dysTalk Learning To Draw - Dysgraphia Handwriting - Forum - dysTalk

Hi, I am a 22 year old student studying film. I was diagnosed with dysgraphia when I was a young child and spent a great deal of time working with professionals to combat the problems it caused me. I now almost never write by hand unless it is absolutely necessary.

As a film student I have endlessly tried to find ways around ''storyboarding''. Which if you don't know is a when you draw out the shots you in-vision for a film. I eventually became frustrated with attempting to do this on a computed. About 10 days ago, out of desperation I suppose, I picked up a pen and attempted to draw. I was shocked at how well this process (although frustrating) helped me find vision and inspiration. As I spent more time drawing, I found that the more detailed I made the pictures the more I inspiration and clarity they provided.

The key problem with this is... I have absolutely zero drawing ability. I haven't drawn a single thing in at least 10 years. All I can actually put on paper are mangled stick figures. Without extreme concentration its almost as if my hands fail to communicate with my brain.

I have no delusions that I will miraculously become a great sketch artist. My drawings don't need even to be presentable. I'm really just looking for a way to improve my drawing skills because it seems to help me think visually.

Does anyone know of any resources (primarily online or in print) that offer guidance on learning how to draw with dysgraphia?

If not: does anyone know of other popular forums dealing with this disorder?

11/02/2010 05:22:13
J. L.

There's a book called drawing on the right Side of the brain, it may help. I broke my arm years ago and found I could draw equally well with my left!

28/05/2011 11:26:11
Sue Kerrigan

Wow!! Someone else trying to learn as an adult. I'm studying architecture and I'm running into massive difficulties. I have dyspraxia and ADHD. Drawing wasn't a requirement for the course, before you ask. Been repeating and repeating studio for a while now, so I'm well aware of the issues and can tell you what I've learnt.

One thing if anyone mentions that chestnut about if you can use a pen, you can draw, they have no idea what they are talking about. I believe I can draw but it's not related to my ability to hold a pen or not as there are people who can't use pens who can draw. Drawing and writing are two different skills and processed differently in the brain. It's the brain process that's important not the manual dexterity.

What really made this clear to me is that there's research done on a fashion student with epilepsy who got attacks when doing CERTAIN types of drawing, drawing from life or memory caused a fit as well as complicated patterns. Writing and drawing simple patterns did not. Writing is really a simple pattern so that makes sense. Judging by the number of people with dyspraxia and dysgraphia who have difficulties drawing, I'm sure they share this.

People who know how to draw especially good ones don't know how to teach someone to draw. They will teach you how they learnt to draw, which is not your way of learning, necessarily. And they are not aware of all the little steps they went through to be able to draw. It came so fast for them it was intuitive. If you are not intuitive about drawing, this is not a good way to go about it and will only cause frustration. They know how to get BETTER, and can teach you once you get the basic skills. The best teacher is the person who learnt as an adult and possibly is not all that great.

I don't like drawing on the right side of the brain. It's the default book whenever someone can't draw. Some people can't draw due to lack of practice, anxiety, because they are ashamed of what they produce bla bla which is what most drawing books say but that doesn't mean this is the reason why all those who can't draw, can't draw. And all that left brain right brain stuff is from the eighties, she hasn't updated her science.

Most drawing books are too complicated, they don't show you the basics. They go too advanced too fast and blather on about perspective and what not, which is important but should come ONCE the person has some basic skill. The best drawing book I've ever seen (I've seen a lot) is Drawing a Tree by Bruno Munari. The entire book is how to draw a tree. Step by step. And how the branches diverge, and how certain trees diverge so I get everything about how to draw a tree. I can draw a tree. I wish other drawing books would do similar. Get it from Amazon.

I don't have dysgraphia but I do get pain when writing for longer than 15mins. Don't grip a pencil for drawing like a pencil for writing. It's easier for me to use flick motions like with a brush where you grip in the middle. Fat pencils are easier to use. Use many forms of media. I like felt tips that are more brush like. I have a Japanese brush pen which feels smoother. Pencil catches on paper and I don't like how it feels. Try different colours, you never know you might have glare issues. I don't like brilliant white paper. I like white pen on black paper. I also like drawing with a felt tip on acetate. I think the acetate doesn't glare as much as white paper and it's definitely smoother than paper.

Some drawing exercises that are helpful: don't look at your hand when drawing, look at the object and move your hand. It's more like you are using your sense of touch.

And don't feel shy about tracing. Create a photos and images library. Feel free to collage and add pics from magazines to your drawing board.

Oh, and use 3d, use plasticine and play do to make figures!

01/06/2011 22:10:14
Brizzle

Ok, the problem is the reverse of what you think it is.

A lot of dyslexic's and dyspraxic's have perfect 3d internal visualisation (muggles can't even concieve of what this is)

The 3d image in the head has to be converted to flat 2d. You will have to make your brain see things as 'flat'.

As for the hand control thing - YOU CAN LEARN IT.

It just take endless, and I mean endless practise.

I do Calligraphy, I learnt by copying the letters of alphabet. Like a whole week copying the letter 'a' hundreds of pages with nothing more than the letter a. Every bit of spare time I would write letter 'a's on scrap paper.

Then I moved to 'b's

The good news is that once you have the basic skills you can throw them together way, way more creatively than muggles.

15/09/2011 20:56:05
Albanaich (Member)