Kurtz made use of sketches as an element of his planning and creative processes. In some cases, the sketches in this series appear to represent complete outlines of a single project but the majority are individual objects or figures utilized in a variety of projects. The most represented examples are figures in a variety of costumes, wagons, carriages, and livestock. In a limited number of examples the sketch is the final product. One such example is Big Shanty, Georgia.