We think that an accurate drawing is the easiest to understand. It’s not always the case with sketchnotes. Being a bit more creative and thoughtful by drawing abstract sketchnote icons can bring some real benefits that make your sketchnotes more interesting for readers and more useful for yourself.
Here are 3 reasons why you should get more creative with your next sketchnote icons.
Easier to understand
You often need to draw small icons and too many details make them harder to make out. Plus the most details you add, the more of your opinion you add in. That’s a real issue if you want to talk about a category like a bookshop rather than the bookshop down the road which you go to.
Which is easier to understand and which has more character?
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This is even more important with abstract ideas that don’t have direct correlations in the real world.
While you can think of a “thing” that represents the concept (like a lightbulb representing an idea), sometimes it’s better to get more abstract.
Take sustainable energy, which does a better job of expressing the idea? Which has more character?
Remembering more by thinking deeper
By combining multiple ideas, you also have to think more deeply about a concept. This works your brain harder which can cause deeper connections than going for the quick and easy idea.
Try more abstract sketchnote icons next time
So next time you come to draw an idea in your sketchnote, maybe you should go a bit more abstract sketchnote icons.
It might make it easier to understand, add more character and help you remember more.
Sketchnotes have taken off in the 10 years since Mike Rohde wrote THE book on sketchnoting — The Sketchnote Handbook. In 2011 I attempted my first one and almost never tried again. Luckily a couple of things came through and helped me unlock my sketchnoting ability.
In this ultimate guide to visual note taking, you’ll learn what helped me unlock my abilities. Plus, the other keys and tips I’ve learned from helping hundreds of other people create their first sketchnote.
Table of Contents
What is sketchnoting?
Sketchnoting is a form of visual note taking that combines texts and graphical elements such as icons, arrows, containers, non-linear layouts and fancy typography. They are often used to record conference talks and meetings but can be used for planning and sharing discussions too.
Mike Rohde coined the term back in 2006 when he was struggling with the typical way of taking notes at conferences. He was using a pencil on a legal pad of paper and trying to get every word the speaker said.
So he set some creative limits and freedoms to change his approach.
He captured the key points not every word
He used a small A5 moleskine notebook
He add visual elements like drawings
He wrote in pen
These rules started this note taking style. Although it has evolved since then, the core ideas remain. First, don’t worry about getting everything down, just get the key points. And second, use both visuals elements and text to make your notes.
Why you should make sketchnotes
Using text and visuals to take notes help you remember more information. Plus you will be more engage in the topic and you can express your creativity too. They also leave you with a beautiful graphic you’ll want to share not a long text document.
Some people even sketchnote as their natural means of taking notes (without ever learning the name of the topic). Plus certain topics are just far better expressed and easier to diget with the aid of visuals and text. Sketchnote may even be the most natural way to take notes, if you’d never been told what you should do.
Precrastination sketchnoteWhat are sketchnotesStoryworthy book summary sketchnoteDigital Minimalism book summary sketchnoteHello, my name is awesome sketchnoteMarketing made simple sketchnote Share model of social media sketchnote
How students and educators are using sketchnotes to learn more
Many educators and schools are starting to use sketchnoting and related visual thinking practices to help their students learn more effectively. Sketchnote engage both visual and verbal processing sectors of the brain which helps aid memory.
And using visual thinking practices for planning and ideation help communication. Great to avoid confusion between students and teacher as well as preparing for 21st century skills.
Just make a note with a combination of text and visuals. The exact make up is up to you but there are few common steps you’ll probably want to take.
Add a headline with some core metadata (like the speaker and the event). You can even do this in advance of the event.
Pick a layout (the talk topic might guide you or the intro may give you some ideas).
Add your first point (this might be a headline, an image, or a description depending on what fits).
Add another element to enhance the point (maybe an icon to reinforce the text, or some subtext to a header).
Don’t try to capture everything, just the most important points.
If you don’t have time to write or draw it, leave a clue or space so you can complete it later.
Continue until you have finished your note.
If you are looking for what you can include in your visual, the next section has some ideas.
