Great Wave of Hokusai Drawings at the British Museum

For anyone who is interested in drawing, this announcement from The British Museum will be welcome news. In the online site Atlas Obscura, the Hokusai drawings are described:  Atlas Obscura "Lost Hokusai Drawings"  

Hokusai’s Great Picture Book of Everything: “This is definitely one of the greatest discoveries of Hokusai works in a long time."

“IN 1829, WHEN THE CELEBRATED Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai was almost 70 years old, he created more than 100 drawings of a dazzling array of subjects: playful cats, serene landscapes, even severed heads. Hokusai’s fame continued to grow after his death in 1849, and the suite of small, elaborate drawings was last purchased a century later, at a Paris auction in 1948. Then it disappeared from the public eye. Now, a total of 103 drawings have resurfaced. According to Antiques Trade Gazette, the Paris auction house Piasa sold them in 2019 to the London-based dealer Israel Goldman, who later sold them to the British Museum. Additions to Hokusai’s prolific body of work can be major news, and the suite is receiving unprecedented attention and scholarly interest. This is definitely one of the greatest discoveries of Hokusai works in a long time, says Frank Feltens, an assistant curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. They look like they are in pristine condition, there’s an incredible level of detail, and a variety of subject matter. You get a sampling of virtually any area in which Hokusai painted: figure painting, animals, landscapes. You get glimpses of everything.”

If you’d like to take an armchair tour, here is a link to the British Museum and ALL of the magnificent Hokusai drawings:  The British Museum: Hokusai Drawings Collection

 We must agree! “This is definitely one of the greatest discoveries of Hokusai works in a long time." Enjoy! Atlas Obscura "Lost Hokusai Drawings"

 

Drawing Can Help Get You Through Tough Times

This recent article in the New York Times is a great reminder of the power of drawing to get you through difficult moments in your life.  If you’re interested in learning how to draw, consider the new DRSB Virtual Workshops

Drawing by John Donohue, published in the New York Times, 5/1/2020

The Big Impact of a Small Hobby : The author, John Donohue, says: “When I would tell people that drawing saved my life, I thought I was being hyperbolic. Then the coronavirus hit. Drawing had helped me survive another very dark period of my life, earlier. Could it now be helping me to stay healthy?

I know it is keeping me sane, as it did five years ago when I was out of work. I had been an editor at The New Yorker for more than two decades. The internet changed my job slowly and then quickly, and then I was out. …

“Suddenly spending more time drawing was easy because I was out of work. Or I should say necessary because I was out of work, which meant I was left taking care of my kids, then in elementary school, as well as the laundry, the food shopping and the housecleaning while my wife went to her office.

I found that drawing even the most mundane thing like a pair of shoes helped me relax. If it looked like we were going to be late for a doctor’s appointment or a soccer game, for example, I was less likely to get frustrated if I took a moment to capture the curving metal of the radiator in the living room or the backpack that was sitting in the hall. While I waited for everyone to get ready, time seemed to expand and slow. There was quiet in the house, and in my soul.

I liked to cook and was comfortable spending time in the kitchen, so I started drawing my dish rack every night. I now have more than a thousand renditions of my dish rack. Sometimes, especially during the lockdown, depending on how stressful things are, I draw it two or three times a day.”

The Art of Handwriting

Handwriting is good for you! And it is an art that is in danger of being lost.

One of our readers, Irene Fenswick, sent me an excellent piece she wrote on the value of handwriting:  20 Ways Handwriting Is Good for You and Your Studying.  I especially like her infographic on the subject!  Thanks, Irene – happy to share it with our DRSB readers.  As you all know, I am a huge proponent of teaching cursive writing in schools, and in keeping up your handwriting skills even in this age of computers.  It’s good for your brain! Now, with everyone sheltering in place and staying home, why not practice and improve your own handwriting?

There are many books on the subject, including this one: The Lost Art of Handwriting.  So pull out a paper and pen, and start practicing!

For more from Irene, who is a writer and blogger, you can go to her blog, IvyPanda.

