Thumbnails and Value Studies

Professional illustrators and painters rarely start a finished piece directly. They first make thumbnails: tiny, fast sketches that explore different compositions. Ten thumbnails take fifteen minutes and can save you ten hours of fixing a bad composition later.

What is a thumbnail?

A thumbnail is a small drawing (a few centimeters wide) that shows only the big shapes and the big values. No details, no lines that don't matter. Its job is to answer: does this arrangement work?

How to make thumbnails

1. Draw small frames with the same proportions as your final piece (for example, 4×6 cm).
2. Fill each one in 1–3 minutes. Speed forces you to think in big shapes.
3. Use 3–4 values only: white, light gray, dark gray, black. A marker or the side of a soft pencil is perfect.
4. Vary boldly: move the horizon, change the viewpoint, swap light and dark, zoom in and out.
5. Pick the strongest one (or combine two) and develop it.

Value studies and notan

A value study is a slightly bigger thumbnail where you plan the value groups carefully. A notan (a Japanese term meaning "light-dark harmony") goes even further: only two values, black and white. If your design works in notan, it has a strong, clear structure.

You can turn any photo into a notan or a 3-value study with the Reference Studio:

Planning with values

When making value studies, think about:

• Where is the lightest light and the darkest dark? Usually at the focal point.
• What is the dominant value? Mostly light pictures feel airy; mostly dark ones feel dramatic.
• Are the value groups simple? Can you describe the picture as 3 or 4 big shapes?
• Does the eye flow through the picture and land on the focal point?