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Explore the full visual archive of over a decade of Sketchplanations and discover sketches that interest and inspire you. Use them to have great conversations about ideas.

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What are topography and bathmetry, and their meaning, shown as land elevation and ocean depthTopography and BathymetryThe Trolley Problem original variant with the runaway trolley and moral dilemma of switching the tracksThe Trolley ProblemLooking back in time as we look to the stars: A visual explanation of how light from the Moon, Sun, stars, and galaxies shows us the past because light takes time to travel.Looking Back in Time: The Speed of Light and the Night SkyJohn Muir quote illustration: I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in — John Muir quoteGoing Out Was Really Going In — John Muir QuoteWhat is a halfpinion with example of someone arguing for the benefits and another arguing the costs are too high. It's not a real opinion unless it considers both. Term from Scott Adams.Halfpinion: considering only the benefits or the costsCongested equilibrium and how suppressed journeys and latent demand build-up means you can't build your way out of congestionCongested EquilibriumCalm like a duck quote showing a duck who's calm on the surface, but under the water, I'm paddling like hell. Also, a Michael Caine quoteCalm Like a DuckTo scale, you first have to do things that don't scale, advice from Paul Graham and Brian Chesky of AirBnB for scaling companies shown with a founder packing boxes themselves like Jeff Bezos of AmazonTo Scale, First Do Things That Don't ScaleList of common sushi types, explained with names and pictures — a visual guide including nigiri, sashimi, maki rolls (hosomaki, futomaki, uramaki, temaki), inari, chirashi, and temari.Types of Sushi: Decoding a Sushi MenuWhat is the meaning of cognitive offloading? Shown by delegating our critical thinking to tools like calculators or AI chatbotsCognitive Offloading: Delegating Our ThinkingUnknown Unknowns or the Awareness-Understanding matrix, or the Rumsfeld Matrix illustrated with the example of having a babyUnknown UnknownsDon't think of an elephant framing example where even negating a frame activates itDon't Think of an ElephantHow to Instantly Feel Better — a visual guide pairing common feelings like anger, anxiety, or burnout with simple actions like singing, walking, or breathing to feel better, boost happiness, and improve wellbeing.How to Instantly Feel BetterExamples of variable rewards and their irresistible addictive power to get us hooked like the reward chest, email, and gamblingVariable RewardsWhat is the subscription trap? A picture example showing how canceling subscriptions is made difficult with delays, friction, and sludge.The Subscription TrapIllustration of Adam Smith’s quote about trade: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker…” showing how self-interest leads to mutual benefit in trade and a tipsy baker.The Butcher, the Brewer, the Baker — Adam Smith quoteBASE jumping is an acronym for Building, Antenna (like a radio or communication tower), Span (such as a bridge), and Earth (a cliff or natural formation)—the four types of fixed objects people jump fromBASE Jumping — Building, Antenna, Span, EarthLandlocked states of the USA including the double-landlocked states and the one triple-landlocked state, NebraskaLandlocked StatesHow canal works to allow a boat to travel uphillCanal LocksEveryone's a geek about something with people geeking out on many different activitiesEveryone's a Geek About Something — Revised and ExpandedAn illustration for Kahlil Gibran’s On Marriage from The Prophet: an oak and a cypress tree with two figures holding hands, grow not in each other’s shadow.Grow not in each other's shadowF-Shaped Reading of content on the web from eye-trackingF-Shaped ReadingChart showing the chances of getting what you want if you ask for what you want vs if you don'tAsking for What You WantWhat is the Blur Your Eyes Test for testing designs and communication for structure showing an example of little and clear structureThe Blur Your Eyes TestThe One in a Row principle: the way it all starts - with a person pushing over the first bowling pin — wisdom from Matthew McConaugheyOne in a RowOne-Buttock Playing: Benjamin Zander's term for how the music moves usOne-buttock playingThe Chinese Zodiac calendar featuring the 12 zodiac animals, their personality traits, and corresponding years from 2025 to 2036. Includes traditional Chinese New Year symbols like lanterns, red envelopes, and firecrackers.The Chinese Zodiac: Animals, Years, and MeaningsSnerdle meaning in English: To wrap up snugly beneath the covers and ignore the world. 18th Century dialect. By SketchplanationsSnerdleSkeuomorph meaning and examples with icons of floppy disks, phones and others for save and callSkeuomorphWhat is Feedback Analysis from Peter Drucker: Predict, Compare, Repeat shown with an example of getting a dogFeedback AnalysisYes Sayers are rewarded by adventure, No Sayers are rewarded by safety — wisdom from Keith JohnstoneYes Sayers are Rewarded by Adventure, No Sayers are Rewarded by SafetyWhat is Rückenfigur example: a person looking out at a mountain sceneRückenfigurThe Three Bricklayers story, or 3 Bricklayers Parable, is about the meaning, vision, leadership, and motivation of work. Originally about Sir Christopher Wren, the image shows three scenes: a brick layer laying bricks (Task), one building a wall (Goal), and one creating a cathedral on scaffolding (Vision) with a cathedral in the background.The Three Bricklayers StoryBuild your own panel of advisors and mentors example of the invisible counselors with Mum, Uncle Jim, your science teacher, Marcus Aurelius and LincolnBuild Your Panel of Advisors to Ask for AdviceWhat is the Eat The Frog time management and productivity technique and its meaning with a person about to eat a frog and a to-do listEat the frogThe 5 Gift Guide for Christmas: for a meaningful Christmas with less stuff. Showing the 5 categories "Something: I want, I need, to wear, to read, to do."The 5 Gift Guide for ChristmasBrenda Ueland quote: What is the purpose of existence but to discover truth and beauty and share it with others? showing a person finding a flower, painting it, and then enjoying seeing others experience the same emotions they didDiscovering Truth and Beauty and Sharing it with othersWhat is Naismith's Rule for calculating walking time in the mountains example explained with a mountain ridge with hikers and lines for the horizontal distance and time and ascent and timeNaismith's Rule for mountain hiking timeWhat is the paradise paradox explained with a person on a city balcony dreaming of a beach where a person is dreaming of the cityThe paradise paradoxWhat is isometric projection drawing technique explained with an example of the Bauhaus Dessau buildingIsometric projection
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