ABSTRACT
Artistic creation often involves the use of mental images. This investigation examined the influence of training in artistic skills on mental imaging capacity in a sample of 126 subjects aged between 18 and 23 years. First- and 5th-year fine arts students were compared with regard to their performance in 2 imaging capacity tests (the Visual Elaboration Scale and the Vividness of Visual Imagery Test) and 3 tests of drawing involving spatial representation, transformation of spatial relations, and memory. The students who had undergone a longer period of artistic training performed significantly better on all 5 tests, and all drawing tasks scores correlated with each other. These results indicate that artistic training may enhance imaging capacity.
Notes
Note. VES = Visual Elaboration Scale, VVIT = Vividness of Visual Imagery Test, SR = spatial representation, ST = spatial transformation, DM = drawing from memory, DA = descriptive accuracy, VC = visual congruence, AD = accuracy of detail, OI = overall impression, SA = structural accuracy.
*p < .05.
** p < .01.