Thumbnails 

Never under-estimate the value of doing a thumbnail as it will not only improve your work, making  you look at your subject more critically with composition in mind and make you feel more in control  from 'wo' to 'go'! 

A thumbnail can be any size and done on any scrap of paper (or even the corner of your work, to  be covered later,) but MUST; 

• Be a tonal, rather than just a linear sketch so that the placement of darks and lights can be balanced well. 

• Keep a free 'flow' happening...leading the eye through the work to the point of interest. Remembering the strongest contrasts of tone will lie where you finally want the eye to rest. 

• Help in the decision as to what format (shape) the end result should take. So much easier to crop or extend on a scrap piece of paper! 

• Lastly, to use the thumbnail to draw-up from in preference to the 'real thing' or photo reference. So many times I have seen problems solved perfectly in the thumbnail only to be cast aside and forgotten once beginning to draw-up!