Richard Lack's Memory Exercise Works?

[Immortal Cintiq]

So I came across an article by Richard Lack on the topic of drawing from memory.

He suggests an exercise were the artists takes a simple silhouette shape and memorize it. After memorizing, he draws it on tracing paper and compares the two images by overlaying one on top of the other. As you become better at redrawing the shape so that it overlaps accurately, the shapes become progressively complex. At an advanced level, the silhouettes may resemble human figures or trees, whatever.

He claims that after years of this practice, maybe 15 mins for memorizing and 15 mins for drawing it out, that it can do wonders in memorizing images.

I wonder if anyone has tried this exercise and weather there is any validity to this?

I mean, Id rather spend the 1/2 hour drawing instead of doing something that may not really help. Yeah Richard Lack is an eminent respected figure in the art world, but im a bit skeptical.

[armando]

The exercise has historical precedent, and it does work. I don't know the full technique that's being taught by him, and I don't really care, but really the simplest way to learn to memorize the way things look is by looking at them. The idea of starting with abstract pictures and overlaying is useful in a teaching environment, but the real value of this exercise shows itself in what you draw being any good, the pictures may align or they may not.
The real act of memorizing something is more complex than your short explanation let's on, better off not following a prescription too closely in this situation.