What a fantastic day at VizConf 2024, the annual gathering of Australia’s visual thinking community! Held at the charming Kensington Town Hall on Saturday, the event brought together sketchnoters, graphic recorders, facilitators, illustrators, and more from across the country (and even a few from New Zealand).
The morning began with two fantastic workshops:
- Character stylisation with Brisbane-based illustrator Jimmy Patch, where we explored new ways to develop and adapt characters by experimenting with different styles.
- Creating visual stories with Ben Crothers, where attendees learned practical techniques to turn ideas into engaging narratives.
I attended Jimmy’s workshop, and it was terrific being challenged to draw in drastically different styles, and fascinating to see how fellow workshop attendees interpreted the exercises we were assigned.
After a lunch break, the program featured:
- A keynote from Bill Hope, showcasing his incredible “rich picture” strategy illustrations—a stunning example of how visuals can convey complex ideas.
- Insights from Kenneth Chung and Phil Marsden (KPMG Articulators) on how they balance being an in-house team with finding work, and some of the extraordinary projects they’ve worked on combining technology, art, research, and visual communication.
- A panel discussion with graphic recorders covering essential topics like getting clients, managing burnout, handling challenging projects, and growing a team—valuable lessons for anyone in the field.
- Breakout workshops exploring:
- Procreate tips
- Work/life balance
- Inclusive design and accessibility
And naturally, every session was graphically recorded—because how else would we document a visual thinking conference? 😊
I’m also proud that Graphic Gear (Sketch Group’s sister business) was a sponsor of the event, running a pop-up store stocked with Neuland refillable markers and other tools of the trade. A big shoutout to Illani, another sponsor, whose beautiful wooden iPad stands were a hit with attendees.
The day wrapped up with drinks and plenty of networking—an ideal end to a vibrant event that brought together so many talented and inspiring people from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and beyond.
Here are some highlights from the day—I hope they capture some of the energy and creativity that filled the hall!
If you’re passionate about the power of visuals to simplify, engage, and inspire, VizConf is a (mostly) annual event not to be missed. Huge gratitude to the volunteer organisers from Graphic Recorders Australia & New Zealand for all their hard work. Can’t wait for the next one!