Doodling - Filling the Creative Well - Blog Series

 

Doodle Daily

Doodling might seem simple; it is something we often do without really thinking. When I used to have to sit in work meetings, I would have my note pad making marks in the margin. I also found myself doodling if on the phone to a friend - having a pen in your hand and a scrap of paper enables you to not only make the necessary notes for your understanding of what is being said, it can also help you process some of the thoughts that maybe going through your mind using mark-making.

Check out the video below for more examples

Doodling it holds amazing creative power. I now set aside time just to doodle or ‘mark making’ and in each of my art pieces there are aspects of doodling in the work.

What can you Try?

Start today with a pen and paper. Don’t worry about what you’ll draw. Begin with one line, then another. Let your pen dance freely. Make patterns, spirals, simple faces, or abstract textures. Doodling isn’t about the end result—it’s about the process.

Set a timer for five or ten minutes. Let yourself get lost in the motion. You might find that your mind relaxes, and your breathing slows, and you get totally caught up in the process.

Over time, regular doodling builds visual vocabulary. You’ll find motifs emerging that you can later use in larger work. Flowers, dots, arrows, waves—all unique to you.

Try doodling during a phone call or while you are listening to a podcast. Doodle in the margins of your journal. Let it become part of your daily practice. Don’t underestimate the power of something so small – it has a meditative feel about it that you can embrace.  Once you have mastered doodling on paper, try other material.  Below I doodle with fabric paints and stitching.

Takeaway Nuggets:

1. Doodling is a mindfulness practice disguised as play.
2. Tiny repeated acts of creativity build long-term confidence.

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Check out some of the free and paid resources below to enhance your creative journey 

Course Platform - there are a variety of FREE courses and resources for you to use in your creative practice.

FREE Tier - Patreon - I have a Free Tier on Patreon that has a selection of early release posts and monthly Digital Download Papers for you to use in your creative projects - Learn More Here

YouTube - Weekly Videos to encourage your creative practice, Slow stitching, art journaling and Artists chats - Learn More Here

Check out Filling the Creative Well which helps you establish your creative practice. In the course Filling the Creative Well, your journal is also a place to answer questions, encourage and motivate you, some days you need a reminder and so filling it with encouraging words so that you can come back to it, especially in those days where you are in a valley is really important. .

Fish Ephemera - Paper Crafts

 

This is a great activity to do if you want to create some paper ephemera for your art journal and creative projects.  I share with you a quick overview of the session.  You can see the full video and extra bonus on my Free Patreon Tier Here

Here is a brief look at the bonus section, you can replace the fish or the circles for any shape.

Come and join us for FREE and check out the full video

Doodling Fun

Messing about with pen and ink and just playing with what ever will come out onto the paper.   I find that (and I am sure I have said this before) doodling is a great way to take your mind of things, or even work through them when the need takes.

This one started out as a few lines 

I then started adding some shapes and patterns elsewhere on the page

I haven't quite completed it, but decided that I would dip in and out when I felt like it and see where it takes me.  It is sometimes nice coming to a page that already has something on that you can if you wish do something

What are you doodling at the moment, do you like starting with a fresh page or will you add to a piece in progress?

Doodle play - a bit of time out - Insight

Doodle, a way of taking time out, filling in time, just allowing your thoughts to flow or not as you wish, as you draw each line, without a specific plan or purpose, then you take a step back and look at the journey you have taken through your mind.

I think the doodling reveals something about us, our thoughts maybe a way of working through things, who knows.  I enjoy it.

Insight - Doodling

When you get a chance, get out a piece of paper and pen and just allow your creativity to flow and play with shapes, lines, without any restrictions or preconceived ideas - enjoy!

Tutorial Tuesdays - Doodle day!

Thought I would share this page, another one that can be done when you get a spare moment, want to do something creative that can be used as a warm up.  

These pave the way for the more detailed doodle that is more detailed.  I really do encourage you to spend some time to unwind by doodling, you will enjoy it and be amazed at some of the things that you come up with.  You might even decide to make a painting of it, or take it into another direction.

Have a look at the video to see how I doodled this page, and how about creating your own.

Have fun and stay blessed and be a blessing!

Tutorial Tuesday - Doodles

After coming back from the States and the cold but sunny weather I am getting back into the swing of things and have a quick little exercise to share.  Its organised doodling, it is a great way to get started in a creative activity, taking time out or just creating on a small scale.

I did a little video for you, and hope you enjoy, why not get your pens out and start to doodle, share what you do, or use it as the basis for another piece of art, attach it to card and send it to a friend!

I have so much to share with you, new courses, videos, artwork, supplies and artwork from friends far and wide, you will need to come back as I share some of these on the blog.

For now, stay blessed and be a blessing!

In the News - Zen Doodles - Oodles of Doodles

Great news, I have had another one of my pieces of art work published in North Lights latest book called Zen Doodles - Oodles of Doodle in which you will find doodle art from all around the world, there are some beautiful designs. 

We were asked to share a step by step design and my piece is called 'Grace', I used a combination of pen and ink and promarker pens to create it. We also gave a word of encouragement, and mine is that we must all make an effort to shine our lights on a daily basis, lives will be transformed and renewed and we will be blessed in the process.

There is more than 100 original designs and techniques that will inspire you to experiment, get out of your comfort zone, and get your pen and paper out. There are step-by-step instructions and you will also have an opportunity to get to know a series of artists in the spotlight artist section.

Whether you are new to doodling or more experienced you will find something that will wet your creative appetite.

It is now available, so get your copy!