To doodle or not to doodle, that's the question... well, it's not really a question because, of course, you should doodle! This page will explain why and what doodling is all about, give you tips and tricks (including a step-by-step guide), and provide tips and inspiration for creating the most fun and beautiful doodle art. From simple scribbles to intricate artwork, we'll cover it all! If you've never doodled before, we're confident that after reading this blog, you'll have a new hobby to embrace!

In this article:

1. W⁠⁠hat is Doodling or Scribbling?
2. ⁠The Benefits of Doodling
3. Why is it so much fun to doodle?
4. What is Doodle Art?
5. ⁠Drawing Doodles: What You Need
6. ⁠Drawing Doodles: Tips and Techniques
7. ⁠Doodle Inspiration and Ideas
8. ⁠Other Ways to Doodle

What is doodling and how does it work?

Doodling or scribbling involves drawing simple sketches without preparation while your mind is elsewhere. You've probably made a few doodles while on the phone, during a meeting, or in a boring class. The beauty of doodling is that it allows your creativity to flow freely, and there are no rules. You can draw anything that comes to mind: different figures like people, faces, cubes, and other geometric shapes, as well as patterns like lines, curves, dots, and other forms.

Why is doodling good for you?

Doodling may seem like a pointless activity, but it's far from it. Scientific research has shown that drawing doodles has significant benefits. Perhaps that's why historical figures like US President Eisenhower and writer Mark Twain enjoyed doodling. Here are the advantages of doodling:

Improved Concentration Through Doodles

People often think that doodling is for children or a sign of distraction. However, research indicates the opposite: doodling helps maintain focus. How? The stimulation created in your brain while doodling is just enough to prevent it from returning to its default state, commonly known as spacing out.

Doodling is Therapeutic and Relaxing

Doodling is a relaxing activity that allows you to escape everyday stress and busyness. Moreover, doodling can have a therapeutic effect. Doodling can stimulate the brain to retrieve memories and bring them into the present, helping us create a more complete picture of our lives and promoting relaxation and a greater sense of purpose.

Doodling Boosts Creativity

Doodling is relaxing and can stimulate your creativity and help you discover new ideas. Surprising and creative ideas can spontaneously emerge by momentarily turning off our thoughts while freely moving the pen on paper. You can let your creativity flow without needing a trained artist. There are no rules, and perfection is not required!

Why is doodling so enjoyable?

Creating doodles is not only a creative outlet but also incredibly enjoyable. It's a fantastic hobby that allows you to express yourself expressively and playfully. By drawing whatever comes to mind, you can put your feelings and ideas on paper and share them with others. It helps you relax and organise your thoughts. Moreover, the possibilities are endless! You can let your imagination run wild and create the most unexpected creations. All you need is a pen and a piece of paper. Whether you're looking for a moment of relaxation or just want to experiment with your creativity, doodling is the perfect way to do it.

What is doodle art all about?

In addition to simple doodling, there's also 'doodle art' nowadays. Doodle art goes beyond basic drawings. While doodling requires no prior thought, doodle art involves some preparation and planning. It combines patterns, shapes, and often intricate elements into complex artworks. Doodle art creations can become surprisingly captivating and visually engaging by layering elements. Many styles and subjects are possible in doodle art, including abstract patterns, detailed depictions of objects, and even forms from nature or precise geometric shapes.

Essential supplies for drawing doodles

As mentioned earlier, you don't need much for doodling. A simple pencil and paper are enough to get started. You'll need additional materials if you want to experiment, add colour, or delve into doodle art. Here's a list of all the supplies you need for doodling:

1. Paper or Sketchbook: ⁠Doodling works best on smoother drawing paper. You can also use sketchbooks or journals. The advantage is that you can take them on the go and compile all your beautiful doodle artwork into a neat book!
   ⁠
2. Pencils: ⁠You can start doodling right away with a pencil (and, of course, paper). But even for doodle art, a pencil is handy to begin with. Use soft graphite pencils with a low HB rating. These soft graphite pencils are easier to erase if you make a mistake or want to make changes to your sketch.
   ⁠
3. Eraser: ⁠Having an eraser on hand is essential. You can experiment with creativity with an eraser, and mistakes can be quickly forgiven.
   ⁠
4. Fine Liners: ⁠If you're confident, you can start with ink right away. Black fine liners such as Sakura's Pigma Micron fine liners are well-suited for this. If you've sketched your doodles with a pencil, you can trace the outlines with a fine liner. Fine liners come in various thicknesses, so choose one that suits your design.
   ⁠
5. Brush Pens: ⁠Brush pens are also excellent for drawing doodles. They have a softer, flexible tip that allows you to create both thin and thick lines easily. Varying line thicknesses in your doodles can create exciting effects. Use a marker for your doodle artwork if you prefer a firmer tip thicker than a fine liner. For colouring your doodles, consider using Tombow's ABT Dual brush pens; they're well-suited for this purpose.
   ⁠
6. Watercolours: ⁠You can create your doodle design in a single colour, but you can also add more colour using markers or coloured pencils. However, it's also fun to use watercolours for this purpose. Make sure you've used sturdy paper suitable for watercolours and that you've drawn your lines with a waterproof pen to prevent smudging.
   ⁠
7. Alcohol Markers: ⁠You can also colour your doodles with alcohol markers. Alcohol markers offer smooth, opaque coverage; you can layer them to create more intense colours and shadows.

