- 1a simple picture that is drawn quickly and does not have many details The artist is making sketches for his next painting. She drew a sketch map of the area to show us the way. Synonymspicture painting drawing portrait print sketchThese are all words for a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper by drawing, painting, etc.picture a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper using a pencil, a pen or paint:The children were drawing pictures of their pets.painting a picture that has been made using paint:a collection of paintings by American artistsdrawing a picture that has been made using a pencil or pen, not paint:a pencil/charcoal drawingportrait a painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the head and shoulders:Vermeer’s ‘Portrait of the artist in his studio’ a self-portrait (= a painting that you do of yourself)print a picture that has been copied from a painting using photography:a Renoir printsketch a simple picture that is drawn quickly and does not have many details:I usually do a few very rough sketches before I start on a painting.Patterns to draw a picture/portrait/sketch to paint a picture/portrait to make a painting/drawing/portrait/print/sketch to do a painting/drawing/portrait/sketch CollocationsFine artsCreating art make a work of art/a drawing/a sketch/a sculpture/a statue/engravings/etchings/prints do an oil painting/a self-portrait/a line drawing/a rough sketch create a work of art/an artwork/paintings and sculptures produce paintings/portraits/oil sketches/his most celebrated work/a series of prints paint a picture/landscape/portrait/mural/in oils/in watercolours/(especially US English) in watercolors/on canvas draw a picture/a portrait/a cartoon/a sketch/a line/a figure/the human form/in charcoal/in ink sketch a preliminary drawing/a figure/a shape carve a figure/an image/a sculpture/an altarpiece/reliefs/a block of wood sculpt a portrait bust/a statue/an abstract figure etch a line/a pattern/a design/a name into the glass mix colours/(especially US English) colors/pigments/paints add/apply thin/thick layers of paint/colour/(especially US English) color/pigment use oil pastels/charcoal/acrylic paint/a can of spray paint work in bronze/ceramics/stone/oils/pastels/watercolour/a wide variety of mediaDescribing art paint/depict a female figure/a biblical scene/a pastoral landscape/a domestic interior depict/illustrate a traditional/mythological/historical/religious theme create an abstract composition/a richly textured surface/a distorted perspective paint dark/rich/skin/flesh tones use broad brush strokes/loose brushwork/vibrant colours/a limited palette/simple geometric forms develop/adopt/paint in a stylized manner/an abstract styleShowing and selling art commission an altarpiece/a bronze bust of somebody/a portrait/a religious work/an artist to paint something frame a painting/portrait hang art/a picture/a painting display/exhibit modern art/somebody’s work/a collection/original artwork/drawings/sculptures/a piece be displayed/hung in a gallery/museum install/place a sculpture in/at/on something erect/unveil a bronze/marble/life-size statue hold/host/mount/open/curate/see an exhibition (especially British English)/(usually North American English) an exhibit be/go on (British English) exhibition/(North American English) exhibit feature/promote/showcase a conceptual artist/contemporary works collect African art/modern British paintings/Japanese prints restore/preserve a fresco/great works of art Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivelightning, quick, rough, … verb + sketchdo, draw, make, … sketch + nounbook, pad, map, … prepositionin a/the sketch, sketch by, sketch for, … See full entry
- 2a short funny scene on television, in the theatre, etc. The drama group did a sketch about a couple buying a new car. Wordfindercomedycaricature, comedy, funny, joke, parody, pun, sketch, slapstick, spoof, take-off Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveshort, comedy, comic, … verb + sketchdo, perform, write, … sketch + nouncomedy, comedy show, show, … prepositionsketch about See full entry See related entries: Types of play, TV shows
- 3a short report or story that gives only basic details about something a biographical sketch of the Prime Minister Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebrief, thumbnail, biographical, … verb + sketchgive somebody prepositionsketch of See full entry See related entries: Types of story Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Dutch schets or German Skizze, from Italian schizzo, from schizzare ‘make a sketch’, based on Greek skhedios ‘done without preparation’.Extra examples He did some rough sketches of the costumes. He gave us character sketches of all his eccentric relations. I was in a sketch group for a couple of years. Police released a composite sketch of the suspect. The family house appears in several of her sketches. The judge will ban sketch artists from the courtroom. The show sometimes feels like a university revue sketch. The talk began with a thumbnail sketch of the political situation at that time. a comedy sketch about a dead parrot a comic sketch about a talking cat a one-hour TV sketch (comedy) show a series of sketches by John Constable the artist’s original sketch to make a sketch for an oil painting He drew me a quick sketch. I usually do a few very rough sketches before I start on a painting. In 1842 he wrote out a short sketch of his theory. My favourite sketch is the one about the dead parrot. The first few pages give a biographical sketch of the author.
sketch
nounBrE BrE//sketʃ//; NAmE NAmE//sketʃ//
Types of play, TV shows, Types of storyCheck pronunciation: sketch
