Gallery of past work

Monday 25 November 2013

Never dismiss a doodle

Following on from the post on Outsider Art from two days ago, I've been thinking.

So much of the work we saw seemed to be about the recording of a stream of internal thoughts as they poured onto the page. The techniques the artists used reminded me so much of what I do when I'm doodling - just working idly in an unpressured way and enjoying myself.

I've posted several times about doodles and, as regular readers of this blog will know, I doodle regularly in stitch. The word is not ideal and seems trivial and unconsidered but I don't have another word for what I saw happening as these untutored artists worked. They seemed to be finding the same great feeling of freedom I find in doing them.

Judging from the programme on BBC 4, doodling can lead to extraordinary places if you are sufficiently uninhibited and willing to go with your feelings.

So now, I made a rule for myself - never dismiss a doodle or idle playing, in pencil or stitch. You never know where it may lead ...

Another thought occurs to me - if you can doodle on paper or with stitch, can you doodle on a PC? I've been playing again (another word not to be dismissed!) and these are the results.

... some doodling over black and white work done a while back (itself a doodle) and playing in Photoshop...


... more Photoshop play on some cut outs ...


... inverted and then edges found ...


and the with polar co-ordinates applied ...


So, are these doodles? I guess it all depends on how you define a doodle. That sets me thinking still more ...


10 comments:

  1. Oh yes, photoshopped doodling is very cool. Love what you've done!

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    1. I thought as I was doing them that you'd recognise the wandering lines ...!

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  2. Doodling on my computer is at the beginning of most of my work. It's a wondrous way to start working, generating and loosening ideas.

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    1. Having tried it this once, I will certainly try it again. The fact that with simple clicks of the mouse you can produce several versions of images is very liberating - mistakes don't matter a jot. I like the freedom.

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  3. Have you tried a graphic pad, so that you are drawing with what feels like a pen? I find that liberates me completely.

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    1. Thanks, Olga - no I haven't but I've been hankering after one for a while, since I saw what David Hockney does with his. What do you have - an iPad?

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  4. I simply have a pc with a graphic pen attached (sometimes called a graphic tablet or a mouse pen) - in the same way as a mouse. I have had the graphic pad for many years now - since the 1990s I think, and it has always been a boon.
    I do not have an iPad, and have not really coveted one - I love my graphic pad.
    This is what they are like: https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=graphic+pad+for+pc&meta=#hl=en&q=graphic+pad+for+pc&tbm=shop

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    1. Very many thanks. I've just had a look and they look very interesting. I will definitely investigate further - who knows, there's always the Christmas wish list!

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  5. I love your thoughts about doodles...even though I haven't done any on the computer. I've spent hours spontaneously drawing hamsa hands (hand of Fatima). What I loved about doing it is that I had the structure of the five fingers and the eye but within that structure I was able to play. It was extremely meditative and I have produced some finished drawings and carved blocks from my explorations. Doodles rule!

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    1. Doodles are fun, aren't they - but they have a poor image which needs a makeover! To me, the word has an undeservedly trivial and unconsidered air which doesn't give credit for the loosening and liberating effect they can have.
      I'd be fascinated to see your drawings and the carved blocks. They sound lovely.

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