Head quick sketches

Head quick sketches
Charcoal on newsprint
These very small heads were done with a time limit. I don't remember, but they were probably two minutes each. The main purpose of a quick sketch is to practice making starts -- to go from blank paper to a decent start. The start of a drawing is the most critical part, where the main dimensions are established. After that, you are working with smaller shapes, and they are easier to position because you already have major reference points. Another purpose for quick sketches is to practice a particular "spacing and placing" technique, such as vertical and horizontal alignments. You want to improve the accuracy of your drawings and also develop fluency. Fluency (as in language) is the ability to see shape relationships easily and place them on paper or canvas without struggle. It's a product of mileage (volume - practice - experience).

The main problem I have with quick sketches is my tendency to want to speed up and get as much done as possible. So I often get sloppy. It's better to do less and do it more accurately. You develop more skill that way. Perfect practice...