PSA: My new habit of sketching finds on-site just solved a puzzle

I stopped relying only on photos and began doing quick field sketches for each artifact. This week, a sketch helped me link two broken pieces that photos missed completely. What small change has made a difference in your digs?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_martinez3d ago

Started sketching pottery shards last season and noticed how the pencil catches texture photos completely smooth over. Now my field book looks like a toddler's art project but it actually connects patterns.

janag893d ago

So sketching actually showed you connections photos missed? How does drawing change what you look for when you're first examining something on site? Photos are quick but maybe they make us lazy about really seeing the details. I'm curious if sketching makes you notice stuff like how heavy an artifact feels or tiny color shifts. It sounds like your brain works differently with a pencil in hand. Have you found that this changes how you record other finds, not just broken pieces?

mason.oscar3d ago

Totally get what @janag89 is saying about photos making us lazy. My own sketches look like a confused bird made them (seriously, it's bad), but forcing my hand to draw the curve of a rim makes me actually think about how thick the clay is and how it was held. Now I find myself hefting rocks before I even take a picture, just feeling their weight and balance.