~ Betty Edwards



A Message From Betty Edwards

Betty Edwards sends out her best wishes to those around the globe who are dealing with the terrible COVID-19 pandemic. 

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There’s never been a better time to use your creativity – you can pick up a pencil anytime and draw!  The very act of drawing is calming and can give you a feeling of well-being.  If you are interested in more structured learning, my son Brian Bomeisler is offering new online workshops—3 hours a day for 10 days.  Click HERE to see the online workshops in April, May, and June.

Please stay safe, stay home, and be well! 

~ Betty

How Making Art Helps Your Brain

It’s good for your brain!

It’s good for your brain!

NPR science reporter MALAKA GHARIB makes a great point in this piece:  How Making Art Helps Your Brain.  She notes that science is showing us that there's a lot happening in our minds and bodies when we make art.

"Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world," says Christianne Strang, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham and the former president of the American Art Therapy Association.

This idea extends to any type of visual creative expression: drawing, painting, collaging, sculpting clay, writing poetry, cake decorating, knitting, scrapbooking — the sky's the limit.

"Anything that engages your creative mind — the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate — is good for you," says Girija Kaimal. She is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy, leading art sessions with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury and caregivers of cancer patients.

So get out there and make some art!

5-Day Thanksgiving Sale! 25% off everything in the DRSB Store

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Nov 27 through Dec 1, 2019: use the code THANKS when you check out, and you will receive 25% off all purchases!

Betty Edwards and everyone at Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain are thankful for all those friends and fans around the world who have embraced her work, and learned (or are learning!) to draw. Use this opportunity to buy a few holiday gifts for friends…or for yourself!

Remember: the sale goes on for 5 days, beginning November 27 and ending on December 1. Just use the code THANKS when you check out.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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From a Reader in Ukraine

Occasionally, readers send me messages from all over the world, and I am continually amazed that my book has had such international impact.  I love hearing how it has helped readers from so many countries.

Once in a while, though, a message comes through that is so powerful that I want to share it.  I received just such a message this week from reader in a beautiful country with a deep cultural history, Ukraine.  As many of you know, Ukraine has been much in the news lately.  I’m so grateful to Svyatoslav for his communication from his home in Kyiv, and he agreed that I could share his messages with you.

~  Betty Edwards

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Dear Dr. Betty Edwards!

In 1992, in the Russian version of Readers Digest magazine, I read an article about your method of teaching drawing. There, two exercises were cited as an example:  drawing an inverted picture and drawing a chair in negative space.

After reading the article, I immediately took out from my pocket a document with a photograph of myself; I turned it upside down and began to sketch.  Imagine my surprise when I finished working and turned over the drawing.  I found that the image in the drawing had a significant portrait resemblance to me!  There were some problems with proportions, and the face was stretched out like a rugby ball, but the features were nonetheless recognizable.  A miracle happened because, before this incident, all my attempts to paint myself were futile.

Unfortunately, at that time your book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” was not yet published in our country and there was no way for me to read it.  In addition, there was a certain vicious practice in schools, where only those who already drew at a very decent level and actually did not need it were taught to draw. The rest of us had no access—the world of art was closed, because we "had no talent."

Some time ago, in a bookstore, I accidentally saw your book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” and, remembering that old article I read in 1992, I immediately acquired it.  The text of the book amazed me.  I have never seen such a deep, thoughtful, and effective technique, although I have filled up all my shelves with books on fine art.

Your book somehow magically helps to unleash creativity and really, after reading it, you begin to see the world around you, to feel its beauty.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to you, and wish you long life and continued success.

Svyatoslav

Kyiv, Ukraine

 

BETTY’S REPLY:

Dear Svyatoslav,

I want to express my deep appreciation for your charming letter telling me about your experiences with my book and with drawing.  I am quite surprised and regretful to hear that in your country, people who want to learn to draw are turned away because they can’t already draw.  But I must tell you that at university-level art departments here in the U.S., the same thing often happens.  I share your outrage at this practice.

