Why Is Drawing So Difficult
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the challenges of drawing, emphasizing that it's a skill requiring practice and patience. It suggests exercises like placing subjects within a cube to simplify complex shapes and highlights the importance of hand-eye coordination. The script also addresses common issues like getting 'used' to mistakes and the mental blocks that come with self-doubt and comparison. It encourages artists to enjoy the process, practice consistently, and remember that everyone's art journey is unique.
Takeaways
- 😖 Drawing can be frustrating due to the difficulty of translating 3D objects into 2D space.
- 🤔 Art is essentially an optical illusion, where 2D lines and shapes create the appearance of 3D forms.
- 🔍 A thought experiment suggests visualizing a cube or a more complex shape like a dodecahedron to understand the challenge of 3D to 2D translation.
- 📐 To simplify complex shapes, try placing them within a containing cube or parallelepiped to break them down into simpler geometric forms.
- 👀 Hand-eye coordination is crucial for drawing and is a skill that can be developed through practice.
- 🎨 Tracing and redrawing images can help train the eyes and muscles to work in tandem for better drawing accuracy.
- 🔍 Zooming out or flipping an artwork can reveal mistakes or disproportions that were not noticeable up close.
- 🔄 To avoid becoming accustomed to mistakes, artists often flip their work or take breaks to see it with fresh eyes.
- 🌱 Practice is vital for developing drawing skills, which can be thought of as a plant that needs continuous care to thrive.
- 💡 The intent behind drawing is important; whether it's the joy of creation or the desire for social validation, it should be sustainable and genuine.
- 🧠 Overcoming mental blocks and Imposter Syndrome is key to improving in art, as artists are often their own harshest critics.
- 🕰️ Patience and understanding that art takes time to develop are essential, as the human imagination is vast and cannot be fully realized in a single attempt.
Q & A
Why can drawing feel frustrating even after spending a lot of time and effort to improve?
-Drawing can be frustrating because it involves translating three-dimensional objects into two-dimensional lines and shapes, which is inherently complex. Even experienced artists can struggle with this aspect of art.
What is the core concept of art as described in the script?
-The core concept of art is described as an illusion or optical illusion, where a series of two-dimensional lines, shapes, and silhouettes are arranged to give the illusion of a cohesive form in 3D space.
How does the script suggest visualizing complex 3D objects like a dodecahedron in a 2D plane?
-The script suggests starting with simple shapes and breaking down complex objects into basic geometric forms like squares and triangles to make them more manageable and easier to represent on a 2D plane.
What is hand-eye coordination and why is it important in drawing?
-Hand-eye coordination is the ability of the vision system to control and direct the hands based on the information received through the eyes. It is important in drawing because it helps in accurately placing lines and shapes according to the intended design.
What exercise is recommended in the script to improve hand-eye coordination and muscle memory in drawing?
-The script recommends tracing a pre-existing image, then redrawing the image without tracing while looking at it, and finally redrawing it without looking at it. This helps train muscle memory and improve accuracy in line placement.
Why might an artist's work look different or have mistakes when viewed from a distance or flipped?
-When viewed from a distance or flipped, an artist's work may appear different because the brain gets used to the mistakes made over time, losing the ability to perceive them. This is a form of perceptual conditioning.
What is the role of practice in developing drawing skills?
-Practice is crucial in developing drawing skills as it helps maintain and improve the ability to draw, which can fade away if not used consistently. It's compared to taking care of a plant or a muscle that needs continuous attention and nourishment.
How does the script relate the psychological aspect of drawing to the concept of intent?
-The script relates the psychological aspect of drawing to intent by asking what the artist is looking for when drawing. It suggests that the enjoyment of the process or the desire to communicate a thought or emotion can significantly impact the artist's approach and satisfaction with their work.
What is the Imposter Syndrome as mentioned in the script, and how does it affect artists?
-Imposter Syndrome is the feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt, where artists may believe their work is not good enough or up to par with their peers. It affects artists by causing them to compare themselves to others and potentially undermining their confidence in their own abilities.
Why is it important for artists to overcome mental blocks and maintain a positive mindset according to the script?
-Overcoming mental blocks and maintaining a positive mindset is important because art is a medium meant to communicate thoughts and emotions. A mental barrier can be more challenging to overcome than technical skills, and a positive mindset helps artists to enjoy the process and create unique works.
What advice does the script give for artists to enjoy the process of drawing and improve their skills?
-The script advises artists to enjoy the process, remember that everything starts with observation, and to understand that drawing is a skill that requires time and practice. It also emphasizes the importance of not breaking rules without first knowing them, both in terms of artistic representation and personal growth.
