For an artist, sketching is note-taking. It encompasses a heightened level of looking and a more informed way of seeing. Preliminary sketching helps us to understand or know our subject, and can be useful before we embark on the creation of a more complex artwork. In addition, sketching can allow us to practice our craft in less than ideal situations. Decades ago, I drew our infant daughter on a 3 x 5″ sketchpad because it and a magic marker was all I could manage to hold – besides her wiggly self. I have often packed a modest sketchbook and simple tools to capture memories while traveling in exotic locations. I take endless photographs, but spending time drawing a scene allows me to know it more intimately than simply framing an image and clicking the camera shutter.
