Discussion: Process in Video 01

Before going into today’s topic, I would like to share a question:

“If the work is useless, are my thoughts useful?”

Let’s talk about the process in the first video. I think it could be interesting for you to know the reasons why I made the video this way, so you have more information to build on in your own practice.

1. Why do we touch and feel our objects?

If you’ve heard about memory palace or other associated memorizing techniques, then a simple explanation for the trick is that we learn better when we open more of our senses. Memory Palace for example is to open one of the most powerful and advanced human senses, the spatial sense. We developed spatial sense during our evolution, so we know how far away the fruit tree is and how far away the animal is in order to gather and hunt, so we survive. By creating a mental space and associate things with different areas, it helps us to remember better.

In daily life we use senses to gather information around us, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching; same in art making, we need to gather information about subjects and about our own artistic ways. It is also very important to open the sixth sense, which is our heart or the soul. When we observe subjects with more senses, we have more information about it and that allows us to produce more individual perspectives, which is “the thing” that makes our work unique.

2. Why do we do Blind Contour Drawing and why do we switch hands?

I learned and realized (and self-theorized ;p) that BCD will enhance our eye-hand-coordination and allow us to draw better. We start from understanding that the right half of the brain is related to the body functions of the left side of the body, and vice versa. Plus we know that the right brain’s major work is to deal with imagery and the left brain’s is with language, so I think switching hands will actually change our perspective of the thing we are seeing. 

If we train and give both sides of the brain stimulus, then we activate different brain regions and build new neuron pathways, which means we create fresh ideas. In doing BCD and hand switching, we will be drawing better and become more and more creative over time.

Furthermore, when drawing with the non-dominant hand, you can’t really criticize the outcome. It will feel a bit cruel if you do, like blaming a 2 years old for not doing things right.

3. Why the color randomness?

When we fill in the color randomly in our de-formed BCD, we are actually trying to break the barrier from photographic images. I like photography and I admire the hyper-realistic art, but I don’t paint that way. It’s important to find out how you like to paint, so if you like BCD, the you probably lean more towards expressionism. 

Through practicing the randomness and observing the likes and dislikes, we are building a database of our personal mark making and color palette. Slowly, we won’t be staring at the blank paper wondering about how to start or standing in front of the art supplies and don’t know what to buy. The bigger the database is, the more clues we have, and thus the clearer the art making process will be.

4. A tip: Music

A fun thing in art making is, that you can listen to music you love and even dance around; it works as a positive distraction. It opens your senses of hearing and your heart. It sets you in the mood and changes your movement without you consciously knowing. And all that subconscious changes will show on paper, “you” will be on paper.


Next Topic: more BCD + 2 Tips on putting salt into watercolor.