What I’m talking about when I talk about doodling

Taking a Line for a Walk, is a line from the artist Paul Klee’s book of the same name which helps the reader to explore the concept of design and assignment.

I love illustration as it can be bold and beautiful but sometimes it can be a labour of love for the creator and the joy can sometimes get lost in the production process, especially if the brief is ordinary or creatively restrictive.

Doodling for me, is a way to be creative without overthinking the end goal and some of my favourite illustrations have been born from a quick scribble in a corner of a sketchbook.

There has been a recent rise of fidget gadgets for idle hands to manage feelings of unrest or anxiety but my favourite exercise to keep out of trouble is to have a pencil and a blank page in front of me.

I love drawing just to fill a page, sometimes I’m doodling scenery in front of me or patterns or ideas that are floating in the dark corners of my brain that only seem to emerge when I let the pencil take control.

Some of these illustrations have helped me think about negative space and explore how text and image can work together.

If I look back, most of my finished illustrations have a former doodle incarnation that I’ve revisited and developed into something more finished with colour and texture.

For anyone who views themselves as creative or otherwise, I would encourage anyone to explore the art of doodling, discover what imagery you are drawn to and have fun with the concept of possibility.