# Drawing from memory



## Gilfoyle (Jan 19, 2015)

I have recently taken up drawing, which I haven't really done much of for the past seven years or so. I discover that I have a really hard time drawing from memory, or just out of my imagination which in reality is what I want to do. So I was wondering if any of you artists here on PerC are proficient in doing this, and if yes, how do you and how did you acquire that skill? Is it an Si related skill? Are there any Ni-doms here who can do this?


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## Hurricane Matthew (Nov 9, 2012)

Drawing from memory is more about practice than about cognitive functions. You said you've been out of drawing for seven years so that's probably a major part of your problem right there. I feel rusty if I go even a week without drawing.

One thing about drawing is that you can't expect to be good at it quickly. It's a skill so you need to keep trying it and keep building it no matter what. The things I draw best from memory are the things that I've drawn many, many times from reference over the course of years of drawing. Of all the advice I've ever received about drawing, the best has been "drawing is about learning how to see". Observe something and then draw it. Do this as much as you can and you'll be able to draw from memory or from imagination whenever you want eventually. The key is not giving up even though the first couple of tries don't look how you want it to. Like with any other skill, if you want it then you have to work for it and the effort you put in will determine your success.

Another thing is to just doodle whenever you can. Doodle on the sidebar of your notebook paper, or anything that is an empty space, even if it is just stick figures or random shapes and designs. It helps as a warm-up and keeps the hand-eye coordination with a drawing pen or pencil stay in your recent memory. One professional artist I know just makes spirals for a few minutes before getting to his serious drawings as a way of warming up his hand and getting into the right mindset to draw.

Basically... just practice and you'll get there. If you have no ideas of what to draw, then sketch something from life and practice observing.


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## mazepla (Oct 23, 2017)

Draw as much as you can from references. Your brain will recognizes them automatically, and it will easier to recall from your memory next time.


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## ernesto123ok (Apr 1, 2018)

I agree it does need practice. it's so mundane, but I gotta give it more effort


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## Potatooesunshinerays (Dec 26, 2017)

practice and look at anatomy and bone structure (if we're talking about living beings)!


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

I drew a face from memory and it looked pretty good. If you want to draw pictures that contain people that look good, you'll want to study the anatomy of people, bone and muscle structure, and how the body is proportioned. Start with a stick figure with the right proportions and circles at the joints and then build on top of it. Same with animals. For buildings, it's good to learn 1 and 2 point perspective. For tall buildings, 3 point perspective. For landscapes....landscapes are kinda my achilles heel with art, so you might wanna ask someone else, lol.


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## Persona Maiden (May 14, 2018)

I'm not sure of my type to help with function assessment, but for the drawing from memory. I can just visualize it in my head, and I draw from that. I have no idea if that helps though, because I'm a very visual/audio person in general.


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## Powermetal101 (Sep 16, 2019)

That takes time


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## ReliK (Feb 24, 2019)

I draw and paint periodically, and I also cant do anything detailed by memory. Like right now, even thinking of my mothers eyes, something I've gazed into all my life, something very meaningful to me.. I cant actually picture them static.. I just get impressions of them, or maybe blips which move so quickly throughout different times.. her at 25, 32, 58, etc but they move so quickly I cant hold them. 

Now if I'm looking at a picture of her, I can use that and then build upon it. Or what I really love even more, is to take imagery that exists in my mind.. which is usually this more hazy, dream-like impression, and move that onto the canvas. Something really amazing in that process, in the creative sourcing.. especially when you get yourself into a very calm, centered trans state.. you almost feel like its a transfer of knowledge, but instead of the pencil or brush being the tool, it's actually you.


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## GreenlandicVegan (Sep 14, 2019)

Drawing from memory, what does that mean? From imagination or drawing something specific from memory?


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