About

Charlie O'Shields Photo Portrait Author Artist ProducerI’m Charlie O’Shields, and I live in Kansas City, Missouri.I started this blog in July 2015 to capture little bits of the world in ink and watercolor. Even though I hadn’t picked up a pen to sketch in over 20 years and I’d only just used watercolor for the first time that day, I got super excited about it, and well, Doodlewash was born. (What’s a doodlewash? Click here!)

My posts are actually my art journal. What you see is the painting I just made along with the random thoughts I just had, all typically created in the precious little hour I’ve carved out for myself on a weekend or weekdays after work and before dinner! If you enjoy my stories, I DO hope you’ll listen to my Sketching Stuff Podcast!

I also made a few books that I hope you’ll check out:

Sketching Stuff: Create Like A Kid Again! Creative Activity Book
Illustrated Memoir: Sketching Stuff: Stories Sketched From Life
Sketching Stuff Activity Books 
Sketching Stuff “Draw Upon A Time” Books

You can learn more about my art, books, and other creative endeavors on my Sketching Stuff website, where if you sign up for my newsletter there, you’ll receive a bi-weekly personal letter from me with a fun creative exercise to try in your sketchbook!

I posted just my own art for about a week or two when I first started and quickly got lonely, so I started inviting friends to join me by posting their art and stories here as well, which I dubbed a Guest Doodlewash initially, but decided to simply say Guest Artist. Since that time, my friends have grown to include over 650 talented artists from around the world, drawing and painting with watercolors on every continent! (And if you’re interested in being a guest artist, just contact me!)

Also, if you’re not already a member of our popular and ever-growing World Watercolor Group on Facebook, then click here to join!  This amazing group was created during the first annual World Watercolor Month in July, our yearly 31 watercolors in 31 days art challenge. But if you love art challenges, and can’t wait for July, no problem, as I do them every month! Just click here to find the latest one!

But wait! There’s more!! You can also log into this site with your chosen social media provider and join the club! Doodlewash Club, to be exact. A totally free to join watercolor community where you can get your own artist profile, share your work in our global watercolor gallery, interact with other watercolor artists around the globe, and much, much, more!

I’ve discovered that sketching and painting with watercolor is incredibly relaxing and a great way to relief stress. For anyone and everyone! Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist or have never dared to doodle before. Trust me… you can do it too. We are all artists when we make something new.

Art is just more fun with others, so meet my friends and family below who have been dubbed the Doodlewash “Crew” simply because Aesha said she’d always wanted to be part of one. These awesome people inspire me with their own beautiful art and loving support and help me stay motivated!

And we’re inviting you to grab a brush and join us! Let’s all make some doodlewashes together!
charlie signature

doodlewash.com

MEET THE DOODLEWASH CREW

Sandra Strait (@lifeimitatesdoodles) is our current Doodlewash Supply Blogger and creates lots of comprehensive reviews of all types of art supplies along with tutorials. She is always up for trying new things and creates beautiful pieces of art on a regular basis. It’s truly inspiring! And, I’ve learned so much from her posts over the years, and I know you’ll really enjoy them as well. She’s also the moderator of my Sketching Stuff group on Facebook as well as here in our own Doodlewash Community. As our big little community continues to grow, Sandra has been essential to keeping this dream of inspiring people to try watercolor and create more alive! 

Jessica Seacrest - Doodlewash Supply BloggerJessica Seacrest (@jessicaseacrest) was our very first-ever Doodlewash Supply Blogger and created many reviews of various types of art supplies and paints. She likes to space out with her art – literally.  Nebulae, celestial objects, and intense skies are often the theme of her paintings. She approaches artistic expression with a light-hearted point of view.  She loves to see other people opening up to, and embracing their creative process.  Watercolor and meditation are two of her favorite things. She works as an accounting manager for a civil engineering firm.  

@Phinomet DoodlewashPhilippe (@Phinomet) is my partner and also the one responsible for my watercolor addiction. He’s been sketching for years and decided to try watercolor for the first time. At first, I didn’t join him, but after I did, I was hooked. Philippe is a native of Paris and moved to the States in 2013. He paints primarily watercolor landscapes, but will pretty much sketch and paint anything that inspires him. He has a PhD in cellular biology and is now a Senior Communications Specialist creating informational science videos and websites.

@missaesha DoodlewashAeasha (@missaesha) is our fabulous friend who we coaxed into trying watercolor the day after I started. Now that she’s been doodlewashed, there’s no turning back and she’s determined that we are going to start a doodlewash movement. She is a mother of two and says there’s a “landscape artist buried deep inside her soul.” Aesha is mostly inspired by waterscapes and nature. In her words, “Doodlewashing has helped me develop a different way of looking at scenery during an ordinary drive. I love it!”

