Well, after being asked to see my "Doodles". I will let you peek into a window of my creative process.
This is a doodle. This an inherit part of my idea process and more importantly it is a way of continuing my "practice". Years ago, when newspapers employed illustrators on staff, long before the advent of computer artists, all art was done in house.
We had to illustrate everything. So, at a moments call, deadline, I had to render something without any time for referrence or research. I would therefore "doodle", more correctly, practice illustrating things; Everything from carrots, butter dishs, sparkplugs, facial expressions, folds of clothing, material textures all sketched and tucked in stacked folders ubiquitously named the "morgue". At a moments notice, I could quickly rummage through my morgue for something that I needed as deadlines loomed within minutes.
It was not unusual to get a call in the Art Department and hear- advertising needs a black and white illustratiom of a carburator and the editorial chief needs a color layout for a radish and I would have 10 minutes before print.
Now, I still maintain that old habit, but many of the "doddles" are "teaching" my pens. By continuing sketching with my pens I practice line quality. I can chisel the pen tip to the angles I want. More importantly, each papers surface is never the same so I work the pen on the paper to get a feel how to work with the grain of the paper surface and if there is any bleeding of the paper fibers.
With all that said, the doodling is first and foremost a compulsion.
