Explore my other articles on how I use color and visual storytelling in my illustrations.

As an illustrator, sketching is my secret weapon. It’s where ideas begin to take shape, and where I push creative boundaries without the pressure of perfection. Sketching is the fun part. It’s not about getting everything right from the start but exploring, experimenting, and problem-solving before diving into the final illustration.

In this post, I’ll talk about why sketching is so vital to my creative process and how I embrace the messy, the ugly, and the boring stages that eventually lead to the final illustration.

The Messy: Where Ideas Take Shape

When I first started illustrating, I believed every drawing needed a clear, detailed vision. I’d get frustrated when things didn’t look "perfect." It may sound cliché, but over time I realized that rough sketches are where the magic happens. These early sketches lay the foundation for the final piece. They help you find the mood, composition, and overall feel of the scene without getting bogged down by small details.

Think of rough sketches as the blueprint of your illustration: they provide the structure and direction. While they don’t include every beautiful detail, they capture the core essence of your idea. Whether you’re sketching a character’s energy, the mood of a scene, or the overall composition, a rough sketch helps you establish these key elements quickly.

The Ugly: Letting Go of Perfectionism

Creativity thrives when you let go of perfectionism. Some of my best ideas come from quick, "ugly" sketches. These sketches may not be pretty, but they allow me to experiment freely without the fear of making mistakes. Whether I’m designing characters or exploring compositions, quick sketches give me the chance to play and find what works.

I always encourage myself to make mistakes, as they often lead to the best discoveries. Sometimes the "ugly" sketch I thought was useless becomes the very one I use for my final illustration. Quick sketches are about letting creativity flow freely, without fear of judgment. And there's something incredibly freeing about making them look imperfect.

The Boring: Iteration Is Key

One of the hardest lessons I learned was accepting that my first sketch isn’t always the best. Sketching isn’t about getting it perfect right away; it’s about iteration. It may sound boring, but every time I move past the rough sketch stage, I’m building on what I learned during that messy phase. I tweak, refine, and try new things until it feels right. This process saves me time and frustration in the long run.

The key is to keep moving forward. Even if a sketch feels "off," I trust that each attempt gets me closer to the final result. It’s not about rushing; it’s about taking the time to get it right. Iterative sketching helps me build confidence and trust in my process.

This process can seem boring (it does to my neurodivergent brain!), but it’s what will save you time and frustration down the road. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone into the coloring phase only to realize something about a character design isn’t quite right. The posture feels off, or the expression doesn’t match the mood. So, I’ll sketch it again and again until it feels right. The beauty of quick sketches is that they’re just that - quick. I can create many of them in a short time..

Sketching is the Armature That Holds the Drawing Process Together

At the end of the day, sketching is not just a preliminary step. It’s a core part of the creative process. Rough sketches, quick explorations, and iterative design build a strong foundation for the final result. The sketching stage is the armature that holds the whole process together.

But at the same time, I need to think of it as my playground where the fun happens! It’s OK to make mistakes and work through iterations. Trust that every sketch, no matter how ugly, is bringing me closer to an illustration I will love. And learn to appreciate both the messy and the mundane, until I arrive at the beautiful and fulfilling.

How do you approach your sketching practice? Do you enjoy it, or quite the opposite - can’t wait to start the “real” drawing?

Thanks for stopping by,

Mila

PS If you feel like taking a look at my sketches I have a Sketchbook page on my website.