by Emily Mills
Here some things to keep track of as you practice:
• Pacing
• Balance of drawings and text
• Writing size
• Amount of space used in amount of time (on average)
• Unbalanced notes (too much in one area and not enough in another, blank spots)
• Writing too much or not enough
• Drawing too much or not enough
• Use of color (Overwhelming? Distracting?)
I can easily track my trends because I practice with the same tools and canvas each time. It’s okay to experiment with different tools and types of drawing surfaces, but if you’re changing it up every time you practice it might be difficult to identify areas you can improve.
PRACTICE If you want to improve, practice regularly—even daily! You may not see a noticeable difference right away, but trust that you are learning and improving. Remember to share your progress publicly too!
TIPS FOR LEFT-HANDED PEOPLE
I’m right-handed, but I am very familiar with the writing and drawing frustrations my left-handed friends have shared with me. You might think your left hand will be permanently smudged from your work, but there’s hope! If you’re a lefty, you CAN be a great visual notetaker—it just takes some effort to learn new habits. Here are a few tips:
USE FAST-DRYING TOOLS Smudging is a reality for lefties, so try to use tools that don’t smudge as much. Avoid fountain pens, brush pens, big markers, and gel pens. There are some fast-drying gel pens out there, but they aren’t quite as fast as, say, a ballpoint pen.
SIT IN A STRATEGIC PLACE Try to sit in a chair where your left arm won’t be bumped by a right-handed person sitting on your left side. You might need to be bold and ask to switch seats with someone.
REFINE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT There’s no rule saying you must refine from the beginning. Start on the right-hand side of your canvas and work your way left to lessen the chance of smudging.
ROTATE YOUR PAPER One left-handed friend of mine rotates her paper so smudging is less likely, and it also helps when she wants to do fancy angled lettering. Try rotating your canvas, if you aren’t already.
USE A SMUDGE SHEET Many left-handed artists keep a scrap sheet of paper under their hand when working over work already completed to reduce smudges.
LEARN TO WRITE DIFFERENTLY When I write normally, the entire right side of my palm rests on the paper, but even as a right-handed person, I smudge too! I’ve adjusted how I write while graphic recording so my hand makes as little contact with the surface as possible. The weight of my hand is primarily at the base of my palm, and I use my pinky finger to balance. Notice the difference? Less skin touching paper = less smudging.
Even if this method doesn’t work for you, try different angles of resting your hand, or learn to write without resting your hand on the page at all! Hover above the page, or find something else to rest your hand on above the canvas.
There’s no denying that it’s difficult to learn to write in a new way. It’s frustrating to feel like your handwriting isn’t very good, and you’ll want to go back to what is comfortable, but keep at it! Your faithful practice will ensure success.
PROFESSIONAL & EDUCATIONAL VISUAL NOTETAKING
Many people take visual notes as a personal practice or hobby, but it can also be an enjoyable way to earn money and to learn! If you’re interested in turning your hobby into a side job or career, or you want to learn about visual notes in the classroom as either a teacher or student, check out my free bonus guides available for download at www.quartoknows.com/page/notetaking.
GETTING STARTED
SHARE YOUR WORK
Being a professional visual notetaker starts with sharing your work. I talked earlier about the value of sharing your work publicly. No one will be comfortable hiring you unless they can see samples of your work! Whether you share your work on social media or have an online portfolio, your work needs to be publicly available and easy to find.
SEPARATE BUSINESS FROM PERSONAL
If you want to be taken seriously as a professional visual notetaker, separate business from personal, whether your work is on social media or a website. If someone is interested in hiring you to take visual notes, all they’re interested in seeing is images of your work, and they don’t want to wade through pictures of your vacation or your dog to find it!
TELL PEOPLE YOU WANT TO BE HIRED
People won’t know you’re available for this kind of work unless you tell them! Position yourself as hirable for this specific service by giving out business cards, telling people you’re looking to take visual notes and asking for connections, and sharing online.
GET INVOLVED IN THE VISUAL NOTES COMMUNITY
There is a vibrant community of people who love visual notetaking all around the world. There are meet-ups, conferences, groups, interviews, and more. Get involved in this community, and you will improve your craft and be on your way to becoming an expert.
If you’re having a hard time finding people to hire you for this kind of work and you’re doing everything above, ask yourself the following questions:
• Is your work of consistent quality? (i.e. Can people know what to expect when they hire you, or is every creation unique? Prospective clients may not want to gamble!)
• Have you asked for honest feedback on your work from friends, peers, or mentors?
• Are you easy to get in touch with? Do you check your email and phone messages?
• Do you live in or have access to an area with events and activities conducive to professional visual notetaking? (i.e. conferences, lectures, meetings, events, etc.)
• How long have you been at it? Sometimes it can take years for new endeavors to pay off. Have patience and keep trying!
A WALKTHROUGH
People who want to be professional visual notetakers often ask me what a normal day looks like when taking visual notes for a client. Below is a visual example of a day in the life.
DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD MY BONUS GUIDES FOR PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL VISUAL NOTETAKING AT WWW.QUARTOKNOWS.COM/PAGE/NOTETAKING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Mills is a freelance illustrator and sketchnoting fanatic. When she’s not traveling all over the country taking visual notes for The Sketch Effect, you can find her serving her own clients or teaching online classes at SketchnoteAcademy.com. Emily lives just outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, Joseph. Subscribe to SketchnoteAcademy.com for more visual notetaking articles and exercises.
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM WALTER FOSTER PUBLISHING
978-1-60058-456-5
978-1-60058-457-2
978-1-60058-458-9
978-1-60058-459-6
978-1-63322-051-5
978-1-63322-052-2
Visit www.QuartoKnows.com
© 2019 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Artwork and text © 2019 Emily Mills
First published in 2019 by Walter Foster Publishing, an imprint of The Quarto Group.
26391 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite 220, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, USA.
T (949) 380-7510 F (949) 380-7575 www.QuartoKnows.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book.
Walter Foster Publishing titles are also available at discount for retail, wholesale, promotional, and bulk purchase. For details, contact the Special Sales Manager by email at [email protected] or by mail at The Quarto Group, Attn: Special Sales Manager, 100 Cummings
Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915, USA.
Digital edition: 978-1-63322-623-4
Softcover edition: 978-1-63322-622-7
Acquiring & Project Editor: Stephanie Carbajal
Page Layout: Erin Fahringer