Definition

• The word "doodle" does appear in many dictionaries. According to Dictionary.com, in fact, doodle can mean several things. Primarily, to doodle is defined as "to draw or scribble idly," or "to waste time in a foolish activity." Although mainly concerned with the former definition, many people believe that drawing or scribbling idly is wasting time and being foolish. Doodle in its noun form means "a design, figure or the like, made by idle scribbling" or "a foolish or silly person."
  
  

Depictions

• Many doodlers draw geometric shapes, animals or people. Generally, doodle pictures are in some way related to what the doodler is otherwise focused on. Other times, doodles may simply appear as disorganized or unrecognizable. This may be the result of unfocused hand movements during drawing. Recognizable doodles are normally cartoonlike because the artist is not focused on the quality. If the person instead were to turn his entire attention to the project, then it would become a drawing rather than a doodle.
  
  

Scenarios

• Although almost all people have doodled at some point, some people doodle more often than others. Many prolific doodlers began doodling in school, then at home. Schoolchildren doodle in their notebooks, as it makes it look like the children are taking notes. People on the phone doodle on a notepad when expecting to have to write down a phone number or other information. Office workers doodle as they wait on their computers or think about a problem.
  
  

Art Form

• Though by definition a doodle is done absentmindedly, some artists have taken the concept and pushed it into the art realm. Though generally cartoonlike and not generally colored or painted, doodle art retains the chaotic creativity of the wandering mind by clustering many objects into a small space that indicate a stream-of-consciousness type flow to the viewer. Doodler generally draw such art by pen onto canvas or another high-quality paper, which sets it apart from the any-implement-any-medium type drawing of the traditional doodler.