International Sketchnote Camp 2017, Hamburg Germany

April 4, 2018

Up early and out of the hotel to walk to the venue at the historic Dialoghaus in Hamburg. It felt like a mecca for creatives as the closer I came to the building the more folks I saw heading in the same direction. In recognition we stopped together at the entrance and captured this photo. The day had begun.

New Friends and Seasoned Twitter Friends Arrive – Dialoghaus is there in the backgrougnd.

Think of your fondest memory of any sort of reunion. One you could not wait to attend. Family, work, school, or club – combine them all into one event and you have it. Fantastic energy, everyone is family, and all are welcome, amidst organized chaos and joy. The Keynote began and Mike Rohde @rohdesign humbly spoke of the revolution and community that has burgeoned since his book, The Sketchnote Handbook, was published.

We meet again! It is always a pleasure chatting in person with Mike Rohde.

It was astounding that you could not predict the livelihood of anyone directly. Yes, there were many graphic artists and professional visual notetakers, but there were also just as many folks from other fields. The fact that all came together with one intent: to learn, share, and grow, was evident in every session and conversation. In Ed-camp style, folks interested in sharing an idea pitched the sessions and then the whole room was asked to show their hands in interest. If accepted, and most were, someone met these folks off stage, wrote the title on a sticky note, and found an appropriate room and time frame for the idea. The atmosphere was that of a really exciting auction of interesting and unique objects only the offerings were ideas that were ready to sprout and grow (within us) before our eyes. It went surprisingly fast and within a short period of time the crowd parted and found their way to one of the many meeting rooms.

The final board takes shape. Look at all of those topics for one day.

Each of the Kaleidoscopic sessions sparkled. They merged seamlessly into each other as ideas flowed like the water outside. Sketching with Caroline Chappel during her session: From Sketchnoting to Graphic Recording was a highlight. Meeting Caroline, @chappelcartoons in person was a delight (especially since her event the night before was cancelled due to a travel delay) and learning from her in that session is something that stays with me today. Personal mindset and an open expectation for learning (wherever it occurs) were key players for all. The Speicherstadt District of port warehouses and the views of the network of short canals from the open windows of our building displayed a historic industrial setting begging to be studied and burgeoning with new businesses. Repurposed and vibrant. The Enesco site offered the perfect setting for this event filled with magic and possibility. Even while taking a break to have a light lunch a gathering sprouted up around me and I soon found myself in rich discussion around how you teach sketchnoting and the path others were taking to spread that practice both in business and in education. Seeds there were planted for all.

Group Sketch – the visual notes saved and shared during the event. We were all invited to make our mark on the day.

Before the sessions began I met Luis Gonzaga @LuisGonzagacom and we talked about peace. The closing announcements identified that Luis and his historic city of Lisboa, Portugal would be the host for the next event, ISC18LX, and the room erupted in cheers. Knowing that the camaraderie and creativity that had bridged cultures, continents, careers and ideologies would have another opportunity to spread inspiration gave everyone closure. Peace can be spread through Doodles. The International Sketchnoting Camp proved that. PeaceDoodle is coming your way soon. Let’s create Peace through Doodling, shall we?

Friends gather to celebrate the day. Karen Forkish, Luis Gonzaga, and I conversed at the dinner party that followed the event.

Sketching a Community – International Sketchnote Camp 2017

January 30, 2018

Perhaps you can imagine entry into another culture? Languages serenade you with lilting accents and harmonious tones. Friends from Social Media look once, then twice as we recognize one another from our avatars. Everyone is there to learn and be inspired and we were not to be disappointed. The evening began with a welcome from the four organizers. Their smiles were contagious as the standing room only group of attendees applauded in congratulations. ISC 17 was really happening and everyone was ready to jump in. We were introduced to the topics and organization for the evening. The options were fantastic but when I realized that the Urban Sketching & Perspective session would actually take a walk through Hamburg’s famous Schanzenviertel my choice was made.

Marianne, Diana, Katharina, and Andrea, our enthusiastic and extremely talented hosts kept the atmosphere alive all weekend.

Thorsten Kleier and Fabian Bartz did not disappoint. We started with an introduction to the use of perspective, one that was both practical and technical. Perspective, an elusive skill, is something I am eager to add to my tool kt. Each of us was gifted with a sketchbook from airship notebooks and some colored pencils. We had a tutorial, which was invaluable as a starting point and were off.

