when we think of an object, we mostly get a very clear image in our heads of what we‘re thinking of. So why is it that for most of us, it is very difficult to draw it when we want to ?
In: 5
Drawing is a mechanical skill, same as any other, and takes practice to be good at. I could visualize myself scoring a free throw, but it doesn’t make me good at shooting a basketball.
There are people who physically cannot visualize objects the way you’re describing. Those people can still be great artists if they practice the skill. It takes them a bit more effort to make the image coherent, since they obviously can’t tell how it will end up, but that doesn’t prevent them from being good at the physical task of drawing.
Drawing requires you to mentally view an object from a certain perspective, mentally project this image onto the media’s surface, then plan and execute motor skills to produce lines and marks that correspond to each portion of the projected image in proportion to its desired perspective. These additional cognitive tasks require practice.
Some people seem more adept at drawing than others. But as Bob Ross once said, “Talent is just a pursued interest.” If drawing interests you, this interest will sustain your motivation practice drawing, and you will get better at it.
I actually see very, very little in my minds eye. I always thought this was normal, until I started hearing about it last year. It’s called aphantasia, but it’s also an ability they can be improved on. I’ve made some small strides myself, but still find it very lacking.
A whole lot of people don’t actually get a clear image in their head.
My imagination is based more on movements. If I try to imagine a picture, it’s very dark and almost always black and white.
When you say dog, I see a black swirl with teeth that jumps like a dog
I can sketch the words I’m saying and feeling but there’s no image for me to reproduce.
As others note, there’s a lot between visualizing an image and the complex actions to draw it in realistic detail. I would also note that your mental image is probably a lot less accurate and detailed than you think.
Our mental images are often based on shortcuts and rules of thumb that help us tell things apart in important ways. For instance, if you think about a penny, your brain knows it’s a small round disc, copper-colored, with a face on one side and a building on the other. (If not in the US, substitute the smallest coin in your currency.) But do you actually know what the text says, or where each piece of text is on the coin? People can’t draw a penny because their brain has never needed to tell it from anything but other coins, so the rest of the information is useless amd neither acquired nor retained.
Recognition takes less information than full detailed knowledge. Your brain doesn’t actually take photos, even if it tells you it does.
It is tied to mechanism of imagining. First activate few memory neurons, then image is generated using them as seed. Its super hard to imagine complex object absulutly same second time.
When you try to draw (without prior training) your brain tries to use seed neurons which does contain super minimal information about image you imagined. As motoric processing part does not share information with visual processing part they have zero clue, what was generated from seed.
When people learn to paint they slowly learn to project their movement processing into visual. Very similar process happens when fighter pactice “fight with shadow”
Latest Answers