Drawing and the Drawing and the BrainBrain

“In order to draw, we must learn how to see.”

From an early age we From an early age we have learned to see have learned to see things in terms of things in terms of SYMBOLS. If we want to SYMBOLS. If we want to get better at drawing, get better at drawing, then We must let go of then We must let go of these symbols and these symbols and learn learn how to seehow to see..

Learning how to see Learning how to see INVOLVES A SHIFT IN INVOLVES A SHIFT IN THE BRAIN.THE BRAIN.

We have two We have two hemispheres/modes:hemispheres/modes:

dominant mode - left dominant mode - left brain subordinate mode brain subordinate mode

- right brain- right brain

To draw well, an artist To draw well, an artist must “turn on” their right must “turn on” their right brain which is largely brain which is largely responsible for visual and responsible for visual and imaginative functions and imaginative functions and “turn off” their dominant “turn off” their dominant left brain which is mainly left brain which is mainly concerned with logic and concerned with logic and language.language.

To shift into “R-To shift into “R-mode”, you must refrain mode”, you must refrain from talking and thinking from talking and thinking in terms of words in terms of words otherwise you will draw otherwise you will draw what you know and fall what you know and fall back on your symbols. back on your symbols.

You know that you have You know that you have entered R-mode if…entered R-mode if…

…… …….you lose your sense of time.you lose your sense of time

…… …….you are unaware of the words, .you are unaware of the words,

music and activity around music and activity around you.you.

Drawing Upside Drawing Upside DownDown

The process of drawing The process of drawing upside down is to upside down is to change a recognizable change a recognizable object into a bunch of object into a bunch of lines that connect and lines that connect and relate to each other. relate to each other. This stops you from This stops you from using symbols and using symbols and forces you to forces you to draw what draw what you seeyou see..