Exciting News! I’ve Been Featured in Creative Boom

If you know me, you’ll know I love shouting about the power of live illustration and graphic facilitation - so I was absolutely thrilled to be featured in Creative Boom! The article, written by Garrick Webster, dives into how live event illustration is transforming conferences, workshops, and business events, and I had the pleasure of sharing my experiences alongside three other talented illustrators.

The Creative Boom article!

Bringing Events to Life with Live Illustration

For those new to the concept, live event illustration is all about capturing ideas in real-time. Whether it’s a corporate strategy session, a creative workshop, or a leadership conference, visual storytelling brings conversations to life, making discussions more engaging, memorable, and actionable.

During the interview, I shared insights into how I work - floating around the room, listening intently, and distilling complex ideas into bold, engaging visuals that spark conversation long after the event ends. It’s a creative, fast-paced process, but one that helps businesses and teams connect, reflect, and retain key takeaways in a way that words alone can’t achieve.

Why This Feature Matters

Being recognised by Creative Boom, a platform celebrating creatives across industries, is a huge moment for me. It highlights not just the growing demand for live event illustrations, but also the impact this visual approach has on business strategy, innovation and team engagement.

Here’s my extended interview with Garrick for the article:

1 - What made you decide to use your illustration skills in a live format?

My career has taken me through teaching, working in galleries, running a community arts charity and training as a learning disability advocate. I studied for a BA in Art and Critical Theory and drawing was always part of my work, but things really shifted when I trained in a facilitation technique called PATH. I started running workshops with individuals with complex support needs and learning disabilities, working with their circles of support to plan for the future. Since many of the people I supported didn’t use spoken language, drawing symbols and visual cues became an essential tool for non-verbal communication and connection.

Now, I use live illustration across a range of spaces from academic and corporate conferences to arts and cultural events, transforming complex information into accessible visuals that bring ideas to life and foster deeper understanding.

2 - What would you say the main challenges are working for corporate, educational and cultural bodies, as opposed to doing fashion brands and weddings etc, which many other live illustrators do?

This kind of live illustration goes by all sorts of names: Graphic Recording, Sketchnoting, Visual Scribing - you name it. Unlike live illustration for weddings or fashion events, which focuses on drawing what’s in front of you, graphic recording is about translating keynote talks, panels, and workshops into visuals in real time. It’s not just about drawing in a representational sense but actively listening, spotting patterns, capturing emotional sentiments and using visual metaphors to convey often complex ideas. The challenge is keeping up with the pace while creating visuals that are clear and resonant and capture the heart of the conversation.

3 - How does it typically work and what tools or media do you use at a corporate event?

Firstly, I usually meet with the client to discuss how live illustration can support their event and maximise engagement. Often, I’m working on my digital sketchpad - I use Procreate on my iPad to draw alongside the event. I’ll either be hooked up to a projector or screen so the audience can watch my drawings unfold in real-time, or I’ll save the drawings for a grand reveal during breaks or as part of the end-of-day summary. People love seeing the timelapse replay of the drawing coming to life, and there are always “oohs” and “ahhs.” It’s especially rewarding when people see their thoughts and ideas mirrored back to them.

Sometimes, the event calls for a more traditional pen-and-paper approach. I’ve done everything from bespoke graphics, like customer persona drawings for a product development workshop, to a seven-metre evolving graphic wall for a global HR conference across 3 days. I also work remotely too, offering live scribing which can be beamed into in-person conferences and online meetings.

4 - What’s the wildest or most interesting event you’ve ever worked?

One of the most fascinating events I’ve worked on was a Festival of Dreaming, where I had the chance to illustrate people’s recurring or most recent dreams as they were sharing them with me. The whole experience felt like stepping into a surreal world, capturing the vivid imagery, emotions, and symbols they described in real-time. Each person’s dream was obviously so unique and I translated their words into visuals, creating dreamscapes on the spot. It was like weaving together fragments of fantasy, imagination, and personal meaning. It was such an intimate experience, and I received feedback from one of the participants that it really helped her process some difficult things she’d been going through in her life. Working in this visual space can unlock unexpected and powerful insights.

5 - What’s the market like at the moment?

Visual scribing isn’t going anywhere. As AI continues to rise and automation takes over more tasks, I believe people will be hungry for the personal, human touch, leading to a greater appreciation for this kind of work. From the perspective of a creative in the industry - there’s enough work to go around. It’s all about positioning yourself, making sure you’re visible and sharing what you do regularly with the world. SEO helps a lot!

💡 Want to see the full article? Check it out here: Creative Boom - Live Event Illustration

Let’s Work Together!

If you’re planning an event and want to turn conversations into powerful visuals, I’d love to collaborate! Live illustration is perfect for:

🎨 Leadership conferences
🎨 Team workshops
🎨 Creative brainstorming sessions
🎨 Public engagement events

Any much much more!

Get in touch to explore how we can bring your next event to life through visual storytelling!