The ART of Doodling

Doodling, yes Doodling.

For most people Doodling is a mindless, fun way to pass the time. You can do it virtually any where, while your on the phone, making a list, in class, on a plane, or perhaps on a long car trip. As a teen I would litter my binders and note book paper with eyes, lips, hearts, swirls, stars, geometric shapes... and the list goes on and on. I have come to learn, via research and studies, that Doodling helps to improve memory and is also a form of meditation, which we all know is very good for you. Doodling is also fun! But, for those of us who love art the mighty Doodle can become an elaborate form of ART and expression. I'd like to share some of the tips, tricks and techniques I have learned on how to take your Doodle to the next level.

Today I still draw many of the same items, granted a bit more refined, these are some of techniques, tricks and styles I have added to my Doodle repertoire.

Techniques:

I used all four techniques in
this Doodle.
Main color-blue
Balance-Triangle shape
Many repeat patterns
Theme-Sea life 

Color ~ As in any piece of art color creates mood. When you have many colors and/or bright colors in the doodle the Doodle will take on a very energized feeling. Monochromatic, cool colors and staying within the same color family will create a calmer piece of art.
Balance ~ Whether we're discussing color, shapes, or theme you want to consider balance.  Is there an over saturation of an element crowding one are of your Doodle or does the eye move from one area to the next following the gentle ebb and flow of your Doodle? Some of my favorite "balance" shapes are; the triangle, S-shape, Z-shape and O-shape. Look around you and see which shapes you are drawn too in nature and within your own home.
Patterns ~ Having repeat patterns is a fantastic way to pull a doodle together. I usually have three or more sections of repeating patterns in one of my Doodles. Keeping in mind  the delicate balance of my Doodle.
Themes ~ Creating a Doodle with a theme can be a blast to create. Whether its a birthday Doodle, a Number, Letter, favorite Animal, a geographic location, or something totally made up... it's always fun.

Tips:

Flowers and Ribbons
Learned techniques from
Zendoodlers/Doodlers
on YouTube

Borrow from other artist ~ Honestly, when I first began creating larger more elaborate doodles I had no idea what to create let alone what patterns to put into my doodles. I began searching the web, saving favorite pictures and snapping pics with my camera of random patterns on this and that while I was out. I created a "Pattern" file and I still use it today when I get stuck.
Find your Signature ~ As you create more and more doodles you're going to find that you have your own style. There are many styles to try out within the Doodle family; there are Zendoodles, Zentangles, Tangles, Doodles and much more. As you create you will even begin creating your own twist and versions of other patterns and styles... these become your Signature. Have fun finding your signature style. I have a journal with pages of my signature patterns within. I have created different alphabets, shapes and recurring themes that I use in most of my doodles to create my signature look within each doodle that I do no matter what the style.
Doodle often ~ As with most things, the more you do it the better you will become at it. Doodling is no different. I always carry a small journal and permanent pens with me so no matter where I am I can doodle.

Tricks:

I began with an open scribble, filled the
areas in with recurring patterns, themes, and
 colors to achieve balance and interest.

When I get stuck as to what I want to create I use one of these tricks to get me started.
Open Scribble ~ Just as it sounds I create a big open swirl scribble and then begin filling in each closed area.
Stack it up ~ Using geometric shapes, letters, numbers, etc. I start creating a stacked tower doodle. I build them using one of my basic "Balance" shapes and then fill the shapes in with more patterns and doodles.
So Random ~ Pick one of your favorite shapes and throw it onto the page. Add another and yet another. I usually start with three large shapes, add a few medium shapes and then finally a bunch of smaller ones as filler keeping balance in mind.

Doodle what you see ~ I have doodled, trees, flowers, leaves, cats, fruit, coffee cups and many more items that where in my general vicinity. So take a look around and pic a basic shape. Draw the outline of that shape and draw your scribbles within it. Then fill your areas in with interesting patterns.

So there are a few of my tips, tricks and techniques to get you started on becoming an ARTistic Doodler. I hope you have fun filling up your art journals with many fun and fabulous Doodles.


