back to the drawing board
Meaning of the phrase:
-to begin anew on a different design or plan following the failure of a previous attempt
ยท Well, my art presentation was a total flop. Back to the drawing board, or as I like to call it, back to the finger-painting board.
Origin of the phrase:
Ah, back to the drawing board! The phrase that encapsulates the feeling of starting from scratch, like a baker who burns their first batch of snickerdoodles and has to toss them all in the bin.
The origins of this phrase can be traced back to a cartoon by Peter Arno, which was published in The New Yorker on March 1st, 1941. The cartoon shows an engineer walking away from a smoking, crashed plane with plans under his arm and a smile on his face. He says, ‘Well, back to the old drawing board.’ This classic cartoon inspired the phrase we use today to express the need to start over and try again.
As you can see from the cartoon below, the plans under the engineer’s arm suggest that he is heading back to the drawing board – a table used by engineers and draftsmen for making and modifying drawings, plans, or blueprints – to revise the design.
After the publication of the cartoon, the phrase “back to the drawing board” skyrocketed in popularity faster than a rocket ship blasting off to space. One of the earliest examples of the phrase’s usage dates back to 1942, when The Chicago Sun wrote a biting commentary on American politicians and their tendency to criticize without providing constructive solutions:
The American commentator or Congressman is, frequently, a person who stands upon their constitutional right to express their disliking for something. The entire nation, like a new bride, presents its war effort, resembling a cake, and anxiously awaits for them to take a bite and make a sour face. Oh well, everyone. Back to the drawing board. We ought to try again.
Nowadays, “back to the drawing board” is a versatile phrase, not limited to the field of engineering. It can be applied to any situation where things don’t go according to plan, from a failed business venture to a disastrous attempt at home improvement. It serves as a reminder that sometimes starting over is the best course of action, just like an artist who scrapes away paint from a canvas or a writer who deletes a whole chapter to start anew.
But don’t let the phrase discourage you. Going back to the drawing board can be a liberating experience, a chance to let your creativity soar and explore new avenues. It’s like a blank canvas waiting for your brushstrokes or a lump of clay waiting to be molded into a masterpiece.
So, there you have it: the story behind the phrase “back to the drawing board.” From a crashed plane to a burnt batch of snickerdoodles, we’ve all been there at some point. But don’t let the phrase get you down. Instead, embrace it as a chance to unleash your creative juices and try something new. Who knows? Your next idea might just be the one that takes the world by storm.