THE DOODLE DIVISION
Amy Frazer
PRESIDENT OBAMA DOODLE
THE RECENT CALL FOR SUBMISSION BY UPPERCASE MAGAZINE HAS CAUSED ME TO TAKE A LOOK AT DOODLING A LITTLE CLOSER. I THINK MOST ARTISTS DO IT. I CERTAINLY DO. THERE ARE SOME VERY FAMOUS BUSINESS PEOPLE AND PRESIDENTS WHO DO IT. BUT WHAT IS A DOODLE? AND WHY DO WE DO IT? FOR ME IT HELPS ME FOCUS. IT'S MEDITATIVE. USUALLY IT'S JUST FOR MYSELF. SOMETIMES I USE IT TO WORK OUT QUICK IDEAS. THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN DOODLING AND SKETCHING.
THERE HAVE BEEN ARTICLES WRITTEN ABOUT DOODLING PRAISING THE EFFECTS ON US. HERE ARE A FEW THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WROTE ABOUT THE POWER OF THE DOODLE. NPR WROTE ABOUT USING DOODLES TO STAY ON TASK. PSYCHOLOGY TODAY WRITES ABOUT DOODLING YOUR WAY TO A MORE MINDFUL LIFE. AND IN HER TED TALK, SUNNI BROWN SAYS "DOODLERS UNITE!"
SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS CEO'S ARE DOODLERS. THERE IS THE DAVOS DOODLER, BILL GATES AT MICROSOFT. MARK PARKER AT NIKE DOODLES IN MEETINGS "BECAUSE I LISTEN BETTER WHEN I'M SKETCHING." THERE ARE PRESIDENTIAL DOODLERS INCLUDING OBAMA. HERBERT HOOVER WAS A CHRONIC DOODLER AND MOST OF HIS WERE "GEOMETRICAL". IS THAT A WORD? A LINE OF CHILDREN'S CLOTHING WAS ACTUALLY PATTERNED AFTER SOME OF HIS SKETCHES.
BELOW ARE DOODLES BY HERBERT HOOVER, RONALD REAGAN AND MARK PARKER.
DOODLING CAN HELP YOU FEEL BETTER TOO. FOR ME IF I'M DOWN OR NEED A MENTAL BREAK DOODLING CAN HELP. I'VE HEARD AND READ THAT CANCER PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM "CHEMO BRAIN" CAN HELP EASE SYMPTOMS BY DOING PUZZLES, DOODLING, TAKING CLASSES OR LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE.
SO WHATEVER REASON YOU HAVE FOR DOODLING, KEEP DOING IT! IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR YOU!
BELOW ARE A FEW OF MY DOODLES.
