Set your creativity loose among the blooms at the Denver Botanic Gardens. In this welcoming, beginner-friendly class, we’ll embrace the playful spirit of doodling — no experience needed, only curiosity. Using a few artist’s tools and time-honored techniques, you’ll lift your doodles into the realm of the unexpected. Explore curious methods like entopic graphomania, exquisite corpse, bonsai grid, automatism, and the organic beauty of botanic patterns—drawing from the natural rhythms of leaves, vines, and blossoms.
Art of the Doodle at the Denver Botanic Gardens introduces students to a variety of artist materials and fundamental drawing techniques in a low-pressure, exploratory environment. Emphasizing the principles of mark-making, composition, and creative expression, this course encourages students to develop skills in spontaneous and free-form drawing. Through structured exercises and guided exploration, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to use unconventional tools and methods to create dynamic and engaging doodles, while fostering individual creativity.
Each session will introduce a new doodling technique or variation, drawing daily inspiration from different ecological landscapes within the Gardens. The pace and focus of activities will remain flexible, allowing instruction to adapt to the interests and working speed of each group.
As Matthew Battles reminds us, "Doodling is beyond craft and criticism; it belongs to us all; it’s impossible to do it badly—or well."
First day supplies:
A sketchpad (around 9x12 - something comfortable to carry)
Variety of your favorite drawing tools: pencil, three or more ballpoint pens (multiple colors- Pilot, and InkJoy work great), colored pencils, charcoal, markers, etc
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Additional supplies (we will discuss these the first day):
One piece of medium weight watercolor or printmaking paper 9x12 or larger (my favorite is Rives BFK printmaking paper)
Gesso (an 8oz bottle is enough)
1”-2” sponge brush or gesso brush
