Learning to “See”

  Do you say phrases you grew up listening to? Have you explained something how you have read or heard another person explain it? Do you tie your shoes the same way your parents have taught you?

   Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and we learn from others. Do you have your own perspective on things? We would say yes, but let's take a quick look in the language of art.

   (One of my instructors told me this analogy, so I will use his.) If you were told to draw me an apple, how would it look? Do not get an apple out and set it in front of you, just draw it from how you remember it. It can be simple. Once finished, examine it. Most people might happen to draw a red apple a little tall, symmetrically, a stem, and a green leaf on the right side. Now, if you go to the grocery store and actually take a close look at the apples there, many, if not all do not have stems and with that, leaves. Some are very round, while others are taller, and most definitely not perfectly round.

   The apple asked of you to draw is what is known as a preconceived notion, when you have the thought in your head before observing the object. When we have preconceived notions, it can hinder one from seeing drawing corrections or rationally thinking instead of being told all we need to know. Instead, try looking at it as if it was your first time seeing it. Discover every day of the year because it is a new day! It is never the same Friday, or Monday, or Tuesday. It's not last Friday, nor is it next Friday. Therefore, look upon the object as if you are discovering it for the first time. The apple may appear to look more orange in a certain light, and purple in the shadows. Not red as we are told (Though may be shades of red). The shape may be a wonky ellipse. The top may be tipped to one side. We each are standing at a different spot, so everyone's perspective will look slightly different.