10 minute read
GRAPHIC RECORDING AND EDUCATION
by IAPCO
Graphic recording, sketch-noting, visual summaries, live drawing; these are a few terms used, sometimes interchangeably, for the visual interpreting and documenting of events, conferences, meetings and seminars. We caught up with Graphic Recorders Laura Sorvala and Eleanor Beer to ask them about their work, adapting during the pandemic and the value of combining art and information.
Can you tell me a little bit about what you do and how you got started in the field?
Laura Sorvala I am an illustrator and graphic recorder with a knack for visualising ideas into inspiring visuals. I'm based in Cardiff, Wales but work with clients across the UK and Europe. My background is in graphic and branding design and I discovered the joys of graphic recording about 10 years ago trying it out at a workshop and thinking 'this is exactly how my brain works!' Back then there weren't many people doing live illustration in the UK so while I entered a niche area, it was also harder to explain the benefits and value of graphic recording. It's great to see how the industry and discipline have flourished and these days it's easy to find different styles and approaches for different event engagement purposes.
Eleanor Beer I have a rather unusual job which supports and empowers people in having better working relationships via creative means. That is, I help organisations to improve their meetings and events by listening to their messages and ideas and translating them into visual narratives through drawing. I got into the field from meeting a fellow graphic recorder at a networking event and had the opportunity to train with them before starting out on what has been an incredibly fulfilling journey which has had its fair share of ups and downs.
How do you think graphic recording adds value to an event on, or, offline?
LS: You can break this into three areas: learning, engagement and marketing. Live graphic recording can help with memory retention and recall and it supports multimodal learning. Another benefit is seeing key points visualised as a group memory, a powerful tool for facilitation and group discussion. I often receive feedback about how seeing the visuals develop throughout an event is helpful for re-enforcing key messages especially with those with dyslexia or autism. For offline events seeing the physical piece works especially well for people to come and help reflect on what they have heard and the visual always creates a natural networking area. Finally the visuals often prompt people to take photos for their own record and share them on social media: this extends the event audience and can make conversation continue even after the event has finished. So for marketing purposes that works a treat but finished event visuals can also be used in reports, blog posts, newsletters and in training materials provided that the image use and license has been agreed on.
In the digital realm things can work a bit differently: I mostly create visual summaries that are used after the event to show impact and promote engagement. For many of my clients a live, digital illustration feed in a virtual event puts too much stress for participants' attention span. You might have noticed this "narrow funnel" phenomenon where it is harder to focus on several things going on the computer screen versus a room in the real world. When I have provided a live feed, it has worked best for a situation where a group of people are having a free flowing conversation or a brainstorming session and the visual on display helps capture key points and things to circle back to.
EB: Graphic recording adds a touch of creative magic to an event, something that makes you turn you’re head and say “oh, that’s different!”
It helps by condensing content down into manageable ‘visual chunks’ for people to better comprehend and remember, and once their meeting or event has finished, the visuals can be used as tools to continue on an organisations message or vision, providing accountability, clarity and motivation. It also helps people to feel like they have been listened to and seen, which I believe is the most rewarding part.
Thinking about education specifically, what about graphic recording do you think resonates with attendees of events on and offline?
LS: For younger audiences graphic recording can be a real inspiration for learning in different ways and using creative methods: I have witnessed primary and secondary school children become fixated on the drawing process and focusing on what's being said. The visuals often seem to make people of all ages realise the power of creativity and that a creative career can be a serious, "proper" profession instead of just a hobby.
Representation is something I am very passionate about in my work and I take every opportunity to make sure it is discussed. For live events it's important to represent both the present and potential audiences and consider challenging stereotypes around gender, ethnicity, privilege, disabilities and social background as examples. Many participants mention the emotional connection they can get from being seen and being represented – another powerful tool for inspiration, learning and education.
EB: With regards to education, graphic recording helps people by engaging both sides of the brain using words, imagery, connections, and metaphors. It certainly engages my brain when I’m doing it! Visual storytelling is a great tool for learning as it helps with retention of information via drawn imagery in alignment with short, snappy wording, and allows for a lot more information to be communicated and processed by our brains in a short space of time. Most of us were educated about the world through the combination of words and pictures in our early years books; I believe it’s why most people find delight in viewing graphic recording, as it subconsciously brings back that feeling of (easier) learning.
