Last week’s doodling journey took a fun twist♥♥ — it’s like everywhere I look, the world is showing me doodles! It feels as if now that I’ve chosen this as my learning project, my eyes have started catching every line, swirl, and scribble that I earlier missed.

Activities Last Week

After deciding to learn doodling, I’ve been paying attention to how doodles are used in everyday design — from packaging to apps to traditional art forms. This week, I didn’t just draw; I observed doodles in action all around me.

It all started with a trip to McDonald’s. I was missing my favorite McVeggie Burger — it’s a vegetarian burger we get in India, but not here in Canada (still hurts, honestly!). When I visited a McDonald’s here recently, the paper bag caught my attention — it had doodle art all over it! I forgot about the missing burger for a second because my eyes were glued to the artwork. The playful sketches, random objects, and curvy lines made me realize how much doodling has entered modern branding and marketing.

That little discovery gave me my next idea — to recreate a doodle inspired by the McDonald’s bag. I’m planning to try it my next drawing project!

Doodles Hidden in Everyday Apps

Then came another “aha” moment — when I opened WhatsApp. I’ve been using it for more than a decade, but I only just realized that its default chat wallpaper is filled with doodles! Planets, chat bubbles, clocks, emojis — all scattered around like mini artworks. I laughed at myself — how did I never notice this before? Maybe I didn’t have a doodler’s eye back then. Now, even a simple wallpaper feels like inspiration.

Doodling in Tradition: The Beauty of Henna

And since this week is special — we Indian married women are preparing for Karwa Chauth — my feed is full of mehndi (henna) designs. While scrolling through Instagram, saving my favorite patterns, it struck me: henna designs are doodles too! The repetitive lines, floral curves, mandalas, and symmetry — they all fit perfectly into the doodle family. I couldn’t help but see the artistic overlap.

This made me appreciate how doodling isn’t limited to notebooks; it’s part of our cultural and artistic expressions too. What’s even better? These traditional designs can inspire modern doodle patterns. I’m planning to try merging both styles in a future post!

Online Inspiration & Learning

This week, I continued exploring doodling tutorials on YouTube and Pinterest.

• I really liked a channel called “Doodle With Me” — it breaks down doodle art into simple steps. The only thing I found challenging was the video speed; I had to pause often to follow along.

• Pinterest, on the other hand, is my new obsession! It’s filled with easy ideas like “doodle borders” and “tiny doodle icons,” which I’m planning to use for my next practice sheet.

• During my first doodle art I really struggled with the type of pens I need to do the finest work. I ended up getting the thick nib which did not give me what I was actually looking for. Thanks to YouTube, I found the following video that helped me to find the exact tools for doodling. However, this video tells about Mandala Art, nevertheless, Mandala is also king of doodling. So yes! it works for me.

 

Both platforms are helping me not only learn how to doodle but also notice where doodles live around me.

Reflection: Seeing the World Through Doodle Eyes

If second week was about learning doodling’s history, last week was about realizing how present it is in our daily lives. From food packaging to phone apps to cultural traditions — doodles are literally everywhere!

It feels funny to admit, but my eyes only “get doodled” now — I see patterns where I never did before. And that’s the beauty of learning something new; it changes how you see the world.

Next Steps

• Recreate my version of the McDonald’s doodle bag art.

• Try combining henna-inspired patterns into my doodle pages.

• Keep exploring Pinterest boards and YouTube for more easy beginner designs.

This week wasn’t just about drawing; it was about observing art in the ordinary.
And honestly, that’s what makes doodling magical — it’s hidden in plain sight, waiting for someone to notice.

Stay tuned! My next post will include my first attempt at mixing modern doodles with traditional Indian mehndi patterns — let’s see how that goes!

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.

Hey friends, Welcome to my space! For my major learning project, I had to choose something to learn using online platforms. After thinking about all the interests that I have or had (and honestly, a little daydreaming), I knew exactly what I wanted to dive into and it’s DOODLING!!.

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My Love Affair with Drawing (and Why Painting Failed Me)

I’ve always been that kid who loved drawing. School competitions? Count me in.  Sometimes I won, sometimes I lost, but my love for drawing never faded away. But here’s the funny part: painting and I were never best friends. I tried… oh, I tried. But the brush and I never clicked. It was time when I used to consider drawing means painting as well!

From Cells to Cycles: Drawing My Way Through Science

As I got older, my drawing shifted into something super practical. My notebooks and lab practical files were full of biology diagrams (heart, plant cell, animal cell), chemistry lab apparatus, water cycles… you name it. I poured my heart into them, not just because I had to, but because drawing genuinely made me happy.

Teacher Mode: Turning Chalkboards Into Canvases

When I became a teacher, my drawing didn’t disappear. In fact, it became part of my lessons! Instead of just talking, I drew simple, relatable sketches on the board. And guess what? My students loved it! Their smiles and excitement pushed me to keep using drawing as a teaching tool.

And let’s not forget the start of new school years — decorating classrooms and the main school boards. It used to be overwhelming though, but to be honest, I secretly loved those tasks because they gave me another reason to draw.

2023: My First Taste of Doodling 

In 2023, while making a school board, I unknowingly entered the world of doodling. At first, I thought it was just drawing. Later, after searching on Google Images, I realized—nope, doodling is a whole art form on its own! I instantly fell in love♥♥. It felt playful, creative, and a little addictive.

Fast Forward to 2025: Doodling With a Purpose

Life got busy, and doodling took a back seat. But last month, something magical happened. At my workplace, I doodled again with one of the kids who is autistic and loves doodling. It was such a wholesome, refreshing experience that reminded me how much I’ve missed it.

So when this course gave me the chance to pick a project, my heart screamed: Doodling!

My Big DΘΘdle Goals

Here’s what I want to do with this project:

• Dive into doodling tutorials online (probably YouTube, Pinterest, blogs).

• I might explore different styles — mandalas, lettering, tiny sketches.

• Practice consistently and see my progress over time.

• Reflect on doodling as both my personal stress-buster and professional secret weapon.

Why I’m Excited

I believe, doodling is more than just “random scribbles.” It’s a mix of art, learning, and fun. It’s something that connects me to my childhood love for drawing, my teaching style, and even my present learning journey.

So this is me, taking the leap into the doodle world. Stay tuned—my notebooks, margins, and maybe even my walls (Just Joking!! :D), might soon be filled with patterns, swirls, and little drawings that (hopefully!) tell a bigger story.

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