Leonardo da Vinci left behind an extraordinary legacy that continues to inspire thinkers, artists, and scientists. Among Leonardo da Vinci’s most fascinating artifacts are his notebooks – volumes of meticulously sketched ideas, observations, and inventions.
The question is: what can we learn from them? Is there a way to take notes like Leonardo?
The History of Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks
Leonardo’s notebooks, written between 1487 and 1505, span approximately 28,000 pages – that is 1,500 pages a year. They cover topics as diverse as anatomy, geometry, engineering, art, architecture, and botany, as well as fleeting thoughts and daily notes.
He started writing at 26 and would write every day, carrying loose sheets of paper wherever he went. By the end of his life, Leonardo accumulated a large collection of volumes. Eventually they started showing up all over the globe, changing hands and popping up in private collections.
Nothing can be loved or hated unless it is first known.
Five of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are kept at the Victoria & Albert Museum. They are the ones you can access for free. The original digitised Leonardo da Vinci’s notes can be found here.
Backward Writing
There are several facts that become evident as you browse Leonardo da Vinci’s notes. The first one is, “what language is this?” Indeed, the writing looks weird and resembles an alien language – up until the moment you aim a phone camera at the page.
One of the best quirks of Leonardo’s notebooks is his use of mirror writing: from right to left, in a reversed script that can only be read with a mirror. While this has often been seen as a way to protect his ideas, it was likely more of a practical habit. Leonardo da Vinci was left-handed, and writing in this direction helped prevent smudging the ink.
Best Leonardo da Vinci’s Note-Taking Techniques
Good judgement proceeds from a clear understanding, and a clear understanding comes from reason derived from sound rules, and sound rules are the daughters of sound experience – the common mother of all the sciences and arts.
- Embrace Curiosity.
Leonardo didn’t constrain himself to one subject. His notebooks juxtapose sketches of flying machines and human anatomy. He would dedicate time to measuring random buildings just to satisfy his curiosity – and get moody when a day passed without learning anything new. - Visual Thinking.
Leonardo’s reliance on diagrams and sketches reflects the power of visual note-taking. He understood that a single drawing could convey complex ideas more effectively than words alone. - Ask Questions.
Leonardo filled his notebooks with seemingly childish questions: Why is the sky blue? How do birds fly? How do we know when a face is attractive? Such relentless questioning was the starting point of discovery – and it still is. - Iterative Exploration.
His inventions and studies were iterative—he would sketch an idea, refine it, and revisit it later with improvements. This process demonstrates the value of revisiting and refining ideas over time. - Make Connections.
Leonardo’s ability to connect the mechanics of a waterwheel to the human circulatory system exemplifies the power of analogical thinking. Drawing connections between disparate ideas can spark breakthroughs.
Leonardo the Relevant
Leonardo’s note taking philosophy is surprisingly modern. (Or perhaps unsurprisingly, considering he came up with the concept of a helicopter in the 15th century.) It can be summed up as follows:
- Take notes wherever you go, and write a lot.
- No reverence for the format. Take voice notes, write backwards, doodle and sketch, mix topics, write on a wall if you need to. All is fair as long as it works.
- Make lists and be generous with them.
- Journaling is a useful tool for introspection and setting priorities, and all your thoughts matter.
- Visualise tasks and events.
A Legacy of Inspiration
Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are more than historical artifacts—they are blueprints for a life of creativity and inquiry. By studying his approach to note-taking and idea generation, we can unlock our potential to think like a Renaissance genius.
So, pick up your notebook, let your curiosity roam, and channel your inner da Vinci. You never know where your ideas might lead.
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