art by fari

From a pencil sketch to an art painting

Before any paint or ink touches the page, I always begin with a pencil.

Some artists can dive straight in—no pencil sketch, no outline, just color and confidence. And honestly? I admire that. But that’s not how I work. I’m someone who likes to prepare before I create. The pencil sketch is where I lay the foundation, map out the structure, and give myself a visual plan to follow. It’s my safety net, my scaffolding, my first step toward something bigger.

For me, having that initial sketch isn’t about playing it safe—it’s about giving myself something to lean on. Proportions, placement, flow—I work all of that out in graphite before I commit to color. It doesn’t mean I’m rigid or afraid to experiment. It just means I value the process of building a piece from the ground up. The final piece doesn’t always match the original drawing 100%. I deviate when I feel the need, when the mood shifts or the flow takes me somewhere new. The sketch is a starting point, not a cage.

Does that make me a bad artist? No.
It makes me myself.

Every artist has their own rhythm, their own rituals. Mine just happens to start with a pencil. Share what the first step in your art process looks like! I would love to hear your thoughts