Right Brain Artists verses Left Brained Artists

        A draftsman, a blueprint artist, or technical renderer who is a student of mine was keen to examine the differences between being a right-brained dominant thinker and left-brained dominant thinker and asked me to outline it for him so it was simple to identify hemisphere dominance through classification.

But here is where I must emphasize this absolute: Being right-brained or left-brained does not make a better artist one over the other. That's the misconception. Creativity is not prejudice against either hemisphere of the brain. It is the burning desire to create in the individual that compels a person to learn his craft that sets excellence apart. An artist might start out with an advantage in being able to draw better than the next guy, but that doesn't mean that he can hold his own against any one who becomes a sophisticated artist because of his superior know-how.

      Right brain learners and left brain learner use different modes of learning. My students may often hear me say “Draw what you see, not what you know” or “Decide what colors make up the reflected color, don't just paint it's hue, because you know grass is green, bark is brown, orange is orange etc., instead look for all the contributing color in that value and now paint what you see - not what you know.”

      Visual discrimination is learned. Visual acuity is a developed skill. Statistically there are more successful professional artists than left handed. Right-handed artists dominate the field. If you are interested in knowing more about your right left brain usuage google Right left brain test for fun or try http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi . However, one of the most pertinent left/ right brain tests for artists I have discovered is this one:  Point at an object. Hold your hand steady, don't move. Now close your left eye as you remain looking at the object. Switch and close your right eye with your left eye open. This will show you eye dominance which also means right or left brain dominance. This is important to recognize for the artist so  he or she accurately measures an object proportionately when rendering. Be consistent, and also build up a balance between right and left dominance when it comes to your eyes by checking one then the other perceptionally moving the object making it jump side to side as you switch eyes while pointing at the object. Train yourself to look evenly with both eyes as much as you can, barring visual difficulties, You will be successful when the object "moves" equidistant on both sides of your pointing finger as you pop open and shut alternant eyes. Have fun.