How to Doodle

Doodling is not only a great way to pass the time during a boring class, but it can help you improve your artistic skills and find your passion. As long as you relax and let your hand do the thinking, you'll be on your way to having original, funny, or even gorgeous doodles.

Pt.1: Learning the Basics of Doodling

1. Have the right tools: If you want to be a master doodler, then you should be prepared to doodle wherever you go. Inspiration -- or boredom -- can strike at any moment, not just in your third period history class, so you should always be prepared to start doodling. You should always carry a notebook around, along with a few tools. You can begin with a few basic tools and use more artistic tools as your doodling skills improve. Here are some great tools to doodle with:

Simple supplies: Pencil, Ink Pen, Highlighter, Marker, Ballpoint pen.

Artist supplies: Charcoal, Chalk, Colored Pencils, Paint, Pastels.

2. Get inspired. As soon as you feel the urge to doodle, just put your pen to the paper and get started. Whether you're thinking of an act, an event, a feeling, a person, a place, a song, or even your own name, you should just put your pen to the paper and start drawing to see what you come up with. When the urge to doodle strikes, don't ignore it (unless it's not appropriate for you to doodle), or the feeling may pass. You'll find that you can also become inspired after you begin to doodle. You don't have to wait for the feeling that tells you to doodle -- you can just start doodling and feel the inspiration seep into your pores.

3. Associate freely. You don't have to stick to doodling just flowers, puppies, or your own last name. You can start by doodling a garden of flowers, then think of your best friend and start drawing their pet poodle, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone you watched yesterday, which reminds you of many cool magical things in the movie, the row of trees you see everyday on your way to school, Pepperoni Pizza, which makes you think of the delicious Pepperoni Pizza you are going to order...just start with one image and keep drawing whatever pops into your head.

You don't have to stick to one theme or concept. No one is judging you -- and it's likely that no one will even see your doodles, so feel free to draw whatever you want.

Contd.