Digital Roam

Unfolding the Napkin: book two is a wrap

Last week I completed the manuscript for my next book. It is a great feeling to have it done.

Unfolding the Napkin: The Complete Workbook for Solving Complex Problems with Simple Pictures will be available in January, 2010. Like The Back of the Napkin, it will be published by Adrian Zackheim at Penguin Portfolio. Courtney Young is editing.

The Workbook covers the visual thinking concepts, tools, and rules I introduced in The Back of the Napkin, but this time I present everything through guided do-it-yourself exercises. I structured the book as a complete four-day visual-thinking seminar, taking readers step-by-step from "I can't draw" to "Here is the picture I drew that I think will save the world."

That's a big leap. But I believe it's doable. Having spent the last seven months fine-tuning every exercise, I know it is. I can't wait for you to see it for yourself.

I'll keep you posted on details as we get closer to the publication date.

 

The Force was with us

Without a doubt, the best part of getting your business book done is getting asked by companies you admire to come give a talk. All the effort is instantly worth it the moment the company you always dreamed of working for calls up and wonders, "Would you be willing to share your ideas with our people?"

The answer is YES. Especially if the company calling is Lucasfilm.

I wanted to work for Lucas every single day since I first saw Star Wars thirty years ago. I don't think I've ever recovered from receiving a copy of Joe Johnston's "Star Wars Sketchbook" for Christmas 1977. I must have drawn Y-Wing fighters for months.

I guess it paid off: drawing pictures on the biggest digital projection screen in the most immaculate theater I've ever presented in was pure joy.

Thanks Kelly for asking me to come share "visual problem solving" with ILM, LucasArts, and Lucasfilm. The pleasure was all mine.