Artistic Vibes at UCLA: Fueling Creative Education.

Using art to promote arts education.

 When the  CSU/UC California Initiative: Arts & Music for All: A New Era in Creative Workforce Preparation was looking for a Los Angles graphic recorder, who did they call? LiquidSketch Studio!

In a bold move in November 2022, Proposition 28 shook up the scene, amplifying support for arts and music education in California's K-12 public schools. Often the first on the chopping block during financial squeezes, this initiative redirects a slice of current state tax revenues to the Creative Education Fund, giving creativity the spotlight it deserves. California's on a quest for 15,000 more arts educators spanning everything from brush strokes to bass notes.

Held at the iconic University of California Los Angeles Luskin Conference Center, attendees were treated to an inspiring keynote by the visionary director from Minions/Illumination.

Post-event, our vibrant graphic recordings were bundled into “Wisdom from the Field,” shared as a keepsake. It's a sparkling example of how art can immortalize the essence of a live event.

Do graphic recorders need to be subject matter experts?

Recently I was scribing a panel discussion at UCLA Medical School and afterwards an attendee came up to me and said, "Wow, did you go to medical school?" And I said, "No, I'm actually a liberal arts major." The only science I had in college was physics for the non-science major and earth science for the non-science major. But as a graphic recorder, I've developed the skill to be able to listen to complex subjects and pull out the most important information and create a visual hierarchy on the fly.

Now, if I know I'm attending a content-heavy event, I'll peruse their website learn a little bit more before I walk in the room. But often I don't receive what the speakers are really going to be talking about until the event. This is where 20 years as a copywriter has been beneficial, helping me develop the skill of being able to dive into a lot of information and pull out the most important and draw out the relationships between concepts.

While some graphic recorders are specialists in tech, education, or environment, I am a generalist. One week I might be helping urban planners create their 10-year plan, and then the next week help creators of video games storyboard their upcoming release.

I end up learning a little about a lot.  And I’m pretty good at Trivial Pursuit.

Script template for animated videos and white board videos.

Animated videos are a great way to showcase new products or services. With animation, you’re not constrained by budget when it comes to showing extraordinary visuals. It doesn’t cost anymore to draw a superhero flying than it cost to draw someone walking! We’re only limited by our imaginations! 

But no matter how good the artistry, if your video doesn’t have a well-thought out script, your video will not be effective. Luckily, in addition to be a top graphic recorder, I have been an award-winning copywriter and script writer for 25 years. The following is an excellent template to write a scipt. If you need more help, be sure to hit me up!

 The setting.

 Describe the world today or the setting or context. Or describe who you are helping. Give a little background. You can tell a story or give a few statistics to illustrate your point.

 More and more of us are working for ourselves. In a study, Freshbooks, an online accounting software for independent workers, says the number will triple to 42 million people by 2020.

 The problem.

 Describe the problem that the audience or who you’re trying to help is having. It's really easy to get bogged down in the problem. You don't have to tell all the problems, just one. The problem shouldn't be the longest part of this post.

 But the problem is many of these newly independent copywriters, graphic designers, web developers, and analysts have all mastered their professional skills, but they may not have mastered what it takes to grow their business. They enjoy working at home but also report that they feel like they’re thrashing about, losing jobs because they don’t know how to get new clients, close a deal, and retain clients.

What could be.

 Describe a world where this problem doesn’t exist. Paint a visual picture (below, waking up in the middle of the night.)

 Imagine if you enjoyed all the benefits of self-employment without waking up in the middle of the night wondering where your next client will come from.

 The solution

 Share your product or idea and how it will solve the problem. Be sure to offer each feature as a benefit. For example

The Freelancers Union will take you from survive mode to thrive mode. It’s a place where other freelancers share what they’ve learned so you don't have to make the same mistakes. It offers discounts on health insurance to relieve that stress. And workshops on how to grow your business in a strategic way.

Reward

How will the audiences‘ s life improve after your solution becomes reality. This is the place to give a result or a testimony.

