

This made me laugh so hard. I think it was only last week that I went searching for James Jean's magical pen. Lucky for me I couldn't find it! And, oh boy, did my pocketbook take a hit last year, buying all the fabulous supplies of my favorite artists. I did know this already though; but it was good to have you remind me!

[Roz]

Raena, for me it is magical paper—the paper that got away—Turner Blue Wove from Barcham Green (a defunct mill, a defunct paper—though I'm sure someone has a pile of it somewhere!)

And James Jean's pen isn't very expensive—so if you want to experiment I don't think you have to worry or feel guilty—but then do a whole lot of pages with a school pencil OK?

Glad you got a laugh.

[paperandhand.blogspot.com]

I just found your post but this is the same resolution I made this year: enjoy the stuff I have and use it use it use it all!

As resolutions usually go it's too early to tell but I hope to be able to follow it and enjoy my supplies.

[Roz]

paperandhand—I wish you the best of success in you 2010 "use what's at hand" endeavor!

[Carol]

I'm SO late to this discussion ... but I had a calligrapher friend whose motto was: any pen, any paper, any time, any where. If you don't know the letters, it doesn't matter which material you use.

"It isn’t about the tool, it’s about drawing, and drawing, and drawing."

[Roz Stendahl]

Amen Carol!