Sketchbook of a GPS Artist

Those points being: (1) A city map is full of inspirations and (2) GPS doodling doesn’t have to be difficult!

When I spoke at TEDxVictoria in November 2015, one of my main messages was that GPS doodling is a fun and healthy approach to creative expression that’s open to virtually everyone.

“What excites me most about GPS doodling,” I said, “is that it takes the intimidation out of creative expression. If you can move, you can doodle. In fact, when I coined the term GPS doodles, I did so because ‘GPS art’ felt a little too lofty and exclusive. Everybody doodles. And anyone can GPS doodle.”

What often happens, though, is that people look at my huge and detailed doodles, hear how long is takes me to plan and ride them, and conclude that “There’s no way I could do something like that!”

Here’s the thing, though. GPS doodles don’t have to be huge and elaborate to be awesome. And here’s a doodle that proves the point. (It also shows how easy it is to get ideas for your doodles.)

Eleven days ago, I was pedalling about on my bike trying to find an open coffee shop on the BC Family Day holiday. Then earlier today, one of my followers on Strava commented “It’s a bunny!”

Yes – it is…kind of. But “kind of” is all it takes to get started on a doodle. Once you see a general shape in the map, it takes surprisingly little time to fine-tune the outline and flesh out the details. In fact, it took me less than an hour to find a more bunny-like outline for my bunny and enhance the picture with some foliage and a few whiskers.

Riding the route was equally quick: just 41 minutes* of pedalling from start to finish.

(*41 minutes is my moving time. If you link to my ride on Strava, you’ll see that the elapsed time was considerably more…only because a major mechanical issue en route forced me to take a taxi home mid-doodle to fetch a different bike!)

SEE IT ON STRAVA *

* Note: The GPS points will render correctly only if you are logged in at Strava.com