 

112 thoughts on “About”

    1. It’s my own term! Hehe…trying to get friends and other people to try watercolor sketching with me and use #doodlewash to share it. My friends who’ve started doing it are having a blast and jokingly say we’re starting a movement! Lol – One focusing more on the genuine pleasure and fun of watercolor sketching and not getting too caught up in rules, all the technical details or comparisons to those crazy talented genius sketchers out there. (Hence the manifesto). Sort of giving people permission to doodle all the time even when they don’t consider themselves “artists” yet. 😉

      2. Just found this site and I LOVE it! I have just started making art and I am in my mid 60’s. Better late than never I say. 😀 Fine art just seems so intimidating but this is more like what I am doing as new artist. I plan to visit often to gain inspiration and encouragement as I try to find my “voice ” as they say. I love trying new techniques and supplies. I guess I am an adventure artist.

        1. That’s so wonderful to hear you’re starting out on this adventure, Kathy! It’s a wonderful trip!! If you’re on Facebook you should definitely join our World Watercolor Group there if you haven’t already : https://www.facebook.com/groups/worldwatercolor/

          It’s a super supportive community and lots of people of all skill levels sharing their art! And I love the term “adventure artist” … hehe… you’ve come to the right place then! Welcome!

    2. I like the term doolewashing..it’s catchy. I too, am an artist and Pop Art is my thang. I didn’t know I was an artist until in my 50’s so I want to encourage and inspire others to take a look at all kinds of art. Who knows what will transpire if you just try! Please come visit me and check out my blog, http://queenstudio.net

      1. Well hello there Queen Rose! Happy you dropped by! I’ll definitely check out your site, and so cool you became an artist in your 50’s…it’s never to late! 👍🏻😃 Do you ever paint with watercolors? (If you make a doodlewash, I could feature you here! 😉)

  2. Thank you for visiting my place. As a life long and self professed ‘doodler’, how could I not come see what Doodlewash is about. What a delightful site! Love the manifesto and am inspired by the watercolor sketches. Letting go and enjoying the journey…brilliant! Looking forward to seeing more take care and doodle on.

    1. Thank you so much!! Hoping to inspire as I fret my way through learning myself. Hehe…but it’s incredibly rewarding and fun and I’m “meeting” wonderful, talented people along the way. Thanks for dropping by and can’t wait to see more from you as well! (By the way, now I totally want a “Take Care And Doodle On” t-shirt. Wouldn’t that be cool?!)

  5. Love your doodlewashes! I can see why one might become addicted! I love the freedom of watercolor and I love the freedom in your sketches.

  7. Really enjoying your posts — after many years as an acrylic artist I switched to watercolors and pen and ink 18 months ago. I, too am hooked — and enjoying having my studio desk permanently set up in our conservation studio.

    1. Thank you so much! And excellent on the studio! Mine is my kitchen counter. Hehe I used acrylics in college, but that was the last time I painted which was many many years ago! 😊 sounds like you’ve been doodlewashed! Awesome! 😉

  8. I love this site and your Doodlwashings! Thanks so much for “liking” my post so that I was able to find yours. It is a really fun and relaxing technique. Almost like adult coloring. 😊

    1. Thank you so much Nancy!! Glad you enjoyed the site, and it is like adult coloring! Let all of our inner children smile and let’s make doodlewashes! Hehe…Just send a note via the Let’s Connect link if you want to be a Guest Doodlewash post. Would love to have you! 🙂

  11. Hey Charlie! I saw your art and loved it! I am a hobby cartoonist and do some pencil sketches now and again. I use water colours too but I do something slightly different. I usually paint with water colours on a cell sheet (plastic sheet) instead of paper/canvas. It is rather an old method but its fun. I end up painting the colours in reverse order. I use this technique mainly for my cartoons so that I can retain the ‘hand-drawn’ effect. I know the texture and strokes are probably lost this way but it works well for cartoons where I dont need them much. It lets me just scan and upload my cartoons without doing any software related tweaking (which I am not a fan of). For instance, my half skull display pic is done the same way.

    Your Doodlewash initative is great and I would love to get involved! Not sure if I am qualified enough to do so though. 🙂 You are a better judge at that. Please have a look at my work and let me know.

    halfwitcreations.wordpress.com

    Keep up the good work! 🙂

    1. Thanks so much for your wonderful note, Subash! And the of course you can get involved!! Your work is fun and something different than we’ve featured here. Just send me a note via my Let’s Connect link on doodlewash.com and I can send you info on what I need for s Guest Doodlewash feature! 😉👍🏻

  12. Hi Charlie! Thanks for checking out my blog. I love what you have going here! Very inspiring, and a bit timely also. I had started to lose the fun in painting and in trying to get it back started doodling more and planning and “working” less in my sketchbook. I appreciate your “mission” to get people to embrace their creativity and play.
    Karen

    1. Thank you so much Karen!! I was checking and then got interrupted…hehe…just got back to comment and follow you! Your paintings are extraordinary! If you’d ever like to be a guest artist on my blog, I’d be honored to feature you!!

