Whether you are a sketch artist, dancer, painter, writer, or podcaster, it is of extreme importance to learn the best practices of that particular medium; one may even say it is impossible to be successful in that medium without the practical knowledge of it. If you want to be the best at your medium, it is essential that you know these practices.

Remember in 2nd-grade art class when the teacher asked you to draw a house? Then a sun? Then some grass? Then a car? Then yourself? Well, believe it or not, you were sketching. Though digital art and design are more popular now, sketching is the foundation for these pieces. A sketch is just a loose illustration or drawing of someone or something. While sketching is loose, there are a few tips that I think will take your sketching to the next level.

Posture

When I first began sketching, I would slouch, tilt my head slightly to the left, and be way too close to the paper. Even though the sketches came out relatively okay, I spent too much time on them, and even sometimes had proportion or scale issues. All of these problems can be avoided just by fixing one's posture. Posture is one of the most important things to remember when sketching. You always want to be sitting up straight, in a chair that puts you a tad bit over where you are sketching. It may be uncomfortable at first, but practicing good sketch posture would be extremely beneficial to you, as well as your work.

Grip

As a child, we are taught how to write numbers, letters, and words. While this is true, we are never really taught how to properly hold or grip writing utensils. This is what separates those that have classy handwriting from those who lack that classiness; It is the same way with sketching. To maximize the quality of your sketch, one must have a very specific grip on the utensil. Your grip simply is just the way that you hold your pencil, pen, or other creative tools. Half of the people who draw or sketch are holding their tools wrong and don't even know it. A good rule of thumb is to draw with your arms, not your wrist. Keep your wrist locked as you sketch so that your lines and shapes are easier to create. Just like one's posture, one's grip may or may not be a little uncomfortable at first, but this transition is well worth it.

Speed 

How long should a sketch take? At the beginning of my journey in art and graphics, it would take me hours to sketch out an object, person, or idea. The reason it would take me so long is that I would pay attention to every detail while sketching. I would take my time making sure my sketch looked exactly how I wanted it to. This is the wrong way to sketch. A sketch is used to create a loose rendition of an idea. It is only the very beginning of this process. Sketching is all about drawing at a fast pace. While sketching, you shouldn't be detailed as if it's an illustration of some sort. A sketch should be a loose drawing that gets the point across. The best part about sketching is that the drawing does not have to be perfect. It's all about being raw and authentic in the process.