Sketchnote Workbook, The: Advanced techniques for taking visual notes you can use anywhere

I had expected a lot of repetitive exercises, such as various shapes, thought bubbles, icons, fonts, etc. So we can have a visual library of commonly used icons, allowing us to focus on taking notes rather than making up shapes on the fly.

But this books is 90% examples of various applications, like travel journal, food journal, planning. I can easily find examples on the internet, and I don't have the need for most of those.

There is one page in the book regarding various layouts that i find useful. The last chapter is the best; it talks about various fonts we can use based on our own handwriting, advanced yet simple face drawings, speed and what to do with mistakes. I thought the entire book would be like the last chapter, but I'm sorely disappointed.

[[VIDEOID:mo2VAQYDBRBMUP2]]Paul Jarvis and I are neighbors...kind of. When Mike emailed us asking for a testimonial for his new book, The Sketchnote Workbook, we both JUMPED at the opportunity.

There are three pages that JUMP out to me (of the 201) to start with:

Page 8: the 5 elements of drawing - this one was a game-changer for me. No, seriously, I "became an artist" when I saw this page. A square, c'mon, you can draw a square. And, a triangle, got that too... So, using those two designs, you've got a house, a bank, a mixtape (remember THOSE?), and more...

Page 17: idea generation formats - ok, those of you who know even a LITTLE bit about what I do and how I do it... You know I generate ideas. Not a lot of ideas, just big ones. Then, when I generate an idea, I want more ideas...about THAT idea. The three formats that Mike gives on this page make buying (and using) this book worth it. I mean, really, you've got a 20 dollar idea in your head, right? Now it's time to get it out, to write it out, to do something about it. Ready? GO!

Page 201: It's about getting started. Step - by - step. Mike writes:

"Remember: Experiments NOT Assignments."

If you are looking for another way to get ideas out of your head, and see them in new (and creative) ways, I highly recommend this book.

(Full disclosure: I did purchase my copy of his book; it's what author-friends do for one another!)

Paul and I share space - testimonials - on the back cover of Mike Rohde's book. I know I can speak for the both of us when I say, "We not only endorse, but we USE this book." My life is better since I met Mike at an impromptu #CoffeeChat in Portland two years ago. I hope you gain as much value as I have from "knowing" him, and knowing of his work.

Onward...This is the book you get, when you want to Get Momentum.

I am pretty much in full-fledged awe of what Mike has accomplished with these books. Full disclosure - I was sent a review copy of the Handbook - but I purchased the Workbook myself because I wanted to see both in action together.

These books have it all: Pragmatism; great, simple design that is really approachable; solid pacing; good writing

As far as the more technical aspects, Mike does a great job of breaking down the concepts of visual notetaking into more digestible chunks. It's not at all overwhelming, primarily due to the nature of sketchnoting and the nice balance between diagram and narrative, but also because Mike is just really damn good at explaining these concepts in laymen's terms.

Look, if you're a visual learner at all and are at least a bit interested in organizing your thought process into something more compartmentalized and "on the go," this is for you.

I'd suggest you nab them together, as The Workbook is definitely a more in-depth dive into advanced Sketchnoting techniques while The Handbook is a well-rounded introduction.

I've always been intrigued by sketchnoting but was intimidated due to my lack of artistic ability. I'd seen the 'vistual alphabet' and 'it's all just shapes' reassurances but it wasn't until Mike Rohde's first book that it all clicked for me. His examples come from a variety of contributors -- not just from those with formal art training -- and that plus his many clear explanations helped me break through the things that held me back. This new book is a great extension of "The Sketchnote Handbook", offering more examples and opportunities for practice. (I especially liked his ideas for sketchnoting everyday things like recipes, grocery lists, letters, and travel.) I like the emphasis on building a visual library from which you can pull as needed, and I love the increased attention to finding simple ways of capturing complex ideas and concepts. The book comes with access to a site with printable worksheets and more than 2 hours of video tutorials. There's a Flickr group for readers to share their own creations, so by all means as you go through the book remember to #ShowYourWork.

"The Sketchnote Workbook" is a great resource and an excellent value.

As a developer I am constantly taking notes while reading, planning features, and attending conferences. Conferences are the hardest for me because of how fast the talks go. If I'm writing then I have to be quick and my notes end up being illegible.

My notes look cool but impossible to read. That's what excited me when I heard Mike Rohde was writing a book about sketchnoting.

I'm not good at it, but I love drawing and being able to take notes with drawings and characters excites me. So I picked up his first book, the "Sketchnote Handbook", and started practicing. With five basic shapes, the alphabet, a little imagination, and practice, you can draw anything. The great thing is drawing simple shapes is faster than writing and much easier to visually look at to remember what the notes were about.

I've been able to use the same patterns and tips outside of just notes. For example I use it for feature planning, UI designs, and other areas of my work. If you enjoy drawing even a little get this book. Not only does it include great tips, but it's a beautiful high quality book. It's the coolest on my book shelf!

Mike has recently released a new update named the "Sketchnote Workbook" this time when you purchase you not only get the book but also a two hour video. This new update shows you how to take the basic sketchnoting skills taught in the Handbook and use them in new and fun ways like traveling, food journal, and others. What could be cooler?