 Julie reports that she was able to transform 50% more inquiries into a contract as a result of a Freelancer Union class. “The small investment has paid for itself many times over!

 Enjoy your job. Take control of your destiny. And have a thriving business.

 The call to action.

Be specific in your ask.

Sign up for a membership today.

So just follow this template for an engaging white board video.

If you’re interested in a white board video or a video script, or both, please contact us at LiquidSketchStudio.com!

What's your one thing?

It’s the new year and for many people, this is a time for resolutions and resets. YES/LESS is an exercise I went through a few months ago during a visual facilitation workshop that helped me focus on what I needed for a little more balance. Have I moved the needle on any of the things I listed? No!

So I’m going to focus on one thing that can make it happen: less doomscrolling. I figure if I decrease random social media usage I will decrease procrastination.

And I’m going to take three steps to jumpstart progress:

1.   Taking Facebook and Twitter off my phone and iPad = more Kindle book reading.

2.   Don’t begin the day with Twitter = beginning it with prayer

3.   Visiting Twitter and Facebook once a day on my desktop and then physically signing out so it is not just a simple click away = less procrastination.

Simplicity can be powerful. And using a visual template gives you something that you can post up on your office wall or in the back of your closet.

Let me know what your one thing is!

If you want to download plain versions of these templates:

One Thing

YES/LESS Plain

YES/LESS Surf

The triumph of the fuzzy purple bunny slippers.

How do you want to show up?

I was graphic recording a tradeshow and I was flabbergasted that a woman working the booth across the aisle wore towering heels all day long. I was wearing my comfort sport runners with orthotics and was still had super sore feed at the end of the day.

Then a funning thing happened, at the end of the day the woman pulled out a pair of fuzzy purple bunny slippers. Now that looked comfortable.

I was amused by her footwear but thought this also seems to be a metaphor for how people show up.

They show up wearing the towering stilettos because that is “professional”—meanwhile they think that is what is expected. And buried inside is the longing for fluffy purple bunny slippers.

You don’t to choose one or the other: painfully professional or glittery-unicorn-smiley-face-dotting-your-i. There’s a professional, personable in-between. Think maybe purple ballet flats or furry leopard slingbacks.

Hosting a Gallery Walk Increases the Impact of Graphic Recording

Let’s say you’re at the midpoint of a multiday strategic planning session with your team and the walls are filled with graphic recording maps of workshops and conversations. Initiating a gallery walk is a good way to take the pulse of the group and review the progress you have made toward the event’s goals.

 Gallery walks are a social way for people to reengage with the content of the event. The facilitator initiates the gallery walk by asking some questions for people to keep in mind as they walk through the gallery. Afterward, the group may have a conversation about their takeaways.

 Questions to ask attendees may include:

• What surprised or challenged you?

• Do you see something missing that should be included?

• Do you see new connections or patterns between ideas?

• What’s your biggest takeaway?

• What should our next steps be?

Sparking new conversations and ideas

Graphic recording maps give people a visual record of the event where they can review all the content at once. As people walk through, one person may build on the ideas of another attendee. Or someone might hear someone’s takeaways from the event that are different from their own.

Sticky notes to add to the conversation

 Give your attendees sticky notes and have them record their comments to add to the graphic recording. They may add insights or clarity to the ideas presented on the graphic recording maps.

Gallery walks go virtual

 If you are hosting a virtual event, the digital graphic recording maps can be saved as a PDF to be shared. Or you can save the images to Miro or another whiteboard program to share comments. Google Docs is another way to share graphic recording maps and allow for comments.

Before or after the event

 During a multiday event, you can have a gallery walk midway to check the pulse of how the event is rolling out. A gallery walk at the end of the event helps people review the content in its entirety and may reveal progress made. If you review the charts from a previous event before you start the next event, your conversation is more apt to build upon, rather than repeat, what was said at the previous event.

A gallery walk encourages attendees to be more intentional about their experience of the event. Try it at your next event or planning session!

If you’re interested in using graphic recording to elevate your next event, contact LiquidSketchStudio and we can help you design your next gathering.

My graphic recording uniform.

