Studio: international art (55.1912)

Art School Notes

FIGS. II AND 12. DRAWINGS MADE
FROM MEMORY OF MODELS IN MOVE-
MENT BY STUDENTS OF THE BOOK-
ILLUSTRATION CLASS AT MARGARET
STREET, BIRMINGHAM

I give some students heads from the antique or suggest to
them a familiar human action such as a boy bowling a
hoop, a man digging (see Figs, n-14), always impressing
upon them the necessity of visualising as far as they possibly
can.

I feel strongly that training such as I have suggested
would develop the powers of observation rapidly, and
cultivate a habit of retaining images. It would develop
the invention if not the imagination. It would teach draw-
ing as an art of expression rather than an imitative process.
It would tend to free individuality. It would give con-
fidence in knowledge acquired, and from the first test the
artistic capacity of the student, and so indicate those who

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FIG. 13. DRAWING FROM MEMORY MADE IN THE
SAME WAY AS FIGS. II AND 12

are justified in continuing the study of art as a life occu-
pation. It would revolutionise the whole system of the
teaching of drawing by giving it immensely wider interests,
and thus make it a much more intellectual activity. The
average mind has considerable power of mental picturing
which is constantly being used slightly but seldom up to its
full value. By the regular training of it the lesser minds
would gain greatly, while the greater minds—who always
use it—might profit by its early cultivation. I believe that
much of the interest of old work is due to its being done out

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