I like to define “doodling” as an unintentional drawing. Doodling changed my life and the way I draw, and eventually, the way I create art. Though it sounds a bit dramatic—it’s true. My design and art education solidified my work process as anal retentive, controlled, exact, and technically correct. A bit of my whimsy and imagination would come through but as a professional illustrator, I was an expert at coloring inside the perfect lines I created. I imposed a regimen of doodling every morning a few years ago and I wanted to share my joy of unintentional drawing.
The workshop is a hybrid workshop/class of doodling/drawing. We intend to draw here, now every Saturday at Crafted, but I’ll teach the thinking (ironic, I know) of doodling. We need to give ourselves permission to doodle and draw even if we’ve had no formal training or we feel we aren’t allowed. As I believe we should sing even if we’re pitchy or we don’t know the words, we should draw because it makes us calm and gives us joy. It’s meditative and becomes a pictorial diary.
But, seriously, let’s not be so serious about doodling. In the workshops I hope I convey the joy of doodling. I hope those who attend will continue to doodle for life as a hobby and to improve their mental outlook.
by Miyuki Sena