A small thumbnail sketch can save a gigantic headache.
"Why do you want to make a thumbnail sketch?" I ask. Say I wrote a scorchingly hot screenplay and had to pitch the story to some big mucky-mucks sipping spritzers in a Hollywood studio bungalow. Now say I had only 30 seconds. Or only one sentence? Take it from me, they're not interested in clever story arcs or who I wanted cast for the part of my crazy, one-legged burglar. They want the hook, the gist. In a sense, that's a thumbnail sketch. So let's see what makes a good thumbnail sketch and what works for me. And what will work for you!
What is a good thumbnail sketch?
1. First of all, "thumbnail" should be a clue. Originally, the term referred literally to the size of a thumbnail. And size is important for two reasons. Time can be a factor if you're outside with the weather and the sun whizzing across the sky. Two, a small sketch can be corrected easily, or you can sketch several different versions. A small, handy sketch book is as important as any other painting tool. Maybe more.
2. The first thing to remember is to keep your sketch the same dimensions as your canvas. Otherwise, when you transfer your sketch to a larger substrate, you might find a lot of empty space without something to put in it. I use a viewfinder many times since it allows me to "rope in" elements for a decent composition. If you can't see the dimension markings on your viewfinder (maybe because you don't paint with your reading glasses), just site through the viewfinder straight on at your canvas and you can easily adjust it for correct size. Of course, when all is said and done, you can still move stuff some to make things fit right. Your artistic license is automatically renewable.
3. The three things that help me in a thumbnail sketch are general composition (or design, for this discussion), value and source of light. How you accomplish this is up to the individual artist. How much detailed information do you need? What works for you? Maybe an urban scene might take more detail than a seascape. Different artists like different drawing tools. For thumbnail sketches I just use whatever is available, which usually is ball point pen or pencil. A powerful little sketch holds the key to a powerful full-scale painting, eliminating the need to repaint and overwork your piece.
4. I've included a sample thumbnail sketch beside a photo of La Jolla Cove, San Diego. My canvas was 8x10 so I made my sketch 4x5, slightly larger clarity of the example. Unfortunately the photo was a different dimension, so I had to squeeze in everything that I thought was important. I used both a pencil and ball point, then just grabbed a sharpie to further emphasize the three areas I wanted the eye to track. I also made a note to myself about the need for more sky, allowing the palms to breathe a little.
Look for and audio/visual demo of the next step: Transferring the thumbnail to canvas and starting the underpainting. I think a 10x10 or 12x12 will work perfectly.