What should people include in sketchnotes
There are five common elements people include in their notes. These are
Plain text
Fancy typography
Headlines
Icons (little drawings)
Containers
Arrows
Lines
Speech Bubbles
Banners
Colours
Background styles
layouts
You can group some of these elements together. For example, a speech bubble is a form of container. But thinking of them as separate items can help you remember them when you need them.
“I’d love to sketchnote, but I can’t draw”
Good news, you can still sketchnote even if you can’t draw for three reasons.
1. A Sketchnote uses other elements too including layouts, colours, typography, arrows, containers and more. You can focus on using these elements rather than adding icons and drawings.
2. You almost certainly can draw to some degree, and the way to get better is to practice. Don’t feel any pressure to share your sketchnotes yet, but it’s really all about the ideas and the learning process not about creating art.
3. You could make visual notes using graphics and icons others have made. In this situation you might use an app like canva and import their icons to get your design layout.
There’s no right or wrong way to get started, with sketchnoting. In fact some just dive right and make a sketchnote at the next conference they go to. But most of us need to start with an easier challenge.
Make a sketchnote selfie
Sketchnote selfie
From my experience helping students learn sketchnoting, one of the best ways to start is by making a sketchnote selfie. This removes a couple of the toughest challenge like the time pressure of live sketchnoting and the less familiar topic.
It’s completely up to you. Personally, I love switching between digital and analog tools. It let’s me mess around and explore different styles and options. But you might prefer one over the other.
Digital Sketchnoting can help you correct mistakes, create higher resolution sketches and you can experiment with hybrid-sketchnotes with imported graphics and photos.
Analog sketch notes feel completely different and can open up the possibility of popup and 3D elements. Plus you don’t have to worry about keeping your note book charged!
Give both a try and see what you prefer, just don’t expect a tablet to solve your drawing challenges.
The Best Sketchnotes App
There are hundreds of apps you can use for sketchnoting, and depending on your preferences you might gravitate to a different option. There are, however, a few which users recommend more than the rest. Here they are (including my own personal recommendations).
The best IPad Sketchnoting Apps
The iPad with Apple Pencil is a common choice for sketchnoting app due to its incredible responsiveness and flexibility. The most common sketchnoting apps are.
I personally use all the first four for different needs. Paper is for simple drawings. Procreate for final products. Concepts for SVG files. And Goodnotes for marking up PDFs. I’ve also heard good things about noteshelf.
The best apps for sketchnoting on an android tablet
Although the iPad has the majority of sketchnoting fans, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use an Android tablet. Options like the Samsung Galaxy tabs have great styli too and can produce great results. Here are a couple of the most common sketchnoting app choices.
The best sketchnoting tools for analog sketchnotes
The best sketchnoting tools are the ones that encourage you to create more. For someone people that’s really cheap tools, for others its more premium ones. Personally I like a balance. Cheap tools to test out ideas without worrying about the cost, and nice premium tools for making visual notes at events. Here are some of my favouirte premium tools.
Well know you should know everything you need to start sketchnoting.
Just get a pen and some paper together (or even an iPad), find an interesting topic and get started. If you want some more guidance, check out my free and premium courses to help you unlock your thinking with sketchnotes.
FAQs
What are sketchnotes?
Sketchnotes are a form of visual noting combining element of classic notes, like text, and more visual elements like icons, connectors, arrangements and colours.
Why should I make sketchnotes?
Sketchnotes are a more creative, more engaging and more memorable way to create notes. If you want to explore your creative side or take more effective notes for a course, you should use sketchnotes. Read this article to learn more reasons to sketchnote.
Can I make sketchnotes with an iPad or other tablet?
Yes! Although sketchnotes started as an analog form of note taking digital sketchnoting is a common approach and perhaps even the most common way now. While using a digital tool has some advantages, there are advantages of analog sketchnoting too
Are mind-maps sketchnotes?
Both mind-maps and sketchnotes are forms of visual note taking and so overlap. You can have a note that is both a mind-map and a sketchnote (and call it what you like), or it can just be a sketchnote, or just a mind-map. Learn more about the differences between mind-maps and sketchnotes here.
What should I make sketchnotes of?
Anything you want! You can make sketchnotes of conference talks, podcasts, books, food experiences, plans and more. Look at this list of 30 sketchnote prompts if you need some ideas.
