To make a quick, loose and good sketch, you need to observe the following tips:

1.  Freehand Lines (without straight edge).
2.  Overlap Corners (when two lines cross).

3.  45 Degree Strokes (apply strokes to create tone in building, tree and sky).
4.  Gradual Value Change (apply it to bern, building and lake).

5.  Professional Gaps (leave gaps within a line).
6.  Compose a Sketch in 3 Parts – Foreground (post, roof, rail and leaves),
     Middle-ground (lake with island) and Background (building with orange sunset).

7.  Colored in Six Colors – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple
     (don’t ever miss one).
8.  Colored in Complimentary Colors – Blue and Orange, Green and Red, Yellow
     and Purple, (colored adjacent to each other).

9.  Create Focal Point – (colored concentrate in the center of the sketch).
10. Leave White Space (in lake and foreground building).

Hope the above tips with the sketch below will help you to apprehend the basic skills of a quick hand sketch.  Sketch is by Brian Lin, outlined with pen and rendered with colored pencils on white trace paper. 20 minutes.  Remember, it isn’t hard to create a good sketch if you bear the principles of graphics.

Mike Lin
BeLoose Graphic Workshop