Last Sunday in church, my son leaned over and asked what I was drawing. I whispered, “I’m not drawing, I’m doodling.”
Later I explained to him how I can listen more attentively and more easily absorb what’s being spoken if I doodle. It’s the only way I ever made it through high school. I doodled at least one pocket folder a day, mine and the ones my friends would pass off to me in the hall on my way to class. I keep a small sketchbook in my purse at all times specifically for doodling.
I googled “doodling” and, to my surprise, it’s a subject with plenty of research and quite positive results regarding focus and retention of information. Cool, validation!
A few years ago I found a great vintage Mehandi reference book, a technique used primarily in the ancient art of henna body painting. I picked up another book recently with other great designs. To me, Mehandi, (Mehndi) is the ultimate technique in doodling. I enjoy doodling this style in my sketchbook and on 3-dimensional objects, such as my lake stick. Swirls, scallops, leaves, dots, borders, zig-zags, and flowers, it’s so fun and relaxing.
This morning, inspired to do a little Mehandi doodling, I poured a nice big cup of coffee, grabbed my vintage glove mold, a gold metalic marker, linked into favorite inspirational radio station, K-LOVE, and went to it.
This is the result of one hour of pure artistic pleasure, aka: doodling.
WOW! That is awesome! I have a friend who is just like. Even doodles during court.
That reminds me so much of myself… I doodle in that same style and used to get into trouble in sunday school as a little girl
. I’m a paralegal and I, too doodle in court!
I love it!
I always got yelled at in class for doodles, but it really helped me focus. I used to draw stick figures that made comments on the topic. It got me to remember better…
My favorite was a series from German Lit. One was a stick figure of Martin Luther saying “man! i have a hand cramp!”
Ah… I still remember that lecture…
Finally! Someone understands! I doodle in church, meetings, school, etc too! When people would ask to borrow my notes, I’d shrug and show them my doodles. They wondered how I ever learned anything if I didn’t pay attention. But doodling totally cleared the pathways in my brain so I could learn and pay attention better. Thanks for posting this!
Waoh , that is superneat!I doodle ,but not as much as I used to /or would like to:)
Me, too!
I was just thinking that a doodled mantel would be cool…in the right house of course! Don’t you think?
Wow, what talent! I can barely draw stick figures!!
That is GORGEOUS!!! I need to learn to doodle like that…
um…you doodled that FREEHAND? WOW!
I think you are from another planet cathe:)
Your amazing
my doodles are mostly little triangle shaped houses with windows and a tree next to it:) LOL
another doodle delight is a zentangle…google that word for some doodling fun! The same and different. I doodle the alphabet a lot.
Only you could pull that off! I would have spent 12 hours and it would have looked like crap! :0)
I wish I had half your talent!!!
Holy Crap!!! That is unbelievable!!! You should take custom orders. Really!
Ha, I wish I could say the same, but I must be opposite because my doodles cost me my pre-calc grade. (Why does a graphic design student need to know calculus anyway?)
I love henna though! I want to get really good at it so I can offer it as a service at my tattoo shop. So pretty! I was going to get henna tattooed on my feet before my wedding, but my feet didn’t take the brown ink very well on my first tattoos, so I scraped the idea.
OMG, that’s the coolest doodling I’ve ever seen! I always thought doodling was supposed to be random and probably it was for you but it looks all planned out to me! Mine would never ever look as neat!
A kindred spirit! I’m a compulsive doodler, too and I love the new research coming out that shows that it increases comprehension and retention of knowledge. Thanks for sharing your beautiful doodles!
you are very talented!
How awesome is this?! You’re one incredible doodler!
OMG! That is too awesome! Doodle away and inspire me more! – me@salihan.com
Now that is something!! Love it!
This is beautiful artwork. What a cool relaxer. Doodling in school was a fav of mine also. Your doodled glove mold looks like a gorgeous paisley, my favorite pattern. Very interesting post.
Linda
I spent my entire childhood spending 2 weeks of every summer at Lake Pillsbury!
Yes, can’t help myself! And isn’t that what that blank part on the back of the church bulletin was for…? Yours are gorgeous, Cathe!
I so agree when it comes to doodling – but you take it to a new level, the glove! Marvellous.
I so agree when it comes to doodling – but you take it to a new level, the glove! Marvellous.
To call this doodling is minimizing it’s impact. I think of doodling as mindless, circles, squares, etc. This is art! Wonderful.
I started a doodle journal and just love it. If I have a pen in hand I am also doodling. Nice to see fellow doodlers.
That glove is fantastic!
I cannot doodle like this, but to me your doodling is an art form that I love!!!!keep it up!
If you had a dollar for every creative thing you’ve done Cathe Holden, you’d have more money than Bill Gates!!!!
Have a great Mothers Day..
Caryn
Gorgeous! Doodling sounds too simple for what you created – that’s art!
Just Beautiful. Very pretty doodling – I wish my doodling was as pretty – I obviously should practice more!
i got a henna tattoo once in Florida on vacation.. i loved it… i wish i could have them all the time… but there is nowhere around where i live to get it done and i have no art skill what so ever!!
Gorgeous. I love the Mehandi, and using an old glove mold? A perfect accessory for my studio!
Your doodling is beautiful! I only have one special flower that I doddle over and over and over – my children call it Mom’s flower! That flower is on every piece of paper that I’ve ever touched!
I too doodled my way through high school and college… but nothing this beautiful! The lake stick?! The hand?! I just can’t believe how beautiful and detailed they are. A far cry from my big heads on stick bodies.
That is unbelievable. Seriously. I’m speechless.
Cool. I would never have thought of that as a source book for inspiration. I’m going to have a hunt at the library now for similar books! The glove mould looks fantastic.
You have gotten my creative juices flowing! You are a doodle-er supreme! I have posted about you on my blog this morning – with links of course. May I use one of your photos as well – either the Mendhi gourd or glove mold? I love, love, love them!
http://firstadream.blogspot.com/
I have learned something new today and very interested in your story about doodling and I think I can use that term for now.