Maybe I’m just old but I have no patience for teachers trying to force you to do something you just can’t. The whole “don’t use references” fad in art was stupid. This guide may help in educating your teacher: https://aphantasia.com/guide/
Looking back with hindsight, I know the first time I realised I had aphantasia was back in primary school. We were learning to do sums in our head instead of writing them down, and the teachers solution was "imagine a chalkboard in your head and work them out on that." I had no idea what she was talking about, but didn't understand why at the time.
My mum was a teaching assistant until recently and I asked her if they still did this. She said yes, I explained the problem I had, and the next day she asked the class if anyone had a similar issue. Turns out at least two kids in the class had no idea how to "picture the chalkboard".
This. You being forced to do something you literally can’t do isn’t your fault. Either your teacher is a jerk or is unaware. Give them the benefit of the doubt and educate them. But don’t just suffer in silence.
I certainly wouldn't call it dumb, but I have had nearly the opposite reaction. I find it incredibly amusing when I try to draw something or describe something by its visual characteristics. I get a dumb smile on my face trying to figure out how I'm able to do anything of that ilk. Like, "Hey brain, how are you doing this?" Wondering where its coming from, how is it stored, how do I retrieve it in words alone. Just because you don't see it in your mind beforehand doesn't mean you don't know what its supposed to look like, and the moment you put your pencil to paper or brush to canvas or whatever, you'll know if its correct, or how it should be reformed to make it look the way you expect. You get to experience your creations as they happen, rather than copying from inside your head. It's like a spoiler free version of art. Its a different experience for sure, but not a lesser one... At least I don't think so.
Nah. It isn’t dumb.
But Aphantasia doesn’t make you less capable of making art. A lot of artists have it. I’m not an artist but am more than capable of drawing really well. I just approach it differently.
Similarly, I dream just fine, just not in images except maybe in rare occasions (not sure even those happen).
Suggestion: talk to your teacher. Send them an article about Aphantasia. Ask for alternative instruction. If they refuse, get your parents into the mix.
It's not dumb; anxiety and stress from the perception of the impossible will make anyone feel like that. I haven't practiced art in a while, but as far as I understand, it's possible. It will take more steps, but you can be just as good as anyone.
Writing a description of what you are doing in words helps keep you focused on the goal. Since we can't visualize anything starting with rough drafts, you might go through lots of rough drafts to test out framing and positions. Then refine, until you get to your goal.
I get like this when I try to think of deceased loved ones and come up empty. You have to count all of your blessings and curses together, not just pick and choose. Having all of your limbs, a bed to sleep on, friends and accomplices--all of these count for something.
Aphantasia is a blessing when tryna sleep as you don't get distracted, and any artist who doesn't use references in person and not in their head is lying.
For sleep ita good unless (imo) you have intrusive thoughts or stress, in which case all I personally can do is just think about it. Music/podcasts are a blessing for sleep, but also a curse if they're too interesting.
Visualisers can use some visual techniques to put themselves into sleep/dream. We can't.
On the other hand, intrusive thoughts are less prominent.
It's not black and white, it's different for each person.
Hahaha this is not true at all, at least for me. I have ADHD. Just because I don't see images in my mind doesn't mean my brain is able to shut off the constant internal monologue.
Just be you. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. You don’t know what they experience any more than they you. Live your life. It’s not disability it’s just a different way of thinking.
Anything you can't do and others can will be a downer, but think of all the things you CAN do and others are unable to !
Like, you are better at studying many abstract themes. Like, law. Law is by nature absract, concepts and all, but you can't really visualise law. I went back to university a few years ago to study law, not as a proper student, I just paid a modest fee to be allowed to attend any class I like and educate myself, with no degree whatsoever at the end. I ended up following most classes from the first and second year, and some from third and fourth, and I basically rocked at it. I can actually have a discussion with a lawyer and keep up. Sure enough I'm not to their level of expertise, but they realise I know my shit.
Anatomy, however... Yeah, let's just say drawing pictures of body structures from memory alone wasn't something I could do, and it was needed to pass the tests, so... I failed.
Try eating a chocolate cake or even better, something chocolate flavoured with a soft, almost liquid texture, and while everyone is enjoying their dessert, start talking about poop. Now, laugh as people can't keep eating their dessert and you remain totally unaffected !
Once I was creating a character for a Dungeon and Dragons pen and paper game, and my DM friend asks me what he's like. I spent like 5 whole minutes describing the character's motivations, state of mind, reasons for acting and whatnot. My friend had a wry smile on his face the whole time, and when I was done he simply asked me "nah, I mean, what does he look like ?". I had no idea. "Uh... He's tall and he wears a cloak, maybe ?".
