I’ve officially begun my doodling journey, and as excited as I am to pick up my pen, I felt the urge to dive into where it all began. The deeper I read, the more I realized: doodling isn’t just idle scribbling — it’s something deeply etched into human history, from ancient caves to modern canvases.

The Roots of Doodling: More Than Just Scribbles

While scrolling through articles and resources I came across a blog post and I was truly amazed to learn that doodling dates back to prehistoric times. Cave walls weren’t just for hunting scenes — they also carried scratches, shapes, and patterns that looked a lot like the spontaneous marks we still make today.

Later, I stumbled on the fact that medieval monks, while copying manuscripts, often filled the margins with strange little creatures, faces, and playful drawings. These “marginalia” were essentially the doodles of their time — proof that even in the most serious of settings, humans couldn’t resist the urge to draw while their minds wandered.

And of course, I read how artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo sketched freely in notebooks. (Oh my God! Look at his drawing, I must say, he was surely a great artist.) What started as loose scribbles sometimes became the seeds of their masterpieces. That discovery enlightened me — doodling has always been both a playground for creativity and a window into our thoughts.

But then I came across something interesting — Google defines doodling as “absent-minded drawing.” Honestly, I don’t buy that. When I look at some of the fantastic doodle artworks out there (I’ll be sharing a few here), they are far from “mindless.” The level of detail, rhythm, and creativity involved feels almost genius. Yes, doodles may start as simple lines, but they can grow into masterpieces.

 

Doodling Through the Ages: From Psychedelia to Pop Culture

Fast forward to the 20th century, and doodling found new homes. It morphed into cartoons, comic strips, and even psychedelic art movements. Reading about this made me realize that doodles were no longer confined to margins; they had jumped onto posters, canvases, and entire cultural movements.

This transition — from cave walls to Renaissance sketches, from notebook scribbles to trippy poster art — showed me how doodling has constantly evolved, but never lost its essence: simple lines carrying complex meaning.

Modern Inspiration: The Doodle Boy

In one of my rabbit-hole dives online, I came across the story of Joe Whale, better known as “The Doodle Boy.” He started off doodling in school, often getting in trouble for filling his books with drawings. Today, his doodles decorate actual restaurant walls in England, and he’s inspiring young artists everywhere.

When I watched his story, it struck me: doodling isn’t just a pastime; it can grow into something much bigger if you nurture it. I’ve embedded the video here for you to see his journey too:

👉 Watch “The Doodle Boy” on YouTube

My First Step: Putting Pen to Paper 

Of course, reading about history and modern doodle legends wouldn’t mean much if I didn’t start myself. So for this post, I picked up my pen, let my thoughts wander, and thought to do something related to Halloween since its coming soon. Here is one doodle art I picked up from Pintrest and below is my work :D.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine — the first page of my doodle journey. Sharing it here feels like putting a flag down at the beginning of a long creative path. It was not easy I must admit. The first challenge for me was the TOOLS!! I have to buy pens with sharp nib or if any other are available in the market.

What’s Next?

This is only the beginning. My goal is to keep experimenting, learning from online platforms, and seeing where doodling takes me. From quirky characters to structured patterns, I want to explore all sides of this art form and yes, buy some pens first….. 

So stay tuned — the journey continues!

From caves to canvases, margins to murals, doodling has always been with us. Now, I get to add my own little mark to that history.