Elevate Your Sketchnoting with This Simple Tip!

During my first session at the Canadian Apple Distinguished Educator Academy in Montebello, Quebec, titled "Learning Reimagined: AIM With Creativity," we were tasked with creating an infographic to represent active, included, and mindful students.

My initial thought was to revert to my sketchnoting roots, and I wanted to share one of my favourite "cheats”, TRACING!! I mentioned to my elbow partner that this made me feel like an "imposter." As she watched me draw and use this technique, she kindly corrected me, saying, "Actually, this tip shows me that you are a creative thinker! You aren't an imposter at all. You've solved a problem and made something easier for yourself because you might not be a great drawer."

Two traced poppies - coloured on the left labeled "traced" and on black on the right labelled "original".

 

Reflecting on this, I realized it might be valuable to share this strategy with anyone who may not know that tracing is always an option. It's a great technique to share with colleagues or students who may lack the confidence or drawing skills to start sketchnoting.

Below are a couple of short videos I put together. The first shows how to trace in Procreate using layers, and the second is a screen recording of me tracing in the Freeform app.

 

 

Do you ever feel like an imposter?

Do you have any other sketchnoting or drawing tips for non-artists like me?

Please share below!

 

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7 replies

July 12, 2024

Oh you warm my heart. Thank you for sharing!

August 10, 2024

💜

July 12, 2024

Thank you for sharing. I have students that started to trace objects from different pictures to create a new single image. ( ie…a dog from one picture, a cat from another, to create a dog and cat together)

there are so many possibilities.

August 10, 2024

I love this idea, Brian! Thanks for sharing and building on this.

July 14, 2024

Such a good tip! Teaching the students the tracing strategy with sketchnoting removes the road block "I can't draw!"

August 01, 2024

Tracing is a way to help older student to draw again like a 4 years old wearing a batman cape! Without fear. It can be use in so many apps. I use it in Keynote so often.


Great tip!

August 10, 2024

I love that, "Batman cape!" --well said! I was so scared when sketchnoting first became a thing years ago because "I can't draw" and when I realized I can do this and use the magical "UNDO" button I was hooked. It takes away so many fears and makes it much more accessible.

Merci, Pat !

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