#2 The Doodle Game (No Rules in Art!)

10/29/21 • 7 min

Hi DT friends and welcome new folks - Wendy here. So happy to see you.

Our little experiment creating the world’s first audio-drawing-show seems to have been a hit! So let’s keep going. Welcome to the second episode of what we’re calling the "DrawTogether Podcast.” (Until we think up a catchier name.) Grab a pencil and a piece of paper, and press play above.

Our first episode was a calming, centering drawing exercise. This one is different: it’s about imagination. In this episode I teach you my favorite drawing game... a game with NO RULES. It’s called The Doodle Game.

Many artists I know play this game. And I was delighted to learn that psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott - the same guy behind the theory of transitional objects (like blankets and stuffies) and the “good enough” mother - used a version of the doodle game with young children to help them communicate ideas and feelings. But he called it "The Squiggle Game.”

But this isn’t therapy. The Doodle Game is a simple drawing game for kids of ALL ages you can do anywhere, anytime, on your own or with a friend, to loosen up your creative brain and jumpstart your imagination.

I’d love to see what you do, and I’m sure others would too. If you want, please share your drawing on Instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio so everyone can see each other’s doodle-drawings. Here’s mine, based on my doodle above.

Also, a little note: usually I’d be encouraging you/kids to go your own way, and not be too influenced by my silly looking dog with a monkey’s tail. But part of the magic of The Doodle Game is you can’t help but move in your own, unique direction. No rules. No expectations. You’ll see. :)

Okay, let me know what you think in the comments below - about this episode and any suggestions or requests you have about this new audio-drawing-class-show format. The request/feedback line is open.

And if you’d like to support this new audio-cast (and DrawTogether in general), you can become a paid subscriber. Thanks so much for being part of the DT fam.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Hi DT friends and welcome new folks - Wendy here. So happy to see you.

Okay, let me know what you think in the comments below - about this episode and any suggestions or requests you have about this new audio-drawing-class-show format. The request/feedback line is open.

And if you’d like to support this new audio-cast (and DrawTogether in general), you can become a paid subscriber. Thanks so much for being part of the DT fam.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Previous Episode

#1 DrawTogether Podcast Begins: Calming Fireworks in the Sky

Hey it’s Wendy! We have a special DT treat for you today - it’s a fun art experiment:

A DrawTogether Podcast! (Sort of.) But really, when we say listen up, we mean it literally. Grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY on the audio above.

A little backstory: when my TED talk came out, it was released only via video, and not via audio on TED's iTunes podcast. Some folks didn’t think that such a visual talk would translate to audio. The wonderful Helen Walters, head of curation, advocated for the talk to be on iTunes. People agreed, and up it went. Since then, so many people have responded positively to the audio-only version. Like, big, big feelings. Seems that listening to a talk about looking works. So I thought... what if we created an audio-only DrawTogether?? A drawing podcast. Would it even make sense? Would it be relaxing? Confusing? Calming? Frustrating? Fun? Answer: I DON’T KNOW. So, in true DT spirit: let’s try! It’s just a short 5-minute drawing exercise, and it’s powerful for focusing and centering. If you haven’t already, grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY at the top.

How was it? Tell us in the comments below. If it’s clear and relaxing and fun to do, maybe we’ll try more.

Thanks Chris Colin for the awesome background music, Kate Levitt for the mix (Kate is not only lead of the DT Classrooms project, she is also a DJ!), Hrishikesh Hirway for the audio advice (his TED talk on listening was my fave of the conference), and writer Jon Mooallem who has been working with me on DT ideas since the jump and suggested doing something with audio ages ago. If this doesn’t work, blame him! :)

P.S. - Educators and community leaders! This is THE LAST CHANCE to apply for the FREE DrawTogether Classroom program!! APPLY HERE. Deadline is this Sunday. If you already applied, you’ll hear from us next week.

P.P.S. - DrawTogether was featured in the LA Times!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe

Next Episode

#3 Spiral in, Spiral out with Louis Bourgeois

Hi, it’s me, WendyMac. It’s episode 3 of the DrawTogether Podcast! It’s also my birthday week. To celebrate, I wanted to do one of my favorite drawing exercises with you, which also happens to be a DrawTogether classic: the world famous Heart Spiral. But let’s do it with a twist...

If you’ve watched DrawTogether, you probably know the Heart Spiral was inspired by cartoonist, writer and educator (and DT patron saint) Lynda Barry. Lynda believes drawing spirals helps people get out of their head and into their bodies. (We strongly agree!) In this episode, we meet another artist with a spiral drawing practice: Louise Bourgeois.

Louise made drawings constantly from her home in New York (and before that France) until she passed away at 98. Best known for her large scale installation and sculptures, she also drew, carved, printed and painted spirals using all sorts of materials She even created spirals using text. She said, “I love the spiral. It represents control and freedom.” Louise believed the direction in which you draw a spiral changes how you feel: when you draw outside in, you feel in control. Draw inside out, you feel a sense of freedom.

In today’s DrawTogether podcast, we explore Louise’s hypothesis. I’d love to know - did drawing a heart spiral change the way you feel? Did you notice a difference between the two? Let me know in the comments below. And I’d also love to see your finished drawings. Post them on instagram and tag @drawtogether.studio to share them with the DT community.

Happy Diwali!

Later this weekend, subscribers will receive a special post celebrating Diwali by illustrator Ishita Jain. Become a subscriber-supporter to get more cool stuff like this, and help DrawTogether keep going and growing.

Thanks to Chris Colin for the music, Thao Nguyen for the DrawTogether theme song, and Amy Standen for the mix. Everything is better when we Draw (all sorts of spirals) Together!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit club.drawtogether.studio/subscribe