If you are interested in trying new ways of taking notes buy his book. I highly recommend it.

I'm a long time journaler. For years I wanted to add images to my words. After many years I found graphic recording, but I'm a SAHM, and I don't see myself going to any conferences or seminars anytime soon. Still I kept buying books on the subject. Then came the "Sketchnote Handbook". Yes! It was chock full of pages that people...sketchnoted. Words and images drawn, not on a white board, but down in a book... on a page.

Even though I was enjoying it, there was still this professional aspect to it. The closest thing I got to sketchnoting a seminar was a sermon at church. Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to add images and doodles to go along with the words that I wrote.
Then comes "The Sketchnote Workbook". I had to have this one too! No ted talks, no white boards, just ideas on how to have a personal experience and capture it in a book. THIS is what I had been looking for.

If like me, you are a journaler and just need a little push to get you going this is a good book to have in your library.

Wow - Mike's first book was wonderful and now this book takes Sketchnoting to a new level. It's chock full of useful tips and the library of drawings, such as faces, make getting started super easy. The book makes it easy to get started and develop sketchnoting. Whereas the 1st book was focused on making sketches during talks, this book shows you how to use the same techniques in many other ways.

Im my opinion you don't need the 1st book. This isn't a crime story, but each book teaches something different.

A very good book covering the author's sketchnoting. Personally, I clump or categorize sketchnoting, doodling, mind-mapping, idea mapping, etc, as visual mapping. They are all techniques of visual mapping out ideas, notes, thoughts, agendas, strategy, learning initiatives, etc.

The author does a great job of explaining his style and gives plenty of examples and techniques to become better doing it. In every style of visual mapping, including this one (sketchnoting) it takes practice, practice, and practice. You also have to overcome the notion that you need to be an artist or a good drawer to be able to do it - that's not true!

Oh, and the brain eats this stuff up! You can accelerate learning for people by using these techniques. It is a powerful way to increase participation and memory.

Is the natural follow up. If you never stop reading again and again and referencing to the Handbook, you'll carry the Workbook with you wherever you go. I recently used a metaphor: the Handbook teach you what is a bicycle and it's components, how to ride and be safe and how to practice to master cycling, the Workbook show you how to travel the World, suggest some destinations and teach you that the limit is just yourself. Ah, sometimes you may find some peeks on how to ride on one wheel!

If you're previously read Mike Rohde's [[ASIN:0321857895 The Sketchnote Handbook: the illustrated guide to visual note taking]], you've probably already purchased and read his follow-up book, The Sketchnote Workbook.

That's because Mike Rohde is the type of author who creates intense reader loyalty. His books under-promise and over-deliver. Plus, they're beautifully produced. Like The Sketchnote Handbook, The Sketchnote Workbook offers exceptional value as well a reading experience that keeps it on your desk, rather than in your bookshelf after the first reading.

If you haven't read The Sketchnote Workbook, you'll find it an excellent introduction to an author who is equally at home sharing information via concise, well-chosen words and engaging drawings. Words and drawings are assembled on readable and beautiful pages--no "grey walls of text" here!

I'm sure the apparent simplicity of the pages reflects considerable craftsmanship and patience in terms of the back-and-forth revisions needed to create poster-quality pages.

Contributing to my enthusiasm for The Sketchnote Workbook is the quick "Sketchnoting Quickstart Overview" in Chapter 1, followed by chapters focusing on practical examples of sketchnoting at work for:
* Idea Generation
* Idea Mapping
* Planning
* Documentation
* Capturing Travel Experiences
* Memorable Food Experiences
* Sketchnoting Movies, TV, & Media

Each chapter contains examples, exercises, and tips to help you immediately put your developing Sketchnoting skills to work. Three things make these chapters special:
* One is the emphasis and encouragement that Mike offers readers to create custom icons for different purposes. I really liked his suggestion to build an icon library reference book, and the worksheets he includes that provide space to take the first steps towards creating icons before you need them.
* Equally important is the way that Mike invited 7 additional Sketchnote experts to share their category-specific ideas and examples. Their insights and different styles add considerable interest to The Sketchnote Workbook.
* Finally, readers are rewarded with 2+ hours of free video training to complement the book...and Mike is one of the rare authors/designers who is equally comfortable sharing ideas and information in front of video cameras as well as print.

The final chapter, Advanced Sketchnoting Tips & Techniques, is notable because it's not just a summary of previously-covered information, but contains genuinely "advanced" ideas and examples.

If there's one idea that resonates throughout The Sketchnote Handbook, it's "progress." No matter how good or bad your first attempt at an icon or a Sketchnote, you'll be able to make it better. I especially enjoyed the examples of progressive icon improvement, as well other examples of "getting started so there will be something to improve."

As a final example of the type of practical information shared in The Sketchnote Workbook, is the idea of preparing "title pages" for meetings and workshops. By preparing these modules in advance, you'll be better able to concentrate on the ideas shared during the event. Likewise, Mike suggests leaving space for information to be filled in later.

I especially appreciated his profound observation, "Messy Sketchnotes are Okay." He continued, "if the first process document is too messy, creating a cleaned-up process document gives you a chance to further refine your thinking."