Think you can’t draw? A new art studio is keen to prove you wrong
If you always wished you could draw but settled for being good at maths instead, there’s a new art studio in town that may grant your wish.
VizThink Lab offers people the chance to learn how to draw using a scientific method that makes art accessible to everyone, regardless of their perceived skills or experience. It was founded by American artist Deborah Mends, who has been teaching people how to ‘see like an artist’ for 15 years. She’s a trained fine arts painter and was a copyist – an artist who copies paintings – at Paris’ Louvre Museum, but is now helping Abu Dhabians tap into their creative side.
Deborah offers various workshops and courses that use a combination of artistic techniques and neuropsychology – the study of how the brain’s structure relates to specific human actions and psychological processes – to transform even the most inartistic student into a fully-fledged illustrator.
Deborah says, “Drawing is not an innate skill. Like reading, everyone can learn; you just need someone to show you how.
“Often people talk about being left-brained or right-brained. In reality it’s much more complicated than that, but for the purpose of teaching we can simplify it.
“By doing specific exercises in a specific order, our brain’s left hemisphere, which is verbal, steps back and allows the right hemisphere – which is where the creative skills reside – to come forward.”
One of Deborah’s techniques is to get students to copy an image by holding it upside down, so the brain will stop trying to draw what they think the image should look like, and will concentrate on the shapes as they are, all while being guided by the teacher.
Deborah offers a range of courses at her studio, including the Animal Doodles class, which is aimed at parents and grandparents. It includes an optional one-hour course on how to use Skype screen sharing and PowerPoint so those who live far away from a child or grandchild can still share the joy of drawing. AED 400 per adult, children free. The next class is on 2nd May from 9am to noon.
Artist Sight is a five-week drawing course hosted on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8am to noon or 6pm to 10pm or on Fridays from 9am to 5pm. AED 3,300. The next course starts on 12th May.
Artistic Confidence, meawhile, is a full-day course that aims to improve your self confidence as an artist. AED 825. The next session is on 24th May from 9am to 5pm.
Deborah also has a series of workshops coming up including ‘Getting People Proportions Right’ on 20th May and ‘Art History Series: Why Medieval Paintings Rock’ on 3rd June. Workshops cost AED 100 including coffee and cake.
The fees for all of the courses and workshops include art supplies.
VizThink Lab, TwoFour54, Park Rotana complex, next to Khalifa Park.
Contact: 02 4444589 www.howtodrawjourney.com