Ever since I’ve been a kid, my hands get covered with ink when I draw with marker pens. Now that I’m an adult, it still happens! When I graphic record, I always wear black, so any permanent marker stains don’t show. Maybe it’s my inner wanna-be-a-New-Yorker showing through, but I’ve found having a graphic recording uniform makes it easier to get ready for a very busy graphic recording day.

I must be in good company, because quite a few prolific professionals have resorted to uniforms so they could focus their decision-making efforts on their work. Steve Jobs was famous for his black mock turtlenecks and jeans, Karl Lagerfeld donned a black suit and white shirt, and President Obama only wore blue or grey suits to reduce decision fatigue. (Hmmm, notice there are never any women on uniform lists. Maybe, we like variety in our wardrobe too much.)

The Something Borrowed Shirt by ADay

This is by far the most I have spent on any blouse and it is completely worth it. It is made of a high-tech stretch fabric that is also very cool. I can just roll it up in my suitcase and it is ready to go. The notched collar ads a touch of laid-back executive class without being stuffy. I wear the shirt open like a jacket and it covers my butt nicely.

Luxe High-Neck Swing Tank Top for Women by Old Navy

 I bought 5 of these on sale to stock up. The tank is a little longer than usual, so I can wear it under the longer Something Borrowed Shirt and be confident that everything is covered up, even when I am bending over or reaching my arms up. The material is a comfy 95% rayon and 5% spandex.

Mid-Rise Dark-Wash Rockstar Super Skinny Jeggings for Women

 These jeggings have a big stretchy waistband like pregnancy jeans, so they are super comfortable. They keep their shape all day so they don’t bag out. (But I need another pair for a multi-day gig.) I wear black instead of blue denim so I look a little dressier.

 ABEO Diamond II

I have had knee surgery twice and have also suffered from plantar fasciitis, so I always wear shoes with mega support. I wear black shoes so they look less like an athletic shoe. ABEO also makes some great boots with built-in orthotics, which I wear if I know I am not going to be standing all day. But if I am working at a conference or tradeshow booth, I go for the athletic shoe as it gives the most support. The next pair I get will probably be a bright color.

 The BaggyOne

 I like to keep the pens I use the most right within reach. The BaggyOne is sold to be worn with a belt. I lengthened the strap and wear it like a crossbody bag, as I find that more comfortable to work in.

It's not about art, it's about ideas.

I am not an artist.

“Can you draw portraits of the speakers for speaker gifts,” my client asked me.

“No,” I said. “I’m not much of a portrait artist.”

As a graphic recorder, I am more of an idea wrangler, synthesizing real-time conversations into a visual representation. In fact, the end piece isn’t as important as the experience of attendees and participants watching the creation in real-time. It’s is more about the communication of concepts rather than the realism of the created image.

P.S. And as for speaker gifts, I usually doodle on top of photos of the speakers.

Graphic Recording San Diego Design Conference

Graphic recording is useful during a conference because it helps add clarity to the information being present. It also creates an artifact that remains after the event, giving attendees and others a visual summary of the content shared. Including graphic recording images in your recap videos extends the reach of your content and can be reshared the following year to help drum up excitement for the upcoming event.

Ass a San Diego graphic recorder, local design conferences are my favorite events to attend!

Graphic Recording Creative Mornings San Diego

Coffee and a 20 minutes talk from a member of San Diego's creative community. That's what you can expect at every Creative Morning event. Most of my graphic recording work is non-disclosure so it's fun to share oll the Creative Mornings sessions that I have attended. Special thanks to the volunteers that keep this amazing event running. You can follow along on Instagram at @LiquidSketchStudio

Graphic Recording Listening Walls: Attendees, We Hear You!

Back in the days before quarantine, LiquidSketch Studio created a listening wall for Visit Sana Monica. At a local event, citizens were asked a series of questions including what was their favorite attraction, their favorite businesses, and ways to improve the city. Their input would be used to inform Santa Monica's new strategic plan.

