Nice to meet you!
This image is like graphic chit-chat. You know, the kind of random things we may briefly talk about in person before jumping into business: The weather, the grouchy guard dog next door, how I envy your latest trip to Paris…a quick doodle with markers on paper.
Quick tip: For your next ice breaker, have folks draw the answer to a question instead of just talking.
I’ve been drawing my whole life
I made my own greeting cards, illustrated most of my homework and even got in trouble for doodling on the SAT! Now, people hire me to draw for them. People from major corporations like Google to nonprofits like TEDx and everyone in between.
Why it matters: Drawing doesn’t slow me down so your visuals are ready to go when you are.
One squiggly line says it all!
What this means for you: Although my fun and friendly style may look simple and carefree, there are years of credible experience and deep study behind my drawings that I bring to every job.
Details, details, details
I really enjoy realistic drawing but rarely have time for it. I do draw pretty much every day though, even if it's just a quick doodle. So odds are, there will be some ink on my fingers when we meet!
What this means for you: I have experimented with various levels of details so can quickly decide what needs to be included or left out to quickly convey the heart of your content.
underlying structure
These are from my undergrad work in studio art years ago. While I do not do this type of art professionally, they give a glimpse into the foundation of my current skills.
Why it matters: My studies in art trained me to find the underlying structure in things and to tackle the most complex problems the same as the simple ones — one line at a time.
Keeping it simple…and fun!
Here are two caricatures from my undergrad days. I do not include caricatures in my visual notes work, but I have created more simple caricatures for several clients.
Why it matters: My studies in commercial art trained me to keep things simple. It also showed me many folks crave an element of surprise and a touch of whimsey - still big parts of my work today.
Lettering for Impact
Here are two examples from my undergrad portfolio. As evident in my current work, I still like to have fun with letters.
Why it matters: Standardized fonts can be fabulous. But hand-drawn letters can create a very personal, powerful, and memorable impact unlike any other.
Master of Science in Creativity
This timeline gives a quick glimpse into the very rich history of the International Center for Studies in Creativity. The elements included have some personal relevance to me — especially my graduation!
Why it matters: I have been trained in the Creative Problem Solving process, studied creativity research and created a 170 page master’s project about visual thinking with 77 hand-drawn images.
Published work
Ages ago, a handful of my work was published in several Children's Better Health Institute Magazines (Children's Playmate, Humpty Dumpty, and Jack & Jill) and Boy's Life, the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America.
Why it matters: Creating for others is quite different from creating art for simply for the enjoyment of creating. Your satisfaction with what I create for you is far more important than how I feel about it. I totally get that and I’m used to creating for others.
Clear thoughts = Clear decisions
I have designed numerous graphic organizers like this for students, corporate executives and other groups to help them evaluate things more effectively and make decisions more confidently.
Why it matters: Since everything in a drawing is visible at once and must hold together, a high degree of organization is required. Loose and sloppy thinking becomes obvious even to young children. — E. Paul Torrance
What people say about me
