Most people have never heard of event sketching. Those who have often imagine live caricatures, or a playful whiteboard of hand-drawn icons and flowcharts.
Event Sketch Art goes quite a few steps further.
ESA uses a visual narrative structure — closer to a graphic novel than a display board — to capture the essential ideas of an event as they unfold. The result is something that can be understood by anyone, whether they were in the room or not.
Event Sketch Art grew out of practices like urban sketching, illustrated journalism, cartooning, and live caricature drawing. Over time, these disciplines came together with something equally important: a deep understanding of narrative structure and business communication. That combination is what makes the ESA format different.
The result is a highly impactful visual document that captures the heart of a presentation or discussion. It turns fleeting moments into something lasting, reinforces key ideas, and makes it possible to share the substance of an event far beyond the people who attended it.
As Cesare Pitea, Legal Advisor for the Council of Europe, put it:
“Ken’s graphic report captured the heart of our panel with striking clarity and creativity. His work made our message more visible, more engaging, and simply unforgettable for a wider audience.”
This blog will explore how Event Sketch Art works, where it’s most effective, and why visual storytelling has become such a powerful tool for communication in conferences, panels, and live events.