LiquidSketch illustrated answers to bring more attention to the survey process at the event . The large mural attracted visitors’ attention and they stopped to participate in the survey. Each participant was also entered to win a free staycation as another incentive.  After the event the wall was dismantled and would be used as a backdrop at other Visit Santa Monica events.

Listening walls showcase the power of graphic recording:

• People see that their opinions are heard

• They feel more part of the decision making process

• The graphic recording image attracts attention

• Pictures of the graphic recording image are shared on social media further amplifies live events

One citizen cited the local YMCA as one of their favorite attraction. Funny thing, the CEO of that YMCA saw the sketch and stopped to take a shot for the YMCA’s social media.

Contact LiquidSketchStudio.com to find out how we can create a listening wall to make your event more successful.

"Hosting an Effective Brainstorm on Zoom" at San Diego Design Week.

San Diego Design Week is here, September 9 -13! LiquidSketch Studio, a Southern California graphic recording boutique is hosting a workshop: Hosting an Effective Brainstorm on Zoom.

Learn how to structure and facilitate an effective brainstorm session on Zoom. As designers, finding creative solutions to problems is what we do! Just because you’re working remotely, you don’t have to lose that magic that a face-to-face session can generate. We’ll talk about how to bridge the communication gap that can occur with digital meetings and the importance of visualizing participant input. You will learn how to structure a brainstorm, how to work visually in a virtual world, and low tech ways to make Zoom more engaging.

This prerecorded workshop is available all week. You can access it here.

Introducing the Chuck-It List!

People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.

— Steve Jobs

What are you going to focus on this year?

More importantly, what are you going to say no to? I

Instead of the Bucket List where you pile on experiences, your favorite graphic recorder is honored to present the Chuck-It list— an invitiation to narrow down your responsibilities so you can focus on what’s important.

What are you saying no to? Let me know!

Tradeshow Booth Graphic Recording: Standing Out in the Crowd

How does a small travel trade consultancy stand out in a tradeshow with over 400 exhibitors with much larger spaces and budgets? With live graphic recording at their tradeshow booth.

I had the pleasure of graphic recording the tradeshow booth for Festive Road, a travel trade consultancy at the GBTA Tradeshow in Chicago. I recorded highlights from the sessions at the event. The Festive Road team invited attendees to shared their insights with # SeeWhatWeSee. I scribed their insights on the booth, highlighted with a purple heart.

They also gave out purple heart sunglasses to attendees. It was a way to stand out in a crowded tradeshow with much larger attendees and also played out well on social media.

The AIGA San Diego Y Design Conference

As a San Diego graphic recorder, there is one event I love attending every year—The AIGA San Diego Y Conference. These are my people: designers, visual thinkers, illustrators. Now it its 24th year, AIGA San Diego invited 10 prolific designers to share how “Saying Yes” impacted their careers and lives.

Some of my favorites:

• Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics creates large scale interactive artworks and articulated the emotions of awe and wonder better than anyone I’ve heard.

• Illustrator/author/artist/activist Lisa Congdon revealed how making things played a role in her personal evolution.

• Anouk Wipprecht  engineers dresses with robotic arms, censors, and lights. Cool to look at bu they look uncomfortable.

• Temi Coker, one of this year’s Adobe Residents, creates spirited photography and design. At lunch he talked about how he didn’t know what he would do after his residence—work for someone else or start his own thing.

• Kareem Collie  pondered the questions of design.

• Roberto de Vicq shared his restaurant designs that are self-contained worlds of entertainment for customers.

• The two founders of dkgn, high school friends, talked about making the great leap to founding their own studio and eventually becoming their own client.

• Laura Pol, just recently left her job at Apple, shared her commitment to doing new things that scare her. (Like talking in public.)

• Doug Powell of IBM talked about the benefits of the design thinking process embedded in a business culture.

• Andrea Small talked about the ambiguity, doubt, and dead-ends she faced on her journey to stay true to herself.

The Y Design Conference was held in a smaller venue this year. The setting had more quiet places to sit which inspired longer conversations between attendees during breaks.

