
Here’s an ace new resource to help wrap your head around the principles of permaculture – 12 illustrated designs created by Mirranda Burton, an artist who took part in our online Permaculture Living course this year, and sketched along as she went!
Mirranda lives on Wurundjeri country (Melbourne Australia) and says drawing helps her grasp ideas in a more dimensional way.
Creating graphic study notes while studying Permaculture Living was a method of “doodling my way into a way of being”, Mirranda says, which sounds very good indeed.
She hopes her illustrations will help visual learners understand that meaty question – ‘what is permaculture’, as well as themes within the 12 permaculture principles. And so – she’s kindly allowed us to share all of her designs here. Thanks, Mirranda!
Let’s sit down for a quick chat with Mirranda – and then take a look at each of her 12 weeks of graphic study notes.
So Mirranda! Tell us a bit about your background…
After training in fine arts and multimedia design, I’ve explored the disciplines of printmaking, illustration, independent and commercial animation, and graphic story telling.
In recent years I have been working as an educator and a graphic novelist, with my second book set for release in August 2021.
What about permaculture – has it been much of a theme in your life?
I have had some experience, in the sense that many of the practices within permaculture were introduced to me as a kid. I grew up in a very non-materialistic household with limited resources, and my mother was, (and still is) a grassroots environmental activist.
We never actually used the word ‘permaculture’, so having now studied the system, I see how some of my practical habits and philosophies can become part of a more wholistic way of living.
Signing up to Milkwood’s Permaculture Living course was my partner’s idea. I was wrapping up a long and challenging chapter of my life, and he imagined it to be an ideal catalyst for transition.
As soon as the first Permaculture Living module kicked off, an anchor was cast in my life. I’d never known such a delight in weeds and hawthorn berries before, and as each week brought new discoveries, I realised I was acquiring new tools to adapt to an uncertain and rapidly changing world.
I hadn’t previously realised the depth and breadth of permaculture as a living system, and my journey has far from ended. Inspiring, practical, community building and committed the the realisation of a better world; this course has clearly been made with love.
So, you made these graphic notes during each Permaculture Living class?
While I have been a visual practitioner for a long time, I only became aware of graphic recording in the last three years. Normally a graphic recorder responds spontaneously to a talk or conference with visual notes and text, and the audience can view this in real time.
I wanted to teach myself to synthesise information into simple graphics, and I saw the permaculture course as an opportunity to practise. It also helped me prepare for my first live graphic recording, which I performed at a recent environmental conference.
This series of graphic notes merely scratches the surface of each module, as each class is a veritable portal to new directions for redesigning your life and the world.
What was your process – did you sketch as you were watching the video lessons?
I created my graphic notes by drawing directly on the surface of my iPad with a stylus, and using the drawing software ‘Procreate’. I didn’t sketch while listening to the learning modules, as I was still gaining confidence.
Instead, I drew spontaneously from my more comprehensive text notes, trying to hone my skills in compressing information and coming up with my own pictorial shorthand.
Visualising concepts helps my memory retention, and brings dimensionality to ideas. In turn, these visual notes are helpful to others, as so many people are visual learners.
What’s next for you, now that you’ve finished studying Permaculture Living?
I think the course has helped me create a more three-dimensional long-term vision for my life. I see more clearly how permaculture living elements work together, and the levels of resilience and harmony they can create.
Realising our agency is a powerful thing, and permaculture principles do as much to confront dysfunctional and unsustainable models of living, as they bring joy, love, connection and lasting change.
Alrighty, let’s take a look at each of the 12 graphic study notes Mirranda created during each week of her Permaculture Living course…
Permaculture principle #1 – Observe and Interact
Permaculture principle #2 – Catch and Store Energy
Permaculture principle #3 – Obtain a Yield
Permaculture principle #4 – Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
Permaculture principle #5 – Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
Permaculture principle #6 – Produce No Waste
Permaculture principle #7 – Design from Patterns to Details
Permaculture principle #8 – Integrate Rather Than Segregate
Permaculture principle #9 – Use Small and Slow Solutions
Permaculture principle #10 – Use and Value Diversity
Permaculture principle #11 – Use Edges and Value the Marginal
Permaculture principle #12 – Creatively Use and Respond to Change
Errrr, sorry but HOW GOOD ARE THESE? Big thanks to Mirranda for sharing these excellent resources with us. If you’d like to connect with Mirranda directly, check out her Instagram and website.
And if you’re interested in joining us inside the Permaculture Living course – head over here to join our waitlist and we’ll let you know when the next course opens for bookings!
