Tuesday, February 23, 2010

It's Doodle Time!


Usually I reserve this blog to just show my finished art, or maybe something in progress for a tutorial. Perhaps once in awhile though, I might post some of my doodles just for fun. Here are some recent doodles, mostly sketched while having lunch and reading my daily Globe and Mail at a favourite restaurant. After reading all the news I'm interested in, I'll start sketching aimlessly in whatever patches of bare space I can find among the pages of the newspaper.


My favourite subject matter is cartooning the human face, as I love to explore the myriad shapes, sizes, and relative placement of facial features on various head shapes. Admittedly, most of my doodles end up being of cute cartoon girls, as that is a subject I can never tire of drawing! The great thing about doodling on newspaper is that it is so completely inviting and tempting. Unlike doodling on clean white fresh pages in a sketchbook, which can be rather intimidating due to the commitment of the act, sketching on newspaper is just like getting more use out of something that was destined for the recycling bin anyway. Also, there is nothing quite so pleasing as the feel of a ballpoint pen on soft, padded newsprint.


I especially like to doodle because I feel I can draw completely in my own natural style, as loose, spontaneous and free of the constraints I might place on myself when drawing for a paid commission, particularly when the client is expecting something to look a certain way. When one doodles, there is the distinct pleasure of knowing that you are doing it just for yourself, not subject to anybody else's approval nor what they would be willing to pay for it. No, you yourself are the only one to satisfy and, heck, even if you don't like it, you haven't invested much time or effort in creating it. If it's good, maybe you'll file it away for future reference, and if not, it joins the rest of the newspaper in the aforementioned recycling bin.


More cute girls. (Hey, how did that one funny looking guy get in there?)


Often, these cute cartoon girls make an appearance right after I've solved my Sudoku puzzle. Could somebody please check to make sure I put all the numbers in the right place? Thanks...

16 comments:

  1. These are really nice Pete! I'm glad you posted them, haven't really seen much of your doodles before 8)

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  2. I love Sudoku, too~~~
    i think all the numbers are in the right places^0^`` Well done!~
    BTW, nice pictures~~~!!!!

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  3. These are great! I love looking at great doodles, there is a lot to learn from them, thanks for sharing them.

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  4. Hey pete,

    awesome sketches, i've come to realize that i haven't sketched in a LONG time. Spending too much time with Maya i think.

    I should spend more of my break time from the computer sketching instead of...not sketching..

    thanks for the reminder!!

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  5. These a wonderful! I realize I need to sketch more too. I was wondering though, do you do in construction guidelines for these doodles or do you just go to?

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  6. I agree, faces always tend to be the most fun to doodle. Always great to see your drawings!

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  7. You should write a book just on the topic on how to draw those cute cartoony girls.

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  8. A bunch of more comments on this post, on the 15-year-old website BoingBoing...

    http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/24/thoughts-on-doodling.html

    Nick @ Visual Arts Brampton

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  9. When I clicked on your blog, before I started to read I thought these sketchs where layouts with words for a commitioned piece of work. Somthing for advertising.
    I really love your rough stuff.It just flows beautifully.Lots of wonderful appeal.I hope you continue to post more drawings.

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  10. I love to do the same thing, except my faces are not cute cartoons...they are usually weird looking men. And I just wanted to tell you that I too LOVE the feeling of a ballpoint pen on the soft texture of a few layers of newspaper. It's amazing how one can get lost there. Thanks for sharing your doodles...which I think are frame worthy. I'd totally decorate my house with those.

    ~r.

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  11. could u post a tutorial on how you use guidelines for profiles and 3/4 views - when a person's facial plane is concave/convex?

    and could you post your version of these: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n5eKz4l1d18/S2EB3cl4fbI/AAAAAAAACdo/MsV1oC_pjyY/s1600-h/img018.jpg
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n5eKz4l1d18/S2EB3KcAfNI/AAAAAAAACdg/wPUlkW8Vcwc/s1600-h/img019.jpg

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  12. very awesome,

    That last doodle looks like she's thinking, oh Pete youre so good at Sudoku! And youre just thinking ya I know.

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  13. Lovely doodles! Loose and beautiful.

    Belated happy 50th, welcome to the club! I'll curb my walker and have a toast to you...;o)

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  14. Probably my favorite post of yours ever. Youre right about ballpoint on newspaper, and the looseness of it all.

    My best drawings are often the ones on scrap paper. Thanks for reminding me!

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  15. Now that's some true recycling. love it.

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