Live Graphic Recording & Conference Illustration for Events
I draw conferences, workshops and conversations live as they happen. Key ideas, connections and insights are translated in real time into clear hand-drawn visual summaries that help audiences understand the discussion and give organisers a useful record long after the event is over.
I provide live graphic recording, conference illustration, live event illustration and remote graphic recording for conferences, leadership meetings, workshops, webinars and hybrid events.
Depending on the format, I can work digitally with live projection onto a screen or LED wall, draw traditionally on paper or boards, or join an online event remotely from my studio.
English · Deutsch · Français.
Based in France · On-site throughout Europe and Switzerland · Remote worldwide.
Experienced visual thinking, live
Graphic recording requires more than the ability to draw quickly. It depends on listening, editorial judgement, visual thinking and the ability to recognise the important idea while a conversation is still unfolding.
I bring more than 35 years of professional experience in illustration, editorial work, cartooning, visual storytelling and creative direction. Clients and collaborations across my career include Google, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, Fraunhofer, Dräger, Wacom and many international publishers, businesses and organisations.
What Live Graphic Recording Adds to an Event
Conferences and workshops can generate an enormous amount of information in a short time. Graphic recording turns that flow of presentations, conversations and ideas into a coherent visual overview.
- Make complex discussions easier to understand.
- Reveal connections between different speakers and ideas.
- Give audiences an additional visual way into difficult material.
- Create a visible focal point as the event develops.
- Provide delegates with a concise visual summary.
- Create a lasting record for colleagues and stakeholders.
- Generate artwork for reports, presentations and internal communication.
- Create original post-event and social-media content.
A strong graphic recording is not decoration and it is not simply entertainment. It is a form of visual documentation: a way of distilling the substance of an event into something people can understand, remember and use afterwards.
On-Site, Remote & Hybrid Graphic Recording
Every assignment is adapted to the event, venue, audience and intended use of the finished artwork. The format should serve the programme rather than force the programme into a predetermined visual template.
On-Site Graphic Recording & Live Drawing
I attend conferences, workshops, leadership meetings and corporate events in person and draw while presentations and discussions unfold. The developing illustration can be projected onto a screen or LED wall, allowing delegates to watch the visual record take shape in real time.
Most live work is created digitally using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. This makes live projection straightforward, allows rapid refinement and means high-resolution artwork is immediately available after the event. Traditional pen-and-paper or board formats are also possible when they better suit the setting.
Remote Graphic Recording
For webinars, virtual workshops, international meetings and hybrid conferences, I work remotely from my studio. I join via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet or another platform and draw as the session takes place.
The drawing can be shared live with participants, and the finished high-resolution artwork can be delivered immediately after the session. This is particularly useful for international teams where travel is unnecessary or impractical.
Conference Illustration & Visual Event Reportage
Not every event needs one large graphic recording. Some programmes work better as a series of individual conference illustrations capturing particular speakers, turning points, quotations, observations or themes.
This approach combines reportage drawing, editorial illustration and visual storytelling. It can document not only what was said, but also something of the character, atmosphere and personality of the event.
Timelapse & Post-Event Content
Digital live drawing also makes it possible to record the complete creative process. The resulting timelapse can show an illustration developing from an empty canvas into the finished piece and can provide useful additional material for post-event communication.
- Full timelapse recordings
- Short LinkedIn and social-media edits
- Branded recap sequences
- Still images and detail crops
- Presentation and newsletter assets
Events, Meetings & Subject Areas
Graphic recording works particularly well where many ideas, perspectives or speakers need to be brought together into a shared visual overview.
Typical Events
- International conferences and congresses
- Leadership and executive meetings
- Strategy and future-planning workshops
- Innovation and design-thinking sessions
- Panel discussions and round tables
- Corporate conferences and annual meetings
- Training and professional-development programmes
- Webinars and hybrid events
Subject Areas
- Healthcare, medicine and life sciences
- Science and research
- Technology, software and AI
- Engineering and manufacturing
- Finance and professional services
- Education and universities
- Sustainability, energy and environment
- Public institutions, associations and NGOs
More than three decades of editorial, corporate and communication work have made me accustomed to unfamiliar and technically demanding subjects. The objective is always the same: understand the discussion quickly, identify what matters and communicate it visually without losing its substance.
Graphic Recording Is Visual Documentation — Not Facilitation
As a graphic recorder, I listen to presentations and discussions, identify the central ideas and translate them in real time into drawings, words, symbols, diagrams and visual relationships.
The result is not a conventional chronological transcript. It is a structured visual overview that shows both what was discussed and how different ideas relate to one another.
The practice is also described as live scribing, visual minutes, live visual note-taking, conference illustration or event sketchnoting. The terminology varies, but the principle is the same: spoken content is listened to, distilled and communicated visually as the event unfolds.
My role is deliberately distinct from visual facilitation. I do not moderate the workshop, lead the group or influence the discussion. I work as an independent visual recorder: observing, listening, analysing and documenting what emerges.
Why Work With Ian David Marsden?
Live graphic recording depends on a combination of skills that are difficult to separate: listening, analysing, editing, drawing, visualising relationships and making decisions quickly while the conversation continues.
That combination has been central to my professional work for more than 35 years. My background includes editorial illustration, cartooning, publishing, corporate communication and creative direction across Europe and internationally.