How many images should I have in my sketchnotes?
It’s really up to you and depends how large your images are. Some people make sketchnotes with more images, other use more text and other visual elements like dividers. Some content favors more text while others is better as an image. For more ideas over what should or shouldn’t be an image in a sketchnote, read this post.
Can I sketchnote even if I can’t draw?
Yes. Firstly you can use other elements in your sketchnotes and not just drawing, and secondly, you almost certainly can draw but you can’t draw as well as you like. The way around that is to practice. If you like to learn more about how to sketchnote if you can’t draw, check out this course.
Yes, I stole the 7 lessons from Stephen Covey’s classic book and applied them to sketchnoting. They don’t fit neatly in some cases, but it’s a bit of fun and a creative exercise.
Enjoy.
1. Be proactive
Don’t try to think of how to sketch in the moment.
Build a bank of ideas (a visual library) which you can draw upon (pun intended) when you need them.
If you know a topic, learn the key concepts and practice them.
2. Begin with the end in mind
Before you start your sketchnote, listen for clues to the structure.
If you know this talk has 3 main points, you can plan a layout with 3 sections.
If you know it will be a 1hr talk, don’t take up 90% of your space in the first 10 minutes.
3. Put first things first
You don’t have to get every detail down in the moment.
Capture the main point or a reminder and you can add details later.
4. Think win/win
Highly effective sketchnoters are community members.
They know there are plenty of great ideas and job opportunities. We can all share and help each other without harming ourselves.
5. Seek first to understand then to be understood
Sketchnoting is more about understanding than art skills.
Make sure you’ve understood the speaker before putting pen to paper.
And focus on clear, easy to understand images.
6. Synergies
A synergy is the combination of two things to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
This can happen when we combine both text and words as elements in sketchnotes.
We gain clear words that evoke stronger feelings.
7. Sharpen the saw
The best sketchnoters are constantly developing, growing and learning.
The goal isn’t to be perfect, but to be always learning.
Banners are a great way to show what is a header without learning a fancy font and they work with those too. In this short post, I’ll go through the simplest way to create a banner for a header in your sketchnotes and then share a few variations you can try.
https://youtu.be/KLf5J9vA78c
Step one: write the header
You could make the banner first, but for beginners it’s far better to start with the text. It takes time to develop an instinctive knowledge of how much space text will take up and even then, things can go wrong.
By writing the heading first, you know how much space your banner will need to take up.
Step two: draw a rectangle around the text
In theory, you could stop at this step. That really would be the simplest banner! But we’re going to add a couple more steps to create something a bit more interesting.
Step three: Draw some offset parallel Lines
If you have a dot grid notebook or paper, you can offset your banner exactly. In a plain notebook, you’ll need to go with your eye. Try to keep them the same height and more or less even.
Step four: connect the lines diagonally
Now, add diagonal lines from the front part of the banner to the background elements. This should form small triangles which are the fold in the banner. With this step, you’re basically done.
Step five: finish it off!
At this point, all you need to do is close of your banner and add any final touches you want. This can include filling in the “folded” section to add some depth, or adding some shadow below the banner to make it appear like it is floating. If you are a using a digital tool, it’s easy to add multiple shades of colour with the front of the banner the lightest, the back layer slightly darker and the fold the darkest.
More simple sketchnote headers and upgrades
While this is a very simple way to create banners for sketchnotes, there are some alternatives and small upgrades that can enhance your headlines.
1. The wavey banner
Instead of a straight rectangle, create a wavey banner that looks like it is blowing in the wind.
A couple of points to note:
Make sure the waves are in parallel
If you can, make the text warp to the banner coming closer or further away.
2. The sign
This headline uses a rectangle as well, but instead of making it look like a ribbon, we add posts to make it look like a sign. For smaller text, you can add one pillar, or you can use multiple for larger one.
You might want to change the signs shape to match the message such as pointing in a direction.
3. The cork board
This time, we’re putting paper on a cork board. Start with an outline that represents a piece of paper with the information. This “paper” can be flat and even, or it can bend and flex as it comes of the board — it’s your choice.
