Getting Sketchy with it.

While Ozzy Osbourne played his last ever gig with Black Sabbath in Birmingham in July, nearby I attended the 8th International Sketchnote Camp at Aston University Students Union.

But what is a sketchnote? The term was coined by designer and illustrator Mike Rohde to describe an informal system of making visual notes to aid memory and comprehension, a process not dissimilar to the graphic recording that Drawnalism specialises in. He later went on to write The Sketchnote Handbook (and it’s follow-up The Sketchnote Workbook), and run workshops and podcasts - which lead to the first International Sketchnote Camp hosted in Hamburg, Germany in 2017.

The gang’s all here! - Photo: Visual Jam

This year’s Camp was in in my home city of Birmingham, UK, so there was no excuse for me not to attend. Being local meant I was also asked by the organisers - Paddy and Grant from The Visual Jam - to help out with the planning and organisation of the event, down to stuffing goody bags on the day.

My contribution - a brief guide to some of the highlights of Brum.

The assembled crowd was a good mixture of experienced professional graphic recorders, keen amateurs who sketchnoted for their own use, newcomers to the field and, of course, Mike Rohde himself. Many of the graphic recorders were familiar to Drawnalism through organisations such as the IFVP (International Forum of Visual Practitioners) and EVP (European Visual Practitioners).

The Visual Check-in - self portraits of all the attendees to International Sketchnote Camp 2025 - Photo: Visual Jam

Over the course of the weekend there were presentations and workshops covering everything from practical drawing tips, and technical  discussions around digital drawing software and AI, to personal stories about human connections and dealing with burnout. And, of course, the opportunity to meet, mingle and network.

The next International Sketchnote Camp was also announced - it’s being held in Verona, Italy in September 2026 - see you there..?