Learning to Draw by Using the Right Side of Your Brain
What Do I Know? My Background
I have always had some artistic ability, even as a small child (before computers, iPads and the like) my favourite pastime was drawing and sketching. I studied Commercial Art through ICS Correspondence School (before computer digital art took over that field).
While employed at Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, I was asked to draw cartoons for the Library introduction manual, and to illustrate posters and displays for 'Orientation Week' each year.
I read the book 
Right Brain vs. Left Brain Theory
The right brain-left brain theory originated in the work of Roger W. Sperry, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1981.
The Right Brain
According to the left-brain, right brain dominance theory, the right side of the brain is best at expressive and creative tasks. Some of the abilities that are popularly associated with the right side of the brain include:
- Recognizing faces
- Expressing emotions
- Music
- Reading emotions
- Color
- Images
- Intuition
- Creativity
The Left Brain
The left-side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that involve logic, language, and analytical thinking. The left-brain is often described as being better at:
- Language
- Logic
- Critical thinking
- Numbers
- Reasoning
The Right Side: Natural Artistic Ability
Have you ever wondered why some of us have artistic ability and seem to be able to create amazing drawings, paintings and sculptures, while the rest of the population are confined to drawing basic stick figures? (Writers and poets are also included in those with artistic ability.)
Well, although 'outstanding' artistic ability is God-given talent, that doesn't mean the rest of us can't train ourselves to at least be able to draw or paint at a more than satisfactory level.
It has been a long-time accepted theory that we all have an in-built pre-disposal to using either the left or right side of our brains predominantly and this is one of the major factors in determining where most of our abilities as human beings are directed.
Recent research has shown that there is not always such a distinct leaning of individuals towards the predominant use of one side of the brain over the other as previously thought. For example, new studies show that abilities in subjects such as math are actually strongest when both halves of the brain work in tandem. Neuroscientists now know that the two sides of the brain work together to perform a wide variety of tasks and that the two hemispheres communicate.
That being said, this system of improving your artistic ability still works, and individuals still seem to display some preference to the attributes associated with the right or left brain.
Exercise One: Drawing Upside Down
Drawing upside down is a common exercise art students are asked to work on in order to improve observational skills and help switch from the logical mode (left-brain) to the creative mode (right brain).
One of the exercises in Betty Edwards' wonderful book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is to copy a sketch of Picasso's "Portrait of Igor Stravinsky," but draw it upside down. I was able to do it quite well the right way up (I do have natural artistic ability and am naturally 'right brain' oriented) but was surprised how much easier it was when I turned the original drawing upside down.
The point of the exercise is to draw what we actually see and to discourage us from focusing on recognizable shapes that our brain interprets from its stored concept of that shape. It is hard to switch off our logical mode completely so here are a few tips that may help you complete this exercise:
- Focus on separate lines and how they relate to those around them rather than look at the whole shape
- Look at blank space around the lines to get a more accurate placement of the those lines
- If you can't stop seeing recognizable shapes, focus on one part of the sketch and place a piece of paper over your original to cover parts that you aren't sketching. Once you are done with that section, move the paper to uncover the next section
These are the tips that have worked for me. Why don't you take the time to give it a try now.
Cover up the image that is the correct way up, and try to draw the upside down portrait of Stravinsky (below). I'm sure you will surprise yourself. This is only one of the helpful exercises in this outstanding book that takes pride of place in the "art" section on my bookshelf.
Or Try This
If the portrait of Igor Stravinsky doesn't appeal to you, or you feel it is too much of a challenge, you may prefer to attempt to draw the following t-shirt design I sketched of a boy riding a hobby horse.
Exercise Two: Vases and Faces
- Another of Betty Edwards' recommended exercises is “Vases and Faces”. This involves drawings which display both left and right hemisphere mode and shifts made by the artist.
- Start by drawing a profile of a face on the opposite side of your dominant hand, naming the features of the face as you draw them.
- Next, copy the profile on the opposite side of the paper, drawing as closely as possible what you drew on the first side—without naming the features of the profile. The forehead and neck are then connected which makes the negative space of the drawing appear to be a vase.
