Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Andrews
Miguel de Maria
This is a book that has been out many years, in several editions. I
picked up a copy last week and have been going through the exercises.
It is amazing! I could always draw a little, but the concepts and
exercises in this book (some of them ancient) have made huge changes
in my perceptions and ability to render objects. Much of it is
designed to bypass the lingustic-symbolic mode of drawing, where,
roughly, a face is a circle with two dots and a semi-circle, for
example, and to help you see and draw what is actually registering on
your eyes. One of the great tricks is simply to draw, not the object,
but the spaces around the object. Another is to turn the thing you
are drawing upside down. Apparently, it is used by corporations to
help people problem solve and "see things differently". I cannot
recall ever advancing so much in any skill on just a week.
It makes we wonder whether many of us suffer from systematic
perceptual problems in music, and whether there are any books on music
that are so powerful, that with a few concepts and exercises can teach
so profoundly. Anyone know of books like that?
Andrew Schulman
wrote:
Andrew
wollybird
wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
Oddly enough I have a copy of that book. It was my ex wife's so I
haven't read it...............yet
(I really do have it)
dsi1
wrote:
It's a very interesting effect - deliberately avoiding focusing on the
task you're doing. It's always easier to cut a line by not looking at
it but rather outside the line. You can carry a container of water
with less spills if you're not focusing on keeping the water level.
There's probably some way to play the guitar from the right side but
most of us never got the knack.
fol...@yahoo.com
I think improvising is a way.
On Feb 20, 8:31 pm, dsi1 <dsi...@hawaiiantel.net> wrote:
> On Feb 20, 1:41 pm, Miguel de Maria <elegantspanishgui...@gmail.com>
Miguel de Maria
I did discover one trick, actually I got it from Kenny Werner. You
simply observe your finger or whatever doing the action. You pretend
it's not you doing it, but that it moves of its own volition. Try it--
it's cool. They should call it "The Stranger".
John Nguyen
wrote:
May I suggest next time you draw on paper so it won't hurt?
Cheers,
John
dsi1
You're probably drawing it on there using one of those cheap Sharpie
markers - next time try using a nickel-finish 44 Colt Python. It's a
classic!
>
> Andrew
>
dsi1
My guess is that there's a lot of teachers that don't encourage behavior
of that sort.
dsi1
I like weird stuff like that and will try it out on a couple of my
favorite body parts.
edspyhill01
>
> - Show quoted text -
What a joke setup - but I won't.
Andrew Schulman
> ..next time try using a nickel-finish 44 Colt Python. It's a
> classic!
>
>
OK, just got one, loading it, let's see what happens now, pulling the
tr
Miguel de Maria
wrote:
Great, now you'll never learn to draw!
Andrew Schulman
wrote:
> Great, now you'll never learn to draw!
>
>
Miguel de Maria
Any specific sort? Classical or jazz, with guitar or without?
Miguel de Maria
wants the student to memorize the feeling of each movement and play by
consciously deploying those feelings, rather than by referring to
visual landmarks or descriptions of the movements. I have tried it
off and on, but not with consistent discipline.
dsi1
Showing restraint, eh? It's jokers like you that really messes it up for
everybody else. 300 and even higher posts on the stupidest of topics
don't just happen by accident, buster!
dsi1
Looks like I forgot that part about making sure it wasn't loaded. It's
always something, ain't it? Hopefully, it won't affect your playing. I
made the same mistake and I'm OK except I don't hear so good sometimes.
dsi1
I'm pretty knackless in all genres on any instrument although probably a
little less so on CG, I never could get the hang of being inept at that
one.
dsi1
I saw a demo on TV where a reporter had his left brain hemisphere
irradiated with what looked like a dental x-ray machine and then was
asked to draw a picture of a horse. The before and after drawings were
quite different. My guess is that the left brain tends to keep our
drawings as a literal rendition in which correct dimensioning is
critical. After the irradiation, the reporter's drawing was more of an
impressionistic "artistic" rendering. The effect was quite remarkable
although temporary.
My guess is that we're capable of so much more through selectively
damaging parts of our brain. Who knew that drain bamage could be so much
fun?
Andrew Schulman
Richard Jernigan
> My guess is that we're capable of so much more through selectively
> damaging parts of our brain. Who knew that drain bamage could be so much
> fun?
A notorious member of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, Wavy Gravy was
quoted in the first edition of the Whole Earth Catalog: "They said if
we fooled around with those drugs we would get brain damage. They
didn't know that brain damage was what we were after."
On the subject of drawing:
When my daughter was 3 years old we were driving from Baton Rouge to
visit friends in Auburn, Alabama. She and her 2-year old brother were
in the back seat of the VW Beetle, my wife and I were in the front.
During a boring stretch of countryside my daughter was working with
paper and Crayolas. "Now I draw pussycat," she announced.
After 5 minutes or so of silent concentration and work, she exclaimed
in a scandalized tone of voice, "No, no, hippopatamus!"
RNJ
fol...@yahoo.com
wrote:
cheesy flamenco, hopefully without guitar
Miguel de Maria
What a coincidence! Last night I was singing in the shower,
imagining an E-F chord progression and my voice as Rafael Mendez'
trumpet. 65% of people think they are composers, you know.
Miguel de Maria
> irradiated with what looked like a dental x-ray machine and then was
> asked to draw a picture of a horse. The before and after drawings were
> quite different.
I've heard of sacrifices for science, but not for TV!
My guess is that the left brain tends to keep our
> drawings as a literal rendition in which correct dimensioning is
> critical.
According to Edwards, the LB is used for the large-scale proportioning
of the object. You make this glass with a grid on it and use that to
train your ability to construct the object. However, she also
believes the LB is what distorts perception to make trees look kinda
like green lollipops when we draw them and eyes look like round balls
with dots in the middle. Some of the exercises are designed to get
the LB to decline the task and let the RB take over. Whether or not
that is true, there is definitely some strange things happening
upstairs. When you are looking at the negative space in an object, it
kind of "pops out" when you stare long enough. And some of tricks
certainly help to override the biases that prevent good drawing.
daveA
wrote:
Yes. A small effort for a guitarist at other instruments is rewarding
all out of expectations. Specific typical examples: conga, any wind or
bowed instrument, and piano.
You tend to stop hearing what you can't control.
Better understanding of period music enhances your understanding of
the present and its music.
> Anyone know of books like that?
Not I.
Regards, daveA