Thumbnails: The lesser known urban sketching secret.
If you're anything like me, you've spent way too much time watching urban sketching videos on Instagram.
Those vibrant colors. The loose lines. Catchy music.
The simple compositions.
It's as if they have a crystal clear vision before the pen even touches the paper.
The secret to their magic?
Thumbnailing.
In urban sketching, thumbnailing refers to creating small, quick sketches.
There are two types of thumbnails:
The first is small thumbnails to plan your composition.
The second is medium thumbnails to understand your colours.
Think of it as a way to 'fail early and fail fast.'
The worst feeling is being deep into a sketch and realizing you hate it.
Thumbnails let you experiment and make quick changes without being too invested.
Here are five reasons you should be thumbnailing. ESPECIALLY if you're a beginner.
1. Understand your page
Don't get stuck with a drawing too big for your page.
Thumbnails help you understand the boundaries of your page.
Tip: If your sketchbook is square, your thumbnails should be square. If it's a rectangle, then your thumbnails should also be rectangle.
2. Decide what makes the cut
Every been midway into a sketch and you realize its a chaotic jumble with no focal point?
Thumbnails helps you decide what elements to include (and exclude).
It allows you to identify the key features of a scene and create a more balanced and impactful sketch.
3. Test colour schemes quickly
Bad colours can destroy even the best of sketches.
With medium thumbnails, you can quickly test out different color schemes.
Don't get caught up in making these too detailed. As long as the shapes are there, you can play around with color combinations to see what works best.
4. Change elements colors on the fly
Is the building color too distracting? Or something in the background is too bright?
Use thumbnails to experiment with how your elements look. This relates to testing color schemes and you can do it at the same time.
5. Test out colouring techniques
So you watched my videos and learned how to color bricks. They look great in one sketch, but horrible in another. It happens.
So, the fifth reason to thumbnail is to experiment with different coloring techniques.
Whether you're using markers or watercolors, thumbnails help you understand how your media interact with the page.
For example, layering wet colors will look very different from layering dry colors.
Bonus: Find your style
A bonus reason you should start thumbnailing?
It encourages you to be more expressive and loose with your line work.
When creating thumbnails, there's no time for details - only impressions. This practice can help you develop a more relaxed and spontaneous style.
Thumbnailing can help you develop your own unique style.
We all start our journey inspired by an artist we admire (for me, it was Albert Kiefer aka @housesketcher).
And we tend to try to copy their style. But it never seems natural.
As you sketch and experiment more, you'll start to make different decisions. You'll start to add our own spin to things. Next thing you know, you have your own distinct style.
Thumbnailing speeds this process by allowing you to experiment and adapt quickly.
FAQs about thumbnailing
What is thumbnailing in urban sketching? Thumbnailing involves creating small, quick sketches to plan compositions and color schemes before committing to a full sketch. It helps artists experiment and make changes easily without being too invested in a single idea.
Why is thumbnailing important for urban sketchers? Thumbnailing allows artists to understand the boundaries of their page, decide on key elements to include in their composition, quickly test color schemes, make adjustments to element colors, and experiment with different coloring techniques.
Are there different types of thumbnails in urban sketching? Yes, there are two main types: small thumbnails for planning composition and medium thumbnails for understanding colors. Each serves a specific purpose in the sketching process.
How can thumbnailing help develop my unique sketching style? Thumbnailing encourages a more expressive and loose approach to line work, helping artists move away from detailed depictions to more impressionistic ones. This practice can speed up the development of a distinct, personal style.
What supplies do I need to start thumbnailing for urban sketching? Basic supplies include sketchbooks (preferably those that match the shape of your intended final sketches), fine liners or fountain pens for drawing, and markers or acrylics for coloring.
