Ok, so it's a day late, but here it is!

I created a doodling tutorial for another site as part of an ongoing contest and I thought I'd share it here too!!

This tutorial is all about DOODLING!!

Don't get scared, stick with me through this and I promise you, by the end of this tutorial you'll be hauling out those pens, pencils and markers and doodling up a storm!

It seems like lately, there are many different shortcuts to doodling available all over the place, including doodling templates, doodling stamps, and rub-ons. But for this tutorial I'll be using just pens, no templates, no rulers, no ink. And I would love for you to do the same.

First of all, I'd like to talk about the tools for doodling. There are many different shapes, sizes and varieties of pens and markers, and I've probably tried most of them. I think I've got somewhat of a pen fetish, and you would probably agree if you ever saw my pen/marker stash. But...these are the ones I always return to, over and over again. My FAVS!



The Uniball white is fantastic for writing on darker paper.

The Sharpie it the best for doodling on photos....and YES...I do doodle on my photos too. lol

There are so many different doodling techniques, but for this tutorial I'll be sticking with different types of lines and frames and swirls. That's what I tend to use the most. I will also show you some other photos of other techniques I have used in the past, some of them will be from a few years ago, because I have been doodling for a while.

Before you read any further...go grab your favorite pen or marker and a couple of pieces of scrap paper. (more than a couple if you are going to practice lots).

Start by freehandedly drawing just a plain square......then a circle, then a circle inside a square. Then let the pen relax in your hand and continue to draw circles and squares all over the paper until you have a good feel for how the pen writes (or if it even writes at all. lol).

Now, you're all warmed up.

Doodled Lines

Take out another piece of scrap paper, and start practicing these different types of doodle lines. These are doodles that I use most frequently, but you can create your own as well.



All of these different types of lines can be used for frames around photos, paper, your entire LO or even on your photos. You can use them for lines to accent a specific photo, word in journaling or a special embelishment.

Here are some lines and partial frames I used in this LO (and you can see that all of these doodlied lines can be mixed on one page).















SWIRLS
Now that you have the lines, let's continue to the swirls.
This next tutorial will be a very basic one, but please keep in mind that with these simple steps you can go more detailed if you wish.

1. Begin with a simple swirl. It's actually shaped like a big 'S' turned on it's side.


2. Created a closed loop on one of the ends. (I usually do it to the larger end).


3. Draw a second line to create an open area in the bigger curves on the swirl.


4. There are many ways to fill in these gaps. I used small strokes using my pen, but you can also color them in using pencil crayons, chalk or ink. you can draw mini circles in the areas, the possibilities are endless. (Or you can choose to leave them open).


5. Create a bit of movement around the swirl by adding partial lines around the bigger curves, or dots. You can also use some of those different doodled lines I showed you above.


6. You can then leave the swirl as is, or you can add extra little swirls to the one you already created.


And there you have it! Try experimenting with these swirls. You can use them to accent a photo, or add a little extra to those open spaces on your pages.

That's it for my doodling techniques. Thanks so much for reading along (if you got this far). I hope I have inspired you all to step out and give doodling a try!

Doodling is not a necessity, but it sure add to my pages. I do not feel that my pages (or any of my projects) are complete without a little bit my doodling. Here's an example of the different it makes:

I'll show you now just what a difference it makes.

Here it a LO without any doodling at all.


And here is the doodled version.


So thanks once again!

Happy DOODLING!!

Cool :-)

I need to know what pen you used for the white swirls?? I can NEVER get my uniball white pen to mark that good.

Great tutorial Susan! Thanks so much! I have heard that using Sharpies are not good for scrappin' as they tend to bleed over time. Do you find this to be true. Instead of sharpies, I use "IDenti. Pen" by Sakura. This is a permanent marker, like a sharpie, with dual ends (one bigger and one fine point). My son uses this pen too for marking his CD's as he heard that sharpies will bleed through the CD over time and ruin anything on it.

Great job! Love your tutorial Susan!

I did a Doodling class at SBCH for the last Technique crop we had and I called the class the "Doodly-dos!!" We made little 3x3" books on CS bound with binder rings with samples of the different categories of doodles. It was so much fun!

I LOVE doodling! And I too love my white pen.

Carla, one white gel pen that I had didn't work well. Nic and I figured out that we THINK it may have gotten frozen-- it was in my mailbox in EARLY spring- I never thought about the time of yr when I ordered it. It def froze that night- may have been the cause of the skipping. Could that be related to the issues you have had? Also- aNOTHER POINT...if I store mine tip UP- it skips. So-- with my Uniball gel pens, incl the white one, and my AC Slickwriters (for whatever reason) I store 'em tip down., There are as many different opinions as pens on that issue... I went to a Sakura Gel Pen site (I THINK- that MAY be the wrong site) and that is what they said: store gel pens w/ tip down...

TY for sharing YOUR doodly-dos Susan! I love readign tutorials OTHERS have done, so helpful. You very much AMAZE me every time, you're SOOOO darned good at the doodles! TY.

Great tutorial! I absolutely LOVE your doodled layouts but I am soooo challenged in this area...lol. I even have the doodle books from years back....maybe I should dig them out again

Great tutorial, Susan!

Awesome tutorial!!!

Love your doodles!!! I have only gotten to the freehand lines.. but will work on it!!

I love your tutorial. I haven't practiced yet but read through. I love the idea of doodling but I've only done a bit so far. It really does add a lot to a layout. Your doodles are very creative. I'll have to work at this.

so helpful and a wonderful tutorial...TFS, Susan !!

Awesome! I love to doodle. TFS.

Thanks ladies! I'm glad you liked it!

Carla, I just use the Uniball Signo White.

Oh, my! How come I missed this??? Thanks!