As kids feeling bored in class, a popular distraction for most of us was the art of doodling. Even the most reticent of artists among us would readily let their inner Picasso flow out because doodling has no fixed form, no pressing need to appeal to another person’s aesthetics, and no rules to follow. It was art at its purest best-self-expression and nothing more. No wonder then that, in recent years, the art of doodling has begun to be taken far more seriously than it ever was before.
Atul Kabra teaching kids the art of doodling.
Atul Kabra creating a doodle.
The change can partly be ascribed to the rise of talented Instagram Doodlers who not only appeal to a large number of people but also make a successful business from the sale of their work. Take the case of Hyderabad-based Atul Kabra, better known as @DoodleKabra. Describing himself as someone who believes in spreading smiles and endless happiness, Kabra is a marketing professional and freelance doodler.
“Art has been a part of me ever since I was a child. I was always inclined to artistic things which involved emotions and stories. I loved doodling the most because it allowed me to put out exactly what I felt. Shuffling jobs and cities made me lose touch with my passion, but thanks to the lockdown, I regained time to do what my heart wanted. Now, I get orders from across the country for my doodles. People talk to me about their favourite things, their characteristics, their dreams, and they trust me to put it all into my doodles, “he smiles.”
Deriving enormous satisfaction from the sight of his elated customers, especially in the face of adversity, he further shares, “We live in a fast-changing world. Somewhere along the way, digital damage has affected us all. We have forgotten what it feels like to put pen to paper. That’s why I chose to create a venture that celebrates something simple, beautiful, and heart-warming.
Most of his clients contact him on Instagram, and he has made a name for himself through a practise where doodles focus on capturing memories of people as well as the emotions behind them. This degree of specialisation is possible only because he works on one doodle at a time. The doodles start from Rs 2000 and increase in price depending on their size and level of intricacy. He delivers his works pan-India and even abroad to countries like the USA, Oman, and Canada.
The success of his practise has led Kabra down a new path, where he conducts doodling workshops for school students. “The days of doodling as a pointless exercise are over.” It’s time to doodle with purpose! @DoodleKabra believes that everyone can draw! We ‘learn’ to draw before we learn to write. Developing one’s unique voice is more important than achieving photo-realism; like handwriting, everyone’s style is unique. “Doodling has many benefits for the brain, and getting started at a young age helps kids grow, improves their concentration, inspires creativity, improves retention, and supports visual thinkers,” he says, explaining the intent behind these workshops.
At Niraj Public School in Hyderabad, he takes doodling classes for children in the first and second grades. Kabra highlights that doodling with basic shapes and stick figures is the easiest way to begin. During a lesson, he provides students with examples of what or when to doodle, guiding them on when to sketch their thoughts or visualize a concept using a doodle.
He says, “I love teaching and inspiring others to be creative. My mission is to show how simple and accessible creativity can be, bringing joy and relaxation. My curriculum is designed to learn the basics of doodling, acquire a visual vocabulary, tap into the hidden pool of creativity, and use visual tools to create enriched learning. “
Now that doodling is becoming a recognised art form, especially with Google making the term “doodles” quite trendy through their use of interesting graphics on special occasions, it seems that doodling is finally finding its place as a mainstream art form. Hence, Kabra is also looking to expand his practise and create a stress-free world full of joyous doodles. He shares, “I would like the course I am teaching to become a stress management pitstop.” Let’s hope he succeeds in this endeavour.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog,
www.nooranandchawla.com.