Term: Sketch

A hasty, undetailed or incomplete painting or drawing used to capture the essence of an object, scene or portion thereof. Sketches are often used as the basis for more detailed work. Sketches can be done as studies for future paintings or to explore various compositions, values or color.

Any medium can be used for sketching, though pencil, pen, charcoal and watercolor are frequently used. There is no limit to how large a sketch can but sketches are usually small to make them easier to carry.