Sketchnote Podcast

Chris Spalton - SE06 / EP01

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In this first episode of season 6, Mike talks with UX designer and sketchnoter Chris Spalton from England about his entry into sketchnoting and how he’s using sketchnotes, comics, and other visualizations in his work in user experience. We also talk about Chris’ labor of love graphic novel, The Eelman Chronicles.

RUNNING ORDER

  • Intro - Chris's sketchnote origin story
  • Chris’s path to UX design
  • storytelling, Comic books and Story boards in business
  • The story of Eelman
  • Tools
  • 3 Tips
  • Outro

    • 3 TIPS

    • Share as early as possible!
    • Know that you are creative (it just might be different than you think)
    • Use a grey marker to add drop shadows

      • Tools

      • Steadlter Fineliners - https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/products/Products-for-colouring/fineliners/
      • Promarkers - http://www.winsornewton.com/row/shop/graphic-markers/promarker
      • Faber-Castell Brush Pens - https://www.faber-castell.com/products/art-and-graphic/pitt-artist-pens
      • Sharpies - https://www.sharpie.com/
      • Post it notes - https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/
      • iPad Pro - https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-pro
      • Apple Pencil - https://www.apple.com/lae/apple-pencil/
      • Paper by WeTransfer (formerly FiftyThree) - https://paper.bywetransfer.com/
      • Procreate - http://procreate.art/
      • Caran d’ache Non-Photo P{encil - https://www.jetpens.com/Caran-d-Ache-Sketcher-Non-Photo-Blue-Pencil-Pack-of-2/pd/15882

        • LINKS

        • Chris Spalton on Twitter - https://twitter.com/chrisspalton
        • The Eelman Chronicles - https://gumroad.com/cspalton
        • Redgate Software - https://www.red-gate.com
        • User Experience - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_experience_design
        • Sunni Brown - http://sunnibrown.com
        • Dan Roam - https://www.danroam.com
        • Foolproof Design - https://www.foolproof.co.uk
        • Chris' Medium article on comic strips and storyboards for UX concepting - https://uxplanet.org/using-comic-strips-and-storyboards-to-test-your-ux-concepts-cccad7ac7f71
        • The Fens - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fens

          • CREDITS

          • Producer: Jon Schiedermayer
          • Show Notes: Chris Wilson

            • SUPPORT THE PODCAST

            To support the creation, production and hosting of the Sketchnote Army and Sketchnote Army Podcast, buy one of Mike Rohde’s books and use code ROHDE40 at Peachpit.com for 40% off!

            http://rohdesign.com/handbook/

            http://rohdesign.com/workbook/

            PAST PODCAST SEASONS

            • Season 1 - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/sets/sketchnote-army-podcast-se1
            • Season 2 - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/sets/sketchnote-army-podcast-se2
            • Season 3 - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/sets/sketchnote-army-podcast-se3
            • Season 4 - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/sets/sketchnote-army-podcast-se4
            • Season 5 - https://soundcloud.com/sketchnote-army-podcast/sets/sketchnote-army-podcast-se5

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              Support the Podcast

              To support the creation, production, and hosting of the Sketchnote Army Podcast, buy one of Mike Rohde's bestselling books. Use code ROHDE40 at Peachpit.com for 40% off!

              Sketchnote Lab is Mike Rohde’s space designed to bridge the gap between sketchnote theory and practice. You don’t need to be an artist to think visually. Join Mike and learn to use sketchnotes to clarify your thinking, solve problems, and move forward. Learn more about Sketchnote Lab.

              Mike is the author of The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, bestselling books that teach regular people how to start sketchnoting and build a regular sketchnoting practice.

              He founded the Sketchnote Army and hosts the Sketchnote Podcast, where he interviews visual thinkers to understand what makes them tick.

              Mike teaches recorded, live, and in-person workshops to accelerate your sketchnoting practice and provides personalized coaching for your specific visual-thinking challenges.

              He is the illustrator of bestselling books like REWORK, REMOTE, The $100 Startup, Honest SEO, The Culture Playbook, and The Future Begins with Z.

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              ©2026 Mike Rohde, Sketchnote Lab

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