Creative Wanderlust Prompt: Doodle

The Art of Doodling

I’m sure you’ve done it many times before. Scribbling in the margins of your paper in a boring meeting, or while listening to a long lecture. Many times are doodling is just simple mark making, some squiggly lines or a few shapes. Sometimes we doodle more representational items, a heart, a house, a tree, a rainbow. In general, when we doodle we don’t give much thought to the final outcome, let alone what we are actually drawing. Doodling is a passive creative act, a way for us to “space out,” yet did you know if has many benefits to our health and creativity?

Studies have shown that doodling is good for us! Doodling is an action that happens while something else is going on. We generally are not giving our full attention when we doodle. It may seem like fidgeting, or worse, multi-tasking (as we know multi-tasking is often not beneficial), but research has shown doodling while doing something that may not be that interesting (that boring meeting) can actually help us maintain some level of attention or be engaged. When we doodle, we do not completely turn off our attention span to other things that are going on, thus we are actually retaining information.

Doodling I find is also a great stress reliever. Without the expectation of a final piece of “art” or something that looks “good”, we can let ourselves be free to be as creative as we’d like. I’m amazed at how intricate and interesting some doodles are. Even a page just full of squares can offer some level of contemplation!

So, this week let’s celebrate the art of doodling and add this easy, approachable creative act intou our everyday. I mean why not, it’s good for you!

Daily Creative Wanderlust Prompts: the art of the Doodle

Monday – Doodle kitchen items (utensils, appliances, etc.)

Tuesday – Doodle on a photo (digital or on a real photo.)

Wednesday – Doodle with paints (just make marks and cover a canvas.)

Thursday –  Write a descriptive paragraph about a doodler.

Friday – Doodle with markers on a collage.

Saturday/Sunday: Adventure – Carry a small notebook all weekend and doodle in it.

(Note: all links above are to be used as inspiration only. Notice colors, shapes, aesthetic and elements to then create your own, unique art.)

Examples of Some Creative Wanderlust Prompts: Doodles

Below are some examples and links to doodle ideas.

Doodling on a Photo

I love to doodle on photos, digitally or in real life with a paint pen. For more details, check out the following post.

Kitchen Doodles

Here is a quick page of doodles I created of things around my kitchen.

Doodle a Landscape

Create a Doodle Book

Create a mini-book of doodles of everyday items around your house! This can be a great book to share with the little ones in your life!

Doodle Your Garden

In my book Anywhere, Anytime Art: Illustration I have a full chapter on doodling, specifically how to doodle a garden scene! Head out and pick up this book for this project and others like it.

And BONUS, I also have a free “Doodle Your Garden” printable mini journal too!