I’ve always been a visual learner and recently came across the term “sketchnotes” coined by author and creative, Mike Rohde. He describes sketchnoting as, “purposeful doodling while listening to something interesting…they are as much a method of note taking as they are a form of creative expression.” If you’d like to learn more, I highly recommend perusing his excellent site sketchnotearmy.com. Any time I want to get more out of a book, article, online class, lecture, movie or anything really, I sketchnote it!
“Steal Like an Artist” gave me the permission I needed to try on the styles of artists I admire and “steal” elements from lots of different places and incorporate them into my work. His books also encouraged me to actively study the work of others. There’s only so much you can glean from simply looking at the work. It pays to go deeper. In “Show Your Work” Kleon explains how vital it is to share your work as a way of getting feedback and making connections. www.austinkleon.com
Esther Perel is a therapist who writes and lectures extensively about relationships, culture and sexuality. She enjoys “explaining the mysteries of the human condition in simple words….” and strives “to help people all over the world feel understood, confront their joys and pains, and be motivated to change.” www.estherperel.com
This sketchnote was my way of understanding more about North Korea and its nuclear program under Kim Jong Un.
This wonderful book is a godsend for anyone who could use a little help uncovering the deeper meanings tucked into classic literature. With chapter titles like “He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know” and “Every Trip is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)” Foster makes literature more fun and accessible.
Sketchnoting provides an interesting way to record any step-by-step process — just for fun. This little girl was swimming in our pool one morning so I enrolled her in our complete rehab program and later released her back into the wild (far away from any pools!).
Never heard of PechaKucha before? Me neither! So when SketchKon (the convention for sketchbook artists) announced they would be having a PechaKucha 20x20 style show-and-tell, I Googled it and sketchnoted the results. Basically, it’s a way to share visual information in a very efficient way. Visual images are compiled into a slideshow that contains 20 images for 20 seconds each. The presenter narrates as the slides progress. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to present my work in this slideshow format at SketchKon 2018 in Pasadena, California.
One of my favorite classic movies is The Philadelphia Story with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. The whole movie takes place over the course of just a couple of days and the characters are wonderfully memorable. Worth watching on some rainy day.
Ok, so I’m obsessed with sketching birds with some other animals thrown in there for fun. No one can outdo Mother Nature when it comes to color, texture, and form. From modest mouse to colorful flamingo, it’s all great sketching fodder.
In addition to 2D drawings I enjoy 3D projects as well. Paper sculpture, ceramics and lost wax cast jewelry are a few favorites.
In 2015, I was fortunate to be included in the Irvine Fine Art Center’s “All Media” exhibition. My piece was a visual representation of the number of women killed in intimate partner violence annually in the United States. Men can also be victims of domestic violence (DV). I’m proud to support DV victims by being a hotline volunteer for a local shelter organization called Human Options. They do amazing work providing trauma-informed care to people fleeing violence.
Nature Journaling is a way to slow down and really observe the natural world around you and spark curiosity by documenting questions about what you see. I’m inspired by the stunning work of John Muir Laws (www.johnmuirlaws.com) and I now have a separate sketchbook dedicated to nature journaling. I always get more out of a walk or bike ride when I stop and sketch along the way.
Linocut is a printmaking technique where soft blocks or linoleum is carved into relief design (the reverse of the printed image) and then printmaking ink is applied with a roller (“brayer”) to print the image onto paper. I love how they create a carved wood look.
In Europe during the Renaissance, people created collections of objects, often from the natural world, which they displayed and shared. I have a collection of found objects and books that are my own version of a Cabinet of Curiosities. Scorpion pincers? Check. Shed lizard skin? Check. Cat skull? Check. Not sure what all this says about me but maybe I could become a supplier for witches in need of spell-making ingredients.
While I do cook, I can’t say I really enjoy it. So in an attempt to make it more fun and appealing I started sketchnoting my favorite recipes. Only after I started did I realize that this visual collection of home cooking will be a wonderful gift for each of my children when they head off to college. I’ll just photocopy the originals and assemble them into a little book!
Born and raised in sunny San Diego, I passed the time drawing and dissecting spiders in my room (sorry mom). Filling sketchbooks is my current obsession, but I’ve been known to dive into linocut printing, paper sculpture, digital artwork, and silver cast jewelry.
I’m either a scientist who became a lawyer or a lawyer who still loves science — hints of both pop-up in my work.
I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share my love of all things sketchbook-related as an art instructor at our local fine arts center. I currently live in Southern California with my dear husband, two (relatively) dear kids, and a few brave spiders.
