“The excellence of an artist, as such, depends wholly on the refinement of perception… I believe that the sight is a more important thing than the drawing, and I would rather teach drawing that my students may learn to love Nature, than teach the looking at Nature that they may learn to draw.”
John Ruskin, The Elements of Drawing
It is always encouraging to find a way to improve ourselves—especially to improve a primordial power such as sight. In his essay ‘Learning How to See Again’ Josef Pieper concludes by suggesting artistic creation: “The mere attempt, therefore, to create an artistic form compels the artist to take a fresh look at the visible reality; it requires authentic and personal observation.”
John Ruskin, who famously wrote “The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something and tell what it saw in a plain way,” couldn’t agree more. His The Elements of Drawing—a practical introduction intended to be used at home by beginners—focuses on drawing as a means to seeing the world around us. “The whole technical power of painting depends on our recovery of what may be called the innocence of the eye.”
I have resolved to try to follow his program. If you read the introductory paragraph of his first lesson below, you will see why he has captivated me. He notes that while studying under a master’s direct tutelage is preferable, it is often not feasible. He assures us that very satisfactory progress can be made following a system on our own, as long as we are willing to do “some hard and disagreeable labor.”
I cannot yet speak from personal experience to Ruskin’s or Pieper’s suggestion of the vision-enhancing power of artistic work. But it certainly has the ring of credibility. And as common habits today tend to separate us from both careful observation and careful work with our hands, it seems this is an exercise well worth squeezing into our week.
Ruskin on Drawing
From The Elements of Drawing, Letter 1, On First Practice:
“My Dear Reader–whether this book is to be of use to you or not, depends wholly on your reason for wishing to learn to draw. If you desire only to possess a graceful accomplishment, to be able to converse in a fluent manner about drawing, or to amuse yourself listlessly in listless hours, I cannot help you; but if you wish to learn drawing that you may be able to set down clearly, and usefully, records of such things as cannot be described in words, either to assist your own memory of them, or to convey distinct ideas of them to other people; if you wish to obtain quicker perceptions of the bounty of the natural world, and to preserve something like a true image of beautiful things that pass away, or which you must yourself leave; if, also, you wish to understand the minds of great painters, and to be able to appreciate their work sincerely, seeing it for yourself, and loving it, not merely taking up the thoughts of other people about it; then I can help you, or, which is better, show you how to help yourself.”
Learning How to See Again Mini-Series
This is the first in a series: Learning How to See Again. Find the other posts below!
I. The Ability to See with Our Own Eyes
III: Learning to See by Drawing
John Ruskin (1819-1900) became the leading art critic of Victorian England. Moved by the ravages of the Industrial Revolution he shifted his focus later in life to social and economic issues. A controversial and insightful thinker, his way with words has an enduring power. I am currently doing research in his works, and I plan to share more quotations from them.
Image: by Paul McGehee
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I have only recently been cultivating my my skills of drawing and painting, perhaps some three years or so, and I can attest to the truth of this message. As an artist, I can delight in minute details that others look past. I notice the symmetry that others dismiss in the blink of an eye.
Drawing especially has recreated creation and art for me. It is indeed hard work, I hope you have success in this endeavor!
Thank you, professor. One is reminded of Aristotle’s ethical philosophy: loosely similar to how, if the virtue of generosity is to be gained, one must practice generous action in order to establish a firm disposition toward generosity in the soul, so too, in order to gain the virtue of visual perspicacity, one may practice the sober discipline of drawing, that one might “help oneself,” in Ruskin’s words, to re-orient the connection between the mind and the eyes and establish the disposition of seeing like the sage.
I protest!!! I “see “ better than 90% of people but putting that on paper or canvas ????
Nope nope nope.
I say it’s totally possible to see very well yet draw, paint, or sculpt badly.
Dick,
I don’t think anyone is saying something contrary to that. Yes, the opening quotation has Ruskin saying that the excellence of the artist depends ‘wholly’ on the refinement of perception. But I don’t take that to mean that anyone who sees well can also draw well. I take it to mean that at the center of the genius of the artist is his ability to see well. You can see well and not draw well; I think he is asserting that you can’t draw well and not also see well.
I recently took a nature journaling class at the local botanical gardens and they made a comment that until you’ve tried to draw something, you really haven’t “seen” it. Honestly, I thought they were a bit crazy. I have to say, they were on to something. Whether I am in nature or in an art museum, I now notice details I have never noticed before. In a way, it is a way to train the eye, and not to become an accomplished artist, but to get to know the Creator even more closely. Thank you!
Christine, Isn’t that funny. I too was a bit skeptical when I first heard the idea. I’m still hoping to be able to attest to it more from personal experience, at some point in time… Thanks much.
I have greatly enjoyed this “trilogy” of insight on seeing. It strikes home. Here is my personal anecdote: I grew up watching lots of television. When my wife and I married and started having children, we realized the negative affects of too much visual noise. So we committed to reduce and eventually quit watching television. It took years, but the benefits to our children have been astonishing. They love to go outside just to explore our back yard. They amaze me as to what they notice and discover. The bounty of plants, bugs, birds, and animals that I had no idea could be in our back yard astounds me, and the fact that my children so easily see them! Not only see with the eyes, but with all the senses. I have to struggle to see or hear what they point out to me. And they rejoice in it all because they realize it is all part of God’s beautiful creation. One daughter, when going out every morning to do chicken chores, regardless if it’s sunny, rainy, snowy, foggy, etc., inevitably comes back in and states, “Oh, it is so amazing!” Now that is seeing! I am taking lessons from my children…
Kevin, That is absolutely beautiful. It is so encouraging just to think of your children in that backyard of yours. Thanks so much for sharing.
Interesting. A couple years ago, I took up drawing after reading “Only the Lover Sings” by Pieper. I took the quick route, “Learn to draw in 30 days” by Kistler.
I will have to pick up a copy of the Ruskin, and “Learning How ti See Again.”. It’s funny, I was just thinking about this very topic the other day. We see in a mirror dimly, so studying how to see and reflect is an important part, I think, of understanding what is.
Ambrose, I agree. I’d be interested to hear what you thought of the Kistler book. I’ve just started Ruskin’s The Elements of Drawing, and it looks very promising.
For those who might not be able to procure a hard copy of The Elements of Drawing, Project Gutenberg has preserved it digitally here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30325
Thanks Peter! I didn’t know that.
I’m very late getting to this episode, but it’s so timely. It is so strange how we encounter things and then find them suddenly reappearing in our lives in the most unexpected of places… I first stumbled onto Ruskin’s writing several years ago with his lecture to British cadets at the military academy of Woolwich, from his work “The Crown of Wild Olive.” I had not revisited him since, and had hardly thought of him. I had no idea he wrote the Elements of Drawing as well, and will certainly have to look into it. Lord knows I could benefit from some drawing lessons… As always, thank you for the thought-provoking piece, John!
I’m very late getting to this episode, but it’s so timely. It is so strange how we encounter things and then find them suddenly reappearing in our lives in the most unexpected of places… I first stumbled onto Ruskin’s writing several years ago with his lecture to British cadets at the military academy of Woolwich, from his work “The Crown of Wild Olive.” I had not revisited him since, and had hardly thought of him. I had no idea he wrote the Elements of Drawing as well, and will certainly have to look into it. Lord knows I could benefit from some drawing lessons… As always, thank you for the thought-provoking piece, John!