Oh, and all the pictures included here are the ones that I drew to illustrate my notes (and techniques) for the class. Notice that they don't have to be Rembrandts in order to be effective. Just draw!
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How It All Got Started
In May of 2006, I attended the Blue Ridge Writers Conference at Ridgecrest, NC. There I met
McNair Wilson, a really creative guy who was the keynote speaker. (If you want to read a really creative blog, check his out here. If too much creativity makes you queasy, then I suggest you wait a couple of weeks.) As I was looking through some books in the bookstore, I heard a voice.
"You should buy that book."
I looked up to see McNair. There he was in front of me -- recommending that I buy the book The Creative License by Danny Gregory. McNair said it would be a great way to help me become more creative and to learn to draw. So I bought the book.
Within a couple of weeks, I was drawing everything. I loved it. In fact, on June 4, I was sitting in the worship service listening to Pastor Jake when an image popped into my mind for the talk that he was giving. I quickly sketched it and then thought, "This could
really be a great way to take notes -- drawing an image of some sort and then making my notes right on the image itself." Thus it began.You Are Unique
Some of us struggle with who God made us to be. We spend way too much time trying to be someone else -- or like someone else. But think about this.
Each one of us is unique. You can tell from our fingerprints, our retinas or just our faces. And if God made us that way, there must be a reason. And if He had a reason for making you unique, you need to try to be more "you" -- not less. If God has made you creative and you love to draw and think in pictures, then find ways to be more of who He made you to be. That's the way you can honor Him with your life.
There's a lot of science behind why this technique works. I don't cover it all here (or in the class) but I might in my book. (That's right...I've started writing a book about all this.) Basically, though, over 60% of the population are visual spatial learners - remembering images better than words or verbal instruction. We might know that intuitively, but how many us of actually take notes in pictures? My guess is not many. That's where this class comes in.
God Gives Us the Talent For Design and Art
In class we looked at Exodus 31:1-11 -- the passage where God tells Moses that He has gifted and selected Bezalel to be the head designer, foreman and master craftsman for the building of the tabernacle. And God put a team around Bezalel to help him build the tabernacle.
With the details of the tabernacle -- and in many other places in the Bible -- we see that God loves beauty. He is creative. He loves color. He loves uniqueness. He loves good design. Just
look around at His creation and you can figure all that out. So being creative is to honor God.Tip #1
Our first tip for graphic notetaking was to not let the drawing and the methods get in the way of the message you are listening to. It might be easy to get excited about your drawing and start adding too many details. But don't do it. Use the drawings to help you focus on the message -- not to lead your mind away from listening.
Your first homework assignment:
- Buy an unlined journal in which you can record your notes and drawings. (I have some available for $6-8. Just let me know if you want one, and bring your money next week.)
- Bring your favorite pen to class. If you don't have one, go buy one that you love.
- When you are listening to Pastor talk this week, take notes and add at least one graphic element to your notes. It can be a simple callout, a box, a different font or a small image. Whatever it is, start small this week. And bring it to class to share with us if you'd like.
That concludes our first lesson. Next week, we'll dive more into the different techniques I use and some useful tips to make your notes come alive.
See you in class next week!
Micah Ray
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