Visual Thinking

for Beautiful Brains

Or: What the &!%#
is a notebook anyway?!?!?!

12:30-15:00, Friday, 27th of September 2024;
Kochgasse, 1060 Vienna

I am offering a class exploring visual thinking for neurodivergent/neurospicy people and anyone else who feels drawn to the topic, particularly artists whose work is primarily outside of visual arts.

When I say visual thinking, I loosely refer to how we externalise thinking processes, usually on paper, combining drawing, writing, graphing, doodling, etc, to dialogue with ourselves. Although often aesthetically pleasing, the point is not to make art, per se, but to find a way to think, feel, associate, generate and reflect.

The premise of this class is that visual thinking is something you probably already do—though it may or may not be a satisfying process for you. In dialogue with other unusual brains, you will investigate your current modus operandus regarding your existing visual thinking process and get inspired about how you might develop and extend it.

Concretely, I will also offer input based on the teaching materials of cartoonist Lynda Barry, with the intent of finding enjoyment in creating “bad” drawings, being imperfect, and finding simple access points to using paper and pen(cil) to think.

Please bring:

  • Yourself

  • An open and curious mind

  • A notebook you've already started or finished

  • Your favourite mark-making implement(s) - pen, pencil, colours, etc.

Cost

Donations welcome!

There is no recommended minimum amount.

Hand-drawn note titled "Visual Thinking for Performance Makers or... What is a notebook anyway?" with colorful illustrations of jellyfish, abstract shapes, a book, stairs, a key, a brain, and a smiling star. It discusses thinking, externalizing ideas through drawing, and notes on sessions and materials.

Interested

A hand-drawn comic-style illustration with a stick figure character saying, "Nah, I can't be bothered to learn to walk," and a speech bubble. The image includes various text notes, a tree drawing, and a simple diagram of tracks in snow labeled, "Tracks in the snow. Once a pathway exists, it usually gets used even if it's not useful. Unlearning is much harder than learning." The overall style is casual, with handwritten text and sketches on a notebook page.
Historical handwritten scientific or philosophical diagram with annotations, sketches, and notes in French, featuring interconnected branches and labels, with a red oval stamp from the 'Institut de France' in the top right corner.
A complex, abstract line drawing with various geometric shapes and interconnected lines, resembling a detailed schematic or blueprint.

Images by Gerard de Nerval, Paul Klee and myself…