How Writing is Similar to Drawing

I like drawing, it has always been my hobby since I was a little girl. Somehow I grew up and I absorbed by the busy life that I didn't have time to draw any more. Recently, I missed it so much, and had a number of motivations, that I started drawing again, from the basics this time. As a grown up, I'm enjoying this process even more as I find it quite rewarding. It is a nice way to relax and let the ideas flow into my head. Many of my "great" (because they are mine :)) ideas come while I'm drawing.

So, starting from the basics, the first thing I learnt about is to start with a simple sketch highlighting the main features and proportions of the drawing. For instance, if I'm going to draw a human in specific pose from a specific perspective, I should start with basic shapes, usually lines and spheres depicting where each part should be placed.

Simple sketching while learning the basics

The next step would be to do another scan and add more details about the main shapes such as the shoulders, the chest, the arms and the legs. I then refine the drawing once more to add more features about the clothes, the face and the hair. Finally, I put in the final touches on the small details of the face, hair style and cloths.

Sketches about different poses

Starting with a sketch helps a lot with making sure the final drawing makes sense. Otherwise, it is very likely that I will end up with wrong proportions and wired looking gesture even if the details are good.

As a researcher, a big part of my job requires writing. Whether papers, articles, book chapters and blogs. Recently, while writing an article, it occurs to me that writing a good article is similar in many ways to making a good drawing. Meaning, if I have an idea of what I would like to write about, then a good article should start with a sketch about the main topics I will be covering and the length I should span in each (the lines and circles in a drawing). This ensures I don't go off-topic, that there is no overlap between the sections and that I don't expand in one area at the price of another. From there, the process follows quite smoothly; refining each section by adding subsections and a few points about what each covers (specifying and putting the basic shapes of a drawing in place); another scan to rewrite the points into sentences (adding more features for each shape) and finally adding more details and making sure everything connects smoothly (final touches on a drawing).

I like the idea of connecting two seemingly unrelated processes and I find it quite intriguing. I hope this realisation will help me (and you) enjoy writing and drawing even more :).

Ideas, ideas, and more ideas...

Here is a list of project ideas I'm interested in but unfortunately not having enough time to work on by my own, I could certainly use some help :). Some of which are projects/services while others are (what I believe to be) useful mobile apps. I can supervise/co-found or advice any of them. If you are interested in more information, drop me a line. I will keep updating the list as I find time and as new ideas come to my mind.

Misc.: 

1. A GoodReads-like website for research papers: I like how Goodreads works and I think it would be great if we could build a similar platform specifically for research papers. I think rating and reviewing papers through a similar platform is more reliable and useful than the current citation mechanism. Usually when you read papers, you could like some while not cite them yet (which, in the current citation system, means they won’t get any credit and your friends won't know you read these papers and found them nice). I believe such reviewing and sharing system could potentially substitute Google Scholar (on the long run); papers will be evaluated by a wider audience that includes whoever reads the paper (and not only by the smaller network of people who cite it). Papers will be evaluated by the crowd eliminating some of the inherent limitations of Google Scholar especially the Matthew effect and the Vulnerability to spam (I borrowed these fancy words from Wikipedia ;-)).
2. A collaboration platform for researchers that facilitates proposal of research ideas, discussions and collaborations on projects: Occasionally, I have interesting ideas that I would like to see implemented but I often lack the necessary expertise or knowledge in all the technologies needed to bring the idea to life. I might as well have the knowledge but lack the time to do the whole project on my own. I believe many of the researchers I know share the same experience. In the platform I propose, one could share a high level description of the idea and list the knowledge she is missing and the sort of collaboration she is looking for. Others can view, comment or start a serious discussion about possible collaboration. I believe we as researchers need to talk more to each other (and by other here, I mean researchers from other fields who we don’t usually meet in the conferences we usually go to). My hope is that such a platform could encourage collaborations among researchers who don’t usually get to talk or meet each other and foster discussions that advance research.
3. A website with articles about the recent trends in machine learning/ data mining and AI: I know how hard it can be for Arabic-speaking student, especially in the IT field, to find useful resources even with the wealth of information on the Internet (which might also be a curse if you are new and want to navigate your way and filter what Google gives you). So, a while ago I decided to build a website where I write short articles on topics related to recent trends and techniques in machine learning and data mining. The idea is that the articles should be short, focused, easy to understand, example-oriented and in Arabic. That is because I wanted them to appeal not only to IT students, but to whoever interested in advancing her knowledge in these areas. I really want to make this a reality and I could use all the help I can get (setting up the website, typing the articles (I’m very slow in typing Arabic), or even helping with suggesting topics, writing, reviewing and putting the content together).

Mobile Apps: I don’t have the business plan ready for these apps but I would very much like to be involved or co-found any of them. Let me know if you find them interesting.

1. A mobile app that detects the level of noise in the environment and automatically mute/reinstate the mobile phone. This adds a touch of intelligence to your mobile and is really useful in cases where you are, for instance, in a meeting or a lecture. You don't want to be disturbed but forget to put your mobile on the silence mode. The app periodically senses the level of noise, estimates where you are and adjusts the sound accordingly.
   
   
2. A mobile app that switches between playlists according to the place and time of day: the songs you enjoy listening to in the morning are most likely different from those you listen to during your walk in the afternoon. And those are most likely different from the ones you listen to while cooking or running. A mobile app that detects your current activity and combines it with the time of the day to recommend the next song or to switch to appropriate playlist is potentially useful. (This idea is inspired by a chat with my friend Yun-Gyung Cheong).

Updates:

15-07-2016: Together with a friend we started working on point 3 in the Misc. category: a website in arabic to educate people about the latest trends in machine learning, data mining, and artificial intelligence. We named it ArLore and you can find it here: http://arlore.com/.