Making science accessible—TEDxSanDiego Salon at the Salk Institute

TEDxSanDiego recently hosted a salon event—Revalations: Revealing The Foundations of Life at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The goal of the event was to showcase the innovations of science that are happening right here in San Diego.

I captured each of these eight to ten minute talks on my iPad sitting in the audience. Each of these scientists explained their work so a non-scientist (that's me!) could understand the broad concepts.

The graphic recordings displayed on screens in the lobby between sessions and allowed attendees to reengage with the content.

I really learned a lot about the influence that our circadian rhythms have on our overall health.

So What’s the Difference Between Graphic Recording, Graphic Facilitation, and Sketchnotes?

You might attend an event and see someone drawing quickly on the stage behind the speaker. Or maybe you see cool visual notes shared on Twitter.

What is this called? Graphic recording? Sketchnotes? Visual notes? Infodoodling? Graphic facilitation?

Let me try to add a little clarity for you. All of these practices involve hand-drawn infographics that combine words into pictures to convey complex ideas in a visual manner.

Graphic facilitation happens when the image maker is also leading and directing a conversation about change. With graphic facilitation, a facilitator leads a small group of people such as a committee, a C-suite team, or a board through a process that helps them make decisions about their group. A graphic facilitator designs the format of the conversation and draws it out visually as she leads it. Attendees often contribute to the visual conversation through the use of sticky notes or writing the paper. Sometimes a facilitator may lead the conversation and employ a graphic recorder to record the conversation visually.

>> Using a graphic conversation to create a plan of action or come to a consensus

Graphic recording is the art of translating a conversation, public address, presentation, or panel into words and images in real time. Images can be created with marker pens on large pieces of paper or hand-drawn on an iPad and projected on a screen.

>> Publically recording a conversation or session

Sketchnotes are similar to graphic recording, but they are created on a small scale. A sketchnote artist usually sits with the audience and creates sketchnotes in a notebook or on an iPad. These images are shared via social media during or after the event. Sketchnotes may be created of videos or podcasts as well as a form of show notes.

>> Capturing a conversation, presentation, video.

Graphic facilitation, graphic recording, and sketchnotes all combine words and pictures to engage both sides of the brain for higher retention. A little more clarity in the world is a great thing!

Anne McColl is Creative Director and Chief Infodoodler at LiquidSketchStudio.com, a Southern California graphic recording boutique that provides digital and large graphic recording + sketchnote services for events and meetings. Her mission is to make powerful ideas easy to share. Subscribe for updates on visual thinking for business.

How graphic recording can extend the life of your event.

So your event was a success. All the seats were sold out, the speakers delivered insightful information, and the entire event received rave reviews in industry press, creating a sense of FOMO around the Internet.

So that’s it? Everyone goes home and says “See ‘ya until next year”?

With a little planning, graphic recording can extend the reach of your content far beyond your event. Engage graphic recorders to record your keynotes and breakout sessions. During the conference, you can display graphic recordings on easels throughout the break areas. Watch as your attendees take selfies in front of the boards and post them directly to social media. Encourage them to use your event hashtag!

You can also opt for digital graphic recording, which allows images to be displayed on video monitors throughout the event area as well as on the main stage as the audience sits down before the next session.

There are a few ways you can repurpose graphic recording images to extend the reach of your event’s content and sustain excitement about it.

A thank-you email

Of course you send out an email thanking your attendees for a successful event. Take it a step further and include a graphic recording of one of the more popular sessions so people can reengage with the content.

An email opt-in

Incorporate images from all of your graphic recordings into a downloadable pdf, then encourage people to download it in exchange for their email. Ta-da! Instant email opt-in.

Post all your PowerPoints on Slideshare.

Incorporate all of the graphic recording images into a Slideshare, and be sure to use industry-specific tags.

Share on social media.

Yes, social media is visually driven! An engaging visual can have even greater potential to go viral because it is a quicker read than the typical blog post recapping conference events. Now that the conference is over, share single images on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest over the course of the next few months.

