When drawing from memory alone, my left brain tells me “pigeons are funny-looking birds, a little chubby, with grey and pink feathers.” I draw this:
Drawing from memory calls on the hippocampus, which is the kind of like the backseat driver of the brain. It has the best intentions, but doesn't always get things right.
When drawing from a reference photo, my right brain takes the wheel, letting my hand paint the pigeon’s true shape on the paper. I see charming new features, like a longer neck and pink talons, that the left brain forgot to include in my memory drawing above.
Before starting this exercise, think about what you want to achieve.
My goal wasn’t to draw a beautiful bird, instead it was to observe and sketch features that communicate “this is a pigeon.” The original sketch didn’t do that as well. That doesn’t make it bad. Your memory can strip things down, leaving out important details.
Practicing both methods helps me push my drawings to make them more my own, and bridge the gap between imagination and reality. I strongly believe it'll do the same for you!
Animal Memory Drawing Session Replay
A spectacular brain workout and amazing to see how differently we draw from memory vs. observation!