- After this exercise, draw another in the same manner, but with the strangest profile you can imagine.
Before and After Drawings
Below are some examples of drawings by the same people before and after they practiced the exercises to encourage the use of the right side of their brain. The level of improvement is incredible.
With a little practice and devoting some time to these exercises you will soon be turning out professional looking drawings, or even paintings like this.
Well, maybe not. But at least like this one of mine below.
Who is your favourite artist?
Questions & Answers
Can I use an eraser when practicing drawing?
Yes, you can always use a good quality eraser. Most artists do, so by all means feel free to do that.
Helpful 2
© 2014 John Hansen
Related
Comments
AUTHORThanks for sharing that Steve.
Matisse cos he invented a new art form - cut outs - to beat his decline .
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Kenneth. I appreciate you taking the time to read another of my articles, and the kind comment.
Jodah --- expert work. Tremendous artwork. Loved it.
- AUTHOR
Thank you a Daniel. Good luck.
Making art is my life i do it good or bad but it's fine so my art is fine at normal but on what i do it's easy. The thing is all art is on paper but on picture and at all this it's just about writing what you did. All the lines you did you just do it good or fine and at all the good at seeing art for the first thing.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Jonathan. I am sure this method will help you. I will have to check out the work of Friedrich.
Fantastic article,
I'm going to try and incorporate these techniques in my self-education from now on.
Also my favorite artist is Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840).
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Hi, Shyron. It has me baffled. If they are specific things that they request, relevant to the particular hub.. fair enough, but when they just give generic advice it doesn't help. What gets me is THEY chose this hub, I didn't submit it, so why didn't they 'snip' it as they have done to other hubs of mine? Do you know who to email to question decisions?
Jodah, I don't know why HP did not choose this to be neutered, I mean niched. I think this is great.
I have had two hubs that HP said that I could have them niched if I did XYZ but the one thing they said which told "me they did not read my hub 'Learning how to drive a 4 speed manual stick shift' which is a true story of my learning to drive a car with a manual trans, and not a DIY anything. HP told me I should have put bullet points?
I redid/rewrote 'Are there any Conservatives in Hollywood' at the request of HP twice and it was not moved to the niche site. I don't know if the moderators really read what we have written.
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Thank you, Ron. I am glad you were fascinated by the Marilyn Monroe face portrait. Sometimes I feel why waste so much time on detail trying to perfect a portrait when you can highlight a few outstanding features and make it recognizable? That would be an interesting psychological study.
I found your drawing of Marilyn Monroe fascinating. Although it seems almost devoid of detail, it's immediately clear who the subject is. I wonder if anyone has ever done a psychological study of just how little detail is necessary to recognize a face.
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Great job, Bill! Glad to hear this guide did enough to help you illustrate the Ladder Trees of New Hawaii. Thanks for letting me know and for the credit.
Hi John. I read this great guide some time back and did actually try to improve myself. Although I did not improve dramatically I was at least able to come up with a couple illustrations for the short story I call the Ladder Trees of New Hawaii, which you were kind enough to read. So for better or worse, the 'credit' for my pencil sketches goes to "Jodah".
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Thank you Martie. Much appreciated. It was great that Coelien wrote a thank you comment on your wonderful hub too.
Jodah, this is truly a very informative and educational hub about drawing. I'm linking this to my hub :)
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My dear Surabhi, you have to stop praising me or you will cause my ego and head to swell :) thank you sincerely for your kind words, they do mean a lot. I have not been drawing as much as I used to but a few people suggest I should add more drawings to my hubs, so maybe I will. At one time I considered commercial art as a career, but I found there are many better artists than myself out there. Still I do enjoy it as a hobby and have used it for promotional material and cartoons at places I have worked.
Oh I am a Taurus by the way. Is that strange for an artist? I am not sure. I eagerly await your sketches and will delight in providing feedback.
Whoa!! I…. I…. I have no words. I am speechless. What a remarkable artist you are! No buttering. It’s coming from the bottom of my Heart. This means that I owe you another dedication :) Just for you!