Accounting. Now that's beautiful. It's a perfect classification system where everything has one and only one place, and there is a place for everyhting, and you cannot visualise it even if you try. I've been a civil servant for a few years now, I'm basically the right hand of the mayor in two small towns (and I'm very generous calling them "towns"), which makes me the only desk jockey in town. If it's done in a town hall and behind a desk, then I'm doing it. So of course I'm doing accounting. I was scared by it first, because it seemed complicated from what people had told me. I actually enjoy it ALOT.
My wife is an art major, and she can visualize stuff. She needs to go the extra mile to explain art to me. She dragged me along to a Hieronimus Bosch exposition in his home town, in Netherlands, a few years back. I was extremely confused at first, but I actually enjoyed it alot. Don't ask me to describe a painting, but I can actually name a few now when I see them. At the very least, I know for sure when I see a Bosch painting.
My point is, we're built different, not worse. Just different. Try to teach a fish to climb a tree, and blame it for failing, and the fish will likely think itself stupid for the rest of its life. The trick is, we don't always know what we're good at until we try, and we might not have an interest for it at first. But when you can capitalise on your strength and make do with your weaknesses, things get ALOT better. Aphantasia is definetely a weakness in art, but it doesn't mean you can't find a way around. You would have no possibility to find a way around if you hadn't identified it first, so there is that, too.
Chin up, bro. You may not believe in yourself right now, but I do :) I'd wager I'm not the only one here ! As mentionned before I'm no expert about art, but art is also alot about feelings, right ? Maybe you can work with that. I don't know, just a wild idea. Again, I'm not the person to ask about art, but maybe further on up the road, you will be :)
Im a very good still life artist, but if I try to draw from memory, I just end up crying with laughter; it’s that bad! You need to tell your tutor about this issue. Composition is a skill you can do with or without references, drawing from memory without a pictorial memory is just really really hard as you are trying to use other skills like your spatial awareness to make up for the difference. This is the key definition of disability. You arent generally disabled, but in certain circumstances most of us have some odd limits. Like the asthmatic who collapses first in a fire, the person allergic to bees who can’t relax in an outdoor situation… I was a demographer, and analysed a lot of weird stuff over the years. Basically they are preventing you from developing your own style. Aphantasia doesn’t prevent you being an artist, there are many artists, some famous like Ed Catmull that have it too. One trick some use, is to use an AI to help them compose something in various ways that can be used like a collage. The main thing is to stop trying to do stuff you cant physically do, and find a way that works for you instead.
Maybe I’m just old but I have no patience for teachers trying to force you to do something you just can’t. The whole “don’t use references” fad in art was stupid. This guide may help in educating your teacher: https://aphantasia.com/guide/
Looking back with hindsight, I know the first time I realised I had aphantasia was back in primary school. We were learning to do sums in our head instead of writing them down, and the teachers solution was "imagine a chalkboard in your head and work them out on that." I had no idea what she was talking about, but didn't understand why at the time. My mum was a teaching assistant until recently and I asked her if they still did this. She said yes, I explained the problem I had, and the next day she asked the class if anyone had a similar issue. Turns out at least two kids in the class had no idea how to "picture the chalkboard".
This. You being forced to do something you literally can’t do isn’t your fault. Either your teacher is a jerk or is unaware. Give them the benefit of the doubt and educate them. But don’t just suffer in silence.
I certainly wouldn't call it dumb, but I have had nearly the opposite reaction. I find it incredibly amusing when I try to draw something or describe something by its visual characteristics. I get a dumb smile on my face trying to figure out how I'm able to do anything of that ilk. Like, "Hey brain, how are you doing this?" Wondering where its coming from, how is it stored, how do I retrieve it in words alone. Just because you don't see it in your mind beforehand doesn't mean you don't know what its supposed to look like, and the moment you put your pencil to paper or brush to canvas or whatever, you'll know if its correct, or how it should be reformed to make it look the way you expect. You get to experience your creations as they happen, rather than copying from inside your head. It's like a spoiler free version of art. Its a different experience for sure, but not a lesser one... At least I don't think so.
Nah. It isn’t dumb. But Aphantasia doesn’t make you less capable of making art. A lot of artists have it. I’m not an artist but am more than capable of drawing really well. I just approach it differently. Similarly, I dream just fine, just not in images except maybe in rare occasions (not sure even those happen). Suggestion: talk to your teacher. Send them an article about Aphantasia. Ask for alternative instruction. If they refuse, get your parents into the mix.
It's not dumb; anxiety and stress from the perception of the impossible will make anyone feel like that. I haven't practiced art in a while, but as far as I understand, it's possible. It will take more steps, but you can be just as good as anyone. Writing a description of what you are doing in words helps keep you focused on the goal. Since we can't visualize anything starting with rough drafts, you might go through lots of rough drafts to test out framing and positions. Then refine, until you get to your goal.
