Craft-a-Doodle Book Review
A few months back I got an advance copy of Jenny Doh’s new book Craft-a-Doodle, because I am one of the 18 contributing artists! I am happy to be a small part of this pretty book, because I really like it! So even though I am a bit biased*, I wanted to come back to it now, and write a real kind of review. And to recommend you to check out this book if you can – it is one of those books I am happy to have in my inspiration library!
Like I mentioned then teaching something as simple and intuitive as “doodles” is not easy, if at all possible. But to be inspired by what other doodle is very much a possibility that I think we should all stay open to! And if you’re of the opinion that you “can’t draw a straight line”, this is the perfect book for you! It invites you to copy the ideas and line work in 75 fun and manageable exercises.
Some of the prompts in the book are about creating a pattern or a specific figure, and some are more idea prompts to use a as a spring board for further exploration. Like Gemma Correll’s Visual Diary Idea, where you in your own drawing style could document one day on one page. The coffee mug, the cat, the dinner, a house you visited, all complimented with your own hand lettering…
I love Gemma’s humorous cartoon style, but I can’t really copy it that well, and there are no pugs in my life.
Instead I turn to the step-by-step ideas of Craft-a-doodle, where you are told exactly how to draw an owl, a flower or the face of a girl. When the steps are shown both in words and drawings it is easy to follow along, and once I actually did that, I find myself being extremely inspired!
It is a perfect book to bring out on a crafternoon, and that’s what I have been doing around here. It inspires kids and grown ups alike, and what comes out on paper is simple remarkable. I will share some exercises we did in my next post.
My favorite pen is the lamy safari, and my favorite doodle might be a flower border, something you will see again and again in my journal! In Craft-a-Doodle it’s called the Happy Flower Garland Frame, all done in a plain Moleskine notebook.
I would love to see your flower garlands too, send me links!
The ideas I share in Craft-a-Doodle are all doodles I have done for many years, especially in my written diary. I draw flowers, characters and birds along the edges of my diary pages while listening to podcasts or watching TV, and then the next day I go back to write on those pages. I really like the combination of doodles and hand writing.
This is one of those books that I want to do all the exercises in! Most of them are quick and simple, and once you have given one a try you feel inspired to try another one. The exercises works just as well for grown ups as well as kids of all ages. I will share some of our doodles another day, my favorites are the little owl creations inspired by Flora Chang’s super cute style. Oh and did you know that Carla Sonheim, Teesha Moore and Aimee Ray is in this book? And me, did I mention me? ;-)
When do you doodle, and what kind of prompts inspire you to get started?
Further Craft-a-Doodle Inspiration
- Craft-a-Doodle – take a look inside the book at Amazon book store
- The Promo Video
- Jenny Doh announcing the book and showing some pages
- Mollie Johanson’s dad’s characters are inspired by mine! Loved that the whole family had craft-a-doodle fun together
- Meet the Craft-a-Doodlers – links to all the contributors, at the publisher’s site
- My Book Reviews and recommendations can be found here
* I am only biased in the sense that I am part of the book: I wasn’t payed to be one of the contributors. And I am not making any money when this book is sold (at all), though I am an affiliate of amazon so if you do click the amazon link above (and buy a copy via that link) I get a small percentage which I always appreciate. I use that money to buy new book to share and review here! :-)
What a cool book!
Congrats on contributing to such an adorable book! I really love the flower frame doodles. I think I’ll have to try to get my library to purchase a copy!
You rock girl!
When I saw this book review this evening my reaction was I think that’s a copy of the book I have. So I went and dug mine out to be sure. Ya it was and same edition. Thought maybe this was a Book 2. I love this book. I don’t draw real well but on the doodles where you follow step by step I can do it. I love this book and use it often. I agree with Hanni if you don’t have the book you should save up and add it to your collection. It’s is really a go to book. P.S. I didn’t realize at first Hanna that it was you. Glad to know that!
Congratulations!! The book looks awesome and I can only imagine what it’d be like to be in a publication such as this [I’ll have to only imagine though ‘cuz I am not artistically inclined as much as I’d like to be! lol]
I borrowed this book from the library and it has loads of fun ideas in it – yours included! Doodling is very relaxing and its fun to see how other artists play on the page. I will have to doodle some flowers to show you :) Congratulations on being published!
Congratulations on being part of this book, Hanna; it looks like a lot of fun!