Expressive Doodles

The Essential Question
How can doodles create expressive marks and symbols?

Objective
Students will explore doodling and the process of mark-making to create symbols and imagery.

Materials
drawing paper, markers, pencils, colored pencils

Procedures
1. Students observe, discuss, and analyze the work of Mr Doodle (mrdoodle.com).
2. Share with students how the doodle can create expressive qualities through marks, scale, value, colors, and shapes.
3. Students work collaboratively to brainstorm ideas for their doodles before working on their individual compositions.
4. Students first draw simple doodle lines and shapes on their paper then add expressive marks to their doodles and darken the lines with a marker.
5. Students add color to complete their doodles.

Assessment
Students share their doodles during a class critique and discuss their process and final projects.

Alycia Phillips taught this lesson as a student teacher at Lincolnton Middle School in Lincolnton, North Carolina.