Creating repetitive doodle art can be an excellent way to practice mindfulness, relax and relieve stress. The repetitive nature of doodling can help you switch off completely and express your creativity without the pressure of perfection. The best part is that you don’t need any special materials to start doodling; a piece of paper, a biro, or a pencil will do.
For my doodles, I used a sheet of watercolour paper I had on hand and a permanent fine liner just in case I may want to colour them in with watercolours later on.
Materials & Equipment
A blank piece of paper or a sketchbook (I used an 8x10in a piece of watercolour paper)
Fine liner, biro or even a pencil (I used permanent 0.5mm fine liner)
Watercolours, crayons or markers (optional)
Method
- Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. It does not necessarily have to be a quiet place as long as you can concentrate on your art. I was actually doodling on the sofa, in front of the TV, but I engaged in what I was doing so much that I completely missed the entire movie…
- Start with a simple shape or pattern anywhere on your paper. It could be a circle, a square, or any shape you like. I went for a leaf-like shape.
- Now, repeat and expand around your first shape. You can make it as complex or as simple as you want. You can add patterns and detail to the repetitive shapes. I used simple lines on each of the “leaves” and changed direction once I reached the top of the page.
- When you are finished and satisfied with your doodle, you can add some colour to it. I left mine (for now) as it is.
- Repeat this practice whenever you need a moment to yourself.
