Week 3: Doodling

Now this may sound silly, but doodling is not something I like to do.

It at times feels like a revealing act of who is a try-hard and who is naturally gifted. It’s something where those with talent let their skills shine through effortlessly.

For those of us who are less talented (100% lumping myself into this category), the doodle is a stressful thing because I can’t make something look good without trying a lot.

I’ve been inspired by the Sneaky Artist, who was spotlighted here. And I’d argue that his 30 seconds or less doodles are stylistic, interesting, skillful and fun.

So this week, I’m trying to recreate his style - hoping to better understand the flow of the drawing, the relative proportions and relevant features worth focusing on and the irrelevant features worth ignoring.

Doodling is often considered a casual or even a meaningless activity, but it is actually a powerful tool for creativity and self-expression. Doodling can also be used for note-taking, brainstorming, and problem-solving. It's a great way to let your mind wander and explore new ideas.

I have to admit, I was a bit intimidated by the idea of learning to draw doodles. I've never been particularly skilled at drawing, and my desire to ‘try-hard’ is somewhat counter to the concept of doodling.

One of the things I love about doodling is that it is supposed to be a low-pressure activity. You are supposed to be able to conceptually create something that inherently isn’t a finished product. I think it’s a good activity for me to practice being comfortable with imperfection, creating with no expectation that it is fully complete, and pushing my comfort with trying new things. As doodling, particularly drawing your surroundings, forces you to draw something different each time, each doodle you are experimenting with a different movement pattern, a different stroke of the the pen. You can start with simple shapes and lines and gradually build up to more complex designs. It's also a great way to relax and unwind after a long day.

Doodling with a subject in mind too also makes you think about proportions, keen observation, and attention to detail.

There can be some positives to doodling as well.

Doodling is a simple and easy way to relax and unwind after a long day. It can help to reduce stress and anxiety by providing a mental break and allowing the mind to focus on something other than the source of stress.

Doodling can also allow the mind to explore different ideas and possibilities, doodling can help to generate new and creative solutions to problems.

Especially since I love people watching, enjoy working in coffee shops and enjoy a regular short break during work sessions, it’s a good hobby to destress, relax, and combine a few of my already existing interests.

Not terrible, right? Hahah.

The original artist’s drawings are much more confident, single stroke drawings whereas mine are much more hesitant.

I also struggle with whether to capture certain details like hair strands, glasses, and other salient features. Also my head sizes are massive.

But I’m glad I did it. It’s something that I don’t let myself do often because I feel guilty with wasting time but I can spend hours just surfing the internet otherwise.

Either way, I’m proud of myself for posting it online despite it not being amazing work and trying something different.