Doodling and Sketching: Learn How to Illustrate

These tips are essential reading for any would-be sketcher or doodler… we direct you to some free illustration templates to help get you started.

Doodling has some unexpected benefits.  It’s a great way to relax.  And it can actually help to improve your concentration too!

Last month, we looked at how easy it is to get started with doodling and sketching.  This month, we’re going to assist by offering inspiration in the form of Business Optimizer’s pick of the best free illustration and sketching tutorials and templates online.

#1. Doodle your own comic book

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London is home to some iconic designs. Its newest outpost in Dundee opened earlier this year and resides in a spectacular waterfront building. The online resources for the Dundee V&A are well worth visiting. The Comic Book Creator worksheets take inspiration from the graphic novels and comics in the museum’s Scottish Design Galleries. They help you think about storyboarding and sequencing while imagining a new version of an old story.  Find out more and download here.

#2. Doodle like Escher

Maurits Cornelis Escher one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. The Dutch artist made mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. His mind-bending designs of impossible constructions play with our notions of scale and perspective. You can have a go at one of his tessellated pictures for yourself with this easy and kid-friendly tutorial.

#3. Doodle mandalas

A Mandala is a geometric design that holds a great deal of significance in Hindu and Buddhist art. In Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism, the mandala is a symbolic diagram used in the performance of sacred rites and as an instrument of meditation. The name comes from the Sanskrit word for “circle”. These beautiful Indian designs are the stuff of many a stress-relieving colouring book, but it is super easy to create your own too.  View a tutorial here.

#4. Sketch a fashion design

If you’ve every fancied designing your own outfits, you should definitely check out the online tutorials offered by the University of the Arts in London. Its prospectus covers the whole gambit of art and design courses and the online resources reflect this. For aspiring fashion designers, this introduction to sketching with pencils and markers is a perfect way to get started; it even includes sketching exercises for warming up. Once you’ve tried these exercises, you can browse the rest of the site for further inspiration.

#5. Be inspired by other aspiring artists

If you would like to try your hand at something a little more advanced, check out this selection of 20 brilliant examples of doodle art from the creatives at CreativeBloq. From bedroom walls to Converse shoes, there is something here for everyone!