London Writers' Salon

#141: Jono Hey – Build a Creative Practice That Sticks: Mastering Visual Thinking, 900+ Sketches, Deep Simplicity and Collaborating with Bill Gates

Apr 19, 2025

Jono Hey, author of Big Ideas Little Pictures and creator of Sketchplanations, shares his journey of simplifying complex ideas through visual sketches. He explores the power of visual thinking and how to build a creative identity during career transitions. Jono discusses the importance of knowing when a piece is ready for publication and offers tips for aspiring sketchers. He also reflects on his experiences illustrating for Bill Gates, outlining the intricate balance between structured creativity and deep work while navigating the publishing landscape.

01:02:22

Creator website

Episode guests

Jono Hey

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Jono Hey emphasizes the transformative power of visual thinking in conveying complex ideas through his unique sketching style.

He highlights the importance of community engagement by sharing work publicly to receive constructive feedback and enhance creativity.

Jono discusses the challenges of balancing evolving identities as a creator while maintaining a structured and disciplined creative practice.

Deep dives

The Journey of Sketchplanations

In 2013, a personal project named Sketchplanations began as a creative outlet for Jono Hay, aiming to explain complex ideas through simple sketches. This initiative blossomed after receiving a drawing journal, leading him to draw and post sketches regularly, ultimately developing a unique style that resonates with many. Over time, he has created over 600 sketches, each reflecting a blend of clarity and creativity that captivates his audience. This journey highlights the importance of pursuing passion projects and the unexpected success that can arise from dedication and creativity.

Intro

2min

From Sketching to Sharing: A Creative Evolution

21min

The Art of Refining Ideas

12min

Sketching a Creative Journey

14min

Navigating the Publishing Landscape: Traditional vs. Self-Publishing Decisions

2min

Navigating Creative Transitions

8min

Reflecting on the Creative Journey and Embracing Community

3min

Jono Hey, author of Big Ideas Little Pictures and creator of Sketchplanations, shares insights from over a decade of explaining the world through sketches.

We discuss:

The power of visual thinking
Building a new identity when changing careers
Knowing when a piece is done and ready for publishing
Tips to get started with sketching
& lessons from long-term creative projects, including illustrating for Bill Gates.

ABOUT JONO HEY
Jono Hey is the author and illustrator of Big Ideas Little Pictures, a collection of the best of Sketchplanations—his decade-long project dedicated to explaining complex ideas through simple sketches. With a background spanning academia, business, design, product development, and engineering, Jono has helped build two successful companies and holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His work has been featured in Bill Gates’s book How to Prevent the Next Pandemic, and he co-hosts Sketchplanations – the Podcast, where he and two friends dive deeper into the ideas behind his sketches. Find his latest work at sketchplanations.com.

RESOURCES

For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.

For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com.

FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON

Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon

Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon

Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon

If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!