thumbnailing
Roughing out ideas
Thumbnailing is the practice of creating small, rough sketches to plan a larger visual work.
Artists, designers, and storyboard artists use thumbnails to quickly explore composition, layout, and ideas before committing to a final piece: I spent an hour thumbnailing before starting the actual illustration.
The term comes from the small size of these preliminary drawings—roughly the size of a thumbnail.
Uneven in surface
- quickMoving with speed
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- compositionArranged elements forming whole
- layoutSpatial arrangement of elements
concept · planning · iteration · ideation · brainstorming · exploration · loose · gestural
Ordered display of events
- scrubbingCleaning by rubbing hard
- frameSupporting outer structure
- clipCut or attach
- editingRefining content for clarity
sequence · storyboard · preview · playback · footage · montage · scene · cut
Advance showing sample
- gallerySpace for displaying artwork
- gridFramework of intersecting lines
- imageVisual or mental likeness
- iconPictorial screen symbol
cache · loading · resolution · placeholder · browser · folder · file · metadata
Reduced-scale representation
- portraitArtistic depiction of someone
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- detailedFull of specifics
- paintingPigment on canvas
historic · ivory · watercolor · limning · delicate · intimate · collectible · commissioned
rough
Uneven in surface
- quickMoving with speed
- preliminaryBefore the main part
- compositionArranged elements forming whole
layout · concept · planning · iteration · ideation · brainstorming · exploration · loose · gestural · blocking
timeline
Ordered display of events
editing · sequence · storyboard · preview · playback · footage · montage · scene · cut · keyframe
preview
Advance showing sample
- gallerySpace for displaying artwork
- gridFramework of intersecting lines
- imageVisual or mental likeness
icon · cache · loading · resolution · placeholder · browser · folder · file · metadata · compression
miniature
Reduced-scale representation
- portraitArtistic depiction of someone
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- detailedFull of specifics
painting · historic · ivory · watercolor · limning · delicate · intimate · collectible · commissioned · brushwork
thumbnailingfinishing
Bringing to completion
finalizing · rendering · polishing · completing · executing
nail, thumb, thumbs, thumbnail, thumbing, thumbed, thumbprint, thumbscrew, thumbnails