The ultimate speaker gift

Finally, a gift that your speakers will cherish. Graphic recording images can be printed out and framed before the end of the conference. (Yes, your speakers will hang them in their offices.)

Create excitement for next year’s event.

Fast-forward to next year. You’ll have images to share that will capture the excitement of your event when you’re starting to promote event passes.

Anne McColl is the Chief Infodoodler at LiquidSketchStudio.com, a Southern California graphic recording boutique that provides digital and analog graphic recording + sketchnote services for events and meetings.

Sketchnotes from Social Media Marketing World #smmw18

Social Media Marketing World is the ONE conference I do not miss every year. It is the best way I know how to keep up on the constant change of social media.

The constant theme: video.

Michael Stelzner addressed this in his opening keynote. Maybe we've been focused on numbers too long. But live video is what is still breaks through the algorithm.

Live video in ads.

I was drawn to Dennis Yu and Logan Young of Blizmetric's session on Facebook Ads for a $1 a day. The secret: One minute videos pushing content you already have. Here's the framework for those 1-minute videos:

• Tell a story that illustrates a problem, no intros or bumper
• Address a problem
• Offer your solution
• Call to action

Sexy content that moves the needle.

(Attention grabbing session name of Marcus Sheridan's session on content that leads to sales. VIdeo makes emotional connections with your customers. (And your competition probably isn't using video.) His seven recommendations on how to incorporate video onto your site:

• Video in your email signature
• Specific product video
• Case studies
• Team video
• What you're not video (we're  a good match if _____ )
• Answers to top questions

Talk to one person.

Ann Handley's sessions at Social Media Marketing World are always a breath of fresh air with her emphasis on slowing down to be a good writer. And yes, in this age of video, writing counts more than ever, because writing makes you think and trains you to be articulate. Write to one person translates into talk to one person. Make it personable.

#SXXW18_handley from Anne McColl on Vimeo.

And be sure to check out all the sketchnotes from #smmw18.

All the graphic recording images from Social Media Marketing World 2119 (#smmw18)

#SMMW18 Social Media Marketing World 2018 Sketchnotes from Anne McColl

Anne McColl is the Chief Infodoodler at LiquidSketchStudio.com, a Southern California graphic recording boutique that provides digital and analog graphic recording + sketchnote services for events and meetings.

For drops of inspiration on visual thinking for buisness, subscribe to her newsletter!

The best explanation on the value of design I've ever heard and other takeaways from DesignForward San Diego 2017.

Design Forward San Diego just wrapped up its second annual event at Liberty Station. Design Forward brought together entrepreneurs, technologists, product managers, designers, business and civic leaders to inspire conversation about how design can improve the local economy, civic infrastructure, and San Diego’s quality of life. I had the pleasure of attending this event and of course sketchnoted the sessions. (To be clear, I was an attendee, not hired to cover the event.)

The best explanation on the value of design. Ever.

Phil Gilbert, General Manager of Design, IBM, was full of wit & wisdom. My biggest takeaway of the day: You could ask designers to create a vase. Or you could ask them to create the best way to enjoy flowers at home. That’s design. The right questions can define the innovation of a project.

Don Norman is rad.

This was the first time I saw Don Norman, founder of UCSD’s Design Lab in person. It’s no wonder he’s inspired designers since his days at Apple. Instead of fail fast, how about we learn fast.  

Two pizzas won't do.

Another piece of wisdom from Phil. Never have a team that two pizzas can't feed. 

Unsilo design.

I really appreciated how non-designers were included in the audience as well as professionals across the design spectrum. Mark Cafferty spoke about the power of design in creating spaces that will help San Diego recruit the needed tech and design talent needed for a growing economy.

It's all about yes.

Kara DeFrias urged people to take chances by saying yes to opportunities. This one: “Never take a no from a person who is not qualified to give you a yes.”

The power of research.

I was fascinated with Jennifer Luce of Luce Studios talked about the deep research they did for every client and how that inspired nuggets of joy in every project.

Lessons Learned

Matt Cole

Meriah Garrett

Mizah Rahman

P.S. You can get tickets for next year at a big fat discount right now.