I'm a doodler and you can be too
I've been a poet and writer since I learned how to write, but I knew for probably the same amount of time that I wanted to learn how to draw.
I took art classes and failed at several of them.
The same thing happened after I finished those classes: I vowed to never try to make art again.
And each and every time, even if it took me a little while, I picked up my pencil or pen and I started to doodle.
It's something I still do.
I have a stack of sketchbooks and a lot of loose sketches, all filled with doodles that are wonky at best but so totally me.
The doodle that inspired this post
The other day I posted the image below, and got a response similar to those I've had lot of times over the years: I wish I had your talent to doodle.
I'm not really THAT good but what I am is persistent. I go through phases where I draw my tea mugs every day. I go through phases where I fill whole pages with noses or hands because I want to learn to draw people.
Oodles of doodles
I never push myself. I also never scrap doodles.
The funny thing is, over the years I have torn up and thrown away a lot of journals (it's kind of a process to start a new phase of my life for me).
I did keep one thing from those journals, though, my doodles. On the shelf near my desk is a really thick notebook with pasted doodles (I may have to share a video of it).
Over the years I've not just doodled cups. I've doodled cats, pretty houses, nature and my husband. Badly. I've also made self portraits. Even badlier.
But that doesn't matter. They are all steps in my journey as a doodler.
I'm a professional doodler
Years ago I doodled this in my journal:
It's a bit of a contradiction. Being a doodler is more a playful thing. That's why I like it. It mocks the professionalism.
But I do take doodling serious. In fact, it was the first thing I started doing when I was so very sick last year. I still have that doodle somewhere, it was of the sink area at the hospital.
It felt like a beacon of light, that doodle. Here I was, in a hospital with people fearing for my life, but I grabbed my pen and just doodled.
And that is what I still do. Not daily, but does that even matter? I doodle when it matters, when I feel like it, when I get the urge to.
And that, to me, is perfect.
So how can you be a doodler?
By doodling. Every day, or every other day, or whenever the mood strikes. Keep a notebook or sketchbook with you, and give yourself a couple of minutes to doodle.
You can start like me, just draw your cup. Give yourself five minutes like I do, or two minutes, or one, and doodle that cup. When the timer goes off, put down the pen or pencil and appreciate your work.
And if your inner judge tells you it's not perfect, just tell yourself, "Well what do you expect, I only had a few minutes. It's perfect for that amount of time."
And then doodle on!