Traci Bautista - Doodles Unleashed: Mixed-Media Techniques for Doodling, Mark-Making & Lettering

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Doodling is an artform that many of us have practiced since we were young, whether intentionally or subconsciously. We all have our own artistic style, and it is displayed very clearly in the marks we make. For me, doodling is a time to make marks, experiment with lines and shapes and let them take over the page. Doodling is my form of meditation. As I work, it takes me to a place of relaxation and comfort. I dont plan out what I am drawing; the pen dances on the page as I let my intuition take over. Each mark leads to the next, and the result is never exactly what I expected. I never double-think or question the marks Im making, but rather I let the marks spill onto the page. Its a fluid motion, unfolding over the canvas without a plantotal freedom.

My hope is to inspire you to create your own style of doodling, one that is completely distinct from anyone elses. Its easy to be influenced by other peoples art, but making your own marks is essential to growing as an artist. I will provide you samples of my art and inspirational anecdotes to guide you toward creating your own signature style.

Throughout Doodles Unleashed, I share numerous photos, ideas, links to online content and images that will hopefully inspire you to find your own doodling style. The Creative Exercises and Jumpstarts are meant to be mixed in whatever fashion youd like. There is no particular order to work in; skim through the book and open to a page that inspires you. Choose an exercise and be open to play!

I hope that through these exercises, you discover what doodling means to you and how to incorporate it into your art, life, journals and everyday creativity. Whether you devote ten minutes or an hour, doodling can be a great exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Grab some paint, paper, adhesive and pens and have fun with the exercises. Keep experimenting and striving to find your style. There is no right or wrong way to doodle; just pick up a pen and start making marks.

Visit my website, www.treicdesigns.com, for additional inspiration, digital downloads and online workshops.

My favorite supplies encompass a wide variety of store-bought, handmade and found materials.

I often experiment to discover unique ways to use everyday items in my artwork. I dont think you have to spend a fortune on supplies in order to make your own mark.

Handmade and found tools can be inexpensive and fun. Its the hunt for the objects that is part of the fun. Look at objects with different eyes; what can you use to make marks? Take a trip to the dollar store, hardware store or thrift shop, or look around your home. Youll be amazed by the simple tools youll find and things that have alternative uses for stamping and printing. Train your eyes to see patterns and find textures in household items and found objects.

I use a collection of found papers for my paintings and collages. I recycle brown grocery bags, construction paper, storybook newsprint, ledger and graph paper, manila folders, watercolor paper, and cardboard. I also use heavy drawing paper, copy paper, newsprint, maps, mailing envelopes, black paper and Asian newspapers for my journal pages. I bind most of these papers inside my art journals and stain and paint them with color. Even before I start doodling on the page, something is therea mark, a color, a linethat inspires my doodles. I also use a lot of repurposed black-and-white photocopies of my original artwork.

I make most of my stamps by either hand-carving them from rubber or cutting them from craft foam and inscribing them with a hot tool or a bamboo skewer. I also collect interesting items that I can use to make patterns, such as lasercut cardstock, paper diecuts, silk flowers and leaves, needlepoint canvas, textured wallpaper, sequin waste and drafting templates. I love letters and typography, so I collect letter stencils and incorporate them into my painted pages. A recurring theme in my mark-making is circles, so I often use empty thread spools, circular needlepoint canvas, binder rings, buttons, bobbins, coasters, the tops and bottoms
of paint bottles, jar caps and plastic water bottles as stamps.

Throughout my travels Im on the hunt for cultural patterns I can use for stencils, like the shadow puppet I discovered in Bali or the straw flower shapes I found at a craft store in Mexico. Adhesive

My adhesive of choice is Collage Pauge. As for other adhesive tools, I use colored masking tape, washi tape, permanent roller adhesive and staples. I also create handmade stickers by printing my artwork on labels.

My paints of choice are acrylics and watercolors. My paintbrushes are simple. I mostly use 1 (2.5cm) foam brushes for background painting and to apply paint to stamps. For more detailed brush work, I use size 00 or 000 round paintbrushes, bamboo sumi brushes or inexpensive craft brushes. I also collect anything that can be dipped into ink to make marks with, such as bamboo skewers and coffee stirrers. I cant live without a soft rubber brayer; its great for making prints, smoothing out collage elements and laying down large areas of color.

I cant talk about doodling without mentioning markers and pens! I collect mark-making tools in all forms: from permanent paint pens and illustration markers to gel pens, colored pencils, oil pastels, soft pastels, calligraphy nibs and fabric markers. In my opinion, nothing is off limits when it comes to drawing!

Besides paintbrushes, I use a variety of items to draw lines and make marks when I paint. I transform everyday objects, such as skewers, toothpicks, feathers and chopsticks. into painting tools. These are great to use with India ink, acrylic ink or watercolors. I also collect wooden items like toothpicks, coffee stir sticks, popsicle sticks and utensils and bind them together with rubber bands. Popsicle sticks can also be altered by cutting and shaping the tips with a file to different angles. I save all of my hotel room keys, as these make great tools for scraping through paint. Palette knives, calligraphy nibs, plastic pipettes, syringes and stamp moistener applicator pens are other great unusual tools that will make your marks unique.