Doodling for Beginners: How to Draw

If you're just getting started drawing, it might seem a little intimidating! It takes time and patience to work up your skills to the point where what you envision in your head is what comes out on paper. 

Luckily, drawing is fun, so practicing is easy! To get better at drawing and to help you find your signature style, it's a good idea to doodle whenever you can. Doodling helps you practice different styles, shapes, and figures without needing to commit to a big project or something that ends up looking "finished".  Who knows, you might just find your favorite subject to draw after practicing some of these doodling tutorials!

Doodling Supplies

To get started you'll need some paper, a pencil, some drawing pens in multiple point sizes for drawing lines in different thicknesses (we love Le Pen Drawing for this), and if you want to add some color you'll need some markers like Le Plume Permanent, which are great for drawing comics and anime, or Le Plume II, which are perfect for coloring!

Ready? Let's get started!

How to Draw a Carnation

1. Carnation - Sketch with a pencil then a fineliner to ink.
2. Take your LePen Drawing and sketching the body of the carnation (calyx), draw an elongated U shape then connect the shape with a V.
3. Add leaves under the body, 2 hugging the body and 2 downwards.
4. For the flower petals, start from the center of the body and draw a rectangular shape upwards with a top of the petal having jagged edges then draw the line back down to the body.
5. For the next petals, draw the next 3 petals behind the first petal with the same step as before.
6. For the final row of petals, draw the petals stacked behind the first row of petals. There should be an odd number of petals to give it a full umbrella look.
7. After the flower is done, draw a stem down from the body and add more leaves.
8. After the sketch is done, ink with a fine liner and color in the carnation

How to Draw a Tulip

1. Tulip - Sketch with a pencil, the red is the guide
2. For the guide: Start by drawing the letter U, connect the opening of the U with an oval then draw a line down and draw another U with an oval off to the left of the first shape.
3. Inside the guide draw a petal with your LePen Drawing: using an oblong shape draw the petal with a tapered edge on the right.
4. To the right of the petal, at the tapered edge, draw up towards the guide and connect the petal to the bottom of the first petal.
5. Draw the last petal with an arch, keep the arch lower than the tip of the other 2 petals.
6. On the bottom guide, draw another tulip, this time start the petal in the center with 2 tapered edges.
7. Draw 2 ovals on both sides of the first petal to finish the tulip.
8. Draw a few lines from the bottom of the center petal to create veins.
9. Finish the tulip by adding in the stem and a long leaf.

How to Draw Ice Cream

1. Use a pencil to draw out two rough circles stacked on top of each and overlapping. Then add a big T that overlaps the bottom circle. This will be the framework for your doodle!
2. Start at the top and start working your way down. Draw a small circle at the very top with a stem for your cherry.
3. Add the topping below the cherry.
4. Draw the bottom of the first scoop of ice cream.
5. Add the second scoop of ice cream below that.
6. Draw an upside-down triangle for the cone.
7. Don't forget to add the details that make your drawing come to life! These details are what transform beginner doodles into advanced ones!
8. Take your Le Plume II markers and add some color. Viola! You're done.

How to Doodle Coffee

1. Take your Le Pen Drawing pen and begin by drawing a horizontal oval. This will form the open rim of the cup.
2. From one side of the oval, begin drawing a curved line or U shape and connect it to the other side of the oval.
3. Add a handle for your cup! To give the handle a 3D appearance, draw two “C” shaped lines extending from the cup, roughly parallel and with one smaller than the other. Connect them with a curved line at each end.
4. Now to add your coffee! Draw two curved lines downward from the sides of the oval, outlining the sides of the cup. Connect these by drawing a curved line.
5. To complete the doodle, add a saucer to your coffee cup! Simply draw an oval around the cup’s base makin sure to stop the oval once the line hits the coffee cup.
6. Now you have a cute cup of coffee to start your day, enjoy!

How to Doodle a Cactus

1. Take your Le Pen Drawing in .3 and draw a long, rounded rectangle. This will be the rim of the planter.
2. Next, draw a U shape under the rectangle.
3. Draw a circle with a flat bottom on top of the rectangle.
4. Add an arm to your cactus! You can also add a cute little flower by drawing three little petals on one side.
5. Add your details to make it come to life! Cactuses have prickly points you can see, so make sure to add some.
6. Now color it in and you're done!

