Doodles as Their Digital Selves

I have doodled for as long as I can remember. My father was a talented artist, and drawing was simply part of the atmosphere I grew up in. Much of my doodling happens while listening to music or watching television at night. These are not sketches toward finished work. I am not striving for mastery over a medium; I am letting the pen move, following instinct rather than outcome.

The Journey of Doodling

I have always used black sharpie magic markers to capture glimpses of dreams, fragments of imagined creatures, and thoughts that did not yet need language. For years, I rarely shared these images. They remained in notebooks, on scraps of paper, or tucked away.

A Shift During the Pandemic

During the pandemic, that changed. I began a regular email outreach called Friday Friends, where one or two doodles would ponder life and converse with one another. These doodles are sent out every Friday. Initially, they were merely doodles with handwritten notes on Post-Its. Today, many images are AI adapted from my earlier work.

Embracing AI in Art

Recently, I began revisiting older doodles using AI to give them three dimensions. I work with AI as an additive, not a replacement. I have always painted and drawn over my photographs; for me, AI is simply another way to add to the doodle’s conversation. It allows me deeper exploration of an image, giving it more life with volume, weight, and surface.

The Process of Adaptation

I work on these adapted images until they resonate with my original intent. Occasionally, AI moves in an unexpected direction that I also find compelling. However, I always approach the work with a clear vision. The doodle remains the source, while the adapted version introduces something new: more depth, more physicality, and often a bit more cheek.

Seeing these figures take on dimensional form gives them a different kind of life. They feel less like drawings and more like small beings—playful, strange, and more fully themselves. The process does not overwrite the original; it extends it. The line drawing and the 3D form now coexist.

Doodles Beyond the Studio

A few of these doodles have also found their way onto small objects, cards, tattoos, journals, and blankets. They exist outside the studio and can be encountered in everyday life. This transformation allows my art to connect with people in new ways.

Conclusion

Doodling is more than just a pastime for me; it is a way to explore creativity and express emotions. The journey from simple sketches to multidimensional art has been fulfilling. I look forward to continuing this exploration, blending traditional techniques with modern technology.

Paula Phelan,

Founder, PiP Art Gallery