I began working professionally as a cartoonist while still a teenager and went on to contribute to publications including Nebelspalter and NZZ am Sonntag. I was the first official Google Doodle artist and was later selected as a Wacom Featured Artist.
Editorial illustration is particularly relevant preparation for live recording. Both disciplines require the ability to understand a subject quickly, separate the essential point from background detail and find a visual idea that communicates without unnecessary explanation.
It also means the drawings need not be limited to a fixed vocabulary of arrows, boxes and generic business symbols. Depending on the event, I can use characters, visual metaphor, reportage drawing, diagrams, humour and more developed illustrative scenes while keeping the communication clear.
- More than 35 years of professional illustration and visual communication
- International editorial, publishing and corporate experience
- First official Google Doodle artist
- Wacom Featured Artist
- Experienced with complex business, scientific and educational subjects
- Direct collaboration from briefing through final delivery
- English, German and French
- On-site across Europe and Switzerland · remote worldwide
Live Graphic Recording Pricing
Every event is different, but budget planning should still be straightforward. Live graphic recording and live event illustration start at €1,600 per day.
The final quotation is normally determined by a small number of practical factors:
- Event duration and number of sessions
- Preparation and briefing requirements
- Location, travel and accommodation where required
- Number and format of visual outputs
- Post-event refinement and additional exports
- Timelapse or social-media versions
- Extended commercial licensing where required
If you already know the date, location, approximate duration and event format, I can usually assess the likely scope quickly and provide a clear proposal.
How a Graphic Recording Project Works
The process is deliberately uncomplicated. Good preparation means I can concentrate entirely on listening, understanding and drawing once the event begins.
01 — Briefing
We establish the date, venue or online platform, programme, audience, duration, format and intended use of the finished artwork.
02 — Preparation
Where useful, I review agendas, speaker information, presentations, terminology and background material. Branding, colour palettes and logos can also be incorporated in advance.
03 — Live Recording
During the event I work alongside the programme, listening and translating the discussion into a coherent visual narrative. The process can be projected live, shared online or revealed at selected points.
04 — Refinement
If agreed, I can refine typography, layout, legibility or selected details afterwards so that the artwork is ready for broader communication.
05 — Delivery
High-resolution artwork is supplied in the formats required for the agreed uses. Detail crops, presentation graphics, print files or timelapse material can also be prepared.
06 — Continued Use
The final visual can continue to work after the event in reports, presentations, internal communication, websites, PR and social media, subject to the agreed usage.
Technical Notes for On-Site Events
- HDMI is ideal for reliable live projection.
- A stable power supply is required at the drawing position.
- A short technical check before the event is recommended.
- Wireless projection can be used where the venue setup supports it reliably.
- For analogue drawing, board size, position and lighting are agreed beforehand.
What You Receive After the Event
The value of a live illustration does not end when the audience leaves. The finished artwork can become a practical communication asset for the organisation.
- High-resolution PDF and PNG files
- Presentation-ready versions
- Print-ready artwork
- Detail crops for newsletters and social media
- Large-format files for displays or exhibitions
- Timelapse or recap material where requested
The agreed usage rights are stated clearly in the proposal. Typical use can include live display, event documentation, internal communication, presentations, PR and agreed social-media channels. Broader commercial use can be licensed separately when required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between graphic recording and visual facilitation?
Graphic recording documents presentations, conversations and discussions visually as they happen. Visual facilitation actively guides a group process. My role is graphic recording: I listen, analyse and visualise without moderating the discussion.
Can you work remotely?
Yes. Remote graphic recording works well for webinars, online workshops, hybrid conferences and international meetings. I join the event from my studio and can share the developing illustration live with participants.
Can the drawing be projected live?
Yes. Digital drawings can be projected onto a large screen or LED wall so that delegates can watch the visual develop throughout the session.
What do we receive after the event?
Normally you receive high-resolution digital artwork. Depending on the project, I can also supply refined versions, detail crops, presentation graphics, print-ready files, social-media formats or timelapse videos.
Do you travel internationally?
Yes. I am available for on-site projects throughout Europe and Switzerland. Remote graphic recording is available worldwide.
How much preparation do you need?
For many events, an agenda, speaker list and short briefing are sufficient. For technically complex subjects, presentations, terminology or background material are useful so that important concepts are familiar before the session begins.
Is graphic recording useful for smaller workshops?
Yes. Smaller strategy sessions, leadership meetings and specialist workshops can benefit particularly from a shared visual record because key ideas, decisions and relationships become visible on one common surface.
Which languages can you work in?
I work professionally in English, German and French, which is particularly useful for international conferences, multilingual organisations and cross-border events.
Related Visual Services
If the ideas from your event need to be developed afterwards into an animated communication piece, see my Hand-Drawn Explainer Videos & Whiteboard Animation.
For commissioned business illustration, campaign imagery and visual storytelling outside the live-event context, see Business Illustration & Campaign Visuals.
For broader brand, design and senior visual-direction work, see Graphic Design & Creative Direction.
Check Availability for Your Event
Planning a conference, workshop, leadership meeting, webinar or hybrid event? Send me the date, location, approximate duration and a short description of the format.
I can then confirm whether the date is available and advise on the most appropriate graphic-recording format for the event.
Email: [email protected]
On-site: Europe & Switzerland
Remote: worldwide
English · Deutsch · Français