Doodling With a Purpose

Lately I have been really into doodling with a purpose.  It is very addicting.  I've shared a few of these on Facebook, and some have wanted to know how I do it.  It's very simple.  Thought I'd give a little of a tutorial here on my blog.

click on images to ENLARGE

 

I started off using a stencil I have just drawing a few circles with it.  It gives me a good starting point, especially when the white page looks so blank and you aren't sure how to begin.

 Let's begin but first, here are the simple pens, pencils and markers I used.  You can also use paints, watercolor, etc.

The blending pen worked well on color penciled in areas.

Sorry, the Uni-ball Signo pen is upside down, my white ink pen.

I just started adding marks with my Sharpie here and there.  I also took another stencil and added a few boxes.  Off of the circles I added what I'll call petals.  This is when the doodling starts to happen. 

Now I connected it all together drawing lines from one place to another.  This now blocks in areas for me to doodle in or write words.  Think of it as if you were creating a coloring book.

I wrote some prayers within the spaces and added more markings/doodles to various places.

I start to color with my pens, markers, etc. inside some areas.  You can be as detailed as you want when adding color.

Still adding color.

Color completed in these areas for now.

I start to add some more doodles, this time swirls and such.  Mark-making can be anything, whatever is comfortable for you. It could just be circles or triangles.

Now I added some larger petals.

Within my petals I continue to doodle, adding words of prayers that are on my heart at the moment.

I recently finished reading a book that I loved and outlined pasages that spoke to me.  Inside the petals I wrote them there.  I find writing things down help me to remember what I found to be important.  It sinks deeper into my soul this way.

Book:  "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge

Close up.

After writing my words, I colored the rest of the white areas.  My colors were a bit bright for me so I muted them by coloring over them with other colors.

My final touches include using the white inked pen and retracing with my  black Sharpie Pen.

There ya have it, super simple!  Hope you are inspired to doodle away today.  I think this exercise is expecially wonderful if you find yourself stuck in the creativity department.  It will help loosen you up.

Here are a few of my other pages.

 

Comments

[amelia]

More tham beautiful! Thank you!

[Caroline]

Everyone is talking about Zentangle right now but I find it rather intimidating as it "seems" that it has to be so perfect & stylised & in some ways like a competition to come up with the most complex. I always doodled from a young age & (much to My teachers' frustration in class), I found it not only fun & relaxing but it also helped me concentrate, 'zone out' if you like... I actually took in much more of what teachers were telling us!! Your ideas & how/where to begin are refreshing & so inspiring. You make it seem accessible, something I may be able to try without pressure of "is it right?" constantly interrupting the creativity... ty. C☺

[Theresa Dendinger]

Thanks for sharing your process! It!s inspiring to see each step! And the results are lovely!

[jeannie]

Love the colors you have used!!!

[jeannie]

Fantastic! love your colors.

[Charlene]

Love your use of color! Soft yet sooooooveryinteresting. I would love to do this! Thanks for sharing!

[Pamela]

Lovely .. Joanna...really had so much fun reading this.. xo

[Jill]

You make it look so easy!!

[Eileen Schwanke]

I love this piece soooooo much, Joanna! It's almost as if you found a way to lay your soul out on paper. That you documented the entire process makes it that much more beautiful to me. Thank you for sharing your amazing art with the world!! XOXO

[Dorthe]

Dearest Joanna,
this new venture for you, is showing your amazing feeling and ability , of doing art, whatever you turn to, of different materials, and ideas.
I know I already told you on fb. but I find your doodle art so gorgeous and beautiful, now even more after having had the chance to read some of your prayers, and the pasages from the book.
What a wonderful new adventure, my friend-
Thank you for the tutorial.
Love from Dorthe

[Elizabeth Woodford]

Absolutely magical!! Thank s for sharing!! Have a glorious day !! Hugs!

[Diane]

Thanks for the fun tutorial. Very fun and detailed, I love it. The book sounds wonderful. Great to hear from you. Diane

[hastypearl]

Great step out tutorial. The ones that you showed before on Facebook were just amazing. This looks like fun :) Laura

[Connie Permenter]

Oh how I love what you have posted ! I am going to try this ... I am trying to get back into creating something and this would be perfect !! Thank you so much for the how to get started !!

[Brenda Bliss]

Thank you Joanna for sharing. My heart is so heavy and I hope I am going to lighten it by sitting down and "doodling the Joanna way" Hugs!!!!!

[joanne thieme huffman]

Love your doodles. I think your writing adds the perfect personal touch. Your tutorial is clear and easy to follow.

[Lorie]

Joanna, these are just beautiful. I find them so much more artistic and engaging than Zentangles in black and white, even the ones in color. I love how you've added meaningful text throughout. Just awesome. xo