Due to the pandemic how did you adapt to a virtual way of working? What are the pros/cons?
LS: As soon as the first lockdown started in the UK I traw ledthe internet researching how companies and organisations were adapting and I found fantastic shared resources for online and remote working. For my own process, I already had an iPad I had used to draw with so the transition from live drawing with marker pens in a room to a remote, digital format didn't take very long. I think it was crucial that both clients and myself worked much more openly and embraced uncertainty around technology and engagement: surprisingly the pandemic and this new way of working have made my client relationships more caring which is a lovely consequence amidst so many things out of our control. I have written a blog post about this transition and the pros and cons of remote, digital scribing, you can read more here. I have a bit of a "hot take" on digital scribing and remote visuals for events: I don't think a live feed is often appropriate for online events. If you think how virtual events have become shorter and more efficient and how we have all heard of people struggling to cope with endless Zoom meetings, it makes sense to focus on the purpose and of an event and the wellbeing of the participants. If there are presentations, can the participants handle both the speaker voice, slides and an extra illustration that keeps changing? This is not to say 'don't ever use a live feed' - it simply needs to be appropriate for the activity: group brainstorming and community discussion are both good examples of a good match for a live, remote illustration being visible.
EB: The start of the pandemic was not the best for me work wise if I’m honest. I saw a full calendar of live events slowly dwindle down to no events, plus I’d been cut off from my family and friends; I felt lonely and scared for what was to come. My saving grace came in the form of an earlier career in digital design, plus the holistic benefits of having a beautiful garden outside. I felt the need to pivot and turn my hand to live- online events, swapping my paper and pens for a Wacom tablet and Adobe Photoshop. It took some practice and after a few attempts, I marketed myself on social media with a new service. Luckily and most gratefully, my first client was the UN, so no pressure! To say I was nervous would be an understatement, however it went very well and the exposure caught the attention of several other people who were looking for this type of service. For any budding freelancers out there, being able to adapt to changing situations under pressure is a good skill to have!
Do you have any particular examples of a client or participant really engaging with/responding to the topic at hand because of your work/process?
LS: At offline events the sparks of response happen almost every time: people see a particular idea drawn up and they launch into an excited monologue about the presentation or they discuss things further with those standing next to them. An example from the digital scribing side would be a series of events I have captured for the Tate Museums and Galleries: I provided a live feed during workshops about logistics for moving and storing artworks and the possibilities of technology. I captured discussion and ideas from a group of multidisciplinary participants including curators from international museums and galleries as well as technology experts from the Imperial College. The live illustration feed acted as an anchor for the discussion to come back to with a complex topic and opportunities for the conversation to going off course.
EB: Yes, I was working with a wonderful group of people at Swansea University who were conducting research into how ex-convicts deal with life outside of prison and, how they get back into education. We’d set up a group meeting for an open discussion with some of them and as the morning went by, I listened in and drew their conversations. One gentleman’s story of hardship and struggle was particularly moving, and I felt the need to capture his message. On finishing he came over and was started to tear up, saying “you actually listened to me, nobody has fully listened to me before”. I replied “of course”. It was a very moving moment where he felt he’d been seen, and I had to fight back the tears to draw without smudging any of the ink! It’s something I will remember forever.
Have you learned a lot about different disciplines along the way and what are some of your favourite fields to work in?
LS: My friends sometimes joke that I should probably publish a collection of the interesting facts and snippets I learn at events. It's quite amazing which bits of information I end up remembering long term: it's often the visual metaphors and humour that stick. I love to work with any topics and events that are making the world better and I'm grateful to have covered climate change, social justice, sustainability, renewable energy, healthcare, biodiversity and environmental science plus many really interesting multidisciplinary projects. EB: I have learned so much from this job due the opportunities it has provided me and the variety of locations and people I’ve been lucky enough to work with. In particular, I love collaborating with compassionate leaders, especially when they see the value of graphic recording to help their teams work in accordance with their values and mission. Having collaborated with several great leaders over the years, it’s clear that utilising visual tools demonstrates their understanding of the power of the picture, to motivate and inspire. I was told when I was younger art will never give you a fulfilling career. Well, I’d like to prove that theory wrong.
Laura Sorvala
www.laurasorvala.com
Eleanor Beer
