Sketch Circle: Using collective drawing to illuminate the personal identities of South Koreans

Through practice-based research, I co-developed an illustration method called the Sketch Circle to illuminate a visual definition of self for South Koreans to fill the void left by language. The method merges various participatory methods, such as Empathic and User-Centred Design, Digital Storytelling and Illustration, to empower the participants to sketch their own visual vocabulary that refers to their personal sense of self. The article outlines the methods, trials and iterations that led to the facilitation of illustration as a co-creative method to illuminate the abstract sense of self in South Korean individuals and how drawing served as an alternative form of reflection, reflexion and expression of self among others. The article concludes with how the practice serves as a pilot case for the development of the Sketch Circle method to be used in other participatory illustration research.