Doodle-doodle do!

It isn’t uncommon to see an exasperated graphic designer throw up their hands in the air and utter the fatal words “I simply cannot draw!”

Truth be told, we’re all slaves to our systems. We can create characters, identities, campaigns and even worlds with ease on our Adobe Illustrators and Photoshops, but put a piece of paper and a pencil in our hands, and we have the expression of a deer caught in the headlight. So what is it that is so daunting about putting pen to paper? Why is it that some of seem more “gifted” in this aspect, while others struggle to create a discernible shape on paper? How does one learn to draw?

The answer is simple enough : You learn to draw by drawing. As silly as that may sound, it’s the basic truth of the matter. They say if you do something for 21 days straight, you get used to it and it becomes easier for you to do it.

For all those of you who look at doodles with a wistful expression, wishing you could do it yourself, the advice is simple: Stop procrastinating and just start! Start with basic shapes. Make a circle, make a square, make a star. Stop looking for references on your computer screen and look deep into the realms of your imagination. If you are drawing a person, it doesn’t have to look perfect. It should only have to make sense to you. Designers have the flexibility of hiding imperfection in the guise of style. If you draw a face but the nose is too big, that’s your style. Find your style!

Draw a tiny bit every single day and pretty soon, it will start getting easier. The best part about this is that you can do this anywhere, at work, in the metro, in a restaurant. All you need to do is keep a sketchbook and a pen with you. Stop waiting around for inspiration to strike you…start actively going after inspiration yourself!
To make your life slightly simpler and get the creativity kick-started, we’ve added some amazing (but totally doable) doodles for you to look at. Admire, get inspired and be sure to thank us later!