The Art of Visual Notetaking

by Emily Mills

  First ask, “Who is this for?” The audience or end use will determine the best method of visual notetaking.

  VISUAL NOTETAKING METHODS

  If the visual notes are for yourself, sketchnotes are really effective, as they are confined to a journal or notebook that is easily portable. To share your work, scan your notes and email them.

  If you’re documenting for a group, graphic recording is a good method, as the large format is easy to read and see. You can use paper, whiteboards, posterboard, or foam core. But while this method is easy to share with groups, it can be hard to transport and keep. I recommend taking photos of your work and sharing digitally. Whiteboard work should also be temporary! If you need something to last longer, don’t use whiteboard—try paper or foam core instead!

  Graphic facilitation is like graphic recording, but instead of listening to the meeting, you’re leading it! You keep your goals in mind as you lead people through your agenda and ask clarifying questions, visualizing everything that is shared along the way. Graphic facilitation is not for the faint of heart and is most effective with prior sketchnote or graphic recording experience.

  Visual videos (also called sketch videos or whiteboard videos) are a great way to simplify complex concepts, instructions, or methods and share them with others. As we learned earlier, humans are highly visual creatures, and we’re more likely to watch a video than we are to read a text-heavy paper about it. We’re also more likely to share it!

  Start small with a sketchbook or a journal. As you practice improving your skills and building confidence, work your way into larger, more complicated formats.

  TOOLS:

  THE VISUAL NOTETAKING ARSENAL OF SKILLS

  One question I’m constantly asked is: “What pen are you using?” People don’t ask me how they can learn to sketchnote, what books or classes I recommend, or even how I learned myself—they ask about my tools! However, the tools do not make the artist.

  The only way to become an effective visual notetaker is through regular practice.

  It’s not about the tools you use; it’s about the visuals you create. Some of the most effective visual notes I’ve seen were done with a ballpoint pen on a legal pad! There’s nothing wrong with using fancy, expensive tools—you should always create to the best of your ability—but the priority of visual notes is the information, not the aesthetics.

  SURFACES

  Before you choose your surface, determine how your visual notes will be used or shared. For example, will you be sharing your visual notes online? Many visual sharing platforms, like Instagram™ and Facebook™, favor square and horizontal images, so making vertical visual notes on legal-size paper won’t make sense. A better option would be to take your notes horizontally or use a square piece of paper.

  PAPER

  Some people sketchnote on sheets of paper; some people use a notebook. I use a notebook because it’s portable. The cover and binding protect the paper, and I can tuck it into my bag and not worry about damage. Consider the following when choosing paper:

  COLOR: White paper is easiest if you’re just starting out. If you mess up, you can use correction fluid.

  WEIGHT: Paper comes in different weights, which refers to how sturdy the paper is. A piece of cheap printer paper is usually 20-lb. weight. It’s thin and easily damaged. Drawing paper is usually 60-80 lbs. The highest-quality papers, also called stock paper or board, are over 100 lbs.

  TOOTH/SURFACE: “Tooth” refers to how rough or smooth the paper feels. Watercolor paper and Kraft paper are considered rough. Look for words on the packaging like “fine tooth,” “Vellum surface,” or “smooth texture” to get an idea of what to expect. Some paper packs or sketchbooks also tell you what they should be used for. For example, “ideal for classic sketching and drawing” or “for dry media.”

  TOOTH/SURFACE: “Tooth” refers to how rough or smooth the paper feels. Watercolor paper and Kraft paper are about as rough as you can get. Look for words on the packaging like “fine tooth,” “Vellum surface,” or “smooth texture” to get an idea of what to expect. Some paper packs or sketchbooks also tell you what they should be used for. For example, “ideal for classic sketching and drawing” or “for dry media.”

  PROS

  • Inexpensive

  • Shareable

  • Permanent. Paper lasts a long time compared to other methods.

  CONS

  • Takes up physical space. Not everyone has the space to store the volume of work they put out. It can also be hard to organize.

  • Prone to damage. A flooded basement or spilled coffee can ruin your visual notes in no time.

  Try a wide variety of papers and experiment with your drawing tools to see how they hold up.

  REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE

  I once bought thick card stock with a smooth surface for a client piece. I thought the high durability would be ideal, but my markers didn’t blend together quite as well, and the smooth surface made the ink smudge easily. It was a good lesson in knowing how a drawing surface can affect the outcome of your artwork!

  NOTEBOOK

  Notebooks are a convenient way to take visual notes. Try a book-bound notebook and a spiral notebook to see what your preference is.

  If someone is hiring you to create visual notes so they can frame the original, a notebook is not a good idea!