An introduction to the use of perspective inspired many.

We walked a few blocks to a famous location. There, with a corner pub offering sidewalk seating, we proceeded to overtake the street and attempt to draw what we were looking at. Passerby and participant alike, blended into the landscape and became one in the sea of activity. Concentrating, I lost touch with the city around me, then, looking up for a rolling pencil I realized that I was focused too much on the intricate details of the building. The mesmerizing cornices and doorframes. At this rate, my urban sketch would be simply a series of disconnected edges. Fellow sketchers, propped on top of metal newspaper stands, chatted with me over the need to let go of the detail to see the larger lines, and diminishing streetscape. Perspective indeed, it was unforgettable.

The group spread out to every open spot on this busy street corner to sketch the scene.

My friend, Mario Foglio had joined our group after the lecture portion had begun. Mario had facilitated an International Sketchnote hangout in September of 2016 on Sketchnote travelogues. At that time he shared with the group that he had taken a class on perspective to enhance his travel journals. He said he was renewed by the course and that he had joined a generous group of sketchers as part of a sketch mob in Milan. I have never forgotten that. Mauro sat propped against a street lamp in Hamburg concentrating on the buildings in front of him. There was majesty in the street shadowed by the setting sun, majesty in his reclining, and in his concentration. He amassed quite an audience. This event was breathtaking for me and when the time came to gather back together and return to the group I was reluctant to leave its magic behind.

Mario makes it look easy; sketching the buildings as if their lines flow only from his pen.

Mario shared his finished sketch with me. The master of perspective choosing just the essential details.

The rest of the evening held reunions and laughter. Fascinating conversations and shared journeys. ISC 17 would set sail the next morning with a magic all its own, but for this evening friends and acquaintances from far and wide shared the united energy of generous creativity with open arms and ready hearts.

Fantastic gathering of long time Twitter friends.

This connection is timeless and priceless. Treasured conversations and laughter.

Finding my way to say hello to one of our hosts. A fantastic and fun event.

My Brave Got a Little Bigger

December 3, 2017

In July I filled in the blank: “If my brave got a little bigger, I’d probably ________________.” I surprised myself by my boldness, as I actually did not know how much I was hoping to join my friends in the International Sketchnote Community at the first International Sketchnote Camp in Hamburg, Germany. See my response below.

The event would be held in September, a lovely time to travel, but an inconvenient time for my role in education. Seeing it pop up in my response on Facebook (a platform I visit infrequently) made me ponder: “Could I actually make it happen?” (The community nurtured by Mary Anne Radmacher encourages an intentional life and taking the risks necessary in remembering to do what matters.) Over the last several years this global community of Sketchnoting friends has mattered to me. Our work spreading the love and efficacy of sketchnoting “one shape at a time” has created a family of sorts. I call it the United Nations of Sketchnoting, and my brave got a whole lot bigger when I made my first visit to Germany.

Each segment of that trip deserves an individual blog post; consider this part 1 of 3.

Mike Clayton, Franziska W. Schwarz, DianaSoriat, Katharina TheisBröhl, Lorraine Kasyan, and Marianne Rady share a moment during a break.

A satellite event was held at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremerhaven where Sketchnote enthusiast, Professor Katharina Theis Bröhl, is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. Katharina organized The Wonderful World of Sketchnotes for the faculty, staff and students of the University. Their coastal location supports such topics as maritime technologies and renewable energies. It was an honor to be asked to step in for Mike Rohde and begin the workshop with an introduction to sketchnotes. Katharina was our moderator and the other panelists: Marianne Rady, Mike Clayton, Andreas Teufel, Franziska W. Schwarz, Diana Meier-Soriat would focus on the nuts and bolts and process of Sketchnoting. I set the stage for the what and why including the brain based benefits of sketchnoting for education. Coming off of planes, trains, and shuttles from a 36-hour travel itinerary from the states made me dubious. Could I pull this off? Looking out at the audience, a group of eager, interested, and accomplished faces gave me the energy I needed to articulate my reverence for the skill while also sharing the research based benefits in education. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, but it was not until intermission that I realized the magnitude of our efforts.

