How to Use Doodling to tap into your Creativity

Hi there! Let me ask you a question, When you see a person doodling, do you assume they are just scribbling and wasting their time?

Maybe that’s not the case. What if the purpose of doodling or drawing is discovery? What if drawing helps her or him feel more comfortable with doubt or helps them approach problems with more flexibility? What about doodling to clarify your thoughts?

Here are a few examples where doodling can help you see things in unexpected ways.

To stimulate discussion

A group setting is a natural place for drawing to clarify thinking and messaging.

Whether we’re brainstorming or outlining tasks on a piece of paper, explanatory drawings can help us process and remember information.

To teach ideas and enhance presentations and videos

Instead of developing a series of presentation slides, explain a process by drawing and using clear messaging.

Simply doodled figures can be a great way to illustrate concepts.

To solve a problem

You can tackle any problems by sketching its components and visualizing a range of answers. Often one solution will stand out as the best option.

For the simple joy of freeing your mind

Drawing can tap into a part of our minds that feels like play, particularly when we’re generating ideas that are not constrained.

Blue-sky sketching is a great technique to use. Start with a clear question and goal. Free your mind from factors that would normally be restrictive – things like budget, timing, resources, and technology.

You should gather ideas until no more are forthcoming. When you are done with your sketches, look them over and focus on the ones that have promise.

For personal inspiration

Keep a drawing journal with images, inspirations, and photos. It doesn’t matter if you can draw well or not. Just do it!

Buy a sketch pad or book, color markers or pencils and set aside 15 minutes a day to doodle. Doodles can spark ideas!

These ideas can be a combination of things swirly around in your head (enter here the image of Dumbledore and the pensieve; #potterhead #geek) that could transform into something else entirely. Think of it as your 15-minute creativity warm-up.

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From Illustrations to Christmas Ornaments

Hi There! I thought it would be fun to bring all those doodles and illustrations you are constantly sketching on your sketchbook to life, just in time for the holidays. Also, you can use any drawing from your kids.

With very little supplies you can create adorable Christmas ornaments that will impress the whole family.

For this tutorial you will need:

• Air Dry Clay

• Pencil

• Doodle paper template

• Toothpick

• Palette knife

• Rolling pin

• A fine tip brush

• Watercolor paint in the colors of your choice

For the air dry clay and water paint color, I tried the ones in the Craft section from Flying Tiger. If you don't have a Flying Tiger store nearby. You can always find it in good old Amazon.

I used a rolling pin like the ones you would use for making cookies. Roll the clay evenly flat around 3mm thick.

Make sure fits loosely in the amount of clay you have rolled out. Leave a bit extra to account for shrinkage when dry.

With the palette knife cut around the doodle paper template and with a toothpick punch the hole for the cord to hang the ornament.

The instructions on the package said to wait for 24hrs to dry, but since here in the UK is very humid it took around 48hrs.

Once dried lightly sketch your doodle!

Then grab a fine tip brush and watercolor paint of your choice and go over the light sketch. I choose black since I wanted to go for that Scandinavian feel.

But feel free to use any color you want.

For the final touch add a bit of baker twine to hand you decoration on the tree!

Hope you enjoyed this quick and easy tutorial! I can´t wait to see what you create! This also can be a great afternoon activity with the kids.

Cheers,

Caro

365 The daily art of practicing

Hi there! I hope you are enjoying the start of the summer, sipping iced lemon tea, slowing down and relaxing! Now that we are halfway through to the year, I wanted to share with you my experience and journey so far from the 365 Project that I’m doing over on Instagram.

This is a personal challenge that I started at the beginning of the year to improve my illustration and drawing skills. I decided to do a 365 as a means to practice every day my illustration and for accountability. I have read and listened to many interviews with great artists, where they share their beginnings.

And always the message is to practice every day! Practice makes progress!

To keep it interesting I have done themes months, the alphabet and lately, I am doing summer vibes illustrations and doodles.

All within my whimsical, minimalistic and monochromatic style. Sometimes you will see me dipping my toes in colors over on my Instagram Stories.

I did a few drawings for #mermay, over the month of May whic dedicated to Mermaids.  Inspired on this, I drew my Bear character in a mermaid tail, which has become one of my favorite illustrations so far.

Also, I have watched this great TED Talk, The first 20 hours - How to learn anything by Josh Kaufman. I love Ted talks, I’m that kind of nerdy. 8P

Here is the link in case you want to watch it

I have gained a lot of fluency and confidence practicing my illustrations every day. If I have 10-15 min to spare, I would grab my sketchbook or draw on my phone or tablet. I try to incorporate it into my every day.

Gaining this confidence, have encouraged me to buy more art supplies and try other media, like watercolor, gouache, pastel oil.

 I’m really excited about what is coming ahead and all the things I would be able to achieve thanks to my daily practice.

If you want to follow my journey make sure to header to Instagram! You can find me —-> here 

My goal is to inspire you! l encourage you to start your own personal challenge and what a better way to take advantage of the summer slowdown and start something new.

Painting, Illustrating, knitting anything you had been wanting to learn, or maybe something you want to improve. 

Share below that thing that you want to learn or to improve, would love to hear what are you going to do! Till next time!

Want to start doodling? Make sure to check out my Skillshare class!

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