What is one of the main purposes of creating sketches?

Creating sketches primarily serves as a tool for brainstorming and planning artistic ideas. This process allows artists to explore various concepts, compositions, and forms without committing to the final product immediately. Sketches function as rough drafts, enabling artists to visualize their thoughts and experiment with different approaches before moving on to more detailed or refined artwork. Through sketching, artists can quickly jot down inspirations, surface creative solutions, and clarify their envisioned direction, which ultimately supports and enhances the final piece. The spontaneity of sketching can often lead to unexpected discoveries and unique ideas that might not emerge through more formal or detailed methods.

Finalizing design details, critiquing existing artworks, or selecting a color palette are important aspects of the artistic process but generally occur after the initial brainstorming and idea development phase that sketches facilitate.