My! my! I’m drawn to you now. (he he). You know something – I feel like we all humans have a hidden talent, yet very few know how to exactly unlock their concealed skills. You seem to be an Aquarian or a Gemini – both of these astrological signs are well known for versatility in art. It’s spiritually and scientifically proven. I am an Aquarian by the way :) I’ll send you my art, and I would love to hear your feedback. This is my favourite hub so far. I bow my head before thee, my dear Jodah. Salutations… much salutations!
P.S. – Have you thought of publishing your sketches? Your sketches would grace your fictions further… or how about a comic book?
- AUTHOR
Thank you Nadine, well I could have included a lot more artists on the list. Well Dali was certainly the master of surrealism, no one else quite like him. Glad this brought back memories.
Great article. I used to give these 8 week drawing workshops for several years at an art college during the eighties. Nice to read up on it again. My favorite artist was not on your list. I have several but one is Salvador Dali
- AUTHOR
Haha Bill, at least you tried, especially the upside down drawing. Thanks for the kind comment and vote up.
I read every word of this outstanding work John, and resolved to give everything a try. The drawing upside down thing did not work out for me. The blood rushing to my head made me feel like I was going to pass out.
Next I tried Betty Edwards 'Vases' exercise but my brain turned that into a Rorschach test and I shudder to think what people might say when they know that the first vase became 'Tweety Bird' from the Looney Tunes cartoons. And the second one was a woman who actually sang to me; "I'm Chiquita Banana...." Yep, it was Carmen Miranda!
But seriously, I wish I could draw well and I envy all of you who can. As usual, voted up and fantastic.
Jodah,
Good. It couldn't happen to a nicer, more-talented hubber.
Kenneth. I did get your info on the art transfer. Thanks.
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Hi Kenneth, thanks for visiting this hub and for your kind comment. Yes I have been getting quite a few comments on my hubs recently...takes some scrolling
Jodah, my friend,
I should have written my comment and pasted it here. I am amazed at the number of comments. That is a sure-sign of a talented writer.
I love, and I mean, Love this hub and your artwork.
Would you please inbox me the answers to the these questions:
1. Do I need a special paper to draw on?
2. Do I really need a pencil?
3. Do you flat-bed scan your artwork to your PC and save it in PNG or Jpeg?
I love PNG more tan Jpeg. Speaking of that. I am going to start weaning myself away from those websites with general artwork. I am going to start using my wife's digital camera and take REAL abstract photos for my hubs. I guess I am vain for that way I can type my own name in the Source box.
Ahhh, setting sail me friend to de cove of complex adjectives.
Your Friend for Life,
Kenneth
- AUTHOR
Thanks for taking a look at this Sandy. I would be interested to hear the result you have with the exercises. I appreciate the vote up too.
This is quite interesting. Looking at the description for right and left side, it looks like I have a little bit of both. Anyway, I will have to bookmark this and try some exercises. Rated up.
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Glad you have read the book and can vouch for it's effectiveness Georgina. Thanks for your kind comment and the follow and vote up as well.
- AUTHOR
Glad you have read the book and can vouch for it's effectiveness Georgina. Thanks for your kind comment and the follow and vote up as well.
It's a great book. Like you, I worked through the exercises and I think it improved my drawing. I like the detail in your article, and especially your pictures. Rating up and following you.
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Thank you Mekenzie. It is wonderful to think one of your hubs can be helpful and inspiring to another person. It's funny how you seem to come across just the right information at the right time or when you are considering giving up. Please do try this method I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I envy you being able to paint and after this I hope you can draw as well. Thanks for the kind comments.
Jodah, So happy to have found this hub today. I love to paint and create beauty with the brush. I've always thought I couldn't draw because of 'the lines' but your article created a curiosity and it makes sense - I'm going to give it a shot.
My drawings look like the ones you illustrate on the left and rather than working on it I quit, because I think, it's not my thing.
Thank you for giving me inspiration today. Who knows maybe I will get past stick figures and enjoy the art of drawing. Loved ALL your drawings, especially the one of your wife and baby.
Blessings!
