Thumbnail Sketches


 

 Thumbnail sketches, are small practice drawings done during the planning stage of developing an art piece. You are probably more familiar with thumbnails as small pictures/icons in the world of computers. Once clicked they expand to larger images. Artists have used thumbnails for centuries as a way to work through ideas before creating large art pieces.

Thumbnails are extremely useful when creating art. They allow the artist to practice in the small before working in large and this can save time and money in wasted supplies.

Things to consider when drawing thumbnails

  1. Thumbnails are usually drawn in minutes and no larger than 2 or 3 inches...how much time, size and detail is up to you.
     

  2. Thumbnail sketches are used to learn about your subject before starting your art piece.
     

  3. Many artists experiment with composition by making more than one thumbnail and then choose the one they like for the enlarged art piece.
     

  4. Thumbnails are also used to establish values, shadows and highlights - pencil drawings.
     

  5. Thumbnails can also be created in colour (pencil crayons) ...great for abstract art pieces.