Working on jetlag, in a new country, amidst international Twitter friends, many of whom I had never met, it was exciting for me to mingle amidst the crowd. Of course I was drawn to the students. Scientists, and engineers, they were eagerly paying attention and seemed to want more. I was not disappointed when in halting English one described his dilemma when during long, formal lectures his ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder, but, he used another term) kicked in and prevented him from paying attention. He was intent on finding a way to stay tuned into his lectures and engage with the content in a new way. Katharina had done an amazing job spreading the efficacy of Sketchnoting in her classes. Several spoke of an upcoming trip where they would immerse themselves in an island habitat and wanted a better way to capture all that they would be experiencing. Instead of leaving at the break, each and every one of the students stayed for the second half of the program and actively participated in the question and answer segment at the end. I left with such hopefulness that this university was inspiring students to listen well and remember wisely through new and creative methods.

After the event we gathered to share an authentic meal with many of the attendees. The gracious hospitality of my host and her coastal town took my breathe away and I slept that night eager to embark the next day on the official first day of the International Sketchnote Camp. More to come.

Sketchnoting, by Definition – Accessible to All

June 23, 2017

Is there a hurdle being constructed that novice sketchnoters feel they have to jump in order to share their work? Spalton, Chris (ChrisSpalton) “Now #Sketchnotes are becoming more popular there’s also a lean towards becoming more ‘academic, … adding barriers to what should be accessible to all.” 5 May 2017. Tweet.

Sketchnoting, by my friend, Mike Rohde’s definition, is all about ideas, not art. My adoption of the (movement) concept is focused on remembering those golden moments where a speaker (book/talk/event) opens your mind and your heart and changes you in an unforgettable way. In those moments, I: the learner whose life is enhanced by the occasion, want a sketch to help visceralize the event in my memory.

When I experienced the power of sketchnoting I realized that I wanted to spread it outward for students. That avenue was the logical next step but how was I going to prove the necessity? Mike and Sunni started that for me, but there was still the time spent in the classroom that took away from the all too familiar ‘testing’ fear. Wendi’s book helped a great deal. With a research based focus for educators she proved that instead of being time wasted – the energy and time spent familiarizing our students with sketchnoting and modeling visual vocabulary and connected ideas is crucial for every learner. Deepening comprehension and engendering connections that standard drill and kill tactics overlook.

First time sketching – teachers show the students their sketches.

If shaping your thoughts through image is a way to unleash creativity, unlock new ideas, and retain knowledge, then why don’t we all do it more? To unlearn the “I can’t draw” mantra and relearn the doodle mindset is not that difficult. Once the benefits are established the end results supply the proof. Not to mention it is fun to do and sharing with others is a win/win. I found some of my favorite TED Talks through other people’s sketchnotes, learning deeply about things that I probably would not have seen. Perception that I internalized enhancing my day to day. Win/win.

Everyone has something to share and everyone has a doodler within.

Not all of us are equally talented when it comes to art and metaphor.

The same goes for sports, cooking, reading comprehension, and fashion. But that difference doesn’t stop us from playing kickball or trying a new spring roll recipe. The reason it is important to keep #Sketchnoting accessible is because the learning gains for both the practitioner and the rest of us are infinite. If you curb your sketches because you are not going to be the best in show then you have missed the point. Some of the most visually appealing sketchnotes have the least amount of information in them. Often used for self-marketing, these are all fluff and flair with no substance. Those don’t enrich my life. But, they weren’t meant for me right? Dimeo, Rob. (RobDimeo)”Sketchnoting skill should be accessible to all. The sketchnote content need not be accessible to anyone but the sketchnoter.” 5 May 2017. Tweet. I want the sloppy, edgy, risk taking, infographics from an intentional learner.

#Sketchnotes may actually be so academic that the content is not accessible to all viewers, but the act of #Sketchnoting is and must stay accessible to all, because as @ChrisSpalton and @SunniBrown contend, “The more thoughts and ideas are documented (however roughly) the better the world becomes.”

Bettering the world through doodles – see you there.

Neutron Scatterers

March 16, 2017

We’re not in Kansas anymore.

