Learning to draw: Does the inversion technique work?
Several methods for teaching draftsmanship include exercises based on Edward’s “inversion” technique, the practice of copying from upside-down originals. We tested the technique by asking 40 artistically untrained participants to copy either upright or upside-down drawings of a face or a...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Drustvo Psihologa Srbije
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Psihologija |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0048-5705/2017/0048-57051703271V.pdf |
| Summary: | Several methods for teaching draftsmanship include exercises based on
Edward’s “inversion” technique, the practice of copying from upside-down
originals. We tested the technique by asking 40 artistically untrained
participants to copy either upright or upside-down drawings of a face or a
car. Our results indicate that participants were faster when copying the car
in comparison to the face, but not when copying upside-down in comparison to
upright images. In addition, they were more accurate in capturing the global
proportions of the image in comparison to the local proportions of its parts.
However, neither the face nor the car were copied more accurately in the
upside-down relative to the right-side up condition. These results provide no
evidence that Edward’s inversion technique promotes greater resemblance to
the original stimulus image. Implications for the cognitive psychology of
drawing and for the pedagogy of the visual arts are discussed. |
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| ISSN: | 0048-5705 1451-9283 |