Next, add pins to each corner (and optionally, the middle) of the paper before finally adding the cork board behind the “paper”.
Time to apply!
There are hundreds more styles of banners, some subtle variations and some more complicated styles. The most important thing to do is to practice them. Once you’ve nailed these, see if you can emulate the styles of other sketchnoter, or create your own stock sketchnote header template.
In Procreate 5.2 they introduced Brush Size memory, a new feature where you can save multiple sizes for the same brush. Here’s why Brush size memory is great for sketchnoters.
Procreate is great for sketchnotes…except
I love procreate for making sketchnotes. While it can be a bit feature heavy and cumbersome when you first start, the beautiful brushes, multiple layers and powerful export options help me create sketchnotes I like.
The only issue with Procreate is that it gives you TOO many options. There are so many brushes and colours that they can get in the way for people who prefer a simpler app like Paper by WeTransfer.
One of my ways around this was to use a single set of “sketchnoting” brushes with about five pens for normal text, headlines, brush lettering, filling, stippling and airbrush effects. This worked well but if I ever adjusted the size of a brush (to move between headline text and subheading, or to add more detail in an icon) it would be near impossible to return to my previous brush size.
My solution was to duplicate brushes but that made the interface more cumbersome and wasn’t perfect either. I could still adjust these brushes and then not be able to return to my previous state.
This new feature from Procreate has solved that challenge.
How Brush size memory works
The brush size slider has been around for a long time and allows you to increase and decrease the size of your current brush.
Now you just tap the plus icon that appears in the top right corner of the brush size preview and it will add a marker.
This marker has some “magnetism” to it, so as you move up and down the slider in the future and get close to your saved point, the slider will stick there.
Why the brush size memory feature is great for sketchnotes
Let’s say you have a good brush to use for a headline and subheadline, you might want to keep your sub headlines roughly the same size but lose it when you change between canvases.
Not an issue anymore, now you just put two markers down and you can just between the headline and subheadline size.
This can work for sketching and having different size details or to have a tool to fill in large sections or colour in details.
Thank you procreate!
Honestly, this has removed one of my biggest frustrations with procreate and removed the need for my old duplicate brushes. Now I can have fewer brushes in my sketchnote set, more size variety, more consistency of style and jump to the option I want faster.
Sketchnoting under pressure can be a real challenge. Having ready to go ideas and templates can help you make something good, quickly, without thinking. You can use templates for the whole sketchnote, but you can also use templates for part of the sketchnote. Recently I came up with a simple stock sketchnote header template that has helped take decisions out of my sketchnoting process and raise the quality of sketchnotes I can create under time pressure.
What should you include in your sketchnote’s header area?
Depending on the topic you are sketchnoting, you may want to include or exclude certain elements. For example, a date may be important to include for a sketchnote on a talk, but not as useful for a sketchnote on a book.
Title or topic
A picture of the speaker(s) or author(s)
The name of the speaker(s) or author(s)
The title of what the topic is connected to. (The event, a sermon series, book)
A logo (of the event, or the speaker,
An example stock sketchnote header template
What header text should you use?
There are lots of different types of text you can use for your header.
The simplest is to use a “heavier” font, or bold text. This will make it stand out and be clearly legible.
However, depending on the topic, you might want to use a font that is
more elegant
more futuristic
more formal
more causal
There is a simple trick you can use if you aren’t sure. By simply placing a basic single line of your text, you can then embellish it later.
Should you always add a portrait?
A portrait can really had character to a sketchnote. But adding a drawing adds pressure for those of us who are less confident with drawing. One option is to add a simple outline in the moment, and you can add details later.
When it comes to actually drawing the portrait, focus on the key details and characteristic attributes of the person you are drawing.
How should you arrange the elements in your header
I recommend setting keeping your title text as the largest element, with a portrait or logo to the left of the text. You can then place any other smaller or less important elements under their respective parts.
So you can place the name of the speaker or author under the authors picture, and the date of the event under the title.
Ready to use a stock sketchnote header template?
You don’t have to stick ridgedly to your sketchnote header template, and you can even create one before the event if you are live sketchnoting, or afterwards to help you avoid time pressures.
Do you use a different sketchnote header template? Let me know in the comments.
