Doodling

More Than You Might Think

Just what is a doodle artist? Well, one whose primary means of expression is executed by doodling of course! It may surprise some of you that even though I love drawing, I’m not much into doodling. It’s only been in times of sheer and utter boredom that I’ve even tinkered with doodling.

Many, including myself (until now), think that doodling is something you do to pass the time while sitting in class daydreaming or while you’re trying desperately to keep your eyes open during the weekly budget meeting. It’s something that people who are not “serious” artists do to be creative. Not very flattering, right?

Rigid Definitions

Heck, even official definitions are not all that kind. For example, dictionary.com says doodling is “1. To draw or scribble idly, or 2. To waste (time) in aimless or foolish activity.” Ouch! Really? Even before my eye opening experience which I’ll share shortly, I would not have been so harsh. And again in merriam-webster.com doodling is defined as “an aimless or casual scribble, design, or sketch; also: a minor work”.

So recently, through the endless tides of email and newsletters that I get every day, somehow one popped out and caught my attention. It was for a website called Doodlers Anonymous. Curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on the link. I was whisked off to a site that just blew my mind. Yes, it was full of doodles, but these were some of the most intricate and cool works of art I’ve seen in some time. No, none of it would pass by the standards of that fancy art school I went to, but art is in the eye of the beholder in my book. And most of the people I know, thought this stuff was pretty cool too.

Mind Blown

Bobsmade transforms this building from ho-hum to lotsa fun!

I signed up for their newsletter right away and am happy to see their email in my inbox. The first artist I was introduced to Bobsmade, whose canvas was the outside wall of a stark, white building. Check out the time lapse video of her transforming this boring building into something with lots of character.

Sam Hadley, aka Slumberbean transforms a plain white wall into a jaw-dropping work of art.

This next one was just plain WOW!! I had the privilege (and I do mean privilege) of another time lapse video of artist, Sam Hadley aka Slumberbean, who also put his talents to use by creating a very intricately detailed mural in a taxi station.

Artist Maria Shishcova. I just can’t stop staring at her work.

Today, the artist waiting in my inbox was Maria Shishcova. Yes, they’re doodles. Yes, they’re cute. But they’re so freakin’ detailed that I can’t look away. My eyes just keep moving through each piece and each time I look at it I see something I missed before.

I Wanna Play Too!

Seeing these works of art makes me think I’ve been missing out on a great little avenue for my creativity; one which is much more carefree and not bound by the constraints of the fundamentals of art. Doodling isn’t breaking the fundamental rules. Rules? What rules? The rules don’t apply to doodling! And that’s the whole point. I may have to pull out one of the many blank sketchbooks I have in storage and try my hand at a little doodling every now and then!

Don’t get me wrong…I’ve come to the point in my life where I appreciate the fundamentals. But sometimes, a life lived entirely within the guidelines can make your work stale and you, a stick in the mud. I think I’ve come to view doodling as the artist’s way of kicking our heels up, splashing in the puddles, making mud pies, and not caring what anybody thinks about the mess we’ve made of our Sunday best.

Seriously folks, I encourage you to take a look at what Doodlers Anonymous has to offer. And if you happen to be a doodler, the site allows you to upload your doodles to share with everyone else. By looking at the artists I’ve listed here and others on the website, you can clearly see that doodling can be an idle, thoughtless act done in moments of boredom, but it can also be quite intricate and fantastic. It can range from simple bean-shaped people with extra long appendages and missing joints to beautiful highly detailed murals. Check it out and let us know what you think! And also, if you end up submitting your work to Doodlers Anonymous, post a link to your work in the comments below.