I am so pleased that you were able to obtain my book and that you have found it helpful, and I am especially grateful for your very kind words about my ideas.  Over and over, I have been surprised that a book can make friends of an author and a reader, even all the way around the world.  Perhaps, as you work through the book, you will send me a drawing or two!

With many thanks for your letter and with all best wishes for your success in drawing,

Betty Edwards

 

SVYATOSLAV’s REPLY

Dear Dr. Betty Edwards!

My family and I have great respect for the American people and America, a country that is deservedly a leader in spreading the values of humanism, progress, and enlightenment in our world. And your book is another vivid proof of this thesis.

In my personal case, reading your book and performing the exercises indicated there, I was able to receive an order to illustrate a children's book for coloring.  And this happened within literally a month and a half, like magic. But this is not magic, it is a deeply thought-out technology. And high technology for the uninitiated, as one American writer rightly remarked, is no different from magic.

Sincerely,

Svyatoslav

Kyiv, Ukraine

Want to Remember Something? Draw It!

Readers and fans of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Arthur Grant and Neve Spicer, wrote this fascinating article for our blog on a subject Betty has long advocated. If you want to remember something you see or experience…draw it! Thank you, Arthur and Neve, for this great contribution to our website.

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We've known for a while that drawing exercises the brain in different ways from reading and writing. But did you know that drawing may actually make it easier for a student's brain to retain information? New psychological research suggests that this may be the case, and offers a deeper insight into how we learn and remember.

In 2018, psychologists Myra Fernandes, Jeffrey Wammes, and Melissa Meade of the University of Waterloo ran an experiment with various groups of younger and older adults to discover the relationship between drawing and memory. Fernandes, Wammes, and Meade's work showed that people who draw words from a list are twice as likely to remember them later than if they had just written them down. It doesn't matter how much artistic talent you have, or whether it's just a quick doodle. Even a few seconds of sketching seems to make something easier to remember as compared to traditional note-taking.

For more in-depth detail on the researchers' work, you can find their original article here.

So why does it work? The researchers think it's because the act of drawing creates multiple mental connections to the word or concept. First, you have to make the mental effort to translate the concept into an image, followed by the physical effort of directing your hands and eyes to create the drawing. And once the drawing is created, the part of your brain that interprets pictures gets in on the act, translating the picture back into the original concept. By involving all these different parts of your brain in the process, you increase the likelihood of the information being retained.

Another possible reason is that drawing requires a person to take an active role in acquiring and depicting the information, instead of just passively stuffing concepts into the brain or jotting down a list. An actively engaged brain is more receptive and less likely to wander or tune out.

For teachers, drawing can provide a better way to help students remember what they learn. In particular, students who do poorly with traditional classroom reading, note-taking, and memorization may benefit from being allowed to draw instead.

There are many potential class projects that can allow students to exercise their drawing skills in service of learning. Making posters, diagrams, or comic strips to illustrate course concepts is a fun alternative to essay-writing. For more complex concepts, students might even enjoy creating their own sketchbooks or comics. Giving kids drawing and other creative prompts to create class journals in place of the traditional notebook can also get them interested in different ways to record and present information. You can even include drawing prompts and challenges on assessment materials.

And don’t forget that using drawing to boost memory isn’t just a classroom thing. You can use it yourself:

  • Need to call your mom? Draw a picture of her in the morning.

  • Want to be kinder to yourself? Draw a representation of this each day.

  • Trying to improve your body posture? Draw yourself walking straight and tall.

  • Can’t forget to pick up some milk? Draw a cow or make dairy-related sketch.

Just remember, whether it’s you, your children or students, keep drawing fun. There’s no need to evaluate or criticize this sort of free-form creativity. Drawing to remember is all about quick creativity and a jot of effort.

It need only take five minutes, but this habit may just improve your memory while adding a moment's joy to your day.

Arthur is a child play theorist, creative educator, and father of three. As chief editor for Muddy Smiles, he advocates for (loads) more play and creativity within education and at home." Why Muddy Smiles? To quote them:  “Childhood – like it’s meant to be – involves three key ingredients: play, toys, mud.  That’s why we exclusively write about play, review toys, and suggest a ton of muddy activities for children.”