How many times have you walked into an arts exhibition and just marvel at the precision, beauty and accuracy of the works you see? You tend to think that these artists may have some sort of super brain to be able to create such art.
Many questions surround the concept of drawing with regard to whether it makes you smart or not. Drawing is an artistic process that many people use to express themselves and get their emotions out. There are many perspectives through which you can view the concept of drawing. The concept of drawing is often described as a graphic representation of an object or idea, using a pencil, paint, etc.
Learning new skills like drawing creates new pathways in the brain and drawing can help develop both hemispheres as it requires focus and creativity.
It is a great skill you can have, if you want. Most artists have revealed that drawing helps them refresh their brains and increase their ability to focus. Visual intelligence is a thing and is one of the many yardsticks to judging who a smart person is. Some have argued that drawing doesn’t necessarily make you smart rather it makes you creative but there are many schools of thought to the topic.
Is drawing good for your brain?
The famous Pablo Picasso once proclaimed that “art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.” Picasso created art until the age of 91. Of course, considering who Picasso was in the art world, it is safe to say that he created art for that long because of his passion for the craft, but then again, what if that was the only thing that kept his brain active?
The creation of art helps to relax the brain while refueling its creative boost almost at the same time. Research has shown that drawing, sketching and other forms of visual arts are good for the brain.
A New research has shown that “the production of visual arts improves effective interaction.” The small-scale study which involved 28 people, 14 men and 14 women, between ages 62 and 70, engaged them in art appreciation courses. The research showed that engaging in visual arts, such as drawing can help activate the brain, keeping one mentally stable.
What makes some people good at drawing?
There have been many answers to this question in the past, one school of thought believed that people who seem to be good -or even better- than others in drawing are those who are very expressive. They live within the confines of their emotions and do well with expressing their feelings and when they do, the results are usually awe-striking.
There is another school of thought that believes that certain people are better at drawing than others because they have a high level of patience. These people have good observational skills and take their time out to practice and develop in the art. They do not have to have the passion for the craft but their practice has made them have a technical know-how that boosts their ability to be creative with drawing.
Is drawing a talent or a skill?
This is a life-long debate, dating back centuries. With regards to what drawing really is, there are three broad opinions. The first opines that drawing is a skill, the second believes that it is a talent while the last proclaims that it can be both. The ideologues of the first opinion believe that the ability to know how to draw is something that can be learned. You could go to school and learn about the rudiments of art. These people believe that with consistent practice and discipline, people who did not previously have the skill can develop it.
Those who believe drawing is a talent propose that the ability to draw is inborn and inherent, thus it cannot be learned. Rather, they believe it can be developed.
The last school of thought believes that drawing can either be a skill or a talent. There are people who see it as a “God-given gift” and build on it. These people usually have an absurd passion for the craft and can go on for hours without getting tired. And on the flip side, they also believe that drawing can be a skill, in that with the right amount of effort and time, perfection can be achieved.
Why is learning to draw hard?
You have probably tried learning how to draw but have had a hard time putting things together. Well, it’s a bit dicey to say that drawing is hard considering the number of artists that are out there. However, drawing, without doubts, is a tricky art. A slight error can destroy the entire thing; one displaced or misplaced line or ‘stroke’ can actually make a Monalisa Replica look like Princess Diana (that’s on a lighter note).
Drawing requires a higher level of thinking than we use for our day-to-day activities. Maybe this is why it is easy to tell that it makes people smarter. To get to the level you wish to get to, it is advised that you develop the skills and train yourself constantly. For clarity, you can liken the process of learning to draw to learning a new language. Both tasks require that you make use of multiple skills and also pay attention to details. In learning a language for instance, you must pay attention to the little details in the vocabulary, sentence construction, grammar and much more.
How do you get good at drawing?
Getting good at drawing is not a one-time thing. It requires a lot of practice. Nothing good comes easy. The simple secret to getting good at drawing is literally drawing. Drawing requires patience and for you to observe what you are sketching really well. When drawing, you have to ensure that you take note of the details. You are not simply trying to get an image captured, you are analysing and reproducing it or you are putting your thoughts physically onto paper.
You are conscious of the form, proportion and colour. Your mind is sensitive even to the faintest of strokes. To become better at drawing, here are some things you can do;
- Practice drawing
- Imitate drawings
- Draw real life objects or people.
- Draw from photographs
- Take a class
- Be purposeful about it
- Have a sketchpad
How often should you practice drawing?
It’s been established throughout the article that being good at drawing requires that you practice consistently. The big question is, how often do you practice? To become a skilled person in drawing, you have to work hard every day with discipline and consistency. In looking at how often you should practice, first you would need a schedule.
Creating a particular time each day specially dedicated to drawing will greatly help. It could be as little as 30 minutes and it could be as long as four hours. Of course, there would be days when you would miss your schedule due to unavoidable circumstances, but the best thing you can do at such times is to quickly move the time to the next day, and if possible, add more time the next day and try not to skip any more going forward.
Can I teach myself to draw?
This question is highly subjective. Can you teach yourself a second language? Can you teach yourself math? Can you teach yourself science? These are related questions. If you do get the required “self help” tools, it is possible to teach yourself to draw. While it is possible, it’s not the ideal way to go. In one way or another, you would need the help of someone who has done something similar before to help further your art.
So, while the answer to the question is affirmative, it is important to point out that, teaching yourself is within the confines of how well you can practice. This means that you would have to get the knowledge, or idea from someone else, and then decide to commit yourself to serious practice and with time, you would become better.
Is it too late to learn to draw as an adult?
It is never too late to learn to draw as an adult. You can learn to draw even in your 80s if you have a steady hand. What really matters is your passion to achieve your goal to be good at drawing and having the determination to back it up. Just believe it and you can do it. No one started perfect. Learning to draw is a process. Try to be deliberate about your will to learn the craft and in no time, you would attain perfection.
Conclusion
Learning to draw really does something to the brain that activates it to do better at other things. If that’s what being smart is, coupled with coordination, precision, an eye for details, hand-eye coordination, and craftsmanship, then drawing does make you smarter. At the end of the day, if you are seriously interested in learning how to draw, you should be encouraged to go for it. Do not be deterred by the seemingly difficult art, just go for it and in no time, you’ll be happy you did.