Drawing with snow and ink

Research drawing of synergistic expressive possibilities of snow and ink

Author: Alfred Freddy Krupa MFA

January 2021

Since the line and art form is the primary motif, it is about modernist and contemporary
approach, where they are also minimalist, more or less abstract, and expressionist drawing
due to the nature of the material, techniques and operating conditions. This kind of the artistic
procedure with snow and ink could be qualified as sort of a sub-technique of modern Plein-air
ink painting.

Location:
the banks of the river Kupa on January 12, 2021

Time of the day:

morning

Temperature and weather conditions:

below – 4, sunny

Materials used:
the snow, Chinese brush Inkston Practice 4, wide soft brush for watercolor, black ink Koh-I-
Noor on thin printing cardboard format 63x71 cm.
Note: a painting stand has not been used

Motif:
The primary motif was drawing form, drawing texture, and focus research of the form
obtained by using snow as a drawing medium.
The secondary motif was a tree on the banks of the Kupa River under the snow, the poplars,
and the building on the another side of the river.

Procedure:
I first chose a familiar motif suitable for some new interpretation, then I applied snow to
places on the substrate (at the same time varying the amount of snow applied) counting on its
impact during and after the ink drawing. Then I used a wide soft watercolor brush to further
define the places and the amount of snow on the surface. Then I started drawing with a brush
and ink. Upon completion, I stayed outside to let the snow dry slowly under the influence of
the sun. In places, I took away the ink-water so as not to ‘leak’ too much.
Situation and steps/stages:
Drawing textures:
Final result:

Conclusion:
Since the line and art form is the primary motif, it is about modernist approach, where they
are also minimalist, more or less abstract, and expressionist drawing due to the nature of the
material, techniques, and operating conditions.
When drawing, one should take into account the specific deformations of the shape of the line
and the surface that occur, due to the low ambient temperature, by stiffening the brush and ink
and cardboard. The line will become emphatically expressive and will require the artist to find
his way immediately. Particular attention should be paid to the effect of snow crystals on the
behavior of the brush and ink liquid on the substrate both during application and later during
its melting.
These coincidences, through practice, need to be turned into an anticipated form. In addition
to the expected imprint of the crystal form in the dried shower, the snow will add a stain to the
variation of the lines (and within the line) drawing i.e. painting element. During drying the
snow will spontaneously maneuver/dilute the ink in a way and in quantity depending on how
much we have previously applied it on paper, ie cardboard.
It should be noted that the role of the crystal imprint in a dried classically maneuvered ink or
watercolor (if used in the above conditions) will be even clearer and more significant than in a
condensed ink like in this case.
This kind of the artistic procedure with snow and ink could be qualified as sort of a sub-
technique of modern Plein-air ink painting.

What should be emphasized is that this way of working is quite clear understandably, at the
conceptual and performance level the ‘nightmare’ for the inexperienced novice draughtsman.
It is intended for an educated artist who both theoretically and practically understands the
nature and significance of the modernist approach to drawing, who has mastered most of the
aggravating circumstances of ink drawing, who has mastered painting in nature, who knows
what to expect from a particular painting/drawing situation.
Of course, if it corresponds to his/her artistic poetics, ie his/her painting/drawing
mentality/sensibility and what he wants to express through his artwork.