When I use the phrase “visual communication” with social media users, they often immediately think of single-panel illustrations that explain topics like productivity. These images are engaging and often humorous. They also can be difficult to execute well. In this week’s mini masterclass, I introduce three individuals who have mastered this important segment of visual communication. I call them “visual philosophers.” Like cartoons, but notVisual philosophers create illustrated snapshots of ideas. They are usually single or two-panel images, telling the story of an idea. Like this: The goal is to teach, inspire, or persuade viewers to reconsider an established idea. The moment of realization arrives when the viewer’s internal voice says, “Oh, I never thought of it that way,” or “Now I understand!” Writers like Tim Urban (Wait But Why) and designers like Jack Butcher (Visualize Value) popularized this streamlined approach. Today, meet three creators who have added their own personal style to the method. ⭐️ Janis OzolinsJanis Ozolins sees himself as a “one-man army," simplifying ideas on creativity and personal development. He was an IT manager who transitioned to solopreneurship. Unsure where to focus his energies, he spent nearly four years exploring entrepreneurial possibilities. After reading James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, and its illustrations, Janis realized that simple visuals could be a powerful way to share his ideas. It launched a new outlet for his creativity. His work captures the reality of solopreneurs. In his images, we see struggles with motivation, time management, and self-doubt. A simple color palette and lettering style set Janis’ work apart in a visually noisy online environment. Janis created an online course and community to teach his method. Explain Ideas Visually features video lessons, feedback sessions, templates, cheat sheets, and other bonus content. You can find Janis on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. He’s been a guest on several interviews and podcasts as well. He publishes The Ideas Newsletter to share his latest thinking and visual explorations. ⭐️ Liz FosslienLiz Fosslien considers herself a “word-focused stortyteller.” She’s an author and keynote speaker on leadership and high-performing teams. Her images consistently feature a pale blue background, a square format (perfect for her large Instagram following), and a delicate drawing style. Liz also partners with Mollie West Duffy, a workplace culture writer, as Liz and Mollie. They co-authored the best-selling book No Hard Feelings, a visual exploration of how to embrace emotion at work, and Big Feelings, an illustrated guide to handling difficult emotions. While much of their work focuses on navigating professional life, the images often resonate with the lifestyle and challenges of solopreneurs — especially topics of burnout and belonging. Liz and Mollie publish a newsletter every few weeks on how to create happier, more productive workplaces. You can find Liz on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The Liz and Mollie feed on Instagram is a fan favorite. ⭐️ PJ MilaniPejman (PJ) Milani has been a high school film and animation teacher for over 20 years. At night, he creates and publishes visual metaphors online. PJ’s illustrations feature life and creativity lessons in a single- or double-panel format. His topics often cover productivity, philosophy, and psychology. Milani says he started sharing online, in part, because students challenged him to follow his own advice about a daily creative practice. PJ's images consistently have a pale blue background and showcase his distinctive drawing style. His years of teaching film come through in his storytelling. PJ often revisits ideas “to find a different articulation of that message,” he says. “Each articulation forces diving into deeper understanding. It improves pattern recognition of how things are connected. And different metaphors will impact people differently.” PJ’s work can be found on Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. He publishes his Visual I.D.E.A.s Newsletter every two weeks, and teaches an online course, Thinking in Visual Metaphors. Tune up your visual awarenessThink you might want to tackle this method and become a visual philosopher? Janis Ozolins observes that two techniques help mature a personal visual style. First, increase your visual awareness. Learn to see, rather than merely look. Whether you choose to adopt this approach to visual communication or not, developing a heightened visual awareness and mastering the quick capture of ideas are two skills that will serve any visual thinker well. ❤️ My favorite visual delightsHere are this week’s gems from around the Web to help you build visibility, credibility, and authority: Grayscale: A handmade san-serif font Jim Henson Idea Man A 5-step playbook for successful guest pitches on podcasts, blogs, and speaking engagements Other SOLO articlesDid you miss some of these recent popular issues of SOLO? ✅ My 7 Heroes of Visual Communication ✅ 3 Ways to Sketch the 80/20 Framework Want to check out other past issues? Visit the SOLO newsletter archive. Thanks again for being a SOLO reader and coming along on this journey of visual exploration. See you next week, |
SOLO is your weekly design and visibility lab — part of the Solo Business School, and dedicated to helping solopreneurs stand out with smart systems, sharp visuals, and tools that unlock your edge. Each week, you get fresh ideas to help you stay small and play big.
SOLO is your weekly design and visibility lab — part of the Solo Business School, and dedicated to helping solopreneurs stand out with smart systems, sharp visuals, and AI that unlocks your edge. Each week, you get fresh ideas to help you stay small and play big. Welcome to issue #070. What’s In Your Top Right? It’s just two lines crossing inside a square. But don’t let its simplicity fool you.Arrange them in this way, and you have a tool that sorts ideas, highlights what matters, and shows...
SOLO is your weekly design and visibility lab — part of the Solo Business School, and dedicated to helping solopreneurs stand out with smart systems, sharp visuals, and AI that unlocks your edge. Each week, you get fresh ideas to help you stay small and play big. Welcome to issue #069. Don’t Skip This Shape In Your Visuals! Hey, Reader — First, a warm welcome to the many new SOLO subscribers this week! You’ve landed in a virtual community of visual thinkers looking to stand out and share...
SOLO is your weekly design and visibility lab — part of the Solo Business School, and dedicated to helping solopreneurs stand out with smart systems, sharp visuals, and AI that unlocks your edge. Each week, you get fresh ideas to help you stay small and play big. Welcome to issue #068. This Shape Might Change How You Think Hey, Reader — Summer is an appropriate time to think about circles. As the seasons change, we can step back, notice patterns, and find shape in the swirl of solo business...