Workshops

Picture your ideas in Workshops

As a visual communicator I get so much joy sharing my experiences about the power of using visual storytelling to communicate and engage with audiences. My visual storytelling workshops range from learning how to draw out your ideas and creating visual stories to communicating complex information in a simple and compelling way.

As my alter ego Dr Dr Suzie Starfish (Children’s Author/illustrator) I also hold visual storytelling workshops for aspiring authors/illustrators and I love making a comm-ocean with kids through my ocean storytelling school visits and workshops, which you can ‘sea’ more of at Creative education and Picture books.

SO WHY use visual storytelling?

  • Visuals are a powerful way of engaging with your audience
  • Visual storytelling helps to take people on a journey
  • Visuals can show the ‘big picture‘ (literally!)
  • Visuals help to picture your strategic direction
  • Visual storytelling can stimulate strategic thinking and planning
  • Visual storytelling can help visualise your goals and objectives
  • Visuals quickly show connections, gaps and duplications
  • Visuals help to picture your strategic direction and planning
  • Visual thinking is a skill that can be taught and applied immediately
  • Visuals help to share and communicate information in an accessible, applicable and inclusive way
  • …the list is endless!

My visual workshops

My visual workshops ‘draw’ upon my diverse career in science, government planning and policy, stakeholder engagement and research management, coupled with my artistic and active listening skills to provide hands-on, tailored visual storytelling workshops.

My visual workshops cover the following:

As everyone visualises information differently, my workshops are tailored to meet your needs so you can communicate in your way. I create workshop content that meets the needs of you and your organisation, so we can co-create part of the workshop together, to make it relevant and applicable to you. AND my workshops are not ‘drawing workshops’ but workshops where you will learn to ‘draw out’ information. So NO drawing experience is necessary!

You can see more examples of the types of workshops and Creative seminars I carry out, and more information BELOW on the tailored visual storytelling workshops I hold. Please Contact me if you have any questions.

Sketchnote workshops

Sketchnotes are a visual note-taking tool that can be applied to any topic, information and project. Sketchnotes are defined as visual notes created from a mixture of hand-drawn words and pictures which can include visual elements of typography, shapes and lines, which you can see more about at my Sketchnotes.

I teach people, organisations, teachers, students and anyone who wants to learn how to sketchnote, through my tailored workshops. And like learning any new skill or language, I teach you the basics of using sketchnotes and how to build your own ‘visual toolkit’ so you can apply your sketchnote learnings immediately in your life and work.

My workshops are never the same, or “off the shelf”, as I create workshop content that is tailored to meet your visual needs and/or your organisation’s visual needs. My sketchnote workshops include:

  • Sketchnote your ideas (covering any idea, information, project etc)
  • Sketchnotes in schools (also see Sketchnote your science in School)
  • Sketchnote your science
  • Sketchnote your ….insert any topic here… 

Some examples of where sketchnotes can help to draw out and communicate your ideas and information include: strategic plans, business strategies, stakeholder engagement, incident management, cyber security frameworks, communication plans, emergency response plans, school curriculum and assessment, science communication, presentations, podcasts, meeting agenda’s, school projects, biographies and CVs, funding proposals, project outlines… the list is endless!

My sketchnote workshops provide hands-on demonstrations, worked examples based on your individual needs with time included for all participants to sketchnote their own work or project ideas. My sketchnote workshops include the following:

  • Why, what and how of sketchnotes?
  • Building your own sketchnote toolbox
  • Using sketchnotes as a visual learning tool
  • How to apply your sketchnotes (*tailored content)
  • Time to sketchnote your ideas, work, projects

Sketchnotes in schools

I really enjoy sharing how to use and apply sketchnotes in schools with both teachers (as Professional Development opportunities) and students as sketchnoting provides a new visual learning tool for both educators and students to make communication clearer. From my experiences in classrooms around Australia I believe everyone is capable of using sketchnotes if they are given the chance, and the tools, time and space to learn this new visual thinking tool.

There are also benefits of using sketchnotes for students with various learning and language challenges. Sketchnotes, as a visual note-taking tool, can be helpful to students to synthesize information, make connections and demonstrate their understanding through words and pictures. Sketchnotes can also help to make content more accessible and applicable and communication clearer.

Sketchnote your science (and ANY topic)

As a scientist and artist I use sketchnotes to help students and teachers to visualise science. I also use sketchnotes to help break-down and picture complex scientific concepts to help make the complex simple and the simple compelling with scientists and researchers. 

Drawing is thinking so this technique helps to make learning and science more visual (and fun!), because “when you draw you remember more!” 

See more about how I use sketchnotes in schools to Sketchnote your science.

Science communication

Drawing on my experiences as a marine scientist, government policy-maker, artist and visual storyteller I hold in-house Science Communication Workshops for scientists and researchers, policy-makers, students (of all ages) and anyone wanting to learn more about the art and science of storytelling.

Communication in this digital age of data, swipes, likes and follows needs to stand out if you want to have meaningful engagement with your audience. Science communication today means more than just increasing knowledge, your messages need to tell a story, hook people and reel them in!

A “Sketchnote your Science” workshop is also a great idea to hold at a science conference, retreat or event to give scientists and researchers a chance to sketchnote their science, and have some FUN ‘drawing attention’ to their science stories!

Please Contact me if you have any questions about how I can tailor your visual storytelling workshop.

*Please note all images, content, stories and videos are Copyright © 2024 Dr Sue Pillans