Monday, June 17, 2013

Doodle Guide

Ever caught yourself doodling before a crucial deadline?  Believe it or not, doodling relieves stress and it's actually considered to be a fine art to some.  So what's the secret formula?  Simply let your emotions slide through your pen and draw whatever random thing pops into your head!  If that sounds a little confusing or if you want some inspiration, peruse through the guide below and print out my Doodle Template.

You'll only need a couple basic materials to get started: a pen/pencil/marker and some paper.  However, if you're super dedicated to daily doodling, then get yourself a blank journal and label it "[Insert Name Here]'s Doodle Diary".

Before you even think about touching your pen to your paper, try to purge your mind of self-criticism and the image of perfection.  It's hard to do, but those things just don't mesh with doodling; after all, this is supposed to be relaxing.

A great way to get yourself comfortable with the concept is to try noodling (name doodling)!  Just write your name a bunch of different ways—in cursive, block, or bubble letters as shown below:
name doodles

















Other than writing, doodles can be made into pictures.  Due to the fact that I enjoy nature, I like to create cute animals.  However, you can really do anything you want—let your mind wander!  If you need some quick inspiration, click and print my free Doodle Template—it has a variety of illustrated animals that can be colored in:
doodle template

Want to turn your doodles into a handmade gift?  Try making a card!  Simply measure out a piece of card stock with a ruler, fold it in half, and voilá—you have a blank canvas.  Then, in a variety of pretty colors, create a pretty picture on the cover.  If you want to create your own pretty design, go right ahead, but you can also use my template.  If you need more detailed instructions on how to make a card, head over to my Cute as a Button Card Tutorial.

Whether you enjoy doodling as a past time or if you use it to relieve stress, I hope you found this post a useful resource.

I'd love to see how your unique doodle creations have turned out!  Please send me a picture through my Facebook or email.  Then, I'll choose a winner and feature them in my next post.

Have fun doodling!

Kelly