I doodled endless geometric shapes while talking on the phone as a teenager. And when sitting in a classroom where the subject matter wasn’t exactly captivating, I seemed to get lost in eyeballs, swirls and the names of bands I was obsessing over at the time. Today, it’s the daily paper that’s targeted. It seems almost impossible to resist coloring in a few teeth of the poor bloke who was unfortunate enough to make the front page.
Doodling is a great activity to get your creative juices flowing, and drawing skills are completely irrelevant. The trick is to avoid thinking too much about what you should do. Just go with the flow and enjoy the moment.
The very talented illustrator and author Maurice Sendak, has this to say about doodling:
“I have been doodling with ink and watercolor on paper all my life. It’s my way of stirring up my imagination to see what I find hidden in my head. I call the results dream pictures, fantasy sketches, and even brain-sharpening exercises.”
Materials
- white sheet of paper
- selection of markers, including black
You can use just about anything to doodle with, but fine markers are such a pleasure to work with. My favorites are Staedtler’s Triplus Fineliners and Sharpies, both readily available at art supply stores.
Instructions
This project involves first making some shapes on a white piece of paper (see drawings below). Take a black marker and make lines, squiggles, circles, dots, etc. to provide a base on which to work from. This should only take a few seconds. Next, the doodling begins and this can go on for as long as you wish. Use your other markers to fill in your page with as many patterns, shapes and creatures as you like. Remember not to think about it too much.
The next time you’re searching for the perfect gift, why not consider giving a child a lovely new notebook, a pack of markers, and a card with one of your best doodles on it. You can include a list of websites showing off some fabulous doodles as further inspiration. Here is a list of just a few amazing things I came across on the internet:
http://www.squidoo.com/doodle-art
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbzEYL01l8A&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88ck9VXFBmo&feature=related
ArtClubBlog 