Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Power of Doodling: Imaginary Flora and the Brain


I've been doodling this week, or, to be a bit more precise, my whole life. Yes, I'm a doodler from way back. In first grade, my teacher asked my parents to send in a special notepad I could use to doodle on in school. She could have scolded me, or tried to make me stop, but instead, she accepted that it was something I needed to do and found a way to make it possible. From that point on, my doodling passion flourished throughout my entire academic career, and I'm proud to say, it's still alive and well!  Even so, I sometimes I feel like I need to do something more 'serious' with my art than 'just doodle' and I don't always give in to the fun. But this week I gave in to the doodling and doodled on a grand scale! 

First in my sketchbook:








Then on my Ipad!



And finally, I got my encaustics and played around with a doodle design in wax:



Doodling is not only fun, it's good for your brain! Studies have shown that it can help you concentrate, and improve your problem solving ability. This Ted Talk by Sunni Brown outlines some of the benefits of doodling. I think any of us who doodle know this instinctively. It's just a part of who we are, and as natural (and necessary) to us as breathing. So if you're doodler, keep on doodling. And if you don't doodle, why not join in the fun and give it a try?




40 comments:

  1. This is fabulous! What a great teacher you had.

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    1. Thank you. I agree! And this was a very long time ago. :)

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  2. love this Debbie! Sara

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    1. Thanks for visiting, and for your nice comment, Sara.

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  3. How lovely that you had a teacher who recognised that it was a positive thing... and your doodles in this post are just lovely... xx

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  4. I'm a little biased - but I have to say it anyway... I think the encaustic one is the most beautiful :) They all are lovely and doodling is so good for us. I need to take your lead and doodle more.

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  5. Great post! :) Beautiful doodles and I am so happy that your teacher accommodated your learning needs. Your doodles are definitely works of art. i love the soft colors and strong lines and shapes. :)

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  6. Lovely doodles, beautiful designs, sensitive lines! Good to know doodling is good for you, how awesome! <3

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  7. I agree wholeheartedly - doodling is wonderful and I too was a life long doodler - at my first ever 9-5 job as a travel agent we had those big desk pads and I would sit and doodle all over it - my boss eventually asked me to stop when one of our regular client's commented on how much I had progressed (I'd nearly covered the entire page!)
    These doodles are lovely - I'd never have known one of them was done on an iPad!!

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  8. OOO I love the one in encaustics. not something I have tried, but the texture and the depth of your work is amazing. I also adore doodling - it is a big part of my work. Happy ppf !

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  9. Your doodles are so very lovely! I love doodling too, so very relaxing!

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  10. Your style is evident in all these beautiful doodles!! I always doodled too, long before I ever did any concrete art. Interesting post!! Thanks for sharing...love all the different mediums you used!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  11. Love your doodles. Enjoying the textures and color as well. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. loving your great doodles. Happy PPF, Annette x

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  13. Really pretty doodles-love how the encaustic one turned out. Happy PPF!

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  14. I should 'doodle' so well! Beautiful work! I am always so focused on the finished product, I don't find time for the 'doodle' and then don't get to the end result. Thx for the lesson ... I am going to 'doodle' this weekend! thx for the inspiration! ❤

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    1. Have fun! I need to worry about the finished product more sometimes, but doodling is very relaxing, which I think is good for creativity.

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  15. Your doodles are just lovely and the colors are so soothing. Happy PPF!

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  16. All so beautifully done, Debbie!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  17. Your doodles are wonderful... and good for you too :)

    Karen x

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  18. Beautiful work, I love doodling too! Valerie

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  19. Debbie, I am a doodler but my doodles look nowhere near as beautiful as yours. Gorgeous work.

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  20. What a great teacher! It's lovely work, too, thanks for sharing.

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  21. I am a doodler too.. usually while on the phone and on anything handy. :) It does help one concentrate. Lovely doodles you've done. HPPF

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  22. Dear Debbie, you perceive and feel your doodles in such a beautiful way. I love what you wrote and how much passion and love there is for doodles in your life. It seems like your sacred space. Truly beautiful and thank you so much for sharing.

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  23. I am so glad that you had a teacher who recognized and encouraged your art. I used to doodle all of the time but I just realized after reading your post it is something that I have not done in a long time. After seeing your beautiful work, I think I need to begin doodling again. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  24. Love your flowing doodles! What a great teacher you had! I was always drawing in school, and once I got detention because of it ..... Good to know that doodling is good for the brain! Better keep up the good work then ;-)

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  25. Fabulous -- and what comfort that TED talk gave to me! Wish I could go back in time and make all my past teachers (who scolded me for doodling) watch it! Happy PPF!

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    1. Thank you, and yes, I agree. Not all of my teachers and professors were so understanding. I teach ESL and I always smile when I have a doodler in my class.

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  26. Smart teacher! Doodling is therapeutic, relaxing, and creative. I was surprised when I found out several years ago that not everyone does it! That's just hard for me to imagine. I really like that iPad doodle! It looks like watercolor.

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  27. GORGEOUS!! wow .. I love all this softness!

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  28. So many people have stories of being discouraged by teachers - your story was a breath of fresh air. I think your doodles are just wonderful and love the encaustic. HPPF

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  29. Your doodles look fabulous! Doodling or zentangling gives me a cramp in my hand and a headache. :) Lol! I don't think it does me any good. But still I try from time to time.

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  30. So many media for doodles! Looks fun trying them all out. The second one looks very calming, thanks for sharing. :)

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  31. debbie these are so much fun, not to mention beautiful and serene. i am very curious how one doodles on their ipad...i must google it! whatever you did there it is brilliant and gorgeous!!! happy ppf.

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  32. i enjoyed your doodles Debbie! And I agree that it helps us too especially in brainstorming. Keep it coming!

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  33. I love love love the doodles. They remind me of great patterns for embroidery. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  34. Now that is what I call a fantastic and wise teacher! What a gift to have had her. I love your doodles. It is something that I am not very original in, but tangling has helped my imagination loosen up a bit towards spontaneous doodling.

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  35. those doodles are wonderful..your garden make me think of the coming summer, real nice :) I am sure, the encaustic one is my favourite ♥

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  36. gorgeous doodles and so detailed in the encaustic one!

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