When one of the participants began his question with; “If I’m giving a talk to a bunch of neutron scatterers…” I knew I was breathing different air. The opportunity to meet my Sketchnoting community in person, facilitated by Rob Dimeo with Mike Rohde and Professor Michael Clayton as participants, was one extended to me by a surprising invite and I was still in disbelief of my good fortune.

I was arriving at Reagan International Airport Friday evening to spend the next few days at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD (NIST), with a group of Sketchnoting friends and enthusiasts. An incongruous group of global Twitter friends – collected from far and wide all gathered together to share our styles and passion with a team of scientists, chemists, engineers, librarians, physicists and yes, neutron scatterers. It was a mind opening experience.

But first, a stop at a panel discussion held by six of these folks and given at AIGA Blueridge which walked an eager design community through the basics of sketchnoting. My Lyft driver dropped me (and my luggage) at the door exactly on time. The audience was packed, but I got to say hello to my Sketchnoting tribe right before taking my seat and sitting in awe of the expertise of the panel. And then the journey began.

The next day we met at NIST to deposit our passports to the guards and receive official clearance and a nametag to the facilities. Wow. Cleared, we drove together in a caravan through the campus and to the building that would be home for the next few days. Introductions and coffee aside – we crowd-sourced the topics European style, with what Marianne called a bar camp. (Edcamps here in US education.) Basically all attendees posted sticky notes with their preferred topics, things they wanted to learn about, and things they were willing to ‘share’. Marianne Rady and Steve Silbert (our resident Scrum Masters) categorized our notes and created the schedule. It was the picture of democratic diplomacy as topics were announced and facilitators beckoned. Really. It was seamless.

Mike Rohde – Sketchnote – State of the Union

That first day started with a Visual Vocabulary warm-up where we quickly drew ten objects without pause (a traditional opening activity for us) and then an exploration of ideas that were more difficult to capture. The two Mikes responded to this live – it was dubbed: Stump the Mikes and we all drew together as the audience suggested difficult terms: open mindedness, project, empathy, teamwork, impact and illusion were our mix and the results were fascinating! For me, the images for impact were the most transforming. The Mike’s portrayed different scientific images (Newton’s cradle and a meteor cascading towards Earth) while I was busy trying to depict a can drive for a local food pantry. Our symposium had begun and already my mind had expanded.

Rather than sharing a play-by-play, let me share an anecdote. Our host was discussing the nuances of saved pens in Procreate for the iPad. Rob Dimeo had shared Procreate layers and pens with all of us, but here he was talking to the group about designing a brush that would have a different thickness based on the pressure of the pen stroke. A brush that would resemble a true cartoonist’s ink pen. Rob began to speak to the scientists and instinctively created an analogy for them. He called the brush shape anisotropic – or he attempted to. We laughed at the pronunciation as he answered a question from one of the non-scientists among us, explaining the electromagnetic concept of particles that are not equally dispersed in a substance. Luckily, I understood the brush, ink, and result in Procreate, but I had to know more about anisotropy.

Touring the NIST facility with Rob Dimeo

When we broke for lunch I scooted my chair back to ask for clarification of the NIST employees. I had to add something understandable to my sketchnote after all. Their explanation was fascinating. Bob explained that Isotropic had to do with the disbursement of particles in a substance and Anisotropic meant that they were unevenly distributed. Eric, sitting beside him, clarified. He thought of it like a brick. “The difference of one end appearing like a square and the other side like an elongated rectangle.” That, I could understand – it was actually brilliant, but Bob needed to clarify that the concept talked about the distribution of particles within the makeup of the brick. There is no way that I can explain this discourse intelligently. Their conversation was as fascinating as the analogy was to begin with. It worked for me. I understood that electromagnetic elements of a substance are sometimes unevenly distributed which changes the appearance or density. The concept as it applied to their work escaped me. My delight as an educator was the opportunity to hear the analogy, to share in the understanding, and then to witness colleagues discussing their own definitions to each other through me – a liberal arts, sketchnoting friend.

Twitter Friends

Changing the way we see things gets harder and harder as we age. The reason for this seems to be the lack of opportunity to hear from and share conversation with others outside of our training, vocation, profession, or even geographic residence. The NIST Sketchnote Community Symposium, gave that opportunity to all who attended. My Twitter friends could not wait to meet each other in person to celebrate our community and our good fortune. Our new NIST acquaintances gave us a refreshing benediction to #Sketchnoting.

