The first major public recognition of the "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"
Read MoreArtist Coles Phillips and His Use of Negative Space
Clarence Coles Phillips (1880 – 1927) was an American artist and illustrator who signed his early works C. Coles Phillips, but after 1911 worked under the abbreviated name, Coles Phillips. He is known for his stylish images of women and signature use of negative space in the paintings he created for advertisements and the covers of popular magazines. Here is an article about him: Coles Phillips, Illustrator
Some of his works are fascinating explorations of negative space—#2 of the five component skills of drawing taught in the DRSB 5-Day Workshops. Here are just a few of Phillips’s works:
Master Artists' Sketches of Hands
Through the ages, artists have sketched hands--their own and others'--trying to get them right! Here are just a few to admire: (1) and (2), John Singer Sargent; (3) and (4) Vincent van Gogh; and (5) Antoine Watteau. The exercise of drawing one's own hands is an important element of the DRSB 5-Day Workshop.
From a High School Student in China
Yesterday, I received the email below from Dongyi, a high school senior in China, who had found our new website and sent a message through the Contacts page. I was so impressed with her eloquence, her grasp of the DRSB ideas, and how the five perceptual skills are helping her with the rest of her studies. She gave me permission to share her message with you.
I have long been convinced that learning to draw and understanding those skills are highly transferable to many fields of study and should be part of every school curriculum. My hope is that one day, drawing will again be taught in schools, to help students access both sides of their brains!
Date: January 23, 2016
Subject: Heartfelt gratitude for Betty and the five perceptual skills which inspire me a lot !
Message:
Dear Betty Edwards,
How's it going?
I am a 17-year-old schoolgirl from China. About one year ago, I bought Drawing On the Right Side of Brain on my kindle. The idea of applying the five perceptual with a certain order to observe and obtain the 'aha' of things really impresses me. As you wrote in the last chapter of the edition published in 2012, the potential of the five skills is beyond the boundary of art and they can help with creative thinking as well, with which I totally agree.
As a senior school student, I applied the five skills to study and found that they are quite useful in organizing information. I have slightly adapted them to make them a better tool that I can use, and I kind of combined them with another theory--the constructal theory (like the five skills, the constructal theory is also general and can be applied to many, many things) by Adrian Bejan.
Sorry that I can't add photos here, and I find it impossible to express mysef clearly without sketches. But if you are interested in my exploration, it will be my honor to send another email with photos of my sketches directly to your email address.
Thanks again for your ground-breaking theory and please pardon me for any possible language mistakes in this message.
Best regards!
Yours sincerely,
Dongyi
Let Computers Compute. It's the Age of the Right Brain.
This article was published in The New York Times eight years ago, but it is still relevant. My son, Brian Bomeisler, was interviewed in a wide-ranging discussion about how training right-brain skills can help corporations as well as individuals. Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, Drive, and To Sell is Human, who took a DRSB 5-Day Workshop from Brian, is also quoted in this article. Worth a read!
Le Corbusier on Drawing
A Message from Betty Edwards
Dear friends of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain®,
Welcome to our new Website! I hope that you will find it up-to-date, full of useful information, and easy to use.
We made special efforts to make sure that the new site provides quick and easy ways for you to learn about the theories behind Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain®, to review our workshop schedule and sign up for a class, and to peruse our offerings of instructional drawing supplies and materials.
I’m very grateful to Robert Palmer of Honest Code, San Diego, for all his help in developing the site, as well as to my daughter, Anne Farrell, who worked on the design for many months. I’m also grateful to my son, Brian Bomeisler; son-in-law John Farrell; and to Rachael Thiele, my colleague of many years, and Sandy Manning, who runs our office. If you have any questions, click here to email Sandy, or use the Contact form on this new site.
There are now many convenient ways for you to communicate with me and my colleagues, and this new blog gives me a chance to share with you relevant articles and ideas. I hope you will make our communication a two-way street!
A new website is a great way to start the New Year, and I look forward to bringing the joy of learning to draw to many new friends.
Betty
4 Students Who Learned to Draw
Jamie, Lauryn, Cornelia, and Katie with Brian Bomeisler and Betty Edwards, at the final drawing critique following a DRSB 5-Day Workshop in La Jolla. Click to see the Before & After Examples of self-portraits by these students in early January 2016.
Rembrandt's Self-Portraits in 2 Minutes
An extraordinary look at Rembrandt's self-portraits through the years.
STEM vs. STEAM
(from the University of Florida)
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are the center of attention in most U.S. public schools today. The focus on STEM fields was initiated to increase global competitiveness and the project does have its merits. However, it has left the arts (the "A" in STEAM) languishing far off in the periphery. This is quite unfortunate, as art education is known to improve academic performance.
- On average, students who study the arts for 4 years in high school score 98 points higher on the SATs compared to those who study the same for half a year or less.
- Students who took up music appreciation scored 61 points higher on the verbal section and 42 points higher on the math section.
Of the elementary schools with arts, the most common subjects revolve around music at 94% and visual studies at 83%. Only 3% offer dance instruction while 4% provide theater arts.
Training in the arts has been shown to improve creativity and innovation. Students learn to approach issues with a critical mind and a positive attitude towards problem solving. Exposure to the arts enhances communication skills, which are essential tools for collaboration. It develops flexibility and adaptability. The government recognizes these and, indeed, 48 states have adopted standards for art instructions.
However, 51% of art teachers are unhappy about what they see as the decline in art education brought about by the shift in focus. The difficulty in measuring art’s contribution to academic performance has led to its under-appreciation.
STEAM could be an answer.
33 Things Your Brain Doesn't Know About Itself
Human brains may be self-aware, but most are hazy on the details. To help you wrap your head around this enigmatic organ, here's an illustrated blast of mind-blowing brain facts. http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/33-things-your-brain-doesnt-know-about-itself
Cartoonist's Take on "Drawing From The..."
Published in 2012 in the Detroit News-Press. The "Speed Bump" comic strip by Dave Coverly. (With thanks to Mike Bignell in Brighton, Michigan, who shared the cartoon.)
Jeremy Tarcher, 1932-2015
Jeremy Tarcher, the original publisher of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain in 1979, passed away in September 2015. He was always a champion of Dr. Edwards' work, and his faith in her had tremendous results: her book has remained a best-seller up to the present day. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/business/media/jeremy-p-tarcher-publisher-of-nonfiction-best-sellers-dies-at-83.html?_r=0