Thanks,
Danine Mroz


Was this blog helpful? Did you find it interesting? Will you try an artistic doodling?

All art work property of Danine Mroz no reproduction with out the written consent of Ms. Mroz is prohibited.

Kin

The Day 8 Seed Journal challenge for Milliande the on-line community I belong to is ~ "Seed Kin"
My first thought was Acorns or maybe Pine Cones... but after a bit more thought I settled on Cattails. I'm very drawn to and have a strange connection to Cattails. I love how velvety soft they are and how they bend in the wind, strong and flexible. They grow in clusters all along the ditches where I grew up, much like me and my large family of 9, standing strong as one unit. So simple, yet so profoundly complex. The Cattails have thousands of seeds that lay dormant till the fall, when the Cattail turns from brown to white and releases it's seeds. These seeds then  spread far and wide as the strong wind blows them free of the tall reeds they once called home and new life is born next spring. Simple, strong and yet so elegant.

Journal entry ~ I grew up poor. Really poor. So poor that I didn't even know I was poor. I grew up in the country, the 6th of 7 children, out in the country where my siblings and I had to make up our own entertainment. We had one TV with three channels... so needles to say we spent a great deal of time out doors, playing various ball games, tag or just hanging out. I remember going for long, long walks with one or more of my siblings down our dusty, gravel roads, kicking rocks, watching birds or the clouds flying by, and picking Cattails from the ditches. Summer time we were the Kings knights fighting off dragons or battling one another for the hand of a fair maiden. In the fall we would pluck the seeds from the Cattails and send them off into the wind to fly to far away places.

Those were much simpler times. We didn't have much but we had each other, lots of love, and the type of friendship that only blood, "Seed Kin" can have. All grown now, I too have been blown here and there by the winds of time taking root and creating my own life. I have many fond memories from my childhood. I still love going for long walks and spending time with my siblings. Life has been very good to me... Like the Cattail with it's abundance of seeds I feel I too have been blessed with abundance in life.

Always remember where you came from. Cherish it, learn from it and move on.
Cheers,
Danine

How to Create a Fantastic Art Journal page

When I first began doing art journals I had no clue as to where to start or how to layer my work to give me the best results. I have watched countless tutorials, read several books and viewed many art journal pages, this is the process I have come up with "How to Create a Fantastic Art Journal page".

1) Begin by picking your palate. I usually work with three main colours and versions of them plus black & white. If you're a beginner it's a great idea to invest in a colour wheel, one that tells you which are complimentary colours etc.
Some of my favorite colour combo's are
- Black, White, & Red
- Pink, Yellow & White
- Teal, Cream & Purple
- Fuchsia, Lime Green, & Orange
- Brown, Sage & Rose
- Orange, Yellow & Blue
- Lime Green, Black & Hot pink
I hope you play with colour a little to see what colours appeal to you. Or go through some magazines and just pull pages that you are drawn to to find your colour palette.

2) Begin by applying a wash or glaze in the lightest colour. Start layering come colour, shades of existing colour and textures on top. Use you brushes, fingers, bubble wrap, insides of coffee holders, sponges, plastic bags, etc.
Paint Glaze= 1 part paint-2-3 parts water-1 part acrylic glazing medium Wash= paint + water to thin
*Note- always let each application DRY before adding another colour, unless you want the colours to blend. Too many colours blending together will make for a muddy looking page.

3) Add some texture and interest to your page by stamping some text, musical notes, or other interesting subject to the page. You can also put your personality into the page by drawing a picture of your own then painting it. I have also added decorated, stamped or coloured tissue paper at this point.

4) At this point you can begin adding collage or altered collage images to your page. You can select a theme or just use random pictures out of old magazines. You may also want to add some three dimensional pieces to your work; paper or cloth flowers, brads, beads, feathers, etc.

5) Next I add a bit more paint, often white or gesso in areas that I want to mute out and give a bit of pop. Or I will add low-lights in a darker colour or deeper shade of a colour that is already there to create more depth.