Outlines
🎨 The Challenge of Drawing: Perception and Skill
The first paragraph addresses the universal struggle of artists in translating three-dimensional objects onto a two-dimensional plane. It emphasizes the nature of art as an illusion, created through lines and shapes that mimic 3D forms. The script introduces a thought experiment involving visualizing a cube and a dodecahedron from various perspectives, highlighting the complexity of representing such shapes. To address these challenges, the paragraph suggests an exercise of placing subjects within a 'containing cube' to simplify complex shapes into basic geometric forms. It also touches on the issue of hand-eye coordination and the importance of training both the eyes and muscles to improve drawing skills, recommending tracing and redrawing exercises to develop muscle memory.
🌱 Growth Mindset in Art: Overcoming Habits and Mental Blocks
The second paragraph delves into the psychological aspects of drawing, comparing the development of drawing skills to nurturing a plant that requires consistent care to thrive. It discusses the human tendency to forget skills when not used and the potential for overwork to lead to decreased performance. The paragraph encourages finding a balance and maintaining intent in the pursuit of improvement. It also explores the psychological barriers artists face, such as Imposter Syndrome and the pressure to create perfect works, reminding artists to appreciate the process and to understand that everyone's highlight reel is the result of many attempts and practice sessions. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of observation, self-awareness, and the joy of overcoming challenges in the artistic journey.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Frustration
💡Art
💡3D Space
💡Hand-Eye Coordination
💡Proportions
💡Practice
💡Imposter Syndrome
💡Mental Block
💡Observation
💡Habit
💡Intent
Highlights
Drawing can be frustrating due to the discrepancy between effort and execution, regardless of experience level.
Art is fundamentally an illusion, a series of 2D lines and shapes creating a 3D form.
Visualizing complex 3D objects in a 2D plane is challenging and requires practice.
A thought experiment involving a cube and a dodecahedron illustrates the difficulty of 3D visualization.
Organic shapes like flowers, trees, and people present further challenges in 3D representation.
An exercise involving a containing cube can simplify the process of breaking down complex shapes.
Hand-eye coordination is crucial for drawing and is a skill that can be developed.
Tracing and redrawing images can help train the eye and hand for better proportions and spacing.
Detailing can sometimes lead to elements appearing out of place or proportion when viewed as a whole.
Flipping or mirroring artwork can help artists see mistakes they've become accustomed to.
Habits, both good and bad, play a role in artistic development and need to be managed.
Practice is essential for maintaining and improving drawing skills, which can fade without use.
Excessive fatigue can negatively impact drawing ability, so balance is key.
The psychological aspect of drawing, such as the satisfaction of creation, is important for motivation.
Imposter syndrome and comparison with others can hinder artistic growth.
Artists should focus on their own progress and not just the highlight reel of others.
The human imagination is vast, and drawing is a way to express a fraction of it.
Drawing is both a physical and emotional challenge, but the satisfaction of creation is worth it.
Observation is key to understanding both the rules of art and one's own reactions to it.
Transcripts
it can be extremely frustrating for a
skill that you spent so much time effort
and resources to hone to somehow at
times still feel like impossible to
execute upon and it can be even more
frustrating when you're not even aware
of what you're possibly doing wrong
whether you're a beginner or a
multi-decade veteran you'd agree that
drawing is quite difficult we might have
figured out why we even sprinkled some
tips on how to make it easier
first and foremost we can agree that art
is an illusion no seriously all art is
brain trickery an optical illusion if
you will when you break it down to its
core a drawing is only a series of
two-dimensional lines shapes and
Silhouettes that when put together give
the illusion of a cohesive form in a 3D
space for this thought experiment we
want you to imagine a cube now imagine
looking at that Cube from above from
below from a distance and on a curved
lens visualizing how an object would
behave in a simple 3D space is already
difficult enough now try to imagine a
dodecahedron how would you even begin to
translate that correctly in a 2d plane
with only a series of lines and it only
gets more annoying when we start
thinking of more complex organic shapes
a flower a tree a person and so on and
so forth it's quite the Beast to tackle
representing a three-dimensional object
when you're only working on a 2d surface
in the first place but here we don't
only talk about problems but we also
believe in given Solutions so here's a
fun exercise that you can do in order to
streamline the thought process try
grabbing a picture of a subject any
subject then start by placing said
subject inside a containing Cube or a
parallel pipet after you stop breaking
down the more complex shapes making that
object into simple ones you'll be
surprised as to how many things are just
squares and triangles this should
definitely make more intimidating
objects far more manageable
moving on and speaking of moving
sometimes your hand does things that
your brain didn't ask for as in the
lines you put on paper are clearly not
the ones you intended for yet that
grubby finger pile next to being a
nightmare in itself to draw refuses to
cooperate according to the Encyclopedia
of Children's Health hand-eye
coordination is the ability of the
vision system to coordinate the
information received through the eyes to
control guide and direct the hands in
the accomplishment of a given task and
much like any skill it's something to
develop and work on we can't give you
much advice on this one other than take
the time to train your eyes to spot and
place objects with the correct
proportions and spacing while having
your muscles memorize the necessary
movements to confidently and cleanly
create and place the lines in tandem I