  WHITEBOARD

  Recall that whiteboard visual notes are done on a larger scale and are called “graphic recording.” With whiteboards, you can easily correct mistakes. But you have to be smart about making corrections. Every time you focus on editing, you’re not focused on listening. Whiteboards can also be disappointing. A passerby can easily brush up against it and erase your work. You might even accidentally erase something yourself!

  PROS

  • Simple to use.

  • Easy to edit.

  CONS

  • Not permanent. Too easily erased.

  • Hard to photograph. Whiteboards are reflective, so capturing photos can be difficult.

  • Limited palette. There are limited color options for whiteboard markers, and many of them are hard to read.

  • Size. The large size can be intimidating, and dry-erase pens are limited to about three different tip sizes.

  Don’t use whiteboard paints on a whiteboard! They are really messy, hard to control, and hard to clean off.

  DIGITAL

  With new technology being pushed out constantly, digital formats are increasingly popular for visual notetaking. Here is what you need to consider:

  COST

  With the rate of new products and updates being released, will the cost of purchasing a tablet be a wise investment for you, or will it be outdated in a few short years and unable to run new programs? For some, purchasing a digital tablet is a no-brainer. For others, it might be best to stick with analog to save money.

  TIME

  Many notetakers love the idea of taking digital visual notes, but recognize that it does take longer to capture the info. Weigh the possibility that your tools could cause you to miss some information. Visual notes exist to visualize, clarify, and organize information. If you can’t take them in an efficient manner, their purpose is lost.

  SHAREABILITY

  Digital visual notes are easy to share. One small possible downside is that your notes might be more difficult to share in person—not everyone is eager to hand over their expensive tablet to someone else!

  I’m not a fast visual notetaker on my iPad® Pro, but I’m really fast at taking them on paper. I get the best of both worlds: I take my notes in a way that is efficient and that I’m confident in, and I have an editing tool that I’m also proficient in. This workflow is perfect for me.

  PROS

  • Endless tools. A single program can give you infinite colors, brushes, and editing capabilities.

  • Cost. For many, digital visual notes are more cost-effective.

  • Convenient. All you need is a tablet and a stylus. />
  • Shareable. Share your visual notes in just a few taps or clicks!

  • Built-in light source. Adjusting screen brightness is a huge benefit!

  CONS

  • Endless possibilities. Sometimes the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming and you can spend too much time searching for the perfect brush.

  • Aesthetic. Some digital visual notes look too computerized and lack the whimsical hand-drawn aesthetic. There’s just something about pen and paper that draws attention to visual notes.

  • Slippery. A lot of complaints I hear about sketchnoting digitally is that the surface is more slick than paper and pen, so it’s easier to make a mistake.

  • Cost. Conversely, digital visual notes aren’t always cost-effective. You have to decide what is right for you.

  • Battery life. If you’re not diligent about charging or don’t have a backup battery pack, your notetaking device could drain quickly!

  WRITING AND DRAWING TOOLS

  You can take visual notes effectively using any writing utensil available (remember: the tools aren’t important!), but there are some things to consider when picking out a pen.

  Did you catch that? I said PEN.

  “But I’m new at this! I’m going to make a lot of mistakes!”

  Exactly. I believe the best way to become an effective visual notetaker is through deliberate practice using pen. Ink can’t be edited and causes forced failure. Failure doesn’t sound fun, but it’s helpful long-term. You learn faster and in greater amounts from failure than you do from constant small improvements that don’t involve risk. Using pen is also an easy way to improve your confidence, and it has the added benefit of being easier to read than pencil.

  PEN CONSIDERATIONS

  • Does the ink dry quickly, or will it smudge (especially important for left-handed people)?

  • How does the pen work with your paper and other writing tools?

  • How much is it? Is a $10 pen practical if you’re replacing it every few weeks?

  • Is the ink or ink cartridge refillable, or do you have to replace the whole pen each time it runs out?

  • Is the pen readily available? Can you buy it locally or do you have to order it online?

  • Does the ink go bad over time?

  • Can you use the pen as soon as you take the cap off, or does it need “warm-up time” to get the ink flowing?

  MARKERS

  Markers deliver ink supply through a porous nib, like felt or even porous ceramics.

  Tombow® Brush Pen Markers The dual tips are convenient for coloring large areas and creating small details. Colors can be blended, or you can purchase blending markers. Tombow offers more than 90 colors. The ink is water-based, and the whole marker must be replaced when it goes dry. You can layer the ink for richer color.

  Paper Mate® Flair® Flairs are my go-to marker pens for simple black-and-white visual notes without color or shading. There are about 24 colors to choose from. The ink is water-based, and the whole marker must be replaced when it goes dry. The fine tip has a great feel.

  I don’t recommend traditional permanent markers: the colors tend to be untrue, they are alcohol-based, they have a strong smell, and the ink bleeds or spreads.