We acknowledge that permaculture owes the roots of its theory and practice to traditional and Indigenous knowledges, from all over the world. We all stand on the shoulders of many ancestors – as we learn, and re-learn, these skills and concepts. We pay our deepest respects and give our heartfelt thanks to these knowledge-keepers, both past and present.
Excellent charts! Thank you Mirranda & Milkwood!
you are welcome 🙂
As Mirranda worked through the course and produced one drawining after another I found myself learning so much more about the fundamental principles that first drew me to Permaculture. I just wanted them up on a wall as a friendly, joyful reminder. They are a beautiful companion to one’s life in the world of life.
we all feel very lucky to have these in our lives 🙂 (and Hello!)
I love these drawings. A really fun and easy way to assimilate so much information quickly.
Love these! I’m doing the course now and I can tell you, my notes look a lot different 😁 Thank you so much for sharing!!
Ha! I’m sure yours are fabulous in their own way 🙂
These illustrations are just fabulous, Miranda.
aren’t they great?
Thank you so much! They were fun to make.
Brilliant! I have just been thinking recently about contacting an artist friend to make them, and voila! Done – what a fantastic job! Thank you Mirranda and Milkwood!
you’re welcome 🙂
I cannot see how to contact Miranda per e-mail, but I am interested if it would be possible to download and print those and use to self + children permaculture eduacation, as they would love them. I also would love to have some small prints fo Miranda’s. I like her art! Thank you.
Thanks Martina, you are welcome to download the graphic notes from the blog and print them for your own/educational use. Feel free to get in touch through my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mirrandaburtonart
thanks Mirranda! So generous 🙂
Thank you very much Miranda! I will use them for my own children, who I am sure will love them. Beautiful work! So well done!
Ohh!! That was going to be my question too! I am working in social housing community gardens and teaching the gardeners permaculture principles. My next project is running for 12 months and I am wanting to focus on one permaculture principle a month with them..these would be an excellent accessible resource! Thankyou so much for your generosity in sharing them!
Absolutely delightful illustrations. I too would love to be able to download them or even purchase prints. What do you think about that, Miranda. These are really quite inspirational!
You’re very kind Donna! The graphic notes are not for sale but you can download them from the blog for your own use if that’s helpful.
I was able to download the graphic notes and will make my own prints. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful and meaningful art with the World, Mirranda.
so glad they resonated with you 🙂
Amazing!! Talented lady 🙂
They look funny but say all the serious things in a really pleasant & easy to understand way. More people should care the way you do xx
Thank you Anne. I’m a big fan of coupling both the serious light side of things.
Hello everyone.
I am happy to join this platform.
Am Ramadhani from kakuma refugee camp founder and director of a community based organization called Youth Education and Development Association (YEDA) working in Permaculture project.
Hi Ramadhani!
Hello everyone am very happy to hear.
I request to everyone to support us in our permaculture project in kakuma refugee camp in Kenya
How do I receive a set of Mirranda’s Permaculture principal charts?
Elizabeth, we’re just sharing them via this blog, and you can download the images from here, if you choose?
These are so beautiful and so useful. Thank you Mirranda and Milkwood for sharing them with us.
you are welcome 🙂
Love them all! Wouldn’t they make great conversation promoting table mats? Well done Mirranda and thank you for sharing through Milkwood.
I’ve never been big on table mats, but i could get into ones with these on them, for sure! 🙂
Thankyou for these notes – succinct and fun, will help when revising.
You’re welcome 🙂
Great wording and ideas presentation!
These are great, good impact, full of information, easy to understand – great place to start a conversation 🧑🌾👍
aren’t they great? 🙂
Mirranda, you are very clever and these images are wonderful.
A wonderful way to understand and distill the information – thanks Miranda. This visual learner will really appreciate sitting for a bit with each graphic as I work through the 12 weeks course.
aren’t they great?
Absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much, Miranda and Milkwood for sharing.
These are so good, so clever & helpful! Love them! Cheers Susan
Hi Miranda,
Thanks very much for these sketches. We used two of your sketches on Permaculture and Observe and Interact for training secondary students that are studying at alternative learning centers in Malaysia during the World Environment Day celebration. Here is the video of that training session: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1712491879199128.
Fantastic Norani – thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks for the posters too. We wanted to print at larger size but the image breaks as the pixel of the picture we downloaded is low. Do inform me if we can get a better copy of Miranda’s sketches.
Norani I have asked Mirranda, will be in touch 🙂