Drawing qua Sensory Recording
From “Seeing As an Artist¨ in Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
In other words, when a person utters that which they want to draw, an ambiguity is introduced as to whether the person will be drawing guided by an abstracted concept of that which is referred to by the word uttered, or the person will instead be drawing guided by that which the word uttered refers to (Garcia 2003, 19). In the latter case, especially to the extent that this referent is further specified by some index, what is drawn is a specific, concrete object of perception, that is an organized and filtered amalgam of sense-data. Put in other terms, an instance of the abstracted concept.
This much is clear, because so much of what drawing records is visual sensory information, namely (Ibid):
- shade or value (relative presence or absence of light)
- color or hue (the variation in the frequency of light) And then, aspects of visual perception influenced by the former:
- contour or edge (the limit of an exponential change in value or shade)
- shape (arrangement of contours or edges into relative groupings)
Alternate Roles of the Artist
Further, the act of drawing involves a division between observing and doing, as exemplified in processes such as those seen in 20241102172736-Principle_of_Observation (Ibid):
From “Seeing As an Artist¨ in Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
The alternating roles you’re using are similar to the ideal relationship between player and coach. The player (you) takes an active, physical role (drawing), based on an understanding of the rules and skills required in the game. The coach (also you) then provides constructive verbal evaluation of play from the sidelines (constructive review), but not while the player is playing. The mutual goal of this relationship is to improve performance.
The roles can be conflicting, if they do not respect certain dialogue rules and locution rules (refer to 20241030172002-Stages_of_Argumentative_Dialogue) (Ibid):
From “Seeing As an Artist¨ in Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
[…] a player can’t benefit from advice if the coach shouts comments from the bleachers while the player’s game is going smoothly.
By corollary implication (Ibid):
From “Seeing As an Artist¨ in Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
Nor should a player run all over the court while the coach tries to discuss the previous match and expect to learn anything.
Flow state
How does this internal division of the artist between coach and player relate to the concept of the flow state?
Cybernetics and art
To what extent is the metaphor of coach and player applicable to the cybernetics concept of processes of control?
Thus, a dialogue rule for the coach and player within all of us is that each of them must take turns–that is, they must be operative during mutually exclusive windows of time.
Locution rule
A locution rule for them might be that they must marshal the resources necessary from each other to develop the requisite skills for each other’s roles.
Social roles and dialogue
There may be a connection between management of social roles and dialogue goals and rules.
To be able to fulfill this rule it is necessary to be able to tell when one role is active for oneself versus another:
From “Seeing As an Artist¨ in Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner
When tasks in everyday life are fluid and seem automatic, you are in that player mode. When an impasse occurs or an active episode is finished, the coach steps in to offer advice and solve problems.
| player role | coach role |
|---|---|
| - Fluidity of task - Automation of task | - Advice towards task - Problem-solving of task |
| A practical impasse is what generally leads to a switch from the player to coach role. |
linguistics art visual_art aesthetics philosophy philosophy_of_language epistemology psychology social_science psychology_of_art theory_of_reference conception abstraction metaphysics contour_drawing observational_drawing flow_state sociology social_role
bibliography
- Capp, Robbie, ed. “Seeing As an Artist.” In Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner, 19. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 2003.