Doodling is for the Brain

When I meet creative wannabes, who tell me they have wanted to draw or paint, or even get back to it, but they’re having a hard time, I tell them all the same thing, doddle. There I am, at an art event or even a social evening and someone is either knowing or finding out I’m an artist, the conversation takes a familiar turn.  In front of me becomes someone who admits they’re craving to be artistic, but no clue how to begin.

That’s a sign, one that shows how difficult taking on creativity appears. But my advise is always to reduce their apprehensions and perceptions of artistic complexity down to little or nothing. I tell them not only to doddle, but how to doddle.

Doodling is easy. Get any writing tool, any piece of paper and go for it. The secret of the success of it is that the materials needed are those everyone has, and are not a hurtle to get over. They are also familiar, unlike saying that you need special things and here’s the list.

With expectations low though, the best part of my advise is this. I tell them, sit where you are comfortable, if you watch TV, good, turn it on and watch it. Put the paper on a cutting board or something in your lap and just let your hand rest upon it. Watch TV, and allow your hand and writing tool to move almost subconsciously on its own.

Don’t think about it or what you are drawing, just let it happen, watch TV or whatever and doddle.  I believe if your subconscious mind has something to say it will draw it. Doesn’t matter if it’s a sail boat or a cat, car or flowers. Whatever comes out is deep within the inner you and has a story to tell. That’s all there has to be. Simply allowing the inner you to move and speak it’s mind.  

Most important though, it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad in your mind. It’s just doodling, just for fun. The second most important thing past fun is that if it’s fun, you’ll want to keep on do it and that’s how every artist begins. They love it and just keep on fiddling about and they get better and better and seek more and more growth. 

If you find your paper is blank after sitting there for 5 minutes or so, maybe music or something else is a better way to express yourself.

Live an artful life,

Tom