Elisa Mirkil |||

Visual Thinking

Exploring concepts and refining my visual practice in sketchbooks. Using drawing as data, memory, and tool for understanding.

Diagrams for daily data

I track daily habits and goals with a red/blue pencil. It functions as a personal, diagrammatic diary. I started this practice to prioritize my goals and have a means of mindfully tracking my behavior.

Over the years I have learned the value of hand-drawing data—it has changed my mentality in budgeting and balancing my schedule.


Sketching to remember

When I experience something I want to remember, like a trip or conference or even a book, I draw. I always choose to draw rather than photograph to internalize the details and content.

These sketchbooks served as the basis for a digital map


Drawing to think

For many years I have drawn to clarify my thoughts and understanding. I practice this daily in sketchbooks, on scraps of paper, and in books I’m reading. It is a means of getting thoughts out and connecting disparate references.

Here are a few samples from the past 12 months.

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