There was a book that I’ve read a while back- Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. Betty Edwards is an art professor (with a psychology background). This is one of the most interesting books I’ve read ( but I don’t read a lot lol).
She explains that the artists “by nature” are able to draw by observation because they have unintentionally learned the way of using literally (as the title states), the right hemisphere of the brain. The two hemispheres of the brain can function independently.
Here’s an abridged breakdown to help to easily understand how the two sides of the brain works:
The left side of the brain functions rationally and when we draw with the left we try to associate how preconceptions of what we already know about the object that we’re drawing which is why it is hardest to draw our faces that we’re so used to looking at for so many years.
The right side of the brain however helps our eyes distinguish our rational thoughts and instead helps us to see the object as it is.
Therefore, when we learn how to use the right side than the left we learn how to draw as the object appears, not as what we think that the object appears to be.
After I read this, I realize I tend to switch off from using my right and my left brain and had a hard time drawing by observation (realistic drawings).
So it was time to practice using my right brain. I started to draw cups and faces. And discovered something more.
After I drawing faces of people was when I realized the true beauty of God’s creation. When I draw these organic forms I’m basically creating a blueprint of something that is already made. After I finish sketching is when I conclude “everyone is wonderfully and fearfully made. Everyone is beautiful.” Beauty in the world is worldly, perverse beauty. Beauty in the world is not beauty at all for the word has been changed to mean other things.
Drawing faces as just the way they are and not by what I think they are helped me to see that God does not ever look at us and associate the subjectivity of the world’s definition of beauty.
I myself is tempted too. It is a battle everyday. Are we going to choose to love ourselves the way we were made? It is a battle because we fall into glorifying artificial beauty. Let’s think twice before judging others by appearance and see them, as they are.
Eunice Kim 