The Art of Doodling

Doodling is a new technique for creating with very little material!

How Do You Practice Doodling?

Doodles help us to think, understand and relax!  Did you know that?

I have been doing this kind of practice since childhood. My notebooks and diaries are proof of this. They were all filled with illustrations, messages and important information to remember! And even now, during a conference, I can’t help but doodle to better record my thoughts.

Do you also practice this method? Are you interested in it? I’ll go into more detail in the following article.

Doodling’s Story

Recognised in the art world, doodling is a free graphic activity inspired by graffiti, which consists of drawing mechanically when the main attention is fixed on something else. Through its influence on psychoanalysis, surrealism has liberated doodling and given it back all its expressive and creative values.

Unlike the Zentangle, which consists of filling a sheet of paper with hypnotic abstract patterns, the doodling technique is a form of graphic expression that mixes notes with illustrations.

Even if it requires a little mastery of drawing, doodling can be practiced anywhere: while waiting for the bus, in a meeting, in the waiting room, at home… In most cases, this technique helps us to stay awake and attentive while activating the imagination.

Benefits of Doodling

Doodling is not the prerogative of the bad, dissipated student who does not listen to anything in the classroom. On the contrary, it is a creative technique that only divergent thinkers use to schematise ideas and bring them to life in the form of images.

This creative impulse is often instinctive in artists, students, and people in creative occupations to retain important information.

For example, during a lecture or a course, scribbling while taking notes and listening facilitates concentration, allows the regrouping of information, and improves understanding and memorization. Not everyone is receptive to this technique, so don’t panic if doodling doesn’t appeal to you.

To recap. Doodling allows us to see the world around us differently, and to visualise abstract data in a formal image. It structures ideas and helps us to let go when we find it difficult to concentrate. I can’t say it enough to the artists I work with: “scribbling with a pen unblocks many situations”.  It’s a clever way to create, organise and retain new ideas!

Like a yoga or meditation session, having fun with doodles brings a feeling of well-being and fullness. One quickly forgets the time that passes.

Doodling and Surrealist drawings

• Drawings or pictograms mixed with improvised notes or quick annotations, key words
• Assemblies of text, characters, caricatures, animals, foliage, fruit, arrows, floral motifs in banners or bouquets
• Filling random shapes and decorative elements; bubbles, zigzags, spirals, ripples, checks, stripes (Zentangle-inspired patterns), rough sketches, poetic diagrams

TOP TIP: Doodling can be used on paper, notebooks, Bullet Journals, and scrapbooks but also to decorate handmade objects, bookmarks, labels, gift envelopes, or pebbles, and even combined with lettering or modern calligraphy.

You Will Need

• 1 sheet of paper or a sketchbook
• 1 biro, 1 black marker (fine tip) or 1 graphite or coloured pencil
• OPTIONAL: pen and ink, watercolour or gouache paint

These products are currently available at GreatArt Online or in the art supply shop in London Shoreditch..

TOP TIP: Did you know that you can browse through more of Amylee’s clever and informative articles on the GreatArt blog? Check out all of Amylee’s tips at this link.

Content provided by Amylee Paris

The passion of Amylee Paris, painter, consultant and author is to share her paintings between galleries, art collectors and her community. Beyond her pictorial skills and her several eBooks available online, Amylee is also recognized as one of the most influential francophone artist-entrepreneurs. She helps beginners or professional artists to optimize their artistic activity.

You can visit her colourful portfolio,follow her on Facebook and Instagram, or find all Amylee’s posts published in GreatArt online Magazineby clicking here!