More about doodles

Doodles are simple. You start with a simple picture that comprises a couple of lines, a simple geometric shape or other basic image. For example...

Then you add more lines, colour and whatever you want in order to create a picture of something. For example...

The picture can be of anything you want. Indeed, there is no right way or wrong way to complete a doodle. Moreover, doodles are not a test of artistic skill. So don't worry if your finished Doodle doesn't make it into your local art museum. Just be imaginative and enjoy.

Traditionally, Doodles are drawn by hand. You can print out one of the doodles exercises or a doodle from our Get Creative with Doodles collection and have a go. If you prefer to use PhotoShop, PhotoPaint or other graphics programme to complete the doodle, by all means do so.

You should go through the doodles collection or exercises one image at a time, starting from the beginning. Do not go through the collection or exercises looking for images that lend themselves to a particular drawing. The point of doing doodles is to exercise your creative skills. This is best accomplished by forcing yourself to complete a doodle no matter how inspiring or uninspiring it may be.

Doodles are great creative thinking exercises because they force you to use your creative vision in order to devise a completed picture from a few lines. In addition, they force you to think visually rather than textually as most people do at work. As a result you are thinking in new ways. You are thinking more creatively.

Doodles are also effective brainstorming tools for graphic designers. Designers looking for an image for a project, a logo or a design concept will find that working through a handful of doodles encourages taking a lateral approach to the problem. The result will almost certainly be new ideas and new images.