  Sakura® Pigma® Micron® These markers feel like pens because of their fine tips. The ink is archival pigment (not dye), so it doesn’t bleed on paper, but it will bleed if blended with other markers or colors. There are about 15 colors, and the whole marker must be replaced when it goes dry.

  Copic® Multiliner This is a great tool similar to the Pigma Micron, but with a few added benefits. The archival ink is more black and eraser doesn’t fade it. Copic Multiliners come in very few colors.

  Neuland® Markers: SketchOne (0.1-0.7) + fineOne® (0.5 - 5 mm) The SketchOne pen is similar to Microns and Copic Multiliners, but the ink is water-based and it bleeds more. The whole marker must be replaced when it goes dry. The fineOne markers are my go-to for adding color. I use Neuland’s larger markers for graphic recording, and I love being able to use the same ink (RefillOne) to resupply all my Neuland markers.

  Pentel® EnerGel®: 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 Gel ink doesn’t soak into paper like marker does, so it usually takes longer to dry. Once dry, very few color and shading tools will make the line bleed. They are available in a variety of colors, and I can check the ink level. Pentel also sells refills, so you don’t have to keep buying the same pen casing over and over.

  Sakura® Gelly Roll® White Gel Pen I use this white gel pen like correction fluid, as well as to highlight artwork. It is not refillable and must be replaced when it goes dry.

  MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES

  STRAIGHT EDGE OR RULER AND PENCIL

  Use a pencil to make light guidelines—especially helpful if you write on a slant.

  PLASTIC BAG

  Keeps your stuff waterproof, and prevents pen explosions and leaks from ruining everything!

  PENCIL CASE

  Keep your tools in one place so they’re easy to access.

  HARD SURFACE

  A clipboard or book, or you can use a tablet or laptop.

  BOOK LIGHT OR HEADLAMP

  For dark environments.

  CLICK ERASER

  Stays clean, offers more control, and is refillable.

  SMARTPHONE

  Great for looking up spellings, reference images, and portraits.

  BUSINESS CARDS

  People think visual notes are neat and may want to contact you later to see them on social media, get a copy, or hire you.

  CORRECTION FLUID

  To fix mistakes. This only looks good if your paper is bright white!

  BACKPACK

  It’s helpful to have something that holds all your stuff and keeps your hands free.

  CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING YOUR TOOLS

  Pick tools that meet the needs of your audience

  • How will the notes be shared? Are you choosing a medium that makes your notes easier to share?

  • Will the tools you’re choosing make it easier for your notes to be seen by the right people?

  Pick tools that work together

  • Do your writing utensils and paper work together? Does your ink smudge more easily on one paper over another? If you’re left-handed, does your hand pick up color from the paper as it rests on it?

  • Do your writing utensils work when used together? For example, if you go over a black pen line with your yellow marker, does it bleed or ruin your marker?

  Pick tools that work for your environment

  • Will the room be bright? A whiteboard might be too reflective for the audience to see. Will the room be dark? You might need to bring a book light or headlamp.

  • Are you going to be in a confined space? Large formats might not work well if you need space to move around.

  • If you do decide to use alcohol-based markers, is there air flow so you don’t distract or disturb people with the odor?

  • If you work in a large format, do you have a way of easily displaying your work?

  • If you work in a small format, are you going to have a table to use? Do you need to bring a hard surface or sturdy sketchbook?

  MINDSET

  To take effective visual notes, you need a good mindset.

  You have to stay focused.

  If you’re taking lecture-based visual notes, you can’t get distracted by your thoughts.

  If you’re taking experience-based visual notes for yourself, free yourself from distraction and focus on what you thought and how you felt during the time you are capturing.

  You can’t be a perfectionist.

  You won’t be able to capture everything you hear or experience. The point of visual notes is to visualize, clarify, and organize information, focusing on the main points and ideas. Your pictures might not be perfect, and that’s okay. Your handwriting might be a little messy, and that’s okay. You might have misspelled a word, and that’s okay too!

  You need to go with the flow
.

  Speakers will go off topic or run longer than expected. Schedules will change. Your pen might run out of ink. You might need to use an extra page of paper. Accept all of these things as okay!

  PREP WORK:

  BEFORE YOU BEGIN

  Before jumping into visual notetaking, you need to set yourself up for success! Let’s look at a few ways to prepare yourself and your environment for optimal notetaking.

  GET THE BEST SEAT

  You can’t take good notes if you can’t hear. The most important part of finding a good seat is being able to hear the speaker clearly. Keep an eye out for the following sneaky distractions:

  DOORWAYS

  • People coming in and out

  • Light changes

  • Noise

  PEOPLE

  • Talkers

  • Fidgeters

  • Babies and children