Mekenzie
- AUTHOR
Hey MsCue, good to see you. Yes I most definitely go through phases. I have drawn vey little lately in fact (except for doodling while I write). Please give the upside down exercise a go because it does work. But being you being already an accomplished artist you won't notice such a drastic difference as someone with little artistic ability.
A collaborative effort would be nice, but how would we put it together? Take care and thanks for reading.
OK, just read this one again, Jodah, after about 6 months....... gonna try the upside down exercise...taking advantage of my latest drawing "phase". Wish they happened more often. Do you go through phases too? I can write anytime but with the art...its different...left brain/right brain stuff, eh!!! Guess we should write another 'retrain the brain' hub... perhaps a collaborative effort is in order! Stay Cool my friend!!!
- AUTHOR
Thank you Shauna, you should give this method a go. You may be surprised.
I can't draw worth diddly, although my brother is quite talented in that department. You're quite the artist, John!
- AUTHOR
Hi DrBill, thank you for reading this and also the follow.
I love to read about drawing... but I'm not very good. Thanks for a great read... and look. Thanks for sharing!! ;-)
- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading, voting and sharing this Shyron. Your hubs always display artistic ability. Sure sounds like it runs in the family. My wife is a fabric artist and my daughter is a painter and photographer. Norman Rockwell was amazing in his fine detail of ordinary life. Best wishes.
My favorite artist is Norman Rockwell.
Jodah, I was on my way to more on the your story with an end and found my here. I also draw, I never thought of drawing upside down, and I am going to try this. Both my mom and 1 of my 2 brothers are artists with formal training, mine I just do it.
Voted up across the board except (funny), pinned and shared.
Shyron
- AUTHOR
Thanks for the great comment Nadine. I can tell from your hubs that you have a lot of artistic ability, good to know you actually taught art and know that these type of exercises work. Thank you for the vote up too.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading and the vote up and share Ologsinquito. Yes the difference is amazing.
Great hub Jonas. Your hub brought back memories. I have giving these drawing workshops for 11 years at a college in Port Elizabeth. I have several before and after portrait drawings my students did after my 8 week course. From there on I moved onto workshops on (doodling) mind drawing though the higher self and my first workbook on the Language of Light was published in 2003. Voted up
The before and after drawings are very convincing, as there is such a dramatic difference. Voted up and shared.
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Great to get your comment travmaj, and that you are considering buying the book for your grandson. As Alicia onfirmed, the techniques do work. Thanks for the vote up.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Alicia. It was great to read that you did buy betty Edwards' book and can confirm that the techniques do work. I appreciate your kind words.
This hub is fascinating. I'm afraid I'm in the stick man category re art but I still find this intriguing. You are definitely a talent and you presented this hub with such flair I'm in awe. I'm thinking of buying the book for my young grandson. Voting up and...
I love your drawings, Jodah. I found this hub especially interesting because I bought Betty Edwards' book a number of years ago and tried her techniques. They were definitely helpful, although I'm not as good an artist as you! I remember the excitement that I felt when I saw what I had created after following Betty Edwards' suggestions.
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Thanks Mel, I am a bit the same. I sometimes go years without drawing anything, then suddenly decide to pull out a sketch pad. You should give it a go. Thanks for your kind comment.
Very interesting study of the right and left brain and how to use them in tandem. I used to have some raw drawing talent as a boy but I am afraid that has fallen by the wayside with disuse. Great hub!
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Thank you MG much appreciated.
Tthis looks so unreal. yet a fine post.
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Yes it is amazing DDE. Thank you for reading and your kind ccomment.
Incredible isn't it? You presented with such lovely photos and the use of the left side of the brain is a great thought indeed.
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Thank you Frank, glad you found this interesting.
Jodah, my talented friend.. what a wonderful hub ... well the whole thinking with both sides of the brain concept idea was fascinating.. Love the drawings too voted awesome...
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Hey Eric, glad you got that brain conflict worked out and both sides now working in tandem...lol. Thanks for your kind remarks. Take care.
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Thank you for reading Dana. Please do try the exercises and let me know if it was successful. I'd like feedback from anyone who gives it a go. Your kind comment is much appreciated.
