Scribbling sits somewhere between intention and chaos. You don’t always need a clear plan when you lay down hundreds of bold lines to mark an eye or circle a shape to suggest a nose or head. Sometimes the point is to let movement and instinct guide the marks.
Easier said than done, I’m not the best example of how to “do” scribble drawing. Some artists close their eyes or try not to overthink so their hands can move freely, others like myself can’t switch off their inner critic, and each stroke should have meaning. Practice and experimentation help, but they won’t make your work look exactly like someone else’s—and that’s not the goal. Art has different aims. Realistic work tries to feel alive, scribble work aims to capture resemblance and energy, throughs and emotions, creating a chaotic whirlpool of lines. An artist who paints delicate watercolors won’t necessarily produce the same results when trying a raw, scribbled portrait, and that variety is part of being an artist.
My advice to anyone learning classical or digital techniques: don’t be too harsh on yourself. Try different approaches instead of locking into a single choice, there are endless ways to express art beyond the obvious. Don’t draw borders around your practice, you’ll only box yourself in and limit your potential.