know this sounds complicated but we
promise that it's easier than it sounds
a good exercise would be to trace a
pre-existing image then redraw and said
image without tracing while looking at
it and then we drain it again without
looking at it tell us how it goes it
should help to train the aforementioned
muscle memory and eventually you'll
literally be able to do it with your
eyes closed
this next one is something everyone can
relate to you spend your time
meticulously detailing that beautiful
eye it looks perfect a masterpiece in
itself then you zoom out and it looks
completely out of place or out of
proportion you would swear it wasn't
like that a second ago how can that be
possible now take that idea a step
further well congratulations you have
completed an illustration after many
hours of hard work you take a step back
get some distance from it or you do the
dreaded technique of flipping or in case
of working traditionally holding your
piece to a mirror and it's the worst
thing you have ever seen in your life
this happens because your brain gets
used to the mistakes you have made
essentially losing the ability to
perceive them after a certain amount of
time to avoid this conditioning artists
tend to either flip their work to trick
their brain into seeing a whole new
image mistakes included or the they
simply take a break what can escalate
this issue is the fact that humans are
creatures of habit and habits can be
both good and bad and getting rid of bad
habits in art is as tedious as it is
everywhere else the point is don't be
complacent and work with intent and
intent to always learn and improve it's
all the advice we can give you on this
portion speaking of intent this relates
to the next two points we're about to
discuss the main one being practice the
word that every artist repeats or lacks
thereof think of your drawing skill as a
muscle
um I think I have a better analogy think
of it as a plant one that needs to be
taken care of continuously and
consistently be fed and protected or it
would wither and Fade Away humans have a
tendency to forget things and our brains
and bodies get rid of information and
stimuli that aren't used in order to
make room for newer more useful ones so
yes you used to be able to draw but
after 10 years it's only normal to not
only forget how to do it but also feel
like it's far more difficult because you
start at a level far lower than where
you were originally at but the opposite
can also be said if you overwork
yourself excess fatigue can lead to
decreased awareness hand-eye
coordination and overall a much harder
and worse time doing what you love
adjust balance you see that would be the
ideal place to strike
this next Point relates to intent in a
different manner as in what are you
looking for psychologically when drawing
do you enjoy the feeling of holding a
pen leaving brush Strokes on a canvas in
a manner and pattern only replicable by
you or printer but that's beside the
point or maybe the satisfaction of
seeing something come to life from the
white nothingness of a canvas giving a
fresh breath by the meticulous placement
of a precise mixture in layers of
different pigments and values no I get
it you just want to impress people get
likes on Instagram well me too but is
that mindset only sustainable do you
find the process enjoyable or tedious a
necessary step to obtain a limited dose
of Serotonin for a few seconds later on
the technical aspect of anything can be
practiced and honed it's like a
mathematical equation put in the same
three lines in the same place will
always yield the same triangle but
mental block are much harder to overcome
and with art a medium that first and
foremost is meant to communicate a
thought or an emotion the most difficult
barrier to overcome is a mental one
which leads us to
it's all in your head also known as The
Imposter syndrome there will always be
voices in your head telling you that
you're not enough that what you create
is bad or not up to par with your peers
and that couldn't be further from the
truth trust me you are your own worst
critic what we need to remember in this
age of social media where it's very easy
to compare yourself to others with
Superior skill is that what they share
is their highlight reel not the many
failed attempts countless studies and
practice sessions that went into making
that one artwork you can expect your
first attempt to look like someone
else's billions which is common sense
yet so difficult to grasp at the same
time there's a process that goes into
drawing the delicate muscles and folds
that make a human hand yet we have this
unrealistic expectation to nail it in
one go and have it look a specific way
in a specific style that someone else
has dedicated years of tedious work in
order to Mass sister lastly the human
imagination is capable of great things
mostly far more than one can achieve in
a single lifespan let alone in one
sitting with only the intent of making a
single illustration so remember that
everything takes the time it needs to
take
well that was a bit heavier than
intended there at the end so we're
saying that drawing is difficult
physically and toxin emotionally so why
are people still so willing to go
through that hassle well that's a topic
that we already covered in our why
drawing is so popular video so check
that out if you're interested for now we
want you to keep in mind that if it was
impossible people wouldn't be making a
living out of it at the end of the day
nothing beats the satisfaction of
overcoming massive mental and physical
blocks and bring into life something
only you are capable of imagining and
that in itself is worth pursuing so
enjoy the process and remember
everything starts with observation you
can't break the rules unless you know
the rules and that applies to both what
you physically see and how to represent
it on paper but also to yourself in how
you react as something and how you
choose to relate that reaction to other
people
and that is it from us today we hope
that if anything this video has helped
you to view drawing in a different light
and maybe ignited that spark of passion
feel free to share your thoughts on the
topic down below and maybe send this to
a friend who might need to see it as
always like subscribe ring the bell and
until next time happy drawing thank you
for watching as always and see you next
time
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