FAST NOTES &QUICK SKETCHING

with Mark Simmons

-- Macbeth, Act I, Scene vii

CAPTURING IDEAS

-- The Tempest, Act V, Scene i

CAPTURING IDEAS• In our nature journals, we record words and pictures for a reason

• They help us appreciate, observe, preserve, and share our experiences

• Sometimes we need to do this very fast, if at all!

SKETCHNOTING BASICS

-- The Tempest, Act I, Scene ii

SKETCHNOTING BASICS• Visual notetaking, or sketchnoting, is a set of techniques for capturing and sharing information

• It combines text, images, graphics, and layout to express key ideas

• See Kate Rutter's Nature Journal Club presentation at https://johnmuirlaws.com/introduction-sketchnoting-video-workshop/

• See also books and tutorials by Mike Rohde

SKETCHNOTING: TEXT• In sketchnotes, words usually carry the main ideas

• Try to pick out key words and concepts

• We can go back and emphasize important words later

• If you have time, you can create expressive text

SKETCHNOTING: EXPRESSIVE TEXT• Try it for yourself! (30 seconds)

SKETCHNOTING: EXPRESSIVE TEXT

windy

SKETCHNOTING: EXPRESSIVE TEXT

warm

SKETCHNOTING: EXPRESSIVE TEXT

water

SKETCHNOTING: EXPRESSIVE TEXT

desert

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS• Sketchnoting is often about abstract ideas

• Simple images are an appealing way to represent these concepts

• With practice, we can develop a library of these symbols

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS• Try it for yourself! (30 seconds)

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS

journal

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS

garden

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS

time

SKETCHNOTING: ICONS AND SYMBOLS

challenge

SKETCHNOTING: LAYOUT• There are many ways to organize information on the page, such as…

Linear

Radial

Random

• We can use graphic elements to guide the eye and group information together

-- The Tempest, Act III, Scene iii

CONCRETE IMAGES

• Sketchnoting is often about abstract ideas, but…

• Nature journaling is usually about visible things!

• A big picture can provide a good dominant element

• Try to leave room around it for notes and secondary images

CONCRETE IMAGES

ORGANIZING INFORMATION• Sketchnoting is often used for organized presentations like TED Talks

• We can use these techniques for random and unstructured experiences, too

• Sometimes we have to impose order after the fact!

• Limiting your colors helps create a unifying theme

QUICK SKETCHING

-- Macbeth, Act III, Scene iv

QUICK SKETCHING• To capture an image quickly, try to get big shapes first

• A nice contour outline is a thing of beauty

• We can work on a few views at once

• May be able to add detail and color later on

DRAWING PEOPLE

-- Macbeth, Act I, Scene iv

DRAWING PEOPLE• A quick portrait of a speaker can add an appealing human element

• Capturing a specific likeness is a real challenge!

• Try to avoid extremes of too realistic or too generic

TOO REAL TOO GENERIC

TOO REAL TOO GENERICABOUT RIGHT

SOME CARTOONING TIPS• Some features of the face are expressive:

Eyebrows, mouth

• Some features create a likeness:

Hair, jaw shape, nose, eyebrows

• Some are helpful bonus items:

Facial hair, eyewear, hat

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

-- Hamlet, Act I, Scene v

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER• Try it for yourself! (5 minutes)

https://youtu.be/xBsYNPOnowE

www.ultimatemark.com

Mark Simmons