Initially inspired by last year's challenge I was so excited to sign up for The 2012 Sketchbook Challenge until I found out that the prompt for January was "Doodling." I was not impressed. My definition of doodles meant messy, ungainly, untidy. Not for me. Was I ever wrong!
Doodling reminded me of "practicing." Not that I don't think practicing is a good idea. It's a very good idea. It's just that I spent an innumerable amount of hours as a child and teenager practicing to train to get into, and then graduate from, ballet school. Lots and lots of practice. So I've evaded practice for most of my adult life. I tend to just wing it and get right stuck in straight from the start. Not that I recommend it, you understand. It's what I'd like to think works for me. But who's to say?
Reversible faces - decidedly doddling
But doodles... Doodling... I checked the dictionary in case I had got it wrong. Doodle: Scribble or Draw, especially absent-mindedly. Waste time. Fool around. No siree, not me... Doodler: Foolish Person. Oh great... and I'm planning on putting this up on my blog?
Trying out new pens - qualifies as doodling
Then I started reading the blog posts of the other participants. And got thoroughly inspired all over again! And realised that yes, I doodled. Often. A whole lot. I just never called it that. And yes, I derive incredible pleasure and benefit from doing so.
I doodle all the time. It's how I do things... One of the doodles that appears again and again in my sketchbooks is a female figure.
It so happens that I have gone on to do several popular series of paintings using these figures in many different ways ~
Painted Words
I doodle with words, and often form stones or poems with those same words at a later date ~
I doodle in my fabric art, stitching at random to create other shapes from existing patterns ~
Envelope purse for "30 artists - 30 items show" - SOLD
Starfish Purses for Fibre Dance 2010 - SOLD
In my fabric art "Dancing Spirits" series, I learned quickly that you cannot successfully undo stitching on velour and abandoned having any preconceived ideas in mind, preferring instead to simply follow the needle... or doodle ~
Dancing Spirits for Fibre Dance IV show - SOLD
Dancing Spirit - Commissioned Piece - SOLD
So what can I say? I doodle. I am indeed a doodler. And if that means I'm absent-minded, waste time, or fool around, if that makes me a foolish person, then I will wear the badge with pride. And keep right on doodling...
So grab a pen and paper, let your mind wander, forget the world outside and let me know how you like to doodle...
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