Speaking of Art Blog

Last evening I was a guest speaker for the Illiana Artists League.  I spoke on the benefits of using a 3-value thumbnail sketch in preparation for doing a painting or drawing.  My talk was well received.

So, what is a 3-value thumbnail sketch? 

It’s a small (3” x 3”) quickie sketch of one’s anticipated painting or drawing using a pencil (charcoal or even a no. 2 will do), drawing very cursory shapes, and shading each of the shapes with either a light touch for (1) middle gray  shade or ‘value’ in art terms, a firm hand for (2) black or dark gray, or leaving them (3) plain white to let the white paper show through.

Here are two examples showing my reference photos, my thumbnail sketches, and my resulting pastel paintings:

Why bother doing one? 

Because with a 3-value thumbnail sketch, one can:

--see how the piece will hold together value-wise

--move, eliminate, and simplify elements in the composition with ease

--check the composition and design and see how it holds together in an abstract way

And all of this can be done BEFORE beginning to use expensive art supplies and possibly wasting time and money trying to rework things on the artwork itself.

Will one’s artwork improve by regularly using a 3-value sketch? 

Absolutely!  I learned how to use a 3-value sketch a few years ago under the expert tutelage of Master Pastelist Sally Strand, www.sallystrand.com.  Since I’ve begun using it, my artwork has taken a giant leap forward, and I know that it is a direct result of regularly taking the time to make a 3-value sketch.  I no longer waste valuable time trying to figure things out while I’m painting.  Instead, all my potential problems with composition, values, and design have been already worked out beforehand so that I’m freed up to go after my goal, create a more solid statement, and ‘drive it home’ at my easel.  My 3-value sketch is my roadmap and I refer to it often so that I don’t get lost once I’m on the road to completing a painting or drawing.  I highly recommend that you ‘don’t leave home without it.’  

And thank you, thank you, Sally Strand!