Graphic Recording Workshop!
It's happening in Calgary in June 2024. You should come!
Announcing: a graphic recording workshop, co-hosted by two Calgary practitioners: my friend Joleyne Mayers-Jaekel of ViClarity Inc. and… me!
This week, I’m not posting an old comic strip from my old sketchbook journal The Drawing Book. Instead, I want to let you know about something new! On June 7 & 8, 2024, I’ll be part of a workshop on graphic recording in Calgary - and I hope you’ll join me!
On social media, I usually post about comics (like last week’s comic about going to see a Bob Dylan concert, a long time ago). So in case you didn’t know what I do for my “day job”: I’m a graphic recorder! I attend events where people are speaking and making presentations, I listen hard, and I take illustrated notes. That way, you end up with a colourful, memorable takeaway from the event.
Incorporating visuals into your notes makes those notes far more memorable! Graphic recording is a powerful engagement tool, as well as a fun way to document information. If you want to learn more about graphic recording, you can take a look at my website.
But there aren’t too many graphic recorders out there. When I was growing up, teachers often told me to stop doodling, not realizing that doodling was actually the superpower that helped me to remember the material. I think it’s important to help raise awareness about how helpful visual notetaking can be, so we can transform more doodlers and visual thinkers into creative documenters! And that’s where this workshop idea comes in.
But this wasn’t my idea! I’ve given a few small workshops in the past, but the idea for a two-day deep dive into the art and business of graphic recording came from my friend Joleyne Mayers-Jaekel, a Calgary-based graphic recorder like me. We’ve often talked about our processes with each other, comparing tips and tricks, and sharing strategies for dealing with the challenges of live graphic recording. A while ago, Joleyne suggested that we collaborate on a workshop, bringing together our different takes on this practice. I thought this was a great idea!
So far, we’ve had a lot of fun putting together our plan for this event. In many ways, we’re on the same page about how we approach our work. But we use different tools, and we tell stories in different ways. Anyone who attends our workshop will be getting two professional perspectives for the price of one!
You can see more examples of Joleyne’s work here on her website.
It’s about you!
So this is where you come in. Who are you? We want to find out! Whether you’re a doodler, or someone who can’t draw a stick person, graphic recording could be the practice you need to enhance the work you’re doing - as an educator, a facilitator, a communicator, or even as a student. Wherever you’re at, the practice of deep listening and mindfully documenting information can help you to enjoy your work more, and get others to pay closer attention to it.
And it’ll be fun! We are planning two full days at Kensington Art Supply & Instruction in south-east Calgary, and we’ll bring all the tools (lots of markers). All we need is you!
Sign up on Eventbrite
You can find out more workshop details here on my website. You can also find the link to register. Or, you can head straight to Eventbrite to register right now!
You can skip the Eventbrite fees and pay by e-transfer if you prefer. Email me directly, or send an email to Joleyne for details.
Of course, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch. The fun thing about this workshop is that we’re designing it with our participants in mind - so if you have particular questions about graphic recording, send them our way so we can address them! Maybe you are wondering what materials to use, or you want to practice taking notes while listening to a live presentation. Maybe you just want to learn how to draw a horse. Maybe you have specific ideas about how graphic recording could boost your particular practice. Let us know!!
Here are the before-and-after images of a recent graphic recording I did at Calgary’s Arts Commons. You can find out more about the amazing speaker, Dr. Chris Emdin, here on his website.
That’s all for now. But I’m looking forward to posting a few more updates about what’s in store for our workshop, in the weeks and months ahead. Looking forward to sharing the stories with you, and hopefully seeing you there!