  14. Hae pal, My name is James, You’ve got a creative bio and amazing posts. I wish to ask, how do one get featured on freshy pressed

    Regards:

    James

    1. Hello James! Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment! I really appreciate it. As for Freshly Pressed, it’s just a matter of hoping a WordPress editor finds and chooses your blog. One tip to make sure they can find you is to not use more than 15 tags and categories (total) on your posts. If you do, they won’t show up in those tags on the Reader and the editors and others might not see your posts. 👍🏻😉

  16. Hi Charlie, inspiring blog! I am an artist myself and am dedicated to the same philosophy: making more art everyday, enjoying it more and letting others know about the pleasure that awaits them. It is a delight to see you doing this so well. Cheers!

  17. the doodlewash movement…like it. I certainly like your idea of doing watercolor for pure fun,relaxation without going crazy about the rules. I have a question: where do you find all those national days? It never stops intriguing me 🙂

  18. Have been following your blog daily and i love the art presented and also the detailing. i sketch/ paint sporadically so any work associated with colors always catches my attention.

  21. Dear Charlie, many compliments for your beautiful blog and my thanks for your kind Like, comment on my post “Still life”, shown on my blog dispenza.wordpress.com. and for your following my art activity.

  22. Dear Charlie, many thanks, I appreciate that, I would be happy; but it all depends on the terms and conditions required to be your guests. You can find my email address on my blog dispenza.wordpress.com. Best greetings from Italy! Edoardo

  23. Cheers, Charlie; as always, much appreciated your like on my “A wall graveyard” shown on my art blog dispenza.wordpress.com

  25. Hi, Charlie; as always thanks so much for your Like on my Art Gallery drawing. Have a lovely day. Edoardo

      1. Hi Charlie! Many thanks for your comment and nice invitation. I’d like to feature on Doodlewash, but I do not know how to do it. You promised me an email with instructions, terms and conditions, but I have not received it yet. Looking forward to hearing from you further. With kind regards. Edoardo

  26. Hey Charlie. I wonder if I can ask for a favour. I want to put up a post about positivity, inspiration and motivation. Would you be willing to write a paragraph or two to go in it?

  27. Wow, what a movement you have started Charlie! I don’t use watercolor paints, but have been thinking of doing a course for some time now…I think you leave me no choice, I must!
    Absolutely love what you have created here, a wonderful space for all artists alike.

    1. Awww…thanks soooo much, Laura! What a wonderful note to read. I’m thrilled you like Doodlewash and even more thrilled that you’re now tempted to try watercolor! 😃😃Yay!! Do it!! Do it! Welcome!!

  29. Now that is a very creative initiative there, Charlie. I can relate to you and therefore I am in love with it – being an artist because you make art and not the other way round 🙂

    I started my art blog 6 years (nearly) ago and I am now proud I did. In fact I am in engineering and even then, I love doing art in spare time!

    And the term doodlewash is cool… I think this as a technique of art now. In fact, I recently featured an artist (Google the term “Blule”) and I think her style is something similar to doodlewash. Big color splashes resulting in genius paintings. I just thought you should see it as an inspiration. Lovely work here! Indeed!

    1. Thanks so much for the lovely note! I’m so glad you found and like Doodlewash! It’s been a fun journey and I’m just coming up on my first full year of blogging in July! And yes, I’m familiar with Blule! I tried to reach to see if she’d liked to be featured, but never heard a response from her. Hehe

  30. Fantastic! I came across your blog using the Discover feature in WordPress. It must have been meant to be that I should come here, because I am considering picking up an old passion I had when I was a youngster growing up…45 years later, my passion is photography/blogging, but there’s the urge to get back to sketching, and I like the idea of doodlewashing. I love what you have created. Best wishes from Brisbane, Australia. 🙂

    1. Thanks so much Kim! I really appreciate that! As for doodlewashing… Do it!! Do it! And today is the best day to start. July 1st is the beginning of World Watercolor Month! (try to do a little something every day in July!)

      worldwatercolor.com

      Join us my friend!! (if you’re on Facebook there’s a great World Watercolor Month group to join there as well!)

  33. i’m glad i found your blog. I enjoyed every bits and piiece. Love the artwork and the story behind it. Thanks,. Your blog made me smile.

    1. Awww that’s very sweet of you Jenn! Thank you so much! I don’t really participate in these, though, as I can barely make my regular posts some days, and always want to include 500 people. 😊 But I’m honored that you like my blog! That’s the best award ever!