Saturday, June 4, 2011

Strange shift of the brain?

I started reading, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards today.  So far, I've only read her theory and her research on the right side of the brain and I can already attest to how different each hemisphere is.  After a couple of months of drawing lefty, I noticed how I now skip many steps while drawing compared to how I drew with my right. I don't know for sure if the left hand uses my right side of the brain "better" but all I know is that my right brain is liking in more.  For example: when drawing portraits I usually would make light sketches of the round skull, the vertical line from forehead to neck, draw lines from ear to ear, perhaps a couple of lines from the ends of the nostrils to the ends of the mouth, etc.  From here I would do more and more value guessing and shape guessing until there was enough information on the page for me to really start.  But now, I just don't have the tolerance for all those steps and I just "go for it."  My methodology changed from "let's plan and take each step one at a time," to "let's get it right the first time!"  As a result, these portraits have never taken more than 2-3hrs.  So somehow my perfectionism has disappeared.  Now this could also be because of my sudden interest in blind contours in February or my timed bird-gesture-drawings-so I can't be sure.

The portraits so far have not had likeness successfully accomplished but I think that also is getting better with practice.  Perhaps a balance of my right and left hand drawing is necessary.  If you can guess who this guy is then I'll give you a......ehhh...idk......a....handshake! lol    

2 comments:

  1. Fascinating! I'm curious to see your comparison hands right next to each other when your right hand gets better

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  2. i'm guessing ben stiller i want a monetary prize

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