Perceptual constancies and visual selection as predictors of realistic drawing skill.

Abstract

Traditionally, two theories have been proposed to understand realistic drawing: (a) a bottom-up perspective emphasizing accurate perception achieved by suppressing perceptual constancies and other sources of misperception, and (b) a top-down view emphasizing knowledge-facilitated selection of information important for object depiction. This study compares the predictive validity of the two. Artists and nonartists completed tasks measuring the ability to suppress shape and size constancies, a limited line-tracing task measuring visual selection performance, and a freehand drawing task assessing realistic drawing ability. Evidence is reported that shows both bottom-up and top-down factors are associated with drawing accuracy. Artists outperformed nonartists on drawing and limited-line tracing accuracy and made smaller size (but not shape) constancy errors; drawing accuracy was positively correlated with limited-line tracing and negatively correlated with size-constancy errors in a depth cue condition. We propose integrating the two traditional approaches into a unified perspective emphasizing visual attention, rather than early perception, in explaining drawing accuracy.

Artists as experts in visual cognition: An update.

“…These include the ability to overcome shape constancy (Cohen & Jones, 2008) and size constancy (Ostrofsky, Kozbelt, & Seidel, 2012), enhanced local processing of visual details (Chamberlain et al, 2013), field independence (Gaines, 1975), visual memory (Winner & Casey, 1992), and reduced attentional cost in switching between global and local aspects of visual displays (Chamberlain & Wagemans, 2015). Artists' perceptual advantages thus appear to span a range of quite different types of visual processing.…”

“…Sensitivity to the most important form-defining details may help an artist maximize viewers' ability to recognize a depicted object. Being able to conceptualize the key elements of a perspective space may help an artist establish the setting and relations among objects in a scene (Ostrofsky et al, 2012). Each of these skills is important in realistic drawing, though the perceptual processing demands are quite different in each case.…”

“…Perdreau and Cavanagh (2011) similarly failed to find evidence for artists' advantages on tests of size constancy, lightness constancy, and amodal completion. They convincingly argued that artists' perceptual advantages arise from robust representations of object structure in memory, EXPERTS IN VISUAL COGNITION 6 which they can use to efficiently encode and depict the most important aspects of objects (see also Kozbelt, 2001;Kozbelt et al, 2010;Ostrofsky et al, 2012).…”

“Please Draw Me a Face…” Atypical Face Mental Concept in Autism

“…It is not possible to encode the infinite gradations in colour and light, or the enormous array of details of a face and thus much information must be omitted, leading to attention to the most valuable information. According to this view, previous research suggests that individual differences in visual perceptual processing underpin differences in realistic drawing ability (Cohen, 2005;Cohen & Bennett, 1997;Kozbelt, Seidel, El Bassiouny, Mark, & Owen, 2010;Ostrofsky, Kozbelt, & Seidel, 2012) and some studies have already drawn attention to local-global processing of drawings in ASD (Drake, Redash, Coleman, Haimson, & Winner, 2010;Drake & Winner, 2012;Mottron, Belleville, & Menard, 1999;Pring, Ryder, Crane, & Hermelin, 2010). Exploring potential correlates of drawing and perceptual expertise in ASD and non-ASD artists or TD people, these studies provided support for the notion that an ability to record and manipulate the details of the visual environment, i.e., local encoding, may be associated with better ability to draw.…”

The Relationship between 2D Positioning Ability and Realistic Drawing Skill

“…Illusions refer to "perceptual constancies", which affect performance even to the point of inaccuracy (Cohen & Earls, 2010). The size, shape, color, and brightness of an object might all be affected by perceptual constancies (Cohen & Jones, 2008;Day, 1972;McManus, Loo, Chamberlain, Riley, & Brunswick, 2011;Mitchell, Ropar, & Ackroyd, 2005;Ostrofsky, Kozbelt, & Cohen, 2015;Ostrofsky, Kozbelt, & Seidel, 2012;Perdreau & Cavanagh, 2011;Todorovic, 2002Todorovic, , 2010. Delusions pertain to an artist's knowledge of the object under observation, since this prior knowledge tends to guide an artist in her/his representation.…”