Remember when you were a kid and someone special was coming to your house?
It was a big deal to see that car rolling down the street … pulling into the driveway … and … at last … (why does it take grownups so long to get out of a car??) … at last … see the person with your own eyes! Right then:
That’s when you got to jump around like a maniac, yelling,
“HE’S HERE! HE’S HERE!”
Well, friends, I’m that kid, and you’re about to find out why.
Ready to meet your next go-to character?
Maybe you’ll remember this teaser from the June 2019 State of the Studio post:
And now … wait for it! …. Wait for it!
“HE’S HERE! HE’S HERE!”
Meet Frank, all 715 of him!
Ever meet someone for the first time and instantly feel like you’ve known them for a long time?
Frank is that guy.
You’re going to love inviting him into your workplace learning projects — eLearning, presentation decks, explainer videos, whatever — because Frank delivers that instant “belongs here” look. Where is “here,” exactly?
Well, you’ve got 715 images to work with. Try him out …
… In a business casual setting
… Wearing a headset
… At a hospital, lab, or medical office
… Down on the shopfloor
… In a wheelchair or with a cane
He’s ready for all those spots, and will show up with a SMILE!
As an older guy — birthdate-wise only, of course, because he keeps up with the best of them — he fits right in with US workplace demographics (read: your workplace demographics).
(It’s true! According to the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2018, nearly one in every four US workers was 55 years or older.)
And, speaking of fitting right in, Frank really does! He is every bit part of the full eLearningArt library, which means his 715 images are specially shot to work seamlessly with the over 50,000 other character images currently in the library!
Like all eLearningArt characters, you’ve got the full turnaround, the “yes, I’m listening to you” poses, and a photo resolution that lets you pull in soooo close, well, wow!
One more thing worth jumping around like a maniac for … Character Cards!
Here’s a new thing we’re bringing online for all eLearningArt characters, beginning with our man Frank.
It’s kind of a baseball card for members of Team eLearningArt.
Hey, and by the way, maybe when you think “collector card” it’s not baseball but Garbage Pail Kids cards. Well, you’re from my generation! Right here, right now, I’d like to be the one to ask: Hello? what were we doing collecting those things?!?
{Confession … I still have a trunk full of them in my mom’s attic! #embarrassing}
These cards are the best: All the stats for a character in one quick look!
Look for Frank’s card, and everyone else’s, too. Coming soon in the eLearningArt member library!
Appropriately (you might think) I helped launch a children’s book about emotions!
My beautiful wife, Camille, and I co-authored Feelings and Dealings: The ABC’s of Emotions: An SEL Storybook to Build Emotional Intelligence, Social Skills, and Empathy
For context, we have a 5-year old and 3-year old, and Camille is pretty hardcore into social and emotional learning (aka “SEL”). We’re super proud to have launched this book, just two weeks ago. 🙂
Now here’s what’s really cool: There is so much overlap between this children’s book and the eLearningArt characters!
Whether we’re helping children recognize what facial expressions and body positions are really saying, or putting an eLearningArt character on a slide to tell a visual story, we are working with the same visual language! Our innate human capacity to interpret this language is astounding.
(By the way, Anna Sabramowicz touches on this in my interview with her. Worth a quick view when you get a chance!)
Let me show you what I mean. For each of the following, choose the emotion that’s being conveyed by the Feelings & Dealings illustration and the eLearningArt character.
Here are the answers: A – Angry; B – Confused; C – Nervous; D – Proud; E – Frustrated.
Likely as not, you got that 100% right!
When I realize that this means our learners will get it right, too, I get pretty jump-up-and-down happy!
Quicktakes from the world of eLearningArt
Design for non-designers: Design treatment tutorials
This month, we’ll be releasing 8 design treatment tutorials to eLearningArt members. These are design “recipes” that walk you (novice or expert) through the steps to create great designs.
Access to all but one of the design treatment tutorials will be members-only.
That said, we will be highlighting one of these tutorials (complete with video, PDF instructions, and sample PowerPoint file) here on the blog in mid-July.
To make it fun, we’re taking votes on which one to release, and you can add your vote at this LinkedIn post! (You’ll also get a peak at the range of design styles we’re talking about here.)
(BTW: Not a member yet? Hey, I hope you’ll join the fun! Details here.)
Adobe Character Animator … the work continues!
Working across both the Adobe Character Animator and eLearningArt creative team, I’m putting together a really A+ offering around animating characters designed specially for elearning, training, and other workplace learning projects. Stay tuned!
13 killer scenario tips from 60 experts
A special thanks to all 60 experts who contributed on this scenario tips roundup.
If you’re into scenarios (tip: you should be), the post is gold. Thirteen themes rose to the top and are summarized into a four-minute video. The post gives you the full quote so you can thoroughly juice each tip!
I like to release information like this as a single blog post, but you can easily turn the same content into something a microlearning event. If you’re interested in doing that, check out this step-by-step tutorial on how to build microlearning with expert roundups.
“Hey, I’m on a bike here!”
You may not get the Portlandia reference, but that Fred Armisen skit makes my laugh every time. Don’t worry, I’m not “that guy,” but I have been ditching the desk and getting out on my mountain bike a few times a week (and not yelling at anyone).
Here’s a photo from last week. You can see snow still on the mountain tops but the flowers are blooming. (I know, “snow,” it’s an enduring theme in my world this year!)
And that’s the State of the Studio!
Here’s hoping that you’re looking forward to a pleasant, productive, above all, fun month of July!
Until next time, always remember: Today is a great day!
Bryan
