Inside Sargent’s Sketchbook – A Visit to The Met ✍️

This Friday, I had the chance to visit The Met in NYC with

, and we spent time exploring the breathtaking John Singer Sargent exhibition. While Sargent’s finished paintings are always a showstopper, what truly moved me this time were his sketches — the raw, intimate studies done in pencil and charcoal that rarely get the spotlight.

Some of these sketches struck me immediately — especially those that echoed the figure of Madame X. Though the exhibition doesn’t explicitly connect each one to the final painting, I noticed what seemed to be recurring studies of her across different works. It’s a reminder of how much groundwork Sargent put in before arriving at his iconic compositions. He didn’t just dive into the masterpiece — he explored, iterated, and refined through thumbnail after thumbnail.

But here’s the other thing that really inspired me: not all of the sketches were tied to a final painting. Some were simply exercises. Practice figures. Random musings in line and form. And honestly? They were just as powerful. They showed a master staying loose, curious, and committed to the process — even when the goal wasn’t a gallery wall.

@Chris Legaspi

has always emphasized this: thumbnail, explore, stay connected to the work. Whether you're planning a masterpiece or simply studying for the sake of growth, those reps matter.

So I’m sharing some of the sketches I found — both the deliberate studies and the spontaneous ones — because they remind me (and hopefully you too) that every drawing counts.

Whether it’s a warm-up, a throwaway, or a deep dive into a final piece — it all builds your eye, your hand, your connection to the work.

Let me know what you see in these. What do they make you feel about your own process?

Let’s keep drawing. Let’s keep learning. Let’s keep growing.

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