211: How to Draw Yoga Stick Figures with Eva-Lotta Lamm
As a yoga teacher, how do you plan your classes? When it comes to planning the actual sequences, poses, and themes, do you go with the flow with little or no planning, or have a mental plan, or refer to detailed notes? In this episode, Eva-Lotta Lamm shares another technique you can use to plan yoga classes – drawing out yoga sequences. The best part is you don’t have to be good at drawing or have artistic talents; you only need to be able to draw stick figures!
Eva-Lotta Lamm is an independent Designer, Visual Thinking Expert and Trainer and yoga teacher. She helps companies to visualise complex problems to see things from new perspectives and teaches teams and individuals to be more visual in their thinking, communication and collaboration. Eva-Lotta’s illustrations have been published in several books, and she is also the author of Yoganotes – Sketching Yoga Stick Figures. Eva-Lotta used sketching and visual notes extensively during her own yoga teacher training in India, and eventually, combined her love for yoga and her profession as a designer to create products that help yoga practitioners and yoga teachers to learn, structure and teach yoga with visual tools.
Eva-Lotta shares more about the unique system for drawing yoga stick figures she created, and breaks down how she teaches other people to draw their own yoga stick figures and adapt them to their own needs. Shannon and Eva-Lotta also discuss the benefits of sketching, as well as why drawing and visual tools can be a great addition to your toolkit as a yoga teacher. Eva-Lotta even shares how she self-published a book on yoga.
Listen to the end of the episode to find out how you can participate in a giveaway of Eva-Lotta’s personalized books for two listeners!
Key Takeaways:
[10:00] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode – Eva-Lotta Lamm.
[12:24] What does Eva-Lotta do and who does she do it for?
“I teach yoga teachers to draw so that they can plan their sequences even when they don’t have any artistic talent or they think they can’t draw at all.” ~ Eva-Lotta Lamm
[14:07] Eva-Lotta shares more about her work in helping people visualize complex problems to see them from a new perspective.
[16:34] How does Eva-Lotta teach yoga teachers to use drawings in planning their yoga sequences?
“Images and words are like best friends. … They both have different strengths and weaknesses, and you want to use them in combination because then they are truly wonderful together.” ~ Eva-Lotta Lamm
[18:00] Eva-Lotta shares some of her tips and tricks for drawing out complex yoga sequences with stick figures.
“If you look at sketching as a communication and thinking tool, then I like to compare it to learning how to write.” ~ Eva-Lotta Lamm
[20:20] What other tools does Eva-Lotta use to guide her plans for yoga sequences?
[22:25] Eva-Lotta’s drawings have noses to show direction! She shares how detailed her drawings can get.
[24:34] What are some pointers Eva-Lotta has for yoga teachers who want to get started drawing sequences?
[30:04] How did Eva-Lotta find her niche in teaching yoga teachers to draw stick figures?
“My goal is to teach people how to draw like writing so that they can write their own stories and their own flows and whatever their creativity wants to express.” ~ Eva-Lotta Lamm
[34:13] What is Eva-Lotta’s work in the yoga world now?
[38:13] Eva-Lotta is excited about what else can come from the intersection of her work with design and drawing and yoga.
[40:34] How did Eva-Lotta self-publish her book?
[45:13] Check out Eva-Lotta’s book on her website.
[47:53] Shannon and Eva-Lotta are doing a giveaway!
[49:29] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview.
Links:
- Eva-Lotta Lam
- Yoganotes – Sketching Yoga Stick Figures, by Eva-Lotta Lamm
- Eva-Lotta Shop
- Sketching Yoga Sequences with Eva-Lotta Workshop
- Yoga for Pelvic Girdle Pain Workshop
- Pelvic Health Professionals
- Kindle Direct Publishing (via Amazon)
- Lulu Print-on-Demand
- IngramSpark
- VLB (Germany)
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity.
Omgosh!!! This is such a good idea!! Favorite pose is Tree pose!
Thanks for your comment Chana! You are now entered in the book draw and I totally agree — Eva-Lotta has great ideas to share.
This episode gave me a boost of confidence in writing my own sequences. I’m a brand new Yoga Teacher and searching for my way to embody my practice more so that I can offer my authentic self while I teach. I’m a visual learner so I’m excited to try this. I feel like this will help me connect to what I’m teaching and propel me forward. Thank you for this! My favorite pose is eagle- Garudasana
This podcast was so great!! Thank you for reminding us that simplicity is best, I’ve definitely been caught up in overcomplicating my stick figures for clients 😅
My favourite pose is forward folding pigeon pose – it’s so delicious!!
I agree Dominique! Here’s to simplifying the stick figures we hand our 1:1 yoga students.
great podcast. My favorite pose is usually ardha chandrasana but savasana with all the props at the moment.
thank you Shannon for such great podcasts.
Thanks Lisa! I love that you had a listen to this episode and enjoyed it. I learned so much from Eva-Lotta. I am thrilled that she is offering us all a chance to hang out live together and learn more.
