Here's a random flirtation of a question: Do you think there's a connection between kanji and drawing ability, on individual and/or cultural levels?

Can't speculate on cultural, but I have essentially no drawing ability (except eyes, I can draw decent eyes. In isolation, mind you, I can't draw a decent pair of them.)

~J

I don't think so. Writing kanji is a matter of writing specific lines in a fixed order; it's not really artistic. Drawing embodies a lot more than just following a fixed pattern of lines.

EDIT: It's possible that drawing helps you draw the kanji in a neat or pretty looking manner, although I don't think the connection would be any different between writing a western script and drawing. As far as actually remembering how to write the kanji, though, I think drawing ability would have essentially no relation.

I draw quite well, but it doesn't help me with kanji. If anything it's a distraction no matter what I'm trying to do because it's a "habit" that's instantly gratifying, like scratching an itch rather than applying ointment to it or taking drugs to alleviate the itch.

However, studying radicals helped me learn a lot of kanji.

woodwojr Wrote:Can't speculate on cultural, but I have essentially no drawing ability (except eyes, I can draw decent eyes. In isolation, mind you, I can't draw a decent pair of them.)

~J

hehe. I've noticed since studying kanji from late '07 till now, my handwriting and drawing has improved despite little practice at either. Also, the ease at which I write and draw feels increased. Also: Manga and manhua = better art than other cultures. Thus my theory is proven. Just kidding. I do imagine there's some basic neurological connection there in terms of hand-eye coordination, visuospatial parsing, et cetera, but I don't know how easily defeated such a connection might be by daily intervening factors.

Writing and drawing a very different skills. My writing style doesn't improve by writing more, but my drawing does. I don't 'draw' kanji, I write them.

yukamina Wrote:I don't 'draw' kanji, I write them.

Yes. Part of the point of practicing writing kanji is to get the point where you actually are writing them rather than just drawing them, IMHO.

ruiner Wrote:Here's a random flirtation of a question: Do you think there's a connection between kanji and drawing ability, on individual and/or cultural levels?

A better question: Do you believe there is a connection between kanji and moving ability, on a massive global level?

No they have no correlation whatsoever, and if there is a correlation there is no reason for it to be limited to just kanji. My writing ability isn't great, and my drawing ability sucks even more. But I do believe gaming ability in counterstrike/quake and starcraft to correlate well to mouse coordination thus allowing one to draw something decently. I only get 16 colours to work with though. I stick to simple things because I simply cant do complex stuff like the shit you see on youtube

liosama Wrote:But I do believe gaming ability in counterstrike/quake and starcraft to correlate well to mouse coordination thus allowing one to draw something decently.

Hmm...250 APM calligraphy?