I am infinitely thankful for this opportunity, one that revealed diverse viewpoints and backgrounds in a transcendent way. We were introduced to entire fields of research and science of which I personally had no prior understanding. Sketchnoting leveled the playing field if only for one weekend. We learned, stretched, shared, evolved, and grew at NIST.

Embracing Creativity – World Sketchnote Day 2016

January 10, 2016

Do you have that voice in your head reminding you that you are not an artist? Yes, you may be hard working, literate, tech savvy, and infinitely curious – but no, not an artist. A few years ago I realized that I was increasingly envious of those visual notes I was seeing on Twitter and at conferences. Brad Ovenell-Carter @Braddo rocked it for BLC attendees and I think that was 2008. It took me to 2013 to actually start exploring the idea that maybe I could join the revolution. But how? Again, I am not an artist. I love words. I listen intently and when I take notes they are lengthy, detailed and formal. Drawing takes time, distracting me from the words being shared. What if I miss something? And, how would I ever draw fast enough? Not to mention that my animals are kind of homogenous, and my trees, people, and machines eerily similar. Stick figures, stop signs, cat whiskers, an apple, light bulb, thought bubble, etc. You get the picture. What would I ever be able to draw that would capture the message of a keynote speaker or anything else for that matter?

Bring on a little inspiration from Rachel Smith @ninmah recommended by Wesley Fryer @wfryer another great motivator. Slow and steady I watched several TED talks, started exploring iPad apps and finding new connections on Twitter. I branched out after buying my first Sketchnote book and now it is history.

Sketchnoting allowed me to become a learner again. To let go of being in control, of trying to do it perfectly, of having an answer, or knowing the outcome in advance. It has allowed me to exercise a different part of my brain and open myself up to new ways of thinking that are not even connected to education or technology. Well, at least not in an obvious way. The sketchnoting community is generous and inviting; the creativity and application of the extended or purposeful doodle is endless, and the crossover for students everywhere is extremely important. How wonderful if we can help students listen with purpose, connect with images of their own creation, and share with others their visual path of making meaning. Sketchnoting helps the visual, auditory, literal, and tactile learner. Some can share more images than words, others the opposite.

I am excited to be a novice in this movement. The live sketchnoters at conferences now captivate me. I want to exclaim – yes, Doodle in class! But then be willing to share. I will be joining the Sketchnote Army and sharing my notes tomorrow, January 11, 2016 for the first annual World Sketchnote Day and I cannot wait.

So, let the day of Sketchnoting begin! and use the hashtag #WDSketchnote2016 to share with the rest of us.

Cosmos – The Flower, the Practice, the Memory

October 1, 2015

My mom had a paramour decades ago whose name was Cosmo. She told me the story in my teens. They dated. He wanted to marry her. She stayed aloof explaining to me years later that they were from two different worlds. Cosmo was a trendy dresser, and a real gentleman. He was not my father. Mom and I are both gardeners. We tend the soil like we do discarded items, stray animals, lonesome strangers. Her love for cosmos has embedded in me a deep reverence for the lacy flower. Romantically listing on a mountainside or meadow. I plant them every year, harvest them when I am lucky, and think of mom and her admirer from the forties. My home was gifted with a vase of late season cosmos. Our guest bought them from the local flour/vegetable stand which exists on the honor system. You put your money in the wooden box and you take what pleases you. This guest in giving me a gift spoke joyfully of the sweetness of an honor system in the country. Only in North Carolina, she said. Let’s travel full circle. I am transfixed by these flowers – I can see them in my minds’ eye. But, I am not an artist. Or am I?

53 Paper is the app I spend the most time practicing. I sat in front of these flowers, fine-tuned my color palette, used the zoom tool and carefully crafted two blooms with precision. Their blossoming made me happy. I shared the creation with a friend and she, equally transfixed by the flower, took the stylus and did the same. Hers were brush strokes, free and flowing, evocative and light. Wow! Look at this SketchNoting, Doodling, VisualNotetaking app in its infancy to a learner. These flowers tell a story. Each individual creates the image as their own expression. Each digital artifact holds its own truth and the artist has a new avenue for leaving their mark. How wonderful for students.

LorraineKasyan.com

Humanizing our Digital Imprint