Thank you both Shannon and Eva-Lotta for sharing this wonderful podcast! I can’t wait to check out more info about Yoganotes!
My favourite yoga pose is Padmasana – one of the most peaceful moments!
Thanks for listening and entering into the draw Anita! Did you see that Eva-Lotta is offering a workshop for all of us in April?
Great episode. I love the idea or solving complex problems visually!
How do you pick a favorite yoga pose?? It’s like picking your favorite child. It depends on the day:)
Oh I get it Breanne! Choosing a favourite yoga pose (or child LOL) is tough. Thanks for jumping in to comment and I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the episode.
My favorite pose is triangle
Stick figures are so useful for creating sequences! This book sounds like an interesting and practical tool for us, yoga teachers. My favorite pose is Balasana.
Early on in my yoga practice I may have had a fav. Seems to me the whole practice is my favorite. I am super excited to learn some better tactics to stick figuring.
Hi Shannon. This was a great podcast! I listened to it while out walking yesterday. I use stick figures, when creating class notes, but after looking at Eva-Lotta’s webpage I realized how helpful it would be to adopt the practice of making the torso a rectangle (or not) to show direction. Learning a standard way of drawing things would be helpful instead of my scribbles. My favourite pose has not changed since the days I used to practice with you….cowface
So, it’s hard to pick one pose. But if there has to be one, it’s gotta be Savasana. Especially a good, restorative, supported savasana, yummy!
Thank you!!!
Favorite yoga pose is definitely savasana ☺️
That was a very interesting podcast! Yes, I want to learn how to sketch more visuals for my classes. My favourite pose is the supported fish pose
My favorite pose is Savasana! I really enjoyed this podcast, as I usually write out so many words for each class plan, seems like drawing stick figures would work much better.
I listened to this podcast while running in central park! So fun to finally see what Eva looks like after listening! So many nuggets in this talk…how we learn and retain what we learn is so individual. I also enjoyed hearing her journey into self publishing. Most of all, it was refreshing to hear someone say that one 200 hour TT does not necessarily qualify one ready to teach. Although, I think she is so authentic that she is more than ready! My favorite pose is vashistasana, side plank…
I am so excited to hear Eva’s honest experience. She hit very close to home as I am a visual learner and would really ❤️to add drawing to my Training along with the videos, practical participation and reading I do to prepare for teaching a class!
Cheers to Eva❣️
Baby dancer is my favorite pose.
My favourite pose is Sirsasana: it took me such a long time to learn to love it. Next up: make friends with Salamba Sarvangasana.
This was such a great interview Shannon! I absolutely love the idea of drawing out everything as opposed to writing 1 million little notes! LOL I have a few favourite poses but these days my go to is Supta Baddha Konasana.
How cool! My favorite yoga pose is extended child’s pose or pigeon
Hello – my favourite pose at the moment (it changes regularly!) is sugarcane pose, it feels so open and expressive!
Interesting podcast I’d love to draw stick figures properly – it’s harder than it seems!
What a interesting episode!! Thank you for this great sharing with all of us. Stick figures are the best!
My favourite yoga pose is savasana!
I loved this podcast! I was taught in my YTT to draw stick figures and I do this but it sure needs refinement and I got some ideas here. Recently I started weight training and have been using stick figures to help me remember the positions!
Didn’t know that I would also find the self publishing info so intriguing!
My favorite pose is Childs 💕
Great episode! I love your energy 😊. And great to see a fellow German on your podcast! My favorite pose is Warrior II. Thanks and I look forward to the next episode!
Love this!! I’m currently doing my Yoga Teacher Training and drawing my sequencing using yogi stick figures after finding Eva on Instagram. Such a brilliant idea I’m learning loads and adding notes about anatomy and my themes to the figures. Thank you Eva x
Forgot to say my fav pose, I think peaceful warrior
Loved this podcast! My favorite pose is Vrikshasana, tree pose. I doing it, and saying it, and now I’m going to draw it. 🙂
Thank you to Shannon and Eva for this podcast. I learned so much. I am looking forward to reviewing the other podcasts you provide. My favorite pose is triangle.
What is great these days is being able to draw on my iPads. I love making stickers and drawing out plans but I related to the twisty limb issues when drawing out stick people. My favourite pose is Bridge with a brick under the bottom (ooh that release when it comes out for a hyperlordotic spine). Thank you so much in advance for this gift if I get it. I will truly appreciate it.
I loved this podcast! I also think visually and I’m always trying to find opportunities for drawing ideas (inc my yoga sequences). But I’d love to improve. My favourite posture is gomukhasana, please add me to the draw 🙂 thank you
Not sure if I can still be added to the draw. Great podcast. I signed up for the workshop since I really want to learn how to draw the stick figures yoga poses style 😉
Forgot to say my favourite pose:
Call face (gomukhasana) and many others
oops. I meant cow face 🙂