Visual Recording on the iPad

What is Visual Recording? Well, it's like making a mind-map of a talk/event. Best explained by an example, here is my visual recording of a BBC documentary last night called 'Do We Need the Moon?':

I made this drawing in real-time whilst watching the documentary.

I discovered the techniques for Visual Recording on the iPad last year, when I read this blog post by Rachel Smith (aka Ninmah).

Rachel Smith explaining Visual Recording on the iPad

At the time I had a few attempts, but was unable to produce the kinds of results you see done so beautifully by the RSA and forgot about it...

Animated RSA talk by Ken Robinson

...until I listened to Jake Spicer recently at TEDxBrighton, who reminded us about the importance of visual literacy, and that I need to practice my drawings. So with that fresh in my mind I have decided to pursue this technique and practice, practice, practice.

For me, the value of the technique is the animation - I hope that the animation makes the result more understandable and engaging to a viewer. I also find it a really good focussing exercise for me, as you have to stay fully engaged with the content you are watching in order not to miss key points in your drawing.

I am keen to improve my skills at this, so have a few questions about the Moon video at the top.

• If you did watch the documentary, do you think this is a good reminder about the key points presented? If you didn't, does it give you a sense of the programme or is it just confusing?
• Would it benefit from an audio commentary?
• Can you follow it at all? Is it too fast/slow for reading?
• Other than a nice curiosity, do you think this has value as an information resource?
• Honestly, did you even know it was supposed to be a werewolf?
  

I like doing these live, but no doubt they would be better laid out and structured if I watched it first and then drew it on a second viewing with a plan in mind.

If you fancy trying this yourself, they I recommend the software Brushes on the iPad. It's £4.99, but is really simple to use and provides a free desktop tool which allows you to email yourself a final jpg and your brushes file from the iPad, view it animated on your computer and easily convert it to a Quicktime file for upload to YouTube etc. (my Moon film is exported at 15fps).

Finally, if anyone reading this would like to practice with me, then I'm very open to sharing results, constructive criticism and technique sharing. I will attempt to record the keynote talks this way at the University of Brighton Pedagogic Research Conference this friday, so sit next to me if you are there and want to see me try and keep up - and I will share the results with anyone who expresses an interest.

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