The Habit of Seeing: Book One

By Tom McPherson

The Habit of Seeing explores perception as an active, cultivated practice rather than a passive act. Moving through a series of reflective essays, Tom McPherson considers how attention shapes what we notice, what we overlook, and how meaning slowly emerges when we learn to look more carefully.

The book examines habits of perception, visual assumptions, and the quiet editing that takes place before conscious thought. Seeing is treated not as something that simply happens, but as something we do, shaped by experience, intention, and patience. Ordinary environments, familiar spaces, and everyday moments become sites of renewed clarity when attention deepens.

Written in a calm, reflective voice, The Habit of Seeing offers a counterpoint to speed, certainty, and constant distraction. It invites the reader to slow down, question first impressions, and rediscover how much richness exists in the overlooked and the familiar.

This book is for artists, students, and readers interested in perception, attention, and the relationship between seeing and understanding. It is not instructional, but exploratory, a companion for anyone drawn to observation, awareness, and a more thoughtful way of engaging with the world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1919305238
• ISBN13: 9781919305233
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Circle Line Press
• Length: 164 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.1" x 7.8"