pamela.ullmannMaking marks on paper can be good for you!
I can’t help it; I’m a doodler. Throughout my years in school, while taking notes for a class, or making my outlines, sure enough, there were little dots, dashes, hearts, and other random designs to go along with the information. I did not know the zen doodle had a formal name back then.
Back then, I never made the connection that doodling enabled me to concentrate and absorb the topic. Now, as an adult, my doodling helps me focus and has become my form of zen and mindfulness. Doodling also gives you an emotional outlet. Doodling can help you express yourself and calm you down if you have difficulty communicating or putting your feelings into words.
As an art therapist working with many individuals, my experience has led me to trust the creative process. That’s my professional side speaking. However, my personal view remains the same, if not even more substantial, in this conviction. Doodling has its benefits. We can freely engage in making marks with no expectations or judgment. “It’s just a doodle.” However, the process exceeds the product. Doodling enhances creative thinking. The mental state of doodling puts us in an area between awareness and daydreaming. In this relaxed state, creative ideas come to the surface.
Therapeutically speaking
One of my colleagues in art therapy, Cathy Malchiodi, Ph.D., LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC, has written many articles and books in the field. In Psychology Today, she states,
“The wonderful thing about doodling is that it is a whole-brain activity — spontaneous, at times unconscious, self-soothing, satisfying, exploratory, memory-enhancing, and mindful.”
In addition, Malchioti states that according to research, doodling and other forms of art expression help individuals reconnect their left brain (thinking) to their right brain (feeling) and hence connect the narrative and the sensory. This connection ultimately helps with our memory and recall. In a research study (Andrade, 2010), participants were tasked to listen to a mock phone message about those responding to a party. They needed to jot down the names of those attending only. One-half of the participants were asked to fill in little squares and circles on paper while making their lists. The others were asked to make a list. Later, a memory test was administered, and the group that had doodled retained the information almost a third better than the others. (Malchioti, 2014)
Let’s start doodling!
There are a variety of ways to get started in this activity. You will need simple drawing materials on hand. However, commercial supplies are also designed specifically for this type of art-making. Some enjoy engaging in “Zentagles,” a pattern-making technique using small square cards and black pens. However, some prefer to add their guidelines to doodling and add color or other elements. The main thing to remember is to be in the moment and not judge. While you can “plan” a design, letting the creative process happen spontaneously is acceptable. As you draw, enjoy the patterns that emerge.
Here are some suggestions for finding your Zen through doodling:
1) Create a special artmaking kit for yourself designed explicitly for doodling. This kit may include pencils, gel pens, fine-tip markers, micro-pens, and a small sketchbook or journal. If you are inclined to, find a soft pouch or tote bag to keep these supplies in.
2) Find a quiet space just like you would if you were meditating. Meditating before or after your artmaking will make the experience even better!
3) Add nature sounds or soft music to the experience.
4) If you are unsure where to begin, create a simple shape like a circle or a square and divide the shape into several sections. Then dedicate each section to a different pattern. One section can be lined another one can be dots or a checkerboard. Let your creativity go!
5) Optional additions: I like to add words or affirmations to my doodles. It gives it more meaning, and I enjoy playing with the letters as part of the design. You may also want to doodle around a meaningful religious symbol or prayer. Anything goes!
Whether you make this a formal practice or a once-in-a-while fun activity, doodling may take you away from everyday stressors. Make yourself a cup of tea, play your favorite music and give yourself the gift of doodling!
References
Andrade, J. (2010). What does doodling do? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24: 100–106. doi: 10.1002/acp.1561.
Brown, S. (2014). The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently. New York: Portfolio Penguin.
Malchioti, C (2014). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/arts-and-health/201401/doodling-your-way-more-mindful-life
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