LINES - Creative Prompt • 3-Line Doodle…
“A drawing is simply a line going for a walk.”
Do you doodle? Doodling is a way to relax and unwind with additional less obvious benefits!. Although some may feel that it is distracting, studies show that doodling can actually help you focus. The “thinking” Benefits of Doodling by Dr. Srini Pillay references research that links doodling with increased attention and learning.
The 3-Line doodle is an example of a drawing prompt where a little structure is provided at the beginning. I have been using this type of doodling since art school, and often used this warm-up exercise when I was a teacher to get students to explore drawing and design elements in a more spontaneous and playful manner. Other types of doodling will be shared in future creative prompt posts.
Creative Prompt: “3-Line Doodle”
Invitation.
This is an invitation to doodle in both a playful and structured way. You can use a full page to create your doodle or create a square or shape and doodle within that outline. Examples below.
Materials.
• paper + pencil + and fine-tip marker
Begin With a Line.
• Begin with a single pencil line. Start at the top of the page and end somewhere at the bottom (or within the shape that you created). Your line can be straight, curved, created from loops or hard edges, or a combination of a variety of elements.
• Next draw a second pencil line in response to your first. This line could echo elements of the first line or be completely different. It can be vertical… horizontal…diagonal… As shapes are created by overlapping and intersecting lines, have your second line overlap the first line in one or more places.
• The third line can wander in any direction. Where it overlaps the other two lines more shapes and spaces will be created.
Complete Your ‘Doodle’.
Once your simple pencil design is created, have fun filling the spaces and shapes with different lines, marks and patterns. A fine point marker is a handy drawing tool to use here. The marker can also be used to define and outline all of the new created shapes.
Add.
Add shading using your pencil to suggest shadow and depth.
Discover.
Create a series of doodles using this process. Explore different combinations of lines and patterns. The possibilities are endless!
Some Recent Doodles.
“Everything starts from a dot.”
“A curved line is the loveliest distance between two points.”
“An active line on a walk, moving freely, without goal. A walk for a walk’s sake.”
Share Your Designs.
In a future post I can share your creations and bring other elements into this process such as colour and natural elements.
