Artwork in Progress

People often ask me what kind of pen I use. I’m always happy to tell them, but really, the best pen is the one you have in your hand. 😊 I felt like doodling just now, and the only pens near to hand were ball points, so that’s what I used. Not my favorite for drawing figures, but better than no pen at all, and if I had to go upstairs, I might not have jumped through that particular hoop in this particular moment, so ballpoint it was! 🖍
Hence: the best pen is the one in your hand! 😉
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So here I’m playing around with drawing the concept of “servant.” How to convey that as quickly and simply as possible? I’m not so skilled at drawing kneeling people (yet!) Those figures need some work! I’m happier with my standing stick figures, thought they read more as waiters than servants, I think… Servant is so generic, it doesn’t have an easily identifiable costume. 🖍
That’s the tricky thing about drawing ideas: you want to transmit an idea in as few lines as possible, and ideally (as much as this is possible) make it universally recognizable. It’s an ongoing challenge!
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Which is, of course, what I love about it! 😊
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #doodle #imperfectionism #letitbecrappy #creativesandboxway #vizthink

Index card art. A little play to start the day. For me, abstract improvisational doodles are pure play. I start with a random mark and go from there. It’s like a game of solitaire improv, with pen and paper instead of a deck of cards, but you end up with something tangible at the end (and it’s way more fun than cards 😉).
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#doodle #dailydoodle #dailycreative #dailyart #imperfectionism #letitbecrappy #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #doodlesofinstagram #tinyart #abstractart #doodleart #creativesandboxway #creativeplay #pigmamicron

Another flip chart for tomorrow’s “Innovate with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop. Hat tip to @malgosiakostecka for teaching me to make pretty lists in her Graphic Facilitation training at the @groveconsultants in San Francisco (if you ever get a chance to take a workshop with her, run, don’t walk!)
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Likes: I like that I incorporated some images, and that the color scheme is simple.
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Wishes: I wish the spacing were more even—for the title, and for the leading between the text blocks. And I’m not sure whether I like the border or not. It feels rather busy. I do like that the border appears to be *behind* the box, though. 👍
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(Hat tip to Malgosia for this lovely was of self-critiquing your work, with “likes” and “wishes.”)
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers #flipchart

I made 25 flip charts for tomorrow’s 90-minute workshop. This is the very last one—I finally got to use my monster pen! 😄 With my signature Neuland #lettering. (I used to teach this style of #calligraphy around the country, but never this large!)
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I have to say, I really enjoy making flip charts. The bar is pretty low, as people don’t expect flip charts to be much (actually, if they expect anything, it’s PowerPoint slides!), so I’m able to loosen up on my perfectionism and have fun. Really, whatever I do will probably be interesting and engaging, so as long as I communicate the content, it’s a win. 😊👍
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The only thing I don’t enjoy is how time-consuming it is to make these charts, and I wish they were as easy to swap out and move around as PowerPoint slides! 🖍
Sigh… no technology is perfect. .
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

Mr. Muscleman has a tiny fist… oh, well. Next time maybe I’ll get it more proportional. .
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#flipchart #visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

Every workshop has lists, and mine have gotten so much prettier thanks to the graphic facilitation training I took at the @groveconsultants with @malgosiakostecka. She taught me a few very simple concepts that make a quick list flip chart ever so much more attractive, and don’t take a lot of time to do. 🖍
I highly recommend the Grove’s training! It’s excellent!
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#flipchart #visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

Some flip chart icons…
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This is what happens when you don’t get all your work done during the week: working on Sunday to prep for an upcoming workshop. Ah, well. It could be a lot worse! I do love to draw. 😊
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

Going “old school” for Tuesday’s workshop. Here’s the cover “slide” for my “analog PowerPoint.” 😉
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Come join the fun in downtown Palo Alto at 6pm: http://bit.ly/2Xo5RoE
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

I was in a meeting the other day, when someone used a common expression that’s derogatory towards an entire ethnic group (of which there were members in the room, including myself). 💥
Thankfully, the host gracefully intervened, acknowledging that this person probably wasn’t aware the expression was derogatory.
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Indeed, *several* people weren’t, and it became a teaching moment—no shame, just “Hey, here’s something you might want to be aware of, so you don’t inadvertently offend people.”
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Similarly, I made two massive, public bloopers recently, and want to publicly thank @corpgraffitiart & @malgosiakostecka for privately, gently, calling me on them, and helping me correct forward. 💥
If we are going to fix huge problems like racism, sexism, homophobia, and other “isms” in the workplace and beyond, we need to be able to make mistakes. 💥
AND we need people who can gently help us correct forward!
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The freedom to make mistakes without repercussions is not ONLY essential for innovation. It’s also essential for #culture. 💥
Your turn: Has anyone ever helped you fix a mistake? .
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#visualfacilitation #graphicfacilitation #visualnotes #graphicrecording #sketchnotes #sketchnote #sketchnoting #sketchnotearmy #graphicrecorder #visualthinking #neulandmarkers

A little morning doodle to start the day. I was just sharing with someone the importance of carving out sacred creative sandbox playtime, disconnected from commerce or obligation, *especially* for those of us who blend our creativity into our businesses. I have to continually remind *myself* to do this! It is way too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the creative work I do for my business feeds me enough to satisfy my creative hungers. But that’s like believing you’ll get all the nourishment you need from, I don’t know, a steady diet of celery or something. I mean, celery might be good for you, but it’s not going to give you ALL the nutrients you need!! You ALSO need some other foods in there!
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Those other foods are a metaphor for the creative things you do purely for PLAY and FUN. They are actually necessary for your health and well-being. They’re not dessert, they are true nourishment. So make time for them on a regular basis. Even if it’s just a few minutes. It will make a difference.
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#doodle #dailydoodle #dailycreative #dailyart #imperfectionism #letitbecrappy #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #doodlesofinstagram #tinyart #abstractart #doodleart #creativesandboxway #creativeplay #pigmamicron

Saturday doodle. .
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#doodle #dailydoodle #dailycreative #dailyart #imperfectionism #letitbecrappy #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #doodlesofinstagram #tinyart #abstractart #doodleart #creativesandboxway #creativeplay #pigmamicron

Fifteen minute doodle break. #creativesandboxplaytime #doodle #dailydoodle #dailycreative #dailyart #imperfectionism #letitbecrappy #artistsofinstagram #artistsoninstagram #doodlesofinstagram #tinyart #abstractart #doodleart #creativesandboxway #creativeplay #pigmamicron