For many years, I studied acting pretty intensely under the great Arthur Mendoza at The Actor’s Circle Theater here in Los Angeles. During class, (and this has been true for me ever since kindergarten), I was unable to pay attention if I couldn’t doodle. I don’t know quite how to explain it- I’m usually not even aware of what I’m drawing, but if my hand’s not moving, I just can’t seem to focus properly in a classroom setting. Conversely, if I can doodle, I don’t miss a thing.
At first, I tried to hide it from Arthur, last thing I wanted was to disrespect him or the class, but I just couldn’t help it. He only called me out on it once, early on. I explained to him why I was sketching the whole time: about how it helped me focus, etc. Rather than bust me on it, he actually encouraged me to doodle and sketch as much as I needed to, but added that if my work in class ever slipped he would- and I quote- “shove that pen so far up my ass that the cap will poke out of top of my head.”
I love that guy…. and fortunately for me, it never came to that.
It got to where I’d fill up a notebook with scribbling madness every quarter, so I started compiling them into sketchbooks and I’d hand them out at the end of each semester.
Over all the years I studied with Arthur at A.C.T. , I’ve amassed hundreds of these things.
This a random collection of some of those sketches and doodles.