That is exceptionally common - fortunately observation is still an extremely important skill to have developed. Now all that's left is to develop the other side of things.

It sounds like you're describing aphantasia, the condition where one is unable to visualize what they imagine in their "mind's eye". Fortunately for you I can say with confidence that while it seems like an issue for learning to draw, it's not - I have it too. I talk about it in more depth in this video for the Proko KZbin channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gojKiYauraqdndUsi=zQIFAKnbeTJOTWIB A couple things to keep in mind- firstly, the title is clickbait and suggests a lack of "imagination", which is inaccurate. I certainly have an imagination, I just don't see the things I imagine. I understand them in different terms. Secondly, I realized later that the video makes it seem like I am fully reliant on using reference, because I do a demonstration on how one can use different references to help with ideation and design - that is also not the case. I definitely am able to draw from my imagination without reference. Aphantasia really doesn't hold you back, and in a lot of ways it can be an advantage. Many of my students with strong visualization skills feel like they have these complex images in their mind, and so when they try to draw them and it falls flat, they assume they lack talent and will never be able to. The visualizations give them unreasonable expectations on what they should be able to accomplish right now, as a complete beginner. Without those visualizations, it's easier to tackle drawing from a blank slate, without such expectations.

@@Uncomfortable I'll check out the video, thanks

When we go into auto-pilot, it's because we lose focus and stop paying active attention to the choices we're making, as we make them. If you find yourself doing that, you should take a break and come back to the work when you're able to focus better. This course relies heavily on being hyper-intentional with every choice we make, and resolving the corners of our boxes is a very intensive process weighing many different factors. If you allow yourself to just act on instinct, then you're going to defeat the purpose of the course as a whole, which is to rewire the way in which your instincts work. Training your instincts by relying on them just results in a mess. Additionally, keep in mind that it's the course as a *whole* that is designed to develop students' grasp of spatial reasoning, and their understanding of 3D space. The main part of the course that focuses on this are the constructional drawing exercises we do from lessons 3-7, whereas everything preceding that is to get students in a point where they are armed with the tools they need to make effective use of those exercises. Don't try and figure out how every individual step contributes to the end goal, as there are often a few steps in between.

Given that it's less of an issue with a fineliner suggests that it's not really a big deal, but if you do find it persisting, rather than holding your arm higher, rest the side of your hand gently on the page as discussed here: drawabox.com/lesson/1/2/hoverhand . The additional stability will probably help, whereas lifting your arm higher is going to probably exacerbate the issue.

His name was Mr. Monkey Business and don't you forget it!

You'll find the answer to that question in this section of the written material: drawabox.com/lesson/1/2/hoverhand

I'm glad to hear that our approach has resonated with you. What you recounted is certainly our intent, so it means a lot that it's having its intended impact!

I do not have the original reference image, so you will have to either make do with the image as it's shown in the video, or apply the concepts shown here to a different reference image.

2-3 exercises, done over a period of 10-15 minutes - so the 15 minutes would be spread over the 3 exercises.

@@Uncomfortable Ok, Thanks.

I'm pretty sure I wasn't doing it in the best way, so it was a big pain in the butt - but mostly it was a combination of toon shading and lineart modifiers (although it's been a while and I don't use blender often enough to remember the specifics). Whatever I was doing also seemed to piss Blender off, as it crashed constantly while I was making this.

It is entirely normal. The thing is, people often expect learning to involve first understanding the theory, then applying it successfully. That may be how it works in certain fields (can't really speak to that), but it's not what happens here. In drawing, you learn by doing. The explanations and the theory are basically there because students more often than not are terrified of the idea of just doing something without first having understood *some* aspect of the theory - but really it's there to bait them into getting to the exercise in the first place. It's the exercise which allows students to actually work with the concept, to go through designated steps, and to make mistakes (which then highlight what might need to be explained again, perhaps differently, through feedback). Then once we at least establish that you're performing the exercise as intended, with the intended goals to aim for, you continue working at that exercise on your own and thus *develop* that understanding. Not consciously, not like you'd read it in a book, but more like something physical, like learning to dribble a ball. You don't understand all the physics behind it, but you know how to perform the task. Conscious understanding isn't as required as people think - what it is required for is *teaching*. In order to teach this stuff, I had to spend a ton of time reflecting upon how all this works, and so while I didn't grasp *any* of what I explain in this video even when I was working as a concept artist and illustrator, I had to go back and think about how it all worked so I could teach it. But that won't be necessary for you, so don't worry about it. Continue onto the exercises, and after you've gotten through Lesson 1 maybe revisit this material in the future, and it may make more sense. And if it still doesn't, no big deal.

@@Uncomfortable Thanks for sharing your guidance, really. I remembering going through the first 2 days of DAB but ended up quitting DAB, but came back after the next day of quitting. Currently, I'm struggling with the part of rotation and organic parts of the DAB course of lesson 1, I'm still trying my best to dissect it. Thanks for your perspective on this kind of situation though! Do have a nice day ahead :)

These notes may help you better understand what you're meant to be doing/looking for: drawabox.com/lesson/2/2/reminders but in general, remember that exercises are not things we're ever meant to do correctly the first time - and if we are, then those exercises are not being used correctly. An exercise serves to highlight what we don't know and don't understand, so those issues can be identified and addressed with others. We do the exercises not to succeed with them, but to produce a body of work that will help those who provide us with feedback, help us.

Your question suggests that you're not actively making decisions, and instead relying on your subconscious to decide those things for you. In this course, every single thing you do should be the result of active choices you're making. We do everything hyper intentionally in this course in order to train our subconscious instincts so that outside of the course we can focus on *what* it is we wish to draw, rather than how we need to go about it. When we try to use our subconscious to train our subconscious, we generally end up with a mess - so the solution to the problem you're asking about is to actually think about the actions you're taking, and to set out with intent rather than just doing whatever feels natural and hoping it comes out right.

It all comes back to intent. If your intent is to create something of your own, and use reference or objects from life to help you with parts of it, then that's fine. If however you're only focusing on drawing that object, exactly as it is - that is, letting what's in front of you dictate what gets drawn rather than making your own decisions and choosing reference elements to pursue those decisions, then it would not be appropriate for the 50% rule's 'play' portion, and would instead be considered part of the 'study' portion.

Hmm ok I think I understand now

uuhh got another question sorry lol but i was wondering would it be fine to draw characters from memory?

@@amethyst1932 Yeah, that'd be fine. If you haven't already, do be sure to go through the written material that accompanies this topic, as it goes further into understanding the spirit behind the rule, which in turn can be used to gauge whether something is appropriate or not for the 50% rule's play section: drawabox.com/lesson/0/2