What is a traditional purpose of drawing within art practice?

A traditional purpose of drawing within art practice is to create a sketch for a larger composition. This function allows artists to experiment with ideas, explore compositions, and plan out their works before committing to more permanent materials such as paint or sculpture. Sketching can be a way of visualizing concepts, determining proportions, and refining details, thus serving as an essential step in the artistic process. It provides a foundation that can guide the artist in executing the final piece, making it a crucial aspect of development in many artistic traditions.

While the other options address important aspects of artistic practice, they do not capture the core traditional purpose of drawing as effectively. Finalizing an artwork typically happens at a later stage, collaboration may occur throughout the artistic process but is not a primary function of drawing, and critiquing existing artworks, although valuable for artists, is not a direct purpose of the act of drawing itself.