Thumbnail sketches. I used to hate them. They are great for jotting down ideas. There isn't enough room to get into any detail. There is just enough room to get into the guts of a composition. Because they are so small it is a lot like taking a look from way down the hall. If this were a written composition, it would be the outline. From here I could sketch and refine or I could make more thumbnails.
I don't want to say what these objects in my thumbnails are about. I am just showing a piece of the process. I took a blind vote from the kids as to which they like and of 4 children I got:
1 vote for #1
1 vote for #2
2 votes for #5
This doesn't look much like art does it? That is exactly why I used to hate doing these. They are not pretty, nor do they have all the wonderful details that I love to jump into. I have done lots of beautiful details that did not hold up in a picture very well. Doing a page or two of these thumbnail sketches before I begin should solve that problem. This also solves the problem of what to do with all these studies of individual people or objects. By tossing them into a few thumbnail sketches, I can surround them with supporting atmosphere and give them the life they deserve.
It is a very romantic idea to think of an artist (of any kind) just picking up their brush, pencil or instrument and creating something beautiful out of their heads. It isn't very practical in application. That would require that the artist is right the first time, every time. I can't speak for any other artist, but I am rarely right the first time.
So of the 6 compositions, which do you like better?
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Art, creative thinking, creativity, Drawing, sketch, sketchbook, sketching, visualization
2 Comments
It just goes to show how jotting down all the options can lead to a good direction. Had I stopped at 2 or 3, number 5 would not have existed.
Thanks for the input, Nards!