SENSORY MEMORY

One of the prime texts which we are typically all given is The Natural Way To Draw by Nicolides.

He writes of sensory memory, which is within all of us. We gain sensory memory as a result of living. Sensory memory is the composite memory of all of our senses. We can and do draw upon these memories to help us understand and interpret the world.

So he is saying that the knowledge that we put into our drawings is not purely from what we see. We project and incorporate our life experience. Yet when we are taught to draw, the act of seeing is the only thing that matters. When you are taught to draw a tree, or draw the human figure, we are told to essentially lock out all other senses so that the hand eye coordination is what is developed. Nicolaides seems to conflate drawing thru only seeing with the knowledge you get from other senses. So is my drawing of a human form better because of my knowledge of my own and the bodies of others? Is it ok to incorporate this intimate knowledge into our drawings?

No. To draw representationally, you draw to represent what the object looks like. Yet how much more knowledge would there be in the drawing if we could deviate from what we are seeing and incorporate our sensory memory? Quite a lot.

We are told that when drawing, the pencil should follow the eye. Can this be called virtual touching? He also writes of superficial form and superficial surface. He states that the weight is the most important thing to communicate in drawing. If weight is communicated, then the mass of he object is being represented.

Sensory Memory is very important to Transparent Drawing.  Because most of the drawings that you will do will be from images, your sensory memory becomes extremely important as it helps to inform what you are drawing.  Admittedly, drawing from an image is a step or two removed from the real thing.  However, with your sensory memory, you are able to basically in the blanks.