A DOODLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOLDRUMS AT BAY
Just like my little doodle girl trying on these shoes, I found myself trying out different styles, and finding the right fit for me
Throughout lockdown, like so many other people, I have found myself sinking into the doldrums on a regular basis. As an artist I am used to banging the drum about how creativity can help us all with our mental health wellbeing. I have written in more depth about this in my blog about my contribution to the Golden Thread Sketchbook Project here.
However, lockdown has also provided the perfect conditions for those nagging little ‘I’m not good enough’ thoughts to really take root and grow within my head.
Not all the noise inside our heads is as soothing as the sound of the sea
Each year I take part in Inktober – which I love, because the idea of a daily prompt to kickstart the imagination really appeals to me.
Historically I have always limited myself to doing really quick little doodles for this – I don’t know why, I have this strange rule that I have to scribble down the first thought that comes to me, and I have to do it within 10 minutes.
I have never posted my doodles online before. But in order to keep on having something to post on my facebook page for my art – I tentatively started to post my daily doodles.
I honestly expected people to react with laughter, wondering why I was posting such silly little scribbles.
But the opposite happened – I got a really positive and encouraging response.
Even more surprising, to me though, was that I started to see the same people popping up again and again in my doodles. A little doodle family emerged, consisting of a mum, a dad, and two little girls.
People really seemed to connect with my little family, and I found myself becoming very fond, and also, rather protective of them.
I think, during the strangeness of lockdown, I found a comfort in the familiarity of my nostalgic little family
Inktober came and went, and I stopped my doodles until I decided to take part in a similar challenge called Drawcember.
Again, my little family started popping up on a regular basis.
A christmas illustration by donna mcghie
Once 2021 started, I had no more prompts, but people who followed my page kept on asking me what had happened to my doodle family.
So I found a new prompt app called Sketch A Day which I put onto my mobile – and started my doodles once again.
I realised, that my daily doodles were becoming hugely beneficial to me. Even on a day when I got up feeling really defeated, as though I just was not going to be able to create anything, the thought of a 10 minute doodle was not too daunting. And once I’d done that doodle, and loaded it online, I felt a sense of achievement, and started to create other things as well.
In short, these simple doodles were contributing hugely to my mental health wellbeing.
As the seasons started to change, so my doodle family started to have new adventures
I called this doodle follow your dreams, because I was starting to believe in myself again
Over time, my little family have developed their characters, and I know each of them really well. The older sibling is quite bossy, and the little one is a definite Daddy’s Girl
No question who is the first in the pecking order here
I have a real fondness for my doodle family. They don’t always make it into my doodle pad – it very much depends on what the prompt is, but more often than not they will make an appearance a couple of times a week.
I have been asked if I will do a calendar with them on, and produce t shirts and rubber stamps – all of which I am looking into.
But I think my main reason for writing this blog, is to encourage everyone out there to pick up a pen and doodle. Doodles don’t have to be perfect, that is the joy of them. My doodles are scribbly, and I tend to leave in my mistakes and go over them. For me, they would lose something if I became too careful when drawing them.
Whether you think of yourself as a creative person or not, I would recommend to everyone to treat yourself to a nice little pad, and a special pen – and get doodling. You will achieve something daily, and who knows what else may come of it. I would say that it definitely has helped generally with my mental health wellbeing.
Please note, if your mental health is of concern to you in any way then do seek professional advice and assistance.
If you want to follow my doodle adventures you can do so both on facebook and also in instagram
Thanks for reading 🙂
