I believe that reading, writing and arithmetic – the three Rs – are very important skills. They are the very foundation of our educational system. I also believe that in order to begin to understand these concepts, let alone become proficient at them, we must first develop three other skills; observation, memory and imagination.

The development of these skills begins at birth. Babies and toddlers learn by observing the world around them. They memorize sights and sounds, and smells and sensations. Through play, they use their imaginations to practice these skills on a daily basis. Sadly, the further development of these important skills begins to taper off on one of the most traumatic days of our lives; the first day of school.

Little emphasis is placed on the development of these skills in many parts of the world. Did you know that drawing has been proven to develop these important skills? In Japan, however, drawing is a major part of the curriculum starting at the earliest ages. That may explain why, in general, Japanese students outperform students from many other nations.

“South Korea has the most effective education system in the world’s richest countries, with Japan in second place and the United States and Germany near the bottom, a United Nations study said Tuesday.” CBS News

“The world would be a better place if everyone learned how to draw.” Yanob

The Power of Observation

Sometimes, in order to see things as they really are, you have to look at things in a different way. You can look at it from a different angle, you can look at it with a different mind set, or you can look at it from someone else’s point of view.

Here’s an example of looking at something from a different angle. One day at work I was coming down the stairs and there was a young lady and a man searching the floor at the landing. She was near tears. She asked me to be careful where I walked because they were looking for her wedding band. I was about 3 steps from the landing. I saw something on the floor that looked out of place. “Is that it?” I asked pointing at the floor. “Where? Where?” she asked hopefully. I walked to the spot I was pointing at and reached down. I picked up the delicate band and handed it to her. She was so happy. She thanked me profusely. The guy looked at me in awe. “I just had a better vantage point”, I explained. I also happened to have a different mind set than the frazzled young lady.

As I’ve said, you can change the way you see something by looking at it from someone else’s point of view. I drew a picture of Frank Sinatra that I thought was pretty good. I proudly showed it to my non-artist friend who quickly, but kindly, pointed out that he thought the jaw line was a little dark. I saw what he meant right away. I was able to make a vast improvement by tapping into an external resource.

So remember, when faced with a challenge look at it from a different angle, clear your mind, and accept input from external sources.

Imagination & Memory

I don’t think I need to go into any great detail here. I think it’s pretty obvious that learning to draw will enhance your imagination and make you a much more creative person. In addition, as you learn to draw, you will often be inspired to draw from memory. As such, your memory will be greatly improved as you continue to draw.

Who Can Benefit From Learning to Draw?

The following is a list of individuals who rely (or once relied) on these three skills. The greater the skill, the more effective they are (or once were) able to perform. If you are on this list then you would benefit from learning how to draw.

“The language of pictures is used to say I was here and I have something to say.”

Selly Jenny – founder of Memories in the Making