Why I Sketch

Now that so much work can be created digitally there seems to be a little resistance to the idea of developing an ability to sketch on paper. What I hear most often is that people aren't good at it, it's a waste of time, and/or I like to figure it out on the computer. As someone that grew up thinking I was terrible at drawing but liked to do it, and now finalize most of my work on the computer I thought I would share my thoughts about these statements to help explain why I continue to sketch.

"I'm Not Good At It"
I completely understand this one because I said this to myself when I thought of being an artist in grade school. First I would ask what are you not good at. Are you not good at quickly roughing out some of your ideas, or are you unhappy with the quality of the sketch when it is finished? If it is the latter I would encourage you to learn to let it go. It is very difficult to do so, especially with Twitter, Instagram, etc. and everyone posting there "sketches". It's taken me many years to let go and I still fall into that mindset from time to time that the sketch should look better. Try to think of sketches as personal visual notes. If they help you remember that idea you had or helped you solve a problem before you got too involved in the piece it was a good sketch. Some people really like my sketches, but they don't look anything close to the quality of Vince Low's. By letting go you may actually find yourself sketching more because you are not as anxious about the outcome, and the more you sketch the better you will get at it.
If you are struggling to rough out or communicate your ideas that might not be a bad thing. That is one benefit of sketching. Some ideas are complex and it is difficult to simplify it to a rough thumbnail that still communicates what you want it to. Try to keep it simple so that you can try several variations quickly. A lot can be communicated with good stick figures as proven by Wayne Gillbert in his book Simplified Drawing for Planning Animation:

Since sketches are visual notes, don't be afraid to add more detail by using written notes as well.

"It's A Waste Of Time"

Sometimes sketching may feel like a waste, particularly when the final piece will need to be a digital file. However, I believe that by sketching you are forcing yourself to make creative decisions. When you sketch something out it helps you recognize and solve problems at an early stage in the process. By solving problems early you will save time adding/removing elements, changing layout, etc. Plus, learning how to solve problems and training your brain to think creatively about any situation is never a waste of time.

"I'll Figure It Out On The Computer"

I have to admit that I have said these words, but when I think back to those projects they are the ones that took more time and effort to get through. Of course, you will have to make adjustments to make things work in the computer but what this is really saying is "I don't know what I'm doing but I feel like I need to start". Try starting with a sketch, or even mentally picturing what you are going to create. It will always be faster to create something in the computer if you know what you want it to help you create.

I hope that these thoughts inspire you to try sketching more, and if you are already sketching I hope you continue practicing.