10 Doodle Ideas to Sketch Anywhere (Easy Styles)

Doodling has taken off thanks to bullet journals, Zentangle and a renewed interest in sketchbooks, and it’s one of the easiest ways to start drawing. Here are 10 easy doodle styles you can sketch anywhere, each with what you need, how long it takes and a few steps to get going. All you need is a pen and any paper.

It’s a worthwhile habit too: in a 2009 University of Plymouth study, people who doodled while listening to a dull recorded message recalled about 29% more of the details than people who didn’t (summary here). Here is Harvard Health’s take on the thinking benefits of doodling.

Instead of step-by-step cute drawing tutorials, this page takes a more organic approach: pick a style, fill the page with whatever comes to mind, and let it get a little messy. Check out Creative Fabrica for 3d svg designs too.

Doodle style	Best for	Time	Materials
Simple graphics and logos	Beginners	10-15 min	Fine pen, plain paper
Bullet journal borders and frames	Journalers, ages 10+	10-20 min	Fine pens, ruler optional
Abstract doodles	Anyone, no skill needed	5-30 min	Any pen, any paper
Mandalas and Zentangle	Calm, structured drawing	15-45 min	Black fine-tip pen, pencil, square paper tile
Alphabet doodles	Notes and lettering	10 min	Pen, gel pen
Foliage and flowers	Easy starters	10-20 min	Pen, white gel pen on dark paper
Creatures, people and animals	Practicing characters	10-20 min	Pen or pencil
Theme doodling	Filling a page spread	20-40 min	Sketchbook, fine pens
Favorite foods and hobbies	Personal journal pages	15-30 min	Pens or markers
Art-inspired doodles	Bold, graphic looks	15-30 min	Markers, thick and thin pens

What are the easiest things to doodle? Simple graphics and logos

Start with clean graphics and line drawings. If you practice your favorites a few times, you’ll remember them and have them ready whenever you want to doodle.

1. Pick one simple shape from a logo set or icon sheet.
2. Draw it three to five times, small, on scrap paper.
3. Redraw it from memory in your sketchbook and combine two shapes into a new one.

These are super-simple line logos.

This font of pre-Hispanic petroglyphs can get you started, and you can make up your own little doodle language from the symbols.

This fun little font by PintassilgoPrints includes a typeface and a set of graphic elements, including a great monster image.

Bullet Journal Doodles: Borders, Banners and Frames

Even a basic bullet journal can use an occasional banner or flourish. Borders, dividers and frames are the fastest way to make a page look finished.

1. Draw a light pencil line where the border will go.
2. Repeat one small motif along it: dots, leaves, triangles or scallops.
3. Ink over the pencil and erase the guide.
4. Add a banner or ribbon shape for a title.

This Instagram account has lots of drawing inspiration for banners and borders.

Borders can be used all over your bullet journals and notebooks, and these images are good to draw from.

Paisley is a fantastic doodle motif. Design your own little paisley shapes and combine them in different ways.

Dawn Nicole‘s site has hand lettering and doodle resources, like these simple frames.

Abstract Doodling: What Do You Draw When You Have No Idea?

Abstract doodling means combining shapes and lines in any way you like. Try it in your bullet journal, on notebook margins, receipts or napkins.

1. Start with one shape, like a circle, wave or triangle.
2. Add a second line style next to it: dots, stripes or zigzags.
3. Keep adding until the page feels full, then fill a few shapes in solid.

asebalko is an Instagram account with lots of abstract drawing inspiration.

If you like the golden ratio, labyrinths and the like, take a look at this Sacred Geometry graphics pack for ideas to draw from.

It doesn’t get easier than drawing lines inside a hand shape. Full instructions and 2 more hand doodle ideas are over here.

How Do You Doodle Mandalas and Zentangle?

Mandalas (or parts of mandalas) are a good way to start doodling if you want some structure. Start at the center and doodle outward in concentric circles.

1. Draw a small shape or circle in the middle of the page.
2. Add a ring of repeated petals or dots around it.
3. Keep adding rings, changing the pattern each time, until you reach the edge.

You can wing it or follow the bullseye Zentangle technique, which is hard to get wrong. For lots of mandala inspiration, see Chanellelily_drawings.

Zentangle overlaps with mandalas but sends you into a whole new world of patterns. Zentangle is usually drawn on small square tiles, one pattern at a time.

You’ll find lots of easy Zentangle patterns over here, and you can download them to use whenever you want.

Doodle Art Ideas: Borrowing Shapes and Colors from Art

If you keep a Pinterest board of art you love, scroll through it and look for shapes, patterns or color schemes to reproduce in your doodles.