How to draw doodles: tips and techniques

Often, doodling starts with simple lines and shapes. Allow your hand to move freely and follow your intuition. Here are some additional tips to get you started:

Basic Shapes

If you find drawing objects challenging, remember that every object consists of one or more simple basic shapes like circles, squares, rectangles, ovals, and triangles. Start with a basic shape and gradually add details.

Forget About Perfection

Don't worry about your drawings needing to be perfect. Doodles are hand-drawn, so the shapes will be imperfect, and that's part of their charm.

Depth, Texture, and Fill

Experiment with different techniques such as dots, lines, and hatching to add texture, depth, and shadows to your doodles. After drawing your doodles, consider filling the spaces with patterns (hatching, dots, or complete colouring). Another fun effect is drawing your doodles closely or overlapping, which is especially suitable for flowers, plants, and figures.

Varying Line Thickness

Make your doodle artwork more dynamic by alternating thin lines with thicker ones. For instance, you can make the outer lines of a shape thicker and use thin lines for the details.

Doodling step by step

Ready to doodle? Below, we'll explain step by step how to create a simple doodle artwork:

Step 1: Choose a Theme

This step is optional since anything goes in doodling! But it's fun to draw your doodles around a theme. Examples of doodles to draw include:

• Autumn doodles
• Christmas doodles
• Summer doodles
• Animal doodles
• Flower doodles
• Food doodles
• Halloween doodles
• Geometric shapes
• Detailed patterns

You can come up with as many objects or designs as possible in advance or brainstorm them while you're doodling.

Step 2: Gather Your Materials

Ensure you have all the necessary materials at hand. These include paper, such as a sketchbook or drawing paper, a pencil, fine liners and/or brush pens, and an eraser.

Step 3: Draw Basic Shapes

Know what your first doodle will be? First, identify the basic shapes that make up the object and sketch them with a pencil. For example, a clock consists of a circle, a cloud consists of multiple circles, and an ice cream cone consists of a circle and a triangle. In our case, we'll start with a ruler, so we'll draw a rectangle.

Step 4: Add Details

Complete the doodle by adding details once the basic shapes are in place. For a clock, these could be the numbers and hands. We'll draw a small circle and markings for centimetres for the ruler.

Step 5: Draw Multiple Doodles

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have a variety of doodles. Feel free to repeat the doodles you like. Draw enough to fill your paper nicely. Try to keep the doodles roughly the same size and maintain a consistent spacing between them. This way, all the doodles will come together to form a cohesive whole. If there are any empty spaces, you can always fill them later with small symbols (see step 6).

Don't make the doodles too large; you want to draw many, but don’t make them too small as well, as it will be challenging to add details. With practice, you'll quickly find the right balance

Step 6: Filling

Once you've drawn all your doodles, you can leave the empty spaces between them or fill them in. You can fill spaces by simply colouring them completely (step 7), using lines (hatching), dots, etc., or by drawing small symbols like hearts, swirls, flowers, stars, triangles, etc.

Step 7: Tracing Lines

In this step, you'll trace your pencil lines with a pen. You can use a brush pen for the lines you want to keep thicker and a fine liner for detailed work. In this step, you can also colour in the empty spaces between the doodles.

Step 8: Add More Details

Finally, add some extra details if you like. Examples include:

• Dot shadows
• Line shadows
• Dotted lines along the edges
• Additional filling

Step 9: Colour Your Artwork

This step is entirely optional. Doodle art often looks beautiful in black and white, but if you'd like to introduce some colour, feel free to grab coloured pencils, markers, brush pens, alcohol markers, or watercolours. Remember to add shadows and small accents with colour as well.

And there you have it – your doodle artwork! Remember that doodling is all about having fun, relaxing, and expressing your creativity. There are no strict rules – anything goes!

Inspiration and ideas for doodling

Sometimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places. You can find doodle inspiration in various ways and locations. Here are some tips and ideas for finding doodle inspiration:

The World Around You

Look to nature, architecture, people, animals, and objects in your surroundings. Often, everyday things can serve as inspiration for interesting and unique doodles.

Listen to the World Around You

Another fun idea is listening to the people around you or listening to the radio. Try to draw as many doodles as possible based on the words you hear.

Online Resources

There are countless websites and social media platforms dedicated to art and doodling. Browse through Instagram and Pinterest to discover thousands of doodle images to view and gather ideas from. Also, explore the work of other doodle artists to gain inspiration for new styles and techniques.

Online Doodle Challenges

Search for online doodle challenges and contests on platforms like Instagram or Facebook. These challenges often feature specific themes or prompts that can get your creative juices flowing.

Workshops and Books

There are many enjoyable doodle workshops available online. For instance, Karin Luttenberg of Paperfuel offers both offline and online workshops. If you prefer learning to doodle at your own pace, consider checking out her book, "Dare to Doodle XXL." It's brimming with inspiration and provides step-by-step instructions on how to draw the most charming doodles.

Natural Patterns

Find inspiration in the patterns you discover in nature, such as leaves, flowers, shells, and animal hides.

Everyday Experiences

Your daily experiences, conversations, or emotions can inspire your doodles. Keep a sketchbook handy to capture ideas as they arise.

Remember that you can find inspiration everywhere; the most important thing is to stay curious and open to the world around you. Experiment, try new things, and gradually develop your unique doodling style.

Creative ways to explore doodling

If you don't feel like doodling from scratch but still want to get that doodle effect, explore our extensive range of stencils, stamps, and dies with a doodle theme! There are stamps with Zen doodles, stencils with geometric shapes, and dies featuring leaves, flowers, and more! They're also great for card making, scrapbooking, and personal colouring projects.