Watercolor Sketching: Thumbnails Anyone????

Have you ever been in front of a blank canvas or paper and not have a clue what to put on it?  Have you ever had creative block?  Have you ever wondered, what now when creating art?  If you are like most of us, you answered yes to all the above.  Well my friends, I have a solution.  I would like to tell you it was my idea from the beginning and no one had ever thought of it until I did, but that would be stretching it a bit. 
Do small, quick thumbnail watercolor sketches in your sketchbook.  Make sure they are quick, and you do not draw anything first.  Paint to paper immediately.  The reason for quick and for no drawing is to allow your inner artist a chance to create.  When we do things in a spontaneous manner, we usually get a very creative effort.  As artists (all professions and parts of everyday life really) we tend to over think things.  If we do quick sketches with paint and no pre conceived pencil marks, we get a real sense of what our inner artist wants to create.
Just for clarity, our inner artist that I refer to here and forever as long as I create art is that part of us inside our soul where the real creative genius lives.  Yes, everyone has a certain amount of genius living deep within ourselves.  The only difference between us and lets say people that are at the highest level of their profession is their ability to quiet their minds and listen to their inner artist.  Quick, small, spontaneous sketches are but one of many ways to get our brains out of the way and allow for real creativity.  I do realize this sounds a bit absurd, but I tell you, your inner artist is real.  Your inner artist is alive and well and waiting for you to allow them to do their work.  In art, like many other things in life, we learn the basic skills needed.  Once we learn those skills, we then practice them.  We practice until we can not practice any longer.  As we get our skills to the point where we do not have to think through a painting, that is when our inner artist takes over.  You will find that there will be times where the painting almost paints itself.  When you feel your hands moving and making marks on the support without much thought if any, then you know who is painting.  Allow your inner artist to thrive.  It is difficult since we as humans do not like to relinquish control, but think of it this way.  You are still the one creating the beautiful art, your just allowing a part of you to create that most people never realize is there to begin with.