DOI Heft:
No. 227 (February 1912)
DOI Artikel:Art School notes
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21156#0097
Art School Notes
FIGS. S AND 9. DRAWINGS MADE FROM MEMORY OF METAL OBJECTS AT THE
MUNICIPAL MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM, BY BOY STUDENTS, AFTER ROUGH SKETCHES
HAD BEEN MADE DIRECT FROM THE OBJECT
am not sure that this is a
perfect test. But I am sure
that to students of about
fourteen years of age it is
easier to see the mental image
than to arrive at the shape
by calculating. Another test,
not quite the same as the
previous one, is to give the
student a unit such as is used
in Fig. 7, and ask him to make
a pattern out of it by the ad-
dition of 2, 3, or 4 such units,
and when he has the figure
in his mind ask him to draw
it with his eyes shut; or very
quickly with his eyes open. I
think it will be found that
these units form themselves
into a pattern without any
effort. Indeed, it seems diffi-
cult to see them in the mind’s
eye unorganised.
present; that is, the drawing may be an unvisualised
memory. It will be found, however, that the best
drawings made with the eyes shut are those drawn
when a vivid image is present.
One of the methods—and the best so far—I
have been using to be fairly sure that mental
picturing takes place is to draw a unit such as
A, B, C, D, Fig. 4, on the black-board, telling
the student that it will form a square when re-
peated four times, and that the piece cut out, E, will
form three different patterns
(Figs. 4, 5, 6). The students
have to complete the square
in the mind’s eye and to
see the pattern made by the
repetition of E. When they
see it clearly, they try to
draw it with their eyes shut,
and it is interesting to note
that they only draw the
shape made by E. These
shut-eye drawings should be
made very quickly to pre-
vent fumbling or calculating.
After the shut-eye drawing
has been made, the students
are required to draw with
their eyes open the com-
plete form they saw in the
mind’s eye (Figs. 4, 5, 6). I
Mental imagery falls into two groups. (1) Simple
mind-picturing; it may be practised by looking at
an object for a short time and then shutting the
eyes or turning away from it and recalling its
image on the mental retina. (2) Constructive
imagery, which is the construction of patterns or
designs out of a number of the same or different
units seen in the mind’s eye. This may be
practised by the combination of the simplest units
or by making the most elaborate compositions.
FIG. IO. DRAWING FROM MEMORY MADE IN THE WAY INDICATED UNDER
FIGS. 8 AND 9
77
FIGS. S AND 9. DRAWINGS MADE FROM MEMORY OF METAL OBJECTS AT THE
MUNICIPAL MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM, BY BOY STUDENTS, AFTER ROUGH SKETCHES
HAD BEEN MADE DIRECT FROM THE OBJECT
am not sure that this is a
perfect test. But I am sure
that to students of about
fourteen years of age it is
easier to see the mental image
than to arrive at the shape
by calculating. Another test,
not quite the same as the
previous one, is to give the
student a unit such as is used
in Fig. 7, and ask him to make
a pattern out of it by the ad-
dition of 2, 3, or 4 such units,
and when he has the figure
in his mind ask him to draw
it with his eyes shut; or very
quickly with his eyes open. I
think it will be found that
these units form themselves
into a pattern without any
effort. Indeed, it seems diffi-
cult to see them in the mind’s
eye unorganised.
present; that is, the drawing may be an unvisualised
memory. It will be found, however, that the best
drawings made with the eyes shut are those drawn
when a vivid image is present.
One of the methods—and the best so far—I
have been using to be fairly sure that mental
picturing takes place is to draw a unit such as
A, B, C, D, Fig. 4, on the black-board, telling
the student that it will form a square when re-
peated four times, and that the piece cut out, E, will
form three different patterns
(Figs. 4, 5, 6). The students
have to complete the square
in the mind’s eye and to
see the pattern made by the
repetition of E. When they
see it clearly, they try to
draw it with their eyes shut,
and it is interesting to note
that they only draw the
shape made by E. These
shut-eye drawings should be
made very quickly to pre-
vent fumbling or calculating.
After the shut-eye drawing
has been made, the students
are required to draw with
their eyes open the com-
plete form they saw in the
mind’s eye (Figs. 4, 5, 6). I
Mental imagery falls into two groups. (1) Simple
mind-picturing; it may be practised by looking at
an object for a short time and then shutting the
eyes or turning away from it and recalling its
image on the mental retina. (2) Constructive
imagery, which is the construction of patterns or
designs out of a number of the same or different
units seen in the mind’s eye. This may be
practised by the combination of the simplest units
or by making the most elaborate compositions.
FIG. IO. DRAWING FROM MEMORY MADE IN THE WAY INDICATED UNDER
FIGS. 8 AND 9
77