Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4. Anna Ursyn, “Report from Colorado” (©
1986, A. Ursyn. Used with permission). Printout
of the 3D computer program: VAX mainframe,
FORTRAN 77, Interactive Graphic Library (IGL)
and PPC.
the student cannot be pushed into the next
stage. According to this approach, the best
thing is to stay out of the way. One should
remember that the creative work must be
understood individually. One should also
remember that it is not the lack of formal
education that makes the child a child.
• Within a frame of reference of cognitive
psychology, a student needs to develop a
vocabulary of verbal and pictorial sym-
bols. These symbols are executed by the
student in mastering artistic skills before
the development of expression. Therefore,
an art product is the record of a student's
preparation. This approach became a start-
ing point for developing the Discipline
Based Art Education (DBAE) program,
which taught and explored the art experi-
ence through art production, art history, art
criticism, and aesthetics.
MENTAL IMAGERY
Mental imagery is usually described in cognitive
psychology as one's nonverbal, cognitive repre-
sentation of objects, concepts, and perceptual
experiences (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory,
gustatory, or kinesthetic) from the past, or im-
ages anticipated in the future that are desired or
feared. Input from the eyes induces a pattern of
activation during perception. We can comprehend
an image because our brain compares information
contained in an image to previously learned and
stored in memory information that is organized
there in a cognitive structure. Memory of visual
material allows for building our visual imagery
and perception, which means that with the use of
memory we may recognize and decipher images
and their meaning. Mental images help to com-
pare objects. Our perception of a face is possible
because we compare it to a mental imagery of a
face previously viewed. Thus, a mental image is a
representation of what is produced in our mind - a
vivid, concrete mental picture evoked by words or
experiences. Imagery preserves relations among
external objects, not necessarily in a concrete
way. Thus mental images help to compare objects.
When people compare sizes of objects, pictures
work better than verbal comparisons. Mental
representations of visual objects may comprise
unconscious computations of moving objects or
conscious knowledge of meaning of the object.
Cognitive scientists stress the importance of the
unconscious (Stanovich, West, & Toplak, 2011).