How to Draw a Tulip

1. Draw an outline of a wine glass shape in pencil. This will help you build your petals easier.
2. Grab your Le Pen Drawing pen and draw one half of a petal.
3. Draw another half petal on the opposite side.
4. Connect these by drawing a mountain shape at the top between them. You're almost done!
5. Add details to the petals an add a stem to finish this off. Color it in to really make it pop!

How to Draw a Violet

1. Take your Le Pen Drawing pen and draw a rounded petal towards the left of the paper. 
2. Draw another half petal on the opposite side. This will resemble an infinity sign.
3. Now draw another rounded petal at the bottom middle of the first two petals. Your violet will now resemble a paw print. 
4. Draw a half petal at the left top of the violet 
5. Connect the violet with another small half petal on the right side.
6. Add details to the petals and add a stem to finish this off. Color it in with Le Plume II markers to really make it pop!

How to Draw a Rose

How to Draw a Heart Balloon

1. Grab your Le Pen Drawing pen and draw one half of a heart. 
2. Now Complete the heart by drawing the other half. 
3. Next, draw the tied end which is where the balloon opening starts. This will resemble a small triangle. 
4. Create a ribbon where the tied end (triangle) and balloon meet. Then add two strings coming down from the middle where the ribbon and heart meet.
5. Add details to the balloon to make it stand out!
6. To finish your balloon, draw a long curved string coming down from the middle of the ribbon!

How to Draw a Clover

1. Take your Le Pen Drawing pen and draw a thin heart with a stem coming down the middle. 
2. Draw another thin heart shape on the left middle side of the first one. You can start the end of the heart right at the point where the first heart and the stem meet. 
3. Now do the same but on the right side.
4. To add detail to your clover, add a curved line in the middle of each petal to create a midrib. 
5. Feel free to use a Color In Le Plume II marker to add color to your clover!

How to Draw a Pumpkin

1. Create an outline for your pumpkin by drawing a large circle for your pumpkin.
2. Take your Le Pen Drawing pen and begin your pumpkin by drawing a small vertical oval in the middle of the circle.  
3. Now add one more vertical oval on each side of the first oval.
4. Create your stem!
5. Add two more ovals, one on each side of the last ovals you drew. These ovals will be bigger than the others and overlap with the last two ovals to create a 3D effect.
6. Finish your pumpkin by adding four curved lines on the sides and behind the stem.

How to Draw a Snowflake

1. Create an outline for your snowflake by drawing a very light 3D circle.
2. Take your Le Pen Drawing pen and begin your snowflake by drawing one straight line down the middle of the circle
3. Now draw a horizontal X in the middle of the straight line.
4. Begin the middle of your snowflake by drawing a dot in the middle where all the lines meet.
5. Add more detail by drawing a small vertical X shape where the circle and all the other lines meet. Then draw a horizontal straight line in the middle or right underneath the dot.
6. Finish your snowflake by adding small V shapes going in different directions on all of your lines.

How to Draw a Snowman

1. Grab your Le Pen Drawing pen and start creating your snowman! Draw a circle for the head, then a larger circle underneath, and a larger circle underneath that one to create the body! Make sure all your circles are connected!  
2. Slightly covering the top of the head, draw the hat. Make it’s brim/bottom curved slightly upwards and draw it’s top as a cylinder that is slightly narrower towards the bottom.
3. Add his carrot nose by drawing a triangle shape coming out of his face.
4. Add the yes and mouth by drawing two dots underneath the hat, at the center of the snowman's face. Now give him a curved, dotted smile!
5. Give him some stick arms coming out of the second circle part of his body and give him three dots coming down the middle circle.
6. Finish your snowman by drawing him a scarf!  First draw the part that wraps around between the head and the body as shown in the example. Afterwards add the two ends hanging out from underneath it with one tucked under the other.

Remember, doodling is all about having fun, practicing your skills, and exploring new techniques. Don't get caught up with making it look perfect!