Kiirustes

Kiirustes is a drawing practice described in some Nordic-language art pedagogy as a method for rapid sketching. The term refers to a set of exercises designed to train the hand and eye to respond quickly to subjects or prompts, emphasizing speed and spontaneity over detail.

In kiirustes sessions, artists complete a sequence of short drawings with timed durations, commonly 15 to 60 seconds per piece. Prompts vary and may include gesture poses, still-life fragments, architectural contours, or character ideas. The goal is to capture essential shapes, movement, proportion, and a confident line.

Common tools include graphite pencils, charcoal, ink pens, and digital brushes on a tablet. Kiirustes is used as a warm-up, a creative exercise, or a core practice in studios and classes. It helps develop visual fluency, accelerates decision-making, and builds a ready-to-iterate sketching vocabulary.

The exact origins and formal definition vary by language and institution, and the term is not widely standardized in English-language sources. It remains a niche concept within broader timed drawing and gesture drawing traditions. Related practices include gesture drawing, timed drawing, speed painting, and quick sketching.