The Relationship between 2D Positioning Ability and Realistic Drawing Skill

Abstract

Realistic drawing ability is a fundamental human trait. However, the cognitive constituents of this ability are poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of Two-dimensional (2D) positioning skills in the performance of realistic drawing. 2D positioning refers to an important observation technique employed by artists to locate the correct position of an object in its representation on a blank canvas. Two different types of 2D positioning techniques are considered: absolute positioning (using the canvas boundaries as positioning reference) and relative positioning (using already-drawn components as reference). We used a line-arrangement experimental task to evaluate the positioning abilities of experts and novices; we further measured their realistic drawing ability in a realistic drawing task. Pearson correlation-coefficient analysis showed that both positioning abilities are positively correlated with realistic drawing abilities, but that the two positioning abilities are not correlated. While expert participants were found to be significantly better at absolute positioning than the novice, their relative positioning performance does not differ from that of the novice. These results suggest that absolute and relative positioning are two independent observation techniques, and that experience might improve absolute positioning skills. This implies that absolute positioning is a more advanced technique requiring both training and practice.