August 2026: Sketchnote Lab Dispatch
5 Cool Things, This Month’s Thought, From the Community, Lab Replay on Lettering, Sketchnote Lab August - Sketch Your Story, Sketchnote Podcast All The Tips, and the upcoming Live Lab Schedule.
Here’s how I planned the lettering live session on my back porch, in the sun. I followed it up with a little after action review on the right page. Lately, I’ve been writing and drawing ideas with pen and ink on the page before typing with keyboards and a screen. I find it makes a positive difference in the quality of my work.
What habits help you focus?
What’s in this issue
5 Cool Things to share with you
This month’s thought — Keeping your sketchnoting practice alive
From the Community: Matt Miller’s sketchnote
Lab Live Replay: July 2026 — Lettering Foundations
Coming up: Sketchnote Lab Live August - Sketch your story as you tell it
Sketchnote Podcast — Season wrap-up All The Tips episode
2026 Schedule — what’s ahead for the remainder of 2026
Last Month’s Sketchnote Lab Posts — in case you missed a post
Five Cool Things
Here are five cool things I thought you’d enjoy:
❥ 1. How to rediscover the joy of drawing — Artist and educator Andrea Kantrowitz shares how to rediscover the joy of drawing again!
❥ 2. In Praise of Ugly Notebooks — My friend and book designer Nathaniel Roy has a great post about the value of ugly notebooks. I think embracing ugly, imperfect, and in-process work is a good thing so you don't become too precious about it all.
❥ 3. How to Set Up a Pocket Notebook You’ll Use Every Day — Pocket notebook fan Mark Ragland offers great ideas for getting into the habit of carrying a pocket notebook and pen with you everywhere you go. Great for impromptu sketchnotes!
❥ 4. Urban Sketching in Chinatown NYC — A handy video from Kevin Zych who takes you on site in NYC’s Chinatown, offering a unique layering technique.
❥ 5. The Dying Art of Hand-Made Restaurant Signs — Watch working NYC lettering artists like David Barnett in this fascinating video from The New York Times Food.
This Month’s Thought
Lab Partner Mudita Kundra asked a great question about sustaining a sketchnoting practice. My reply: overlap sketchnotes with something you already love, start small, and keep it messy. Read the details in my post.
From the Community: Matt Miller
Here’s a great sketchnote from Matt Miller, with his sketchnotes from the July Live Lab on lettering foundations and Andy Fishburne sharing his sketchbooks:
Want to be featured? Email me with a sketchnote you’ve made, and I’ll consider sharing it in a future Dispatch.
New Lab Partner-only session, coming in September!
A new session for Lab Partners only! It’s a live review session coming in September with a special guest where we’ll review your sketchnotes!
More details on August 7th!
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Lab Live Recording: July 2026 — Lettering Foundations with Andy Fishburne
What we covered
Why lettering is foundational to sketchnoting
2-Line and 3-Line methods
Condensed lettering
Ligatures
Faux Script
Andy’s lettering style and approach
A walk through Andy’s gorgeous large-format sketchbook
Q&A with the audience
Coming up: Sketchnote Lab Live August: How to Sketch Your Story as You Tell It w/ David Hutchens
On August 29th, David Hutchens of Storytelling Leader will join us to walk you through the practice of sketching your story as you tell it.
What you’ll walk away with
Insights on how to tell your story as you sketch it for individuals, small or large groups.
Sketchnote Podcast
The Sketchnote Podcast season 1 warapped up in July with the popular All The Tips episode, which you can enjoy right here:
Subscribe to The Sketchnote Podcast on SimpleCast or wherever you listen to podcasts!
2026 Schedule
Here’s what’s coming up at Sketchnote Lab for the rest of 2026:
August: How to Sketch Your Story as You Tell It — w/ David Hutchens of Storytelling Leader
September: What Makes Your Sketchnote Tick? A New Lab Partner-Only Live Session w/ Zsofi Lang
October: Using Sketchnotes to Visually — Think Through the Use of Senses To Understand Uncertainty w/ James Burke
November: Sketchnote Foundations - Listening Skills w/ Sarah Greer and Adrian Peryer
December: Problem-Solving — w/ Georgina Dean
Check out the full 2026 schedule.
Last Month’s Sketchnote Lab Posts
Here’s what happened at Sketchnote Lab last month:
Supporting Lab Partners get access to all Lab Live video replays, the Partner Vault, and a 1:1 Zoom session with me each year on annual plans.
The Sketchnote Handbook
You don't need to be an artist to sketchnote. You need five basic shapes, simple lettering, a way to draw a person, and a few visual elements to connect your ideas together. My two books teach you exactly that, starting today.
The Sketchnote Handbook
This fully illustrated book teaches complete beginners the whole foundational toolkit for sketchnoting: shapes, lettering, drawing people, and the connectors that tie your ideas together on the page. You'll learn how to capture your thinking visually, remember key information more clearly, and share what you've learned with others. Have fun taking notes again!
Learn more about The Sketchnote Handbook
The Sketchnote Workbook
This fully illustrated book and 2-hour video are the sequel to The Sketchnote Handbook. Once you've got the foundations down, this shows you how to put it to work: brainstorming ideas, planning projects, documenting processes, recording travels, and solving problems. Learn how sketchnotes help you think better!
Learn more about The Sketchnote Workbook
Thanks for being part of Sketchnote Lab. See you next month.
— Mike Rohde, Chief Scientist, Sketchnote Lab
Sketchnote Lab is Mike Rohde’s space designed to bridge the gap between sketchnote theory and practice. You don’t need to be an artist to think visually. Join Mike and learn to use sketchnotes to clarify your thinking, solve problems, and move forward. Learn more about Sketchnote Lab.
Mike is the author of The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, bestselling books that teach regular people how to start sketchnoting and build a regular sketchnoting practice.
He founded the Sketchnote Army and hosts the Sketchnote Podcast, where he interviews visual thinkers to understand what makes them tick.
Mike teaches recorded, live, and in-person workshops to help accelerate your sketchnoting practice and provides personalized coaching for your specific visual thinking challenges.
He is the illustrator of bestselling books like REWORK, REMOTE, The $100 Startup, Honest SEO, The Culture Playbook, and The Future Begins with Z.
Become a Supporting or Founding Lab Partner to support Mike’s work.
Some links in Sketchnote Lab posts are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and resources I use and believe in.
©2026 Mike Rohde, Sketchnote Lab
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