Inspired to draw; inspired to teach drawing

Inspired to draw; inspired to teach drawing

Inspired to draw; inspired to teach drawing

I have been passionate about art since I was teenager, and particularly love drawing because I was fortunate enough to have an incredibly inspiring and talented art teacher. After a career change into the world of journalism where my art became a much-loved hobby, I am now in the extremely fortunate position of being able to pass on those techniques to art students coming on a drawing or painting holiday to our home in Normandy in northwest France. Until I began studying the science of teaching art in general and drawing in particular as part of my first degree, I didn’t realise that my wonderful tutor had been teaching us how to switch onto working in the creative right hemisphere of the brain instead of the daily dominant and non-creative left side. He had been taught that way by his tutors at the Royal Academy, who in turn had been taught by their tutors, etc, etc, over the generations. It was in the late 1970s and early 80s that science tried to explain how and why these methods worked, but I already knew that they did and was – and still am – using them in my teaching. I never cease to delight in seeing the ‘lightbulb’ moment when a student changes hemispheres and can suddenly ‘see’ in that special way that allows them to draw what is actually in front of them rather than the stereotypical way that the left brain has of wanting to draw what it logically thinks should be there. Nearly three years ago we moved from UK to France and I am now able to focus on my art and teaching these techniques to debunk the oft-quoted myth of “I can’t draw”. Whether it is the students in my regular fortnightly classes or those on intensive – but fun – drawing holidays, with these techniques, students make great strides in their drawing abilities in just the first few hours. For those on drawing holidays, the amount they have progressed by the end of the week is astounding. When students learn about ‘being in the right mode’, then experience it and see the difference it makes in their ability to draw what is actually in front of them, the results are incredible. I can actually see students conqueror the struggle to quieten the usually dominant left brain and see the right hemisphere take control: it’s a different expression in them and it’s an even greater difference in the quality of the marks they are making on the page. I can also see when the left regains dominance for a fleeting moment and then when they switch back to right brain. On a drawing holiday week, we cover the basics of shading techniques, perspective drawing and use of tools like the grid so beloved of Dürer, within the studio sessions doing exercises to switch hemispheres. Then we put it all into practice with sessions sketching on location, with excellent results. It’s an intensive week, but one that ends with the student leaving inspired, informed and empowered to progress – I can’t ask for more!!
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