Damon Knight had some training as a visual artist. In Creating Short Fiction, he talks about how learning to be an artist involves learning how to perceive the world.

He suggests some exercises for writers, such as:

– People-watch. Describe someone – not superficially, like a police report, in a way that would describe a thousand people, but with insight, in a way that describes only that person.

– Look at something alive until you feel you know something about it that you didn’t know before.

– Blindfold yourself and listen.

– Think of vivid moments in your life that stand out in your memory, and try to understand why they stand out.

– Learn to pay attention to and accept your own feelings, observe other people for signs of their feelings, and imagine what it’s like to be them.

– Collaborate with your unconscious (which he calls “Fred”). Present Fred with interesting challenges and listen for the response.