1. Pick three pieces you like and write down the shapes you see.
2. Sketch those shapes small, then redraw them in your own style.
3. Try the same color palette in pen or marker.

For example, these street doodles by Ben Lim are a fun style to borrow for skater-inspired drawings.

Alphabet Doodle Ideas

The simplest way to doodle with the alphabet is to fill in every closed area in each letter. Write a word in block letters, then fill each enclosed space with a different pattern.

You can do all sorts of fun things with alphabet doodles, and you don’t have to treat it like fancy hand lettering. Just doodle in and around your writing, and decorate or stretch certain letters.

Cool Foliage Doodles

When you can’t think of anything else to draw, draw foliage. Draw a stem and riff on different leaf or petal shapes.

1. Draw a curved stem line.
2. Add leaves along it, changing the shape each time: pointed, round, lobed.
3. Add veins or dots inside some of the leaves.

Floral drawing ideas, shown in both white and black. Try doodling the same images on black and white paper next to each other.

This image links to Kawaii Pen Shop.

Ankepanke on Instagram set herself a challenge: draw 40 different flower styles starting from the same middle shape. It’s a good way to build a bank of flower doodles.

These flower doodles have an abstract, Zentangle feel and make good jumping-off points.

Leaf doodles show different leaf styles, nice and simple. Try a white gel pen for some of these on dark paper.

Simple Doodles of People, Animals and Creatures

Doodle time is the right time to practice drawing living (or semi-living) things: people, animals, monsters, zombies and so on.

1. Start with a simple body shape: an oval, bean or rectangle.
2. Add arms, legs, ears or tails as simple lines.
3. Finish with a face. Dots for eyes and one mouth line is enough.

Paper Source has wrapping paper with design ideas like these natural history insects.

You could even doodle cuts of meat, as on this butcher’s guide wrapping paper.

These are stamps from Woodland Tale on Etsy.

And here is fish bone clipart on Etsy that makes a fun thing to redraw.

Theme Doodling

Choose a theme, brainstorm every object you can think of within it, and fill a sketchbook spread with your themed doodles.

A few themes to start with: under the ocean, science, transportation, love, tableware, round objects.

1. Write your theme at the top of the page.
2. List 10 objects that fit it.
3. Draw each one small, leaving room so they can overlap or touch.

This farm images font shows how well doodles look together in shape, color and composition. Take a cue and make doodle pages whose drawings overlap and interact.

This graphics pack includes line drawings, watercolor images and alphabet letters. You could use black paper and draw some letters in white, or start with your own watercolor moons and add floral drawings.

Favorite Hobbies and Foods to Doodle

What do you love to do or eat? Put it in your sketchbook and celebrate your favorite hobbies or snacks.

1. List your five favorite foods or hobbies.
2. Draw each item several ways: whole, sliced, from the side.
3. Group them into a pattern or a pile.

Illustrator Jake McDonald makes super fun drawings, including this food doodle pattern.

Gardening dingbats have great colors. It can be fun to practice drawing without outlines, or at least so the finished doodle looks un-outlined.

If you like fiber arts, you may get doodle ideas from this sewing and knitting doodle font by Rae Kaiser.

Embroidery patterns are full of ideas for drawings.

More Doodle Inspiration and Supplies

This book looks full of doodle ideas. It may be aimed at kids, but it also looks fun for adults.

For leafy plant references, a botanical illustration book like this one is handy.

What do you need to start doodling? A pen and paper is enough. If you want to upgrade, these sketchbooks and pens are popular choices:

Mini Sketchbook ooly mixed paper sketchbook Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens (My faves) Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers Faber Castell Pitt Pens Sakura White Gelly Roll Pens

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I doodle when I’m bored?

Start with something repeatable: a border, a mandala, a row of leaves or a page of one theme, like foods or ocean animals. Pick one shape and keep adding to it until the page is full.

How do I start doodling if I can’t draw?

Use simple shapes (circles, lines, dots and triangles) and repeat them. Doodles don’t need to be realistic, so abstract patterns, borders and filled-in letters are good first tries.

Does doodling help you remember things?

Possibly. In a 2009 University of Plymouth study, people who doodled while listening to a dull message recalled about 29% more details than people who didn’t. It was one small study, so treat it as a hint rather than a guarantee.

What is the difference between doodling and Zentangle?

Doodling is free-form and unplanned. Zentangle is a structured method of drawing repeated patterns, usually on a small square tile, one step at a time.

What materials do I need for doodling?

Any pen and paper will do. A fine-tip black pen, a gel pen (white gel pens show up on dark paper) and a sketchbook are the basics.

Try some new styles, and draw something you wouldn’t normally draw.

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