Adding images to your idea maps enhances memory, makes them more interesting, and often times a single picture can communicate more information than many words. However based on my experience teaching the Idea Mapping Workshop to business professionals, many adults have convinced themselves that they cannot draw. If you are among those sharing that belief, I’m about to prove you wrong with a little drawing lesson.

The key to learning how to draw is to learn how to see and to break an image into small component pieces. Grab a piece of paper and let me show you an example of how to do this. My lines are not going to be perfect, so don’t expect yours to be perfect either. Start out by simply drawing a square.

Computer 1Next draw in some curved lines like the inside of a television screen.

Computer 2Now add the keyboard.

Computer 3Write something or draw something on your computer screen, and connect the computer to the base.

Computer 4Finally fill in the keyboard.

Computer 5There you have it. You can apply this same method to drawin any icons. With repitition you can draw from memory. Try this on an icon you might use in your idea maps.