IDYP/SVA: Sketchnote Fever & Networking with Sylvia Duckworth

Over 30 people attended, and we were excited to hear from Sylvia Duckworth, who lead us through some activities to grow our visual/icon vocabulary and practice sketchnoting! Check out some of the photos on Facebook or on our website.

Maria Rabina Neira from IDYP and Jo Nicholson along with Lewis Contini from SVA opened the event and introduced Sylvia Duckworth. 

Sylvia went straight into the topic by asking attendees what they thought sketchnoting was. She explained that it's simply taking notes through sketching. It is a highly sought-after skill overseas in Europe with an entire industry wrapped around it. Companies hire sketchnoters for various events, planning days and campaign design.

The difference between sketchnoting and doodling is that sketchnoting is completely unique to the sketchnoter or organisation it is for because it is all about capturing ideas. Words are used to fill in and explain some concepts and ideas further. 

An example was given of sketchnoting a keynote speech at a conference. Check out this video example.

Sketchnoting can be applied to so many different learning activities including science, math, history, English (breaking down grammar rules, plotlines & characters) and more! The 3 main rules of sketchnoting are: 

1. Everyone can draw 

2.  You'll improve the more you practice 

3. It is about the ideas not the art. 

The most difficult thing about sketchnoting is developing your visual vocabulary. But this can be done through practice and icon drawing exercises. You can grow your visual vocabulary through google, pinterest or www.thenounproject.com. 

Sylvia's first activity was for participants to draw simple shapes (circles, squares and ovals) and to draw whatever icon you can imagine from that.

Thank you so much to Social Value Aotearoa for co-hosting and to Brothers Brewery for the free space. 

Thanks to all of those who attended and made it a successful event.