When we draw as children we do so for fun and it is part of our natural development. As you get older and you realize your drawings don’t look like what you are trying to draw most people stop drawing as their internal critic surfaces. In most cases the reason the drawings don’t resemble what your trying to draw is because of a imbalance in your brains development. As the left side of the brain, which uses symbols, over takes the right side of the brain and substitutes symbols for what it believes aspects of an object looks like we begin draw the symbols instead of actually looking at the object we are drawing and drawing what we see.
As our critic emerges we generally put down our pencils and stop drawing. Years later when we reclaim our pencils and attempt drawing again our brain picks right up where we left off as children. It is a developmental skill set we have to work through as we did with mathematics, writing and reading. Unfortunately our western society prizes and encourages the skill sets of the left side brain activities and doesn’t promote the advancement of right brain development as it doesn’t see the value in the aspects of right brain skills in relation to activities needed in buisness or science.
I firmly believe we should encourage aspects of right brain development in its many forms in order to keep the brain balanced in its development and encourage the cooperation of both sides of the brain working together. Drawing is an excellent means to this end as it can be done with a regular pencil or pen and a piece of paper. Drawing can be done in many forms and techniques and with simple regular practice can develop your skills and development of the right side of your brain. The biggest part of this process is shutting down the speaking, logical, left side of your brain. Not letting it take control and resort to using symbols. Your left brain has had the majority of control since you stopped drawing and coloring and will not relinquish that control without a a fight. That fight is the apprehension, tension, and frustration you experience in attemping to draw, silencing the critic, refusing to submit to drawing what you think and instead drawing what you actually see.
You need to gain control of your hand and fingers to control the pencil to make the exact marks you wish to make. To use your eyes to actually see what you are looking at beyond the names, predetermined shapes your mind knows and see lines, angles, shades, shapes, and then recreating with your pencil or pen in an accurate representation of what you see. Start with simple objects for your composition until you can accurately portray them in two deminsions. Maybe read some art books or basic drawing books to get some hints and pointers. As you develop the right side of your brain and begin developing it on a regular basis the left side of your brain will submit or share control as they learn to work together.
Being able to bring the cognitive qualities of both sides of your brain together to solve problems, work out solutions, not only in a logical means but in a asthetic and balanced approach to a solution, entire new avenues and insights will open up for you. New connections will be made between images, ideas, thoughts and memories. Besides giving your mind new material to chew over and consider on a regular basis and exercising and forcing both halves of your mind to work together on problems brings about new vistas of ‘ah ha’ moments and insightful inspiration into all areas of your life.
So when was the last time you sketched something, doodled, or attempted to draw a picture? Does your art work look like examples from your grade school art class? Those who chalk it up to some people have talent and some don’t are just being stubborn and hard headed about learning. Isn’t it about time your brought the other side of your mind up to the level of the half you regularly use? Your inner critic will fight and scream and your left side of the brain will try and remain dominate. It will quitely try and retain control and have you drawing symbols representations, stick figures for people and other infintile stuff. Force your left brain to be quite, don’t speak, and force your self to draw what you see. Let your right brain take control for a little bit. It will be alright it is still your brain, it is the part you stuffed away and left behind as a child. Release it’s power, exercise it, let it build strength and power to where it shares control with the left side of your brain and see how it transforms your thinking, your outlook, and your life.
May God Bless You. Writers get back to writing after you have drawn a picture. Make drawing a part of your daily exercises and warm up for writing. It will free your mind and spirit. More importantly it forces both sides of your brain to work together.
Posted in: Right Brain Drawing Control pencil
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