Most of my Studio students have all but finished with the third assignment from Betty Edwards‘ video Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
In this exercise, the students use a plastic viewfinder to map out a foreshortened view of their hand using a vis-a-vis markers. They take their modified viewfinder and then translate that pen drawing into a pencil drawing using an identical four-quadrant grid to render their hand realistically using simple shading.
It’s an exercise on perception, learning to see if you will. I’ve been pleased with some of the results, and I think those students have been too—despite their constant complaints! I’ve had to reiterate to the students that they need to stop expecting my class to be easy.
The exercises from the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain course are difficult but effective in giving participants a solid introduction to the principles of drawing: line, negative space, angles and proportions, shading. Dr. Edwards includes the gestalt or the personality (or “thingness”) of the thing or person drawn. She indicates that the gestalt comes from drawing and isn’t something taught.
It’s a simple application (reformulation?) of the elements and principles of design.
I’ll keep you posted as to the progress as my classes move further through the material. I’m curious, though, has anyone else participated in one of Dr. Edwards’ workshops or walked students through this course?
I’d love to hear about it so please comment fully!
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Hi I have read about your struggles to learn your students to see in “new light” or mayby I should say “Right light”. I have been using some of Betty’s techniques with highschool students in the past, also I have done all the excercises my self and had great pleasure of the skills I have attended. I think for most times I have experienced a great feedback from students. Using a film to introduce it for students mayby is not what I would recommend. It makes all of it wery abstract for the kids to relate to, specially as you mentioned that they complain of the speaker voice. I can not figure out if you have done the exercises yourself or just read about them?
-Why did you choose a video in stead of introducing the exercises yourself?
What I have learned from experience is that AGE matters! Our brain develops in the adolecense from concrete to more abstract and holistic ways of perception. As Betty explains children use symbols to depict and describe their perceptions. And making that evolution from symbolic drawing to realistic drawing can not be forced untill your brain is ready to take the leap. This can wary greatly. Some take it very early, I know my baby sister made that leap at 5 years old, but she grew up surrounded by artistic big sisters and genetic input. While some of my highschool student have great difficulty making that connection at age of 15. I can almost predict witch students will stuggle by now. Most of the exercises requires you to get out of your comfort zone, and as a teenager that can be wery scary. And I somewhat get the impression that it scary for you too (using a video instead of leading the class) Why should they take the risk if you are not willing to do it? I do not know the age of your students. Mayby you should try to introduce the exercises for the older students first. I have had good experience with around 15 year olds. There will allways be the odd number who just refuce to leave their familiar symbols and try something new and risk a “failure” As Betty explains the left side is the dominant for the most of us. And it is a very harsh judge. I think that is the foremost important reason why a before drawing is neccessary to convince our Left side brain that the excersises actually has improved our ability to depict what we have drawn, without that proof our left side will allways find faults in our drawings and tell it is not good enough.
“Forcing ” your student out of their confort zone has all of the mentioned side effects, protesting in words, nervous mooving around, shifting attention to irrelewant things, finding comfort in their friend or I-pods. That is predictable behavior.
What I found most usefull in making them more confortable is to show my own struggle. I have the fortune of my mom saving my pictures from my childhood, If you don’t, you can collect samples of childrens pictures at different age. I show them what I was drawing in the age of 5-15 years and what I draw now, as I have learned how to use theese excellent tools (linedrawing, negative space, light and shade) And I promice you everybody can relate to my castle picture with princess ouside and my first struggles of trying to draw humans, I show the ones I have crossed ower with a big cross, dissapointed in my attempts. They can see the use of symbols and identify them. Then I ask them to close their eyes and picture their own drawings and see if they use symbols for eyes and noses. Every single one smiles and nodds. I ask if they are happy with their drawing skills or if they would like to learn to draw like me? And then I tell them that I can learn each and one of them the tools to do that. Then I introduce the concept of left and right…..And before we start the exercises I ask them to make a portrait that they will sign and date. Then we collect all refrence samples put them in an envelope that we seal and put away untill the end of the excercises when they have made their final self portrait.
I don’t say it will make everything smooth sailing, as I explained there are a lot of Left brainers in the classroom that will protest. But if you change your own perception of theese protests not beeing difficult, obstinate brats, and see that it is their Left brain not wanting to let go of the controll, You will have a different approach to the protests.
GOOD LUCK with you classes next year and don’t give up on a wonderful journey in helping kids to discover the world of seeing RIGHT ; )
K. Frimanson