Seated Figure, Arms Crossed, Left Hand Tucked under Chin 

This drawing, by Mark Rothko, is made with ink on paper. It's a quick sketch, very immediate. Look at how Rothko uses simple lines to capture a seated figure, a gesture of someone lost in thought. The material itself, humble as it is, gives the drawing its power. Ink, a fluid substance, allows for spontaneous marks. The paper, likely a common sketchpad type, is a surface for experimentation, a place where ideas take shape. The process of drawing, unlike painting, allows the immediacy of thought and expression. We often think of Rothko as a painter of grand canvases filled with color. But this sketch reminds us of the importance of process in his work. It reveals Rothko's engagement with the fundamentals of art-making and the artistic traditions of sketching as a mode of exploration. It encourages us to appreciate the labor and choices involved in creating art, blurring the lines between preparation and finished piece.