When I was growing up, I thought the phrase "picture it in your mind's eye" was just a figure of speech, because I've never been able to picture anything in that way -- when I close my eyes and try to imagine something like an apple or a sunset, or even the face of a loved one, it's just black. If this sounds familiar, you might have #aphantasia https://mathewingram.com/work/index.php/2020/04/05/aphantasia-when-you-try-to-picture-something-in-your-mind-and-nothing-happens/
@mathewi Hmmm. This explains a lot.
@seanbolton I didn't even know it was a thing until I was in my 50s and a friend mentioned it, and it was like a lightbulb went on -- or didn't go on
@mathewi and here I am in my fifties, just finding out
It explains why I can draw a reasonable copy of something I can see, but not something from memory.
@seanbolton Yes, it's the same for me -- I have drawn and painted every since I was young, but I have to be looking at it or a photo of it. I can't draw anything from my imagination.