If a picture is worth a thousand words, why do so many of us insist on a thousand words alone?
Visuals transcend language barriers, push thinking in new directions, engage audiences, pinpoint the essence of lessons or conversations, and clarify misconceptions. Simply put: they make our thoughts visible.
Whether you’re in a school setting or place of business, visual thinking strategies can drive collective understanding and engagement. Plus, studies show that information is recalled exponentially more when paired with visuals than without them. So why wouldn’tyou use visuals?
Wendi Pillars can’t stop thinking in pictures. She has been an educator for more than two decades in both military and civilian settings—overseas and stateside—with learners of all ages, from toddlers to adults. She uses visuals to explain, clarify, ease anxiety and add humor, finding that this inspires others to be creative, encourages new ways of thinking and fuels the leap from abstract thoughts to concrete action steps.
“Thinking visually can command a world of clarity that may not have previously existed among clients, students, colleagues and more,” Pillars says.
Her insightful, cleverly constructed new book, Visual Impact: Transform Communication in Your Boardroom, Classroom, or Living Room, is an A-Z reference guide full of original illustrations that complement and/or supplement the text on the facing pages. The idea is to help readers fully visualize ideas, see different styles and have a starting point to create their own visuals.
Designed so readers can dip in and out as needed for inspiration, Visual Impact provides clear examples that show readers what visual thinking looks like in reality.
“When you sketch more, you think more,” Pillars adds. “When you think more, you connect more dots. And when you connect more dots, you accomplish more. My markers are ready. Are yours?”
About the Author
As a curiositarian and lifeaholic, Wendi Pillars thrives on thinking creatively and communicating visually to get to the heart of any message. A consummate explorer of ideas, cultures and people, she enjoys crafting concepts that add a cognitive push and being able to share that with others. She is an award-winning lifelong educator with experience teaching, learning and living across the globe, as well as a love for languages, writing and our planet. She can always be found immersed in some sort of project or creative endeavor, ideally one that empowers others to create and think differently, or serves a community need. She currently lives in North Carolina with her 16-year-old son, rescue cat and dog, and beloved bees. Pillars is also the author of Visual Notetaking for Educators: A Teacher’s Guide to Student Creativity.
For more information, please visit www.sketchmorethinkmore.com, or follow the Author Wendi Pillars on Instagram @sketchmore_thinkmore