Oct 31, 2016

mahabis guide // the art of visual note taking

When we pick up a pen and notebook it's easy to be inclined to stay between the lines and ignore the blank pages. However, visual note-taking or sketch-noting is a technique that allows your notes to be more engaging. Reams upon reams of text in clunky handwriting is hardly aesthetically pleasing, so why not make your journaling or note-taking more pleasurable to look back upon? In this guide we take you through a few techniques used by visual note-takers and we look at the impact it may have upon the creative, organisational or therapeutic process that note-taking may become.

what //

Visual notes are the translation of content into a visual language that you can absorb, understand and process better. This may include some filtering of unnecessary thought in order to focus on the most crucial information, or to allow you to get different perspectives on creative ideas. Although the focus is on the visual aspect, it is really a tool to get the most from the text.

why //

Creatively, restricting yourself to traditional note-taking enforces linear thought, linear records and an 'end point'. Allowing your personality to seep into your notes will free your thoughts and allow you to process them in a holistic way, organise them into a hierarchy that makes sense to you, and easily highlight points you want to emphasise. Scientifically, visual thinking increases retention and recall of information by up to 30%, increasing the depth of understanding of your notes.

Sunni Brown, author of Visual Notetaking 101 insists that visual and verbal thinking open different doorways in our mind; "Having access to both modes ultimately elevates the capacity of the person to think, feel and experience in more diverse and substantive ways. It strengthens a mental muscle that is currently drastically underused." [1]

how //

Create 'containers' which represent the content inside. For example, write quotes inside speech bubbles. Using shapes and colours as containers to differentiate ideas or sections, can help to bring structure to your page.
'Connectors', such as arrows, trails, or sequencing can tie loose ends and create a logical flow within the notes.
Icons may be used to highlight titles or sections and make notes easier to scan when you look back upon them. For example, some haphazard social icons, banners, or even a different font can bring life to the page.
Revisit to refine. Allow your notes to be spur of the moment, and follow your tangents of thought organically. Don't stress over each little detail initially; there's always time to review your page at any point.

The wonderful thing is visual note-taking doesn't require any real drawing skill, just a little creativity and insight into your own mind. It doesn't matter if your notes don't look perfect, what matters is that they are stimulating and work for you. They should make you want to re-read, revisit and rekindle your creations, sparking your creativity all over again.

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