Materials

We are keeping things simple. Any pen, pencil, and paper will do fine. But if you want this to be a nicer experience, I have some recommendations.

First, the paper. There are three things to look for when choosing your paper, whether it is individual sheets or a sketchbook. The first one is simple: avoid paper with printed lines or patterns. They can distract from your drawing and make it less clean. Even if you take a picture of it and ask AI to remove the lines, it will probably do a poor job and mess with your drawing. So let’s avoid all that from the start. Clean, empty paper. That is it.

The second thing to consider is the thickness of the paper. This might sound extra, but I find the feel of it quite important. I have several drawings that I love, drawn on basic thin paper. And every time I hold them in my hands, I think how much better they would feel if the paper were heavier and more substantial. So if you can find thicker paper, go for it. Trust me on this one.

Last, and least important, is the size of the paper. I recommend choosing something smaller. A regular school notebook size, A4, is plenty, and you can go as small as a sticky note pad. There are several reasons for this. It takes less time to fill the page, while you still enjoy the process all the same. Mistakes are harder to see and obsess over. It feels like less commitment. Less scary.

What you draw on matters, but what you draw with matters even more. Pen and pencil are the easiest options. I mainly draw with a pen because it gives the impression that you know what you are doing xD. But I also love the look of pen lines: bold and intentional. I mostly use pencil underneath for a simple sketch. Using it for the entire drawing is okay too, but it gives a different vibe. I find it freer, but less impactful. Whatever you prefer is fine, but having both available is great.

When choosing a pen, I STRONGLY recommend a black gel pen. Black because drawing with a blue office pen is not a vibe. And a gel pen over a regular one because it produces much more uniform and rich lines. This alone will make your drawing feel much richer.

When it comes to pencils, it is easy. Use the first one you find.

If you are new here, would really appreciate it if you took a few moments to answer my silly New Member Survey. Your answers will help make Doodling Meditation feel more useful, gentle, and welcoming.