Anyone who’s known me for very long knows I love new tech toys/tools. At a recent conference at the University of Guelph, I discovered Sketchbook Pro, a tool for drawing with a fantastic free 15-non-consecutive-day trial. Giulia Forsythe from Brock University was using it to sketch the keynote presentation (fantastic evolution of the portfolio by Dave Cormier, UPEI) and though I do not own an iPad, I realized I had other tools that would work: an old Wacom tablet and pen plus a laptop. Perhaps these aren’t as portable, but for working from home, they do just fine.

I decided to test out the tool as I read the STLHE Green Guide #3: Teaching the Art of Inquiry by Bob Hudspith and Herb Jenkins. Here’s the creation. For full effect, click the image to visit on Flickr, then mouseover to see notes that provide more information.

This tool might be useful to you if you are a visual learner or if you teach visual learners. It’s quick and easy to learn the basic functionality (much simpler than something like photoshop) and there are a few more advanced tools (like layers) that make editing easier once you get the hang of making your mark.