Thumbnail Sketch
Small, fast sketches for exploring ideas
Also known as: Thumbnails · Thumbnailing · Concept thumbnails · Value thumbnail · Composition thumbnails · Quick sketches
Definition
A thumbnail sketch is a small, fast drawing, often only a couple of inches across, used to explore ideas before committing to a final piece. Concept artists draw many thumbnails of a composition, character or environment, in simple shapes and a few values, to test the layout, silhouette and mood quickly. Because they are small and rough, they are cheap to discard, and they show whether an idea reads before any detail is added.
In production
Make a dozen or more thumbnails with different angles and arrangements, in black, white and a gray or two, and choose the most readable ones to develop. Keep them small enough to judge at a glance, and compare them side by side. Many artists work from thumbnails to a rough value sketch, then to a color pass and polish, and show a few thumbnails to the art director for early feedback.
