I was 5-years-old when I first started drawing in correct perspective. Adults and children were amazed. They asked me how I did it. As a little kid, with my limited vocabulary, all I could muster was “I just draw what I see.” It seemed strange to me that people couldn’t just draw what they saw, too.
The Huffington Post has an article that strives to explain why some people can draw and most people can’t.
It seems that realistic drawing ability hinges on three factors: how a person perceives reality, how well he or she remembers visual information from one moment to the next, and which elements of an object he or she selects to actually draw.
In reality, the reason most people can’t draw is because they can’t see in perspective. That part of the brain that allows people to see in proper perspective just didn’t develop in most baby’s brains in the womb. For instance, take a look at this Photoshopped picture of rap mogul Jay Z and a cat.
Most of you see Jay Z sitting at a table in a cafe. Across the table from him sits a cat. But I see more than that. In the picture, Jay Z’s right hand is not proportioned. His right hand looks like Blue Ivy’s hand. If you don’t believe me, compare his right hand to his left.
Also, the cat is not in perspective. Neither are Jay Z’s legs, the floor or the walls. To me, the picture looks totally out of proportion. But to you, it looks like a picture of Jay Z and a cat.
Image source: NPR
