Relaxed Attention

Relaxed Attention:

The optimal physiological state for productive visual thinking. This mind/body state is characterized by a mixture of ridding the body of tenseness, while learning to release and focus full energy to the task at hand.

Related Concepts:

Gaffron Phenomenon - A psychological principle that grows out of observation that there are two separate ways to seeing objects. Near-side vision concentrates on details on the side of objects nearest to the viewer and is responsible for analytical vision, such as experienced in contour drawing exercises. Far-side vision is diffuse because it concentrates on placing the object in relationship to it's surroundings; seeing the back side of the object from the viewer. Far side vision helps us locate objects in space, which allows us to reach out and grasp an object. Gesture drawing exercises promote far-side vision.

Effort vs. Trying - Effort is the direction of physical and mental energy toward the tasks of effective visual thinking. To distinguish effort from trying, we define trying as the inappropriate application of energy to tasks. The artist should not prematurely determine the direction which their artwork will develop. Visual thinking should NOT be rigidly controlled by verbal processes in the mind.

Flow Experience - The ecstatic feeling that everything is going just right when the individual is totally immersed in a creative act. The flow experience is also characterized by a sense of losing contact with time and the external world. It is facilitated by a physiological state of relaxed attention.

Getting Ready

Relaxed Attention

Directed Visualization

Receptive Visualization

Mental Rehearsal

Teaching Suggestions

Biblography