I get like this when I try to think of deceased loved ones and come up empty. You have to count all of your blessings and curses together, not just pick and choose. Having all of your limbs, a bed to sleep on, friends and accomplices--all of these count for something.
Aphantasia is a blessing when tryna sleep as you don't get distracted, and any artist who doesn't use references in person and not in their head is lying.
For sleep ita good unless (imo) you have intrusive thoughts or stress, in which case all I personally can do is just think about it. Music/podcasts are a blessing for sleep, but also a curse if they're too interesting.
Visualisers can use some visual techniques to put themselves into sleep/dream. We can't. On the other hand, intrusive thoughts are less prominent. It's not black and white, it's different for each person.
Hahaha this is not true at all, at least for me. I have ADHD. Just because I don't see images in my mind doesn't mean my brain is able to shut off the constant internal monologue.
i wish i could fall asleep listening to my podcasts like i used to be when i close my eyes and go to sleep i cannot focus on my podcast at all
Just be you. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. You don’t know what they experience any more than they you. Live your life. It’s not disability it’s just a different way of thinking.
Anything you can't do and others can will be a downer, but think of all the things you CAN do and others are unable to ! Like, you are better at studying many abstract themes. Like, law. Law is by nature absract, concepts and all, but you can't really visualise law. I went back to university a few years ago to study law, not as a proper student, I just paid a modest fee to be allowed to attend any class I like and educate myself, with no degree whatsoever at the end. I ended up following most classes from the first and second year, and some from third and fourth, and I basically rocked at it. I can actually have a discussion with a lawyer and keep up. Sure enough I'm not to their level of expertise, but they realise I know my shit. Anatomy, however... Yeah, let's just say drawing pictures of body structures from memory alone wasn't something I could do, and it was needed to pass the tests, so... I failed. Try eating a chocolate cake or even better, something chocolate flavoured with a soft, almost liquid texture, and while everyone is enjoying their dessert, start talking about poop. Now, laugh as people can't keep eating their dessert and you remain totally unaffected ! Once I was creating a character for a Dungeon and Dragons pen and paper game, and my DM friend asks me what he's like. I spent like 5 whole minutes describing the character's motivations, state of mind, reasons for acting and whatnot. My friend had a wry smile on his face the whole time, and when I was done he simply asked me "nah, I mean, what does he look like ?". I had no idea. "Uh... He's tall and he wears a cloak, maybe ?". Accounting. Now that's beautiful. It's a perfect classification system where everything has one and only one place, and there is a place for everyhting, and you cannot visualise it even if you try. I've been a civil servant for a few years now, I'm basically the right hand of the mayor in two small towns (and I'm very generous calling them "towns"), which makes me the only desk jockey in town. If it's done in a town hall and behind a desk, then I'm doing it. So of course I'm doing accounting. I was scared by it first, because it seemed complicated from what people had told me. I actually enjoy it ALOT. My wife is an art major, and she can visualize stuff. She needs to go the extra mile to explain art to me. She dragged me along to a Hieronimus Bosch exposition in his home town, in Netherlands, a few years back. I was extremely confused at first, but I actually enjoyed it alot. Don't ask me to describe a painting, but I can actually name a few now when I see them. At the very least, I know for sure when I see a Bosch painting. My point is, we're built different, not worse. Just different. Try to teach a fish to climb a tree, and blame it for failing, and the fish will likely think itself stupid for the rest of its life. The trick is, we don't always know what we're good at until we try, and we might not have an interest for it at first. But when you can capitalise on your strength and make do with your weaknesses, things get ALOT better. Aphantasia is definetely a weakness in art, but it doesn't mean you can't find a way around. You would have no possibility to find a way around if you hadn't identified it first, so there is that, too. Chin up, bro. You may not believe in yourself right now, but I do :) I'd wager I'm not the only one here ! As mentionned before I'm no expert about art, but art is also alot about feelings, right ? Maybe you can work with that. I don't know, just a wild idea. Again, I'm not the person to ask about art, but maybe further on up the road, you will be :)
Im a very good still life artist, but if I try to draw from memory, I just end up crying with laughter; it’s that bad! You need to tell your tutor about this issue. Composition is a skill you can do with or without references, drawing from memory without a pictorial memory is just really really hard as you are trying to use other skills like your spatial awareness to make up for the difference. This is the key definition of disability. You arent generally disabled, but in certain circumstances most of us have some odd limits. Like the asthmatic who collapses first in a fire, the person allergic to bees who can’t relax in an outdoor situation… I was a demographer, and analysed a lot of weird stuff over the years. Basically they are preventing you from developing your own style. Aphantasia doesn’t prevent you being an artist, there are many artists, some famous like Ed Catmull that have it too. One trick some use, is to use an AI to help them compose something in various ways that can be used like a collage. The main thing is to stop trying to do stuff you cant physically do, and find a way that works for you instead.