FREE Graphic recording quick skills course

The first modules 1-5 are context setting. The Four Cs: Characters, Containers, Connector begin from module 6. This course is 50 min long.

1. INTRODUCTION

   This course covers the questions of what is graphic recording, why is it useful, and some of the ways it can add value to your work, life and study. Then we’ll draw and write together, to learn the essential elements of any graphic recording. These are the four Cs: Characters, containers, connections and colour.

2. Who am i?

I'm Sarah Firth, I’m a graphic recorder based in Melbourne and I’ve been professionally graphic recording locally and internationally, for more than a decade now. Working across industries and sectors. With all different people, organisations and companies. I'm also a writer and comic artist. So I write and draw for both work and pleasure. 

3. what is graphic recording?

Simply - it is live visual note taking, done real time and live. You listen to people talk, you synthesise what they say and represent it in words and pictures. It’s a bit like being a visual translator.  It can be done just for yourself in your notebook or ipad as part of study. It can be done live and large on a stage, as a projection or in virtual meetings. And it can be integrated into training workshops, event facilitation and service design and anywhere you can imagine.

4.Why is graphic recording useful?

If you're making notes for yourself is a whole brain workout - intuitive and analytical. If you are studying - it increases memory and comprehension. In meetings and events it encourages creativity, play and lateral thinking. It aligns and focuses participants – boosting productivity. It delights and excites which increases engagement. It makes your brand & content more memorable and clear. It helps get diverse ideas and perspectives on the same page. It makes content more accessible for young people, neurodivergent folks, and those with English as a second language or poor literacy skills. It gives participants an invaluable take home visual to remember highlights of a workshop that helps keep momentum going. It’s a great accompaniment to written reports about events – allowing stakeholders to get the gist quickly before they dive into written report detail. And it increases online engagement and allows you to share key messages on social media... plus so much more I'm sure!

5. How did i get into graphic recording?

As a hyperactive, sensitive neurodivergent young person I really struggled at school. I came to visual note taking out of absolute necessity. It was the only way I could channel my hyperactive energy, stay seated, pay attention and listen and remember to what was said. So that was the genesis of my interest and skills. Which developed over time and then I discovered these were valuable services for other people, not just me. And it all blossomed from there. You can read more about this a comic I made for “Growing Up Disabled in Australia.”

6.1 CHARACTERS

Warm up linework:

• It's time to start drawing along, so grab your paper and pens!

• Drawing basics: lines, frames, shapes, spirals, circles, loops, curves and banners.

Word practice:

• The integral relationship of words WITH pictures in graphic recording.

• With words, even simple pictures can say what we want them to say.

• Letter sizing, hierarchies and emphasis with underlines.

• Black and dark colours are best for writing clearly and legibly.

• Capitals for clarity, but play with cursive and mixed case.

• Darker is generally better.

• Drawing works to evoke feeling.

• More practice - try handwriting and lettering classes.

Simple icon practice and ideas:

• Graphic recording is about working fast. This means writing and drawing fast.

• Good enough is good enough! No time for perfection. Simple is good. Simple is fast.

• Faces are an easy way to convey a lot of emotion.

• Faces practice - add more detail if you have time.

• Common icons, ideograms and pictograms.

• Using simple shapes to show concepts and ideas.

• If you are a beginner there is nothing wrong with copying.

• If you need to build confidence you can try Bikablo training to learn a set of icons.

• But be wary of getting stuck in a style that is taught - or your work will look the same as other people.

• When you have more confidence try building your own image library and visual logic to draw from.

• Explore your own authentic and meaningful style. Make your work yours. Again play around – see what works! 

• Grow your visual vocabulary looking at emoticons, image searching online and looking at icon libraries.

6.2 Containers

• Containers help cluster and create spatial structure on the page.

• A way of showing what is together and what is separate.

• As can more or less space between ideas.

• Use similar shapes to show similar ideas and different shapes to show difference. As can colour and different line work.

• This can all be done once you’ve got your text and images captured.

• Think of containers as a way to sort and ordering of ideas by clustering and chunking information into nuggets.

• It helps you understand and see patterns faster.

• The linework you use for a container can show the feeling of the text inside it.

• A thick strong line feels contained.

• An open circular dotted line feels uncertain, permeable, less strong.

• You can show the overlap of ideas and concepts in Venn diagrams.

• A spiky container shows dynamism and excitement

• A wiggly blob could mean an idea is uncomfortable or unformed, unsure.

• Open airy lines show inspiration, newness, optimism.

6.3 Connections

Once you have your information arranged in containers, connections are the next important step in sense making.

• They show relationships, direction and flow across the page of ideas.

• It's how you put things together, and direct attention.

•  Lines and arrows are your friends and quickly show relatedness.

• Connections can be as simple as a clear list.

• Sometimes connecting and directing information comes first and then you might add a container around it.

• Consider line weight to show the quality of connections and relationships.

• Using arrows to branch off from a main idea and circle back shows flow.

• Structuring the connections between ideas and images creates the broader page structure and curates how information is read, to assist with sense making.

6.4 colour

Colour theory is a BIG topic.

• For now, we'll just do some basic - additive - colour theory.

• The basic colour wheel. Primary and secondary and complementary colors.

• When placed together complementary, or opposite colours, create the strongest contrast for those two colours which makes things POP because of the sharp contrast.

• Warm colours are good for highlighting, and drawing attention.

• Cool colours are good as supporting or background colours.

• As I have said earlier – black is best for text but darker colours like dark blue and purple can work well too. Generally avoid green and yellow.

• How do you choose what colours to use in a graphic recording?

• Colour is so important because it structures, orders and have a strong psychological impact or what the messages you are conveying and how it feels. Colours and colour combinations have associations, positive and negative.

• BE INTENTIONAL.

• Think about the mood you want.

• If you are working for a company client – what is their branding?

• If you want dynamic exciting work think about complementary colour to add pop.

• Then try adding in a third colour that matches with one of them these are called analogous pairings as they sit together on the colour wheel.

• For colour inspiration I suggest looking at other people’s work, colour palettes online and again – see what you think works and what you think doesn't. And explore why.

• With colour, less can be more. You can even work with just black and white and grey as a highlight. It can be elegant, stylish and impactful.

• But also with colour MORE can BE MORE – sometimes using everything can be fun and give a celebratory feast for your eyes.

• What you choose depends a lot on context, mood, usage, and the vibe!

• Using colour with your containers and connections helps to further organise the page and the ideas.

• What is similar, what is different.

• Colour is also great for creating clear hierarchies of content.

• Differentiating the heading, main points and then sub points. You can see here how the yellow jumps out – your eyes will gravitate to this first.

• And with clustering, colour helps order ideas into clearly visible patterns at first glance.

• The main takeaway here is – play with colour! See what you like.

• If you want to work fast – just use one or two colours to start with, then add more. Fiddling around with changing pens takes time and sometimes you just can't afford to do it!

See you! I hope you enjoyed this free course

Stay tuned for my upcomind paid “Full” and “Advanced” courses on graphic recording.