Learning to See

New studies suggest that visual perception includes a kind of feed-back loop. The more we inform ourselves, the more we are able to physically perceive. The brain works closely with the eye, improving perception.
When I was teaching drawing, I found this to be true. Learning to draw is actually learning to see. One must learn to consider shapes and their relationships, look at underlying structures and consider relative size. Students want to draw what is in their brain rather than draw what they actually see with their eyes. They draw with symbols of things. The challenge for the teacher is to get students to draw directly from visual examination.
It's very interesting to look at Kindergarten drawings. At that stage of development children draw and paint entirely in symbols. They know many pertinent details, such as that there are five fingers on each of two hands and five toes on each of two feet. They can put eyes, ears, nose and mouth on a face. They often make a yellow sun, a multicolored rainbow, or a green tree. The sky is a blue strip at the top of the page.
As children mature they not only add more symbols and details, they add new images based on experience and observation. Around 10 years or so they become motivated to draw what they see more accurately. By the time they hit middle school, they already have self identified as someone who "can draw" or "can't draw". This attitude is tough to break and often lasts for their lifetime. Careful and sensitive instruction at that pivotal point can make a world of difference. There are a few lucky individuals whose eyes talk to their hands automatically. But most could use some help training their hands and eyes to work together.