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    Rotating objects in your head

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    • demotlj
      demotlj SVS OG last edited by

      I came across an interesting study about this issue at http://diggingdeeper.pbworks.com/f/Developing+Spatial+Skills.pdf

      A couple of points it made for those who don't want to read the whole thing --

      1. Studies across the board have found this to be a gender related issue. Women are worse at spatial relations then men though researchers argue about whether this is biologically or culturally based. I suspect at least some is cultural since it says, "Activities that have been found to develop spatial skills include: 1) playing with construction toys as a young child, 2) participating in classes such as shop, drafting, or mechanics as a middle school or secondary student, 3) playing 3-dimensional computer games, 4) participating in some types of sports, and 5) having well-developed mathematical skills." American culture, at least, tends to favor boys in all of the above though hopefully that is changing. (I'm 60 and when I was a kid, girls took home ec, not shop.)

      2. They conclude that spatial skills can be developed but the only sure way is by constantly sketching real life objects (blocks, etc.) from many angles. Learning rules of perspective or using computer programs aren't as effective as simply sketching -- rotating the object, sketching again -- rotating the object again, etc.

      In part of the article, they have examples of the kinds of questions they use to test spatial relations skills and I broke out in a sweat just looking at them!

      Laurie DeMott
      instagram.com/demotlj

      NessIllustration 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • NessIllustration
        NessIllustration Pro @demotlj last edited by

        @demotlj That's very interesting, though if I may shine a ray of hope here, not always the case 100% of the time. I'm a girl who didn't play with all those toys and activities as a child, yet I've always had good spatial skills. First time I was given those tests where you have to rotate objects in your head, I aced it even though it was the first time I ever did anything like that. I can only imagine at least a part of it is innate?

        vanessastoilova.com
        instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/

        Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess

        demotlj davidhohn 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • Lee White
          Lee White SVS Team SVS Instructor Pro SVS OG last edited by Lee White

          depending on your project, I would recommend making a small sculpture of the object you are trying to draw (using sculpy, or clay, or even a kneaded eraser). Nothing very detailed, just a blocky representation of it. That way you can draw from it and then add the details. Many animators have done this as an aid to working with a character in many positions. Also book illustrators use this technique as well.

          Hope that might help some. : )

          SVS Faculty Instructor
          www.leewhiteillustration.com

          demotlj 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • demotlj
            demotlj SVS OG @Lee White last edited by

            @lee-white I've gone back and forth with this idea wondering if my lack of sculpting skills would just add to my frustration but I trust your advice more than my own so I think I'll give it a try.

            Laurie DeMott
            instagram.com/demotlj

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • demotlj
              demotlj SVS OG @NessIllustration last edited by

              @nessillustration Since my son demonstrated these skills from the time he was a toddler, I suspect you are right that some of it is innate. I read a neurobiologist describe skills as roads in the brain. People are born with paths for all skills but some may have dirt footpaths and others paved roads. The person born with a dirt pathway can, with work, get a paved road and if the person born with a paved road puts in the same amount of work, they'll get a superhighway. (And conversely, if you never work on the road, it'll eventually grow weeds!) Right now, I'd settle for at least a gravel road when it comes to spatial relations 🙂

              Laurie DeMott
              instagram.com/demotlj

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • davidhohn
                davidhohn SVS Instructor Pro @NessIllustration last edited by

                I think that it can be an innate skill (which will make life easier) but the ability to rotate an object in your head is also definitely a way of thinking that can be learned. Especially if you actively practice using some of the ideas mentioned in this thread. My favorite suggestion is to create the very basic 3D sculptures to draw from. I've used oil based clay, supersculpy, bits of styrofoam and a glue gun and most recently, learned to felt all to build drawing models to make rotating objects in space a bit easier.

                www.davidhohn.com
                www.instagram.com/davidhohnillo
                twitter.com/david_hohn

                demotlj NessIllustration 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • demotlj
                  demotlj SVS OG @davidhohn last edited by

                  @davidhohn How do you use felt? Do you glue together felt boxes and spheres? I have a friend who felts and would be happy to teach me.

                  Laurie DeMott
                  instagram.com/demotlj

                  davidhohn 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • davidhohn
                    davidhohn SVS Instructor Pro @demotlj last edited by davidhohn

                    @demotlj Here's some in progress shots of the sculpture I made of one of my book characters. Wire frame base and then wool that just gets poked over and over again. As you can see I didn't include much detail in the felt sculpture, but having the big shapes blocked in really helped when drawing this guy from odd angles. Plus the wire armature allowed me to pose the figure in different ways.

                    Note: Please ignore the mineral spirits in the background. That's not used for this at all, I just didn't bother to move it from when I was last oil painting.

                    0_1539356719489_Screen Shot 2018-10-12 at 8.05.09 AM.png 0_1539356722102_Screen Shot 2018-10-12 at 8.04.53 AM.png

                    www.davidhohn.com
                    www.instagram.com/davidhohnillo
                    twitter.com/david_hohn

                    demotlj Lee White 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
                    • demotlj
                      demotlj SVS OG @davidhohn last edited by

                      @davidhohn That's pretty cool. Thanks for the photos.

                      Laurie DeMott
                      instagram.com/demotlj

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • Lee White
                        Lee White SVS Team SVS Instructor Pro SVS OG @davidhohn last edited by

                        @davidhohn you are such a crafty nerd

                        SVS Faculty Instructor
                        www.leewhiteillustration.com

                        davidhohn 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • davidhohn
                          davidhohn SVS Instructor Pro @Lee White last edited by

                          @lee-white Embroider that into a patch and I'll wear it proudly!

                          www.davidhohn.com
                          www.instagram.com/davidhohnillo
                          twitter.com/david_hohn

                          Lee White 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                          • NessIllustration
                            NessIllustration Pro @davidhohn last edited by NessIllustration

                            @davidhohn I definitely agree! When I was working on my animation graduation movie, I sculpted my main character in clay and it was a tremendous help!

                            vanessastoilova.com
                            instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/

                            Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • Lee White
                              Lee White SVS Team SVS Instructor Pro SVS OG @davidhohn last edited by

                              @davidhohn I'm getting you a bedazzler for christmas

                              SVS Faculty Instructor
                              www.leewhiteillustration.com

                              davidhohn 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • davidhohn
                                davidhohn SVS Instructor Pro @Lee White last edited by

                                @lee-white Whoo hoo!! And since I already promised you a painting smock -- well now it'll be the prettiest, most sparkliest painting smock ever!!✨😍✨

                                www.davidhohn.com
                                www.instagram.com/davidhohnillo
                                twitter.com/david_hohn

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • Buddy Skelton
                                  Buddy Skelton last edited by

                                  I definitely recommend using a site like www.sketchfab.com and rough out how you think an object will look BEFORE you turn the model and then turn it to see if you are right and make corrections as needed.

                                  Instagram: @StepOne_DrawCircle

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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