In their book, "The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook," Martha Davis, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman and Matthew McKay write about left and right brain drawing. The right brain is the side that controls the intuitive, experimental process and deals with imagery and patterns. The left side on the brain deals with analytical and logical processes. To draw with the ride side of the brain active, you need to learn to shut down analytical thinking and turn on your intuitive drawing abilities.
Vase Face Drawing
Start out by drawing a "vase face" (see Resources). Print one out according to whether you are left- or right-handed. Right-handed versions have the image of the face or vase on the left side. Notice the eyes, nose and chin on the drawing. Go over the lines and redraw over the printout. Then on the opposite side of the page, draw the exact image in symmetrical fashion. The website Draw Right states that this is perfect example of noticing the differences between left and right brain drawing: when the verbal cues for the "nose" or "chin" are registered by your brain, the left brain automatically turns on to what it already knows or can refer to. When you draw the same image on the other side, you have to use only your spacial understanding on the right side of the brain.
Upside Down Drawing
Find an image in a magazine or book that you would like to draw. Now turn the image upside down. Draw it exactly as you see it, not how you think you see it. Davis, Eshelman and McKay write that this is another example of right versus left brain drawing. You are training your brain to work on spacial understanding only, instead of using your reasoning to produce an image.
Form and Shape Portrait
The book "Drawing on the Artist Within" advises to imagine a person you know very well. Imagine all the facial expressions, the shape of the features and so on. Now draw a rectangle or oval frame to draw this face inside. Draw the person as a sense of forms or shapes, not as the person actually looks. Censor nothing -- you do not need to show this to anyone or need to know what it will look like. Draw whatever comes to you. You should be working with your intuitive process only.
References
- "The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook"; Martha Davis, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, Matthew McKay; 2000
- Draw Right: The Vase/Faces Drawing
- "Drawing on the Artist Within"; Betty Edwards; 1987