Jodah, your art is very beautiful. I will try your exercise since I am one of those people who can only draw stick figures. This was a very well thought out hub thanks for sharing.
I had a great upbringing, I was told I had no left brain talents at all do I worked the devil out of my right side. College testing showed it was opposite. hihihihi. So now they work great together.
This hub is awesome and I hope people respond accordingly.
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I am glad you liked this hub Jo and thanks for your generous comment. I take it you aren't going to try the exercises like the upside down man...haha? Yes Monet and Van Gogh are too of my favourites among the old masters too.
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Thanks for reading Ruby, and at least giving it a go, but you got out easy starting at the top of the page..so you couldn't fit the body in...lol. Thanks for the compliments too.
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Thanks for reading Phyllis. I am glad this motivated you to get out your pencils and do some drawing. Great stuff! Thanks for letting me know that Durer is your favourite artist too.
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Thank you Audrey for your comment and yes singing would be included in that list...even though I am hopeless at it...lol.
John, simply brilliant, you're surely blessed, in the artistic department. I particularly loved the sketch of your wife and baby, but they're all exceptional. I couldn't draw to save my life, not even if i used every cell in my brain, right and left.:) My favourite artist is Monet, although I also love Van Gogh. Beautiful work my friend.
I started to draw the upside down man, i started at the top of the page, of course i only had room for his head. I'm a hopeless case. I have a sister Eva who paints beautifully. I guess one could learn to paint/draw, but i believe the really good ones are God gifted. My sis never had a lesson, yet was able to draw pictures of people anyone would recognize. BTW you are good at drawing. Great fun trying. Thank's..
Wonderful and very useful hub, Jodah. I just got out my drawing pencils and pad to do some practicing. I have not worked much on drawing since art classes in college many years ago. You have motivated me to make some drawings. Thanks!
Albrecht Durer is my favorite artist. I love his work.
Interesting--and so wonderful to see your work John--you could add singing at the same time as you draw to this list perhaps. Singing uses both sides of the brain--
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Bill, you should try the exercises. You never know until you try, and if you look at those before and after pics those people couldn't draw either before training their brain.
- AUTHOR
Glad to hear from someone else who loves to draw WiccanSage. It's great that you are going to give these exercises a try. I'd love to see or hear about your results. Thanks for the vote up.
Oh, John, if it were only that easy. LOL Maybe, just maybe, if I had a one on one tutor, they might be able to help me move beyond stick men, but that's a mighty big maybe.
By the way, your artwork is lovely. Well done.
Beautiful, these are some awesome tips. I love drawing and took it in college and the exercises we practiced really made a difference. I bet some of these would also give me a boost. Now I need to get out my sketch pad. Thanks for sharing, voted up.
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Thank you for reading this hub Flourish and your encouraging comment. Yes it is hard to believe the same person drew the before and after pics, but they did.
Yes MsDora, please give these exercises a go. I think you'll be surprised. Thanks for your kind comment.
Interesting before and after pictures. The exercises are worth practicing to help us improve our abilities. Never thought of it, but I think I should try them. Thank you for this valuable information.
John, You're very artistic. I enjoyed your examples and find the whole concept of upside down practice drawing interesting. Those before/after examples are really quite something. You should do more art hubs!
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Thank you for being the first to view and comment on this hub Faith. It sounds like your family is very artistic and talented. Thanks for your kind comments, and I do hope you give the exercises a try....hopefully they will work for you too. Appreciate the vote up as always. Blessings to you too.
Morning Jodah,
Excellent hub and so interesting! It is fascinating how our brains work. My side of the family is very artistic in many areas. My son is especially artistic too in writing poetry, painting, drawing and music, and yet he is also very logical. My daughter is as well and has a degree in fine arts. Your art is fabulous and beautiful. Really love that Marilyn Monroe one, that first one, the shipyard and the one of the mother holding the baby. Well, really all are excellent. No doubt you have natural artistic ability. Love the exercises here with turning the art upside down. I thought, no way, but with your useful suggestions there about concentrating on the shapes or one area at a time, now I can see it. I will give this a try and share with my son.
Up and more and away
Have a blessed day
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