A sketch is a rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not intended as a finished work, often consisting of a multitude of overlapping lines. Sketches usually serve to quickly record ideas for later use.

Dry media such as pencil or pastel are often preferred due to time constraints, but a quickly done watercolor study or even quickly modeled clay or soft wax can also be considered a 'sketch' in the broader sense of the term.

Sketching sharpens an artist's ability to focus and has often been a prescribed part of artistic development for student and professional alike.

The sketchbooks of Leonardo da Vinci and Edgar Degas are two examples of many done by famous artists which have become art objects in their own right, although many pages show more thoughtful studies rather than true sketches.

The ability to quickly record impressions through sketching has found varied purposes in today's culture. Courtroom artists are usually sketchers. Sketches drawn to help authorities find or identify wanted people are called forensic sketches. Street performers in heavily touristed areas often include artists who sketch portraits within minutes.

In a similar manner, the word can be used to indicate an impression of something, as in the title to Miles Davis's album Sketches of Spain.

See also

• Study (drawing)
• Pencil sketching
• Doodle
• Multi-Sketch
• Courtroom sketch

Drawing

Skizze | Esquisse | スケッチ | Schets | 素描