Sharpe - Doodle art & lettering with Joanne Sharpe: inspiration and techniques for personal expression

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This book is dedicated to every single one of my whimsical students all over the world who have blessed me and trusted me with their creativity. To those sassy, playful, kind, happy souls who make art with me my online classes and in-person workshops: You inspire me every day to keep innovating and making new art experiences for you as your friend and teacher. You cant overdo a doodle, and you cant overdo the love, energy and enthusiasm that comes from all your art friends

Dont feel like you need to have all of these products in order to start creating. Begin with the materials you already have or the basic necessities: a few pens, markers, paint, paper and brushes. Then, as you progress through the book, add a few new materials as they strike your fancy. Pretty soon you will know what suits you and where your passions lie, and youll have the tools and materials you need to follow your doodling dreams.

PAPER

ART JOURNAL OR SKETCHBOOK (SUCH AS MOLESKIN OR STRATHMORE VISUAL JOURNAL)

BRISTOL PAPER

HEAVY WHITE PAPER

INDEX CARDS

TRACING PAPER

VELLIM

WATERCOLOR PAPER

PENS

ASSORTED BLACK PENS, PERMANENT AND WATERPROOF WITH A VARIETY OF TIPS, INCLUDING THICK, THIN, BROAD AND CHISELED (MICRON, PITT, ZIG, UNIBALL, SHARPIE, PAPERMATE AND PLATINUM ALL MAKE GREAT PENS)

GEL AND METALLIC/SPARKLE PENS (A WHITE GEL PEN IS A MUSTTHE UNIBALL SIGNO UM153 IS A GOOD CHOICE)

COLORED PENCILS

A VARIETY OF COLORS TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS (PRISMACOLOR AND POLYCHROMOS ARE TWO RECOMMENDED BRANDS)

PENCIL SHARPENER

ART MARKERS

ACRYLIC PAINT MARKERS

ALCOHOL-BASED PERMANENT MARKERS SUCH AS COPIC, PRISMACOLOR AND SHARPIE (ALCOHOL-BASED MARKERS WILL BLEED THROUGH MOST PAPERS)

DYE-BASED MARKERS SUCH AS ROMBOW AND KOI BRUSH (DYE-BASED MARKERS ARE WATER REACTIVE)

WATERCOLOR PAINTS AND BRUSHES

A SET OF WATERCOLOR PANS OR TUBES

LIQUID WATERCOLORS

MICA-INFUSED OR METALLIC WATERCOLORS

WATERBRUSH (THE NIJI WATERBRUSH AND PENTEL AQUABRUSH ARE BOTH GOOD BETS)

WATERCOLOR ROUND BRUSHES IN SIZES #4, #8 AND #12

WATERCOLOR SPRAYS

ACRYLIC PAINTS

FINE-TIPPED PAINTBRUSHES

FLUID ACRYLIC PAINTS (SUCH AS GOLDEN)

DIMENSIONAL PAINTS

DIMENSIONAL CRAFTPAINTS IN A VARIETY OF COLORS, 3-D, METALLIC, GLITTER, SATIN (BLACK, WHITE AND GOLD ARE GOOD ONES TO START WITH)

OTHER SUPPLIES, MATERIALS AND TOOLS

BINDER RINGS

COMPASS

DYLUSIONS SPRAY INKS

ERASERS

FRENCH CURVE

GLUE STICKS

HOLEPUNCH

MOLOTOW RESIST PEN

PENCILS

SCISSORS

SPRAY BOTTLE

STENCILS

T-SQUARE

WASHI TAPE

WATER CONTAINER

Doodle. Its such a funny word!

It immediately inspires a smile or giggle. Just the sound of the word tells the brain to let loose, head off into playful space for mental fun and frolic. Doodling can also be more intentionala stress relieving activity, or even a meditative, mindful spiritual practice. The art of the doodle can be as simple or as sophisticated as one chooses.

How is doodling defined? It can have different meanings to individual personalities, some more serious and scientific or playful than others. I choose both. You dont need an art degree to be a good doodler, as its an activity for any age, often requiring nothing but a free spirit and some very simple tools. Its a learning tool that helps increase focus and information retention. Its not scribbling or writing unintentionally, but rather it's making marks and movements using basic art techniques and principles to create a visual response. Doodling can be a personal, creative art expression, or it can serve as a therapeutic mental and physical practice for an expected outcome of serenity or gratification.

Why doodle? Its good for your soul and spirit! This all might sound like unnecessary, frivolous activity, but the practice of doodle art does have merit and health benefits, especially in our current tech-driven society. There is an abundance of scientific and social research that exonerates doodling as a essential activity to fulfill human beings' need to connect to the world with tactile and visual experience. Doodling is the limitless drawing activity that stimulates movement in the mind by making art forms with expressive, loose moving line, repeating patterns, elaborated shapes and simple imagery, organic or geometric form, in black and white or color.

Throughout this book I will show you drawing and art making practices and activities in a doodling style that will catapult into fabulous personal artworks. Doodle drawing is a nonthreatening, necessary skill and discipline in the creative process. The repetitive motions that move line, shape and pattern from your brain to your hand to your surface creates muscle memory for future drawings and paintings. Now turn the page, put on your doodling shoes and go doodle your art out!

I create daily in a journal or sketchbook, keeping my body of artwork in book form. The surfaces of these journals and sketchbooks use heavy white paper or watercolor paper by brands like Moleskine and Strathmore Visual Journals. Individual art is also done on assorted papers like bristol, watercolor or vellum paper. Choose what works for you.

I believe that you can never have too many shoes or pens! I have dozens and dozens of pens. There are so many to choose from that do so many different things. I am often asked which is the best pen and which is my favorite pen. But I really cant answer that, because there are so many variables. I like pens, so Im not the best person to ask. I am always willing to try different pens and markers. The best advice I can offer is to stock your supplies with assorted black ink pens, permanent and waterproof pens,and with a variety of tips that are thick, thin, broad and chiseled. Some of my favorite brands are Micron, Pitt, Zig, Uniball and Sharpie.