6) Doodle time. I keep pictures of doodles around to give me inspiration on my doodles. Just play and be creative, don't over think it.

7) Journal- a poem, your wishes and dreams, a letter to yourself or another loved one, song lyrics... it's your journal, what do you want to say?

At this point your pretty much done, you can always doodle a bit more or add some more highlights with a white gel pen  if you like, but that's it. I hope you have enjoyed making some art.

Cheers,
Danine

Travel Journal Challenge

I'm California bound!!! At the end of Feb two of my girlfriends and myself are heading to LA, Hollywood, and sunny Santa Monica for a short trip. So very excited! This will be my second time there, one has never been and my other friend has been twice before... It's going to be fantastic.

I love, love, love travelling but, I always forget to take pictures, keep my tickets, journal and simply keep records of where I go, who I'm with etc. etc. So this time I want to be prepared by bringing a little something to keep record and make notes. I have several ideas in mind of how to do this... maybe a little chunky 4x4 with a few stash pockets, some lightly painted mixed media pages, some cute pre-painted "Little Ladies" and of course a couple blank pages, OR a scrappy art journal made from mostly recycled materials and bits of scrap booking paper. Not sure which I want to do yet.

So, here is my challenge to you. I want you to create a travel journal. 

It can be an ongoing journal of all the places you go; 

OR a journal for this year only; OR a journal for one 

specific trip. there are a lot of great tips and tutorials on line 

or you can shoot me questions if you are having trouble

 thinking of something. I will do my best to help. Have fun with it 

and I look forward to seeing your art and hearing about your travels.

Many safe and glorious trips to you and your loved ones.

Cheers,

Danine

So Green

As a new, older, artist I feel so GREEN.
The age on my birth certificate may reflect the number of years
I have been on this earth but in my heart and mind I still feel young
 and very child like, especially when I'm creating art.
My "Mother Earth Goddess" holds the world in her hands
cherishing, loving and protecting each and every one of her
creations.

At times I feel like both the parent and child. With so many techniques and things to learn I often find that the parent in me has to allow the child to just play and enjoy the process. Yet I often feel a bit frustrated with imperfection or the rate in which I progress... though it's that same imperfection that is what attracts me to many of my favorite mixed-media artists. 

So, if you're a newby like me, take your time. Give yourself permission to Play, Make Mistakes, and above all else enjoy each and every step of the way.

"Live, Laugh, Love" is one of my live mantras.
It reminds me to hold the ones I love close and cherish them
always; to not take myself so seriously; and to live in
the moment. Life is too short to have what if's and should
have's. So live the life you want and live it NOW, today.

Cheers,
Danine

Inner Excavation

Life is full of many incredible experiences, what we choose to focus on determines our overall view of the world. We can focus on the good, the bad and yes even the ugly... I hope to inspire you to see the good in all.

I recently picked up a fabulous book at Chapters, "inner EXCAVATION, Explore Your Self Though Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media". As a mixed media artist this book popped out at me from the shelf and spoke to me right away. Poetry though?, my Ego chimed in... "photography maybe but, seriously you're not a poet." Thankfully I dismissed my ego's reaction seeing it for what it is, fear of the unknown and fear of change. The ego hates change. When we embrace the fact that we are not our Ego's we can move past it, embrace change and learn to grow into the Authentic beings we are destined to be.

I encourage you to pick up this wonderful book and follow along as I embark on each exercise. Lets produce some beautiful art, photo's and poetry together.

Chapter 1: I begin
My first attempt at poetry in 20ish yrs ....

I am

Words of a Song,

Whispers of gray,

A gentle touch,

Mother,

Lover,

Sister,

Earth Dweller.

I am!

This is an interactive blog so I hope you try this exercise too. Create a poem about yourself;

• I am...
• I stand...
• I am...
• I feel....
• I see a woman/man...
• I hear..

Till next time,

Love and Laughter,

Danine