Croquis

The word croquis comes from French and means simply "sketch".

The short duration of the pose benefits models because they do not need to keep still for a long time; this also benefits the artists because it helps them concentrate on the essential elements of the pose, or the most important parts of the drawing.

An artist does not have time to draw all the details, so they learn to concentrate on the important elements.

Croquis is also a good method of drawing subjects that generally do not stand still and pose, such as insects, animals, and children.

In fashion, the term refers to a quick sketch of a figure (typically nine heads tall as this is the accepted proportions for fashion illustration) with a loose drawing of the clothes that are being designed.