Graphic Jam

Barney Cunningham sends us this graphic exercise, called THE GRAPHIC JAM.

PHOTO: A jam in progress at a Helen Sanderson and Associates Path and Map Course

Just like a group of musicians getting together to play music, the graphic jam does exactly the same for graphic recorders.

The whole idea is to get like-minded, creative people together to create graphics; to add to each others graphics; to contribute unique colours and personal imagery; and to expand big picture metaphors.

Read on to learn how.

How do you do it?

1. Put up lots of paper around a room or on a graphic wall.
   
2. Put up a selection of headings (there is no limit to the amount or the variety of subjects).
3. Give the participants about half a hour--this is negotiable, but we feel that people are more creative if they have to work quickly!
4. Put some really good upbeat music.
5. Let them go.

Try to have no hard and fast rules about the jams: creativity is at its best when people are free.

We the use the jams with people who are new to recording in training or just as a really fun way to get new ideas for images. We picked the idea of the graphic jam via the Visual Practitioner website.

Barney Cunningham is a graphic facilitator in Stockport, UK. Barney works with many community groups and combines powerful processes such as person-centered design with visual learning.