KOCHI: Remember when doodling was just some random sketch you would draw on the last page of your notebook during a particularly boring lecture? Well, the world has come a long way since then. Today doodling is a growing industry. Instagram has made millennials realise the appeal of life mantras being scrawled in fun fonts on poppy posters or the absolute necessity of cutesy stickers to embellish journals.
A jewellery designer by qualification, Ishaana Cherian-Koshy recollects being addicted to Instagram and YouTube tutorials on doodling and calligraphy. Fascinated, she started practising interesting fonts using watercolours and a year later she started her brand, The Doodler Scribbler, which is also her avatar on social media. “My first pop-up stall was at the opening edition of ‘On Flea.k’ in 2017, the flea market that happens in Kochi. You could say that I officially launched my brand there.
After that, I started getting commissioned orders and now I am looking forward to training others,” says Ishaana, who is slated to conduct a traditional watercolour lettering and digital lettering workshop this weekend at Edapally. For the new year, The Doodler Scribbler came out with a set of calendars. While one was a spiral-bound desk calendar with positive quotes and illustrations decking the page of every month, buyers had the option of tearing away the illustrated part and using it as decor art.
The other version was specifically designed for art and craft fanatics. This came in a booklet format where the entire leaf of a month could be separated and stuck on to a personal journal or notebook. “We received a lot of orders for the craft calendar version, especially because it was interactive and could be personalised. It came with washi tapes and fun stickers. Both editions also had a mood or habit tracker incorporated to each month.
This was my first digital project and the response was great,” says Ishaana.
Ishaana is hoping to branch out. While customised commissioned works are her forte, she is also looking forward to designing invites, postcards and business cards. Through the brand’s social media handles, the 26-year-old illustrator has started selling digital posters. The prices vary according to the size and framing choices. “I started digital lettering after I was gifted an iPad by my family. I use the app called Procreate. It’s an amazing, easy-to-learn illustration platform for young artists,” says Ishaana.