Sketchnotes 101
We’ve all done it. Whether in the middle of a meeting or while writing a paper or studying. It appears out of nowhere and then BAM like a blanket of snow your paper is covered in them. Depending on your talent, they may start off as dots, cubes, stars, and swirls and then perhaps morph into replicas of Abraham Lincoln or the Zombie Apocalypse.
And so whatever your artistic preference may be, your passion for doodling can be transformed into the latest EDUtrend—sketchnoting! Sketchnoting brings traditional notes to life through visual representations combining illustrations with text.
Did you know that studies show sketching and doodling improves comprehension and creative thinking? Sunni Brown explores this in her TED talk: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen and explores the disconnect between how society views doodling and what the research really says about doodling. In her TED talk she says, "People who doodle when they're exposed to verbal information retain more of that information than their non-doodling counterparts." Aren't we all for remembering and understanding more?
Therefore, while reading Grit by Angela Duckworth, I took notes of the first chapter in my Rocketwave notebook. I jotted down what stood out as important as I read and when I reread my notes, I thought to myself—I need to rewrite these. They just didn’t pop off the page. And that’s when it hit me. I NEED TO SKETCHNOTE!
I’ve seen sketchnotes on Twitter here and there and I loved how they made the words on a page come to life. Since, I also love all things drawing, painting, and paper crafting, I decided to give it a go. I hit up Google and well you got it, I searched for sketchnotes. While feeling inspired, I decided to give sketchnotes a whirl. And you know what? It was fun—I was doodling and learning at the same time. Could notetaking get any better? (Well, maybe it could with a side of Pumpkin Spice Latte or better yet..ocean waves.)
Thinking about trying to sketchnote? Read my tips and tricks below and then dive right in!
Here’s what I learned about Sketchnoting:
Start with the right supplies:
Use a mix media sketchpad so your pens do not bleed through the pages.
There also may be times when bits of paper come off on your pen tips or markers. This may happen when there is too much ink in a particular spot. This can be overcome with higher quality paper as well as going light on the sketching. (When this happens, I usually just wipe the tips gently on a piece of scrap paper to clean them off.)
Do not attempt to create sketchnotes with a dried up pen that you unearthed from the earth’s core. Purchase new pens. (Use a 50% off coupon at Michaels to purchase pens—a thin and thick felt tip pen is all you need.)
If you are feeling bold, you could also purchase a Copic (alcohol based marker) to add some shading or depth to your notes. I had a C3, C5 and C7 grey marker already in my collection, but they were really too dark (see above image.) I recommend a C1 and you can save a few dollars by getting a Ciao Copic (round not flat) if your craft store offers them.
Have fun-seriously:
Sketchnotes allow your whole mind to be engaged as you doodle so have fun with your creations.
Each creation can start with a basic formula focusing on different types of fonts or lettering, connectors (your arrows or lines), frames for your lettering (think banners or boxes) and then your doodles.
For me, sketchnotes work best if I first take traditional notes. Once my notes from a chapter are completed, I then take out my sketchpad and decide how to bring them to life with my pen. Not all my notes make it onto a sketchnote.
I start thinking about the title of my sketchnote and place that on my paper first-then I pick and choose which notes to bring to life. I've found I start with the top left and work my way clockwise to cover the paper. I jot the text down, add a frame, create a connector and repeat the cycle. Once my notes are all on the page, then I fill up any blank space with doodles like stars or small drawings.
It doesn’t matter if you mess up:
I attempted to draw a brain, which later turned into an ink splash. Turns out brains are hard to draw. Ink splashes are not so hard.
Since you are using a felt tip pen, you can’t erase. If you make a mistake, black it out and then use a white gel pen on top of it. This is the reverse white-out effect, which is also a great technique for making words pop. (Note: Allow the black to dry for a few seconds before going over it with a white gel pen so it doesn't turn to grey.)
If you would like to share your sketchnotes on social media, do not sketch all the way to the perimeter of your paper. Leave a little space so when you take a picture of your sketch, you can crop it evenly without having parts of your couch in the picture or having to cut off words.
Helpful Sketchnote Resources:
Website: Sketchnoting in the Classroom
Video: I found a great YouTube channel called Verbal to Visual where the host, Doug, explains everything you ever needed to know about sketchnoting in a fun manner! My main takeaway from his channel is that everyone can draw and your notes do not have to look good--just enjoy the process!
Image: My suggestion is to do a quick Google search of "sketchnotes," then click images and browse through the collection of sketchnote ideas to get inspired! When you analyze other's sketchnotes, you can determine what type of style you would like to bring to your sketches.
Have you tried sketchnoting? Tweet @erinmariemarone to share.
Note: I linked some of the products I use while sketchnoting or similar ones if you need help getting started. These suggestions are only for informational purposes.
