Doodlers Anonymous http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/ Doodlers Anonymous was founded to celebrate our addiction, and like any other, we're hooked. Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/ en <![CDATA[Overwhelmed]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1575 Jul 29, 2010 01:01 AM OKAT http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1575

Not everything is lost, but it sure does feel like it. July has been a very slow month for Doodlers Anonymous, the slowest of all the months since our humble beginnings almost two years ago.

We are going through a transition of sorts. Lots is happening, but nothing is happening at the same time. We are working on upgrading some elements of DA, while adding new sections as well. It's all in development right now. Nothing that you can see until launch, of course.

It's been a long time coming and completely devouring up all of my free time. What's worse is that it's stealing my energy from keeping the current site alive and well with fresh content. And as each day goes on, it gets even harder to fall back into the routine of maintaining the current. I feel kinda lost.

I'll say this much, though. It will be well worth the effort. For those of you that keep coming back, a big thank you. Everyday I find new links from blogs and illustrators alike linking to Doodlers Anonymous. It's beyond encouraging.

And so this post is an effort to get myself back into the swing of things, while also showing off some great doodles from our members. For this entry I simply searched the word "lost" within the Doodlers Anonymous flickr group and happily discovered this handful of goodies. Keep it going forever.

Above: "I lost my head" by lapin.

"47/365 - Spoiler de Lost" by Ferran Esteve




"lost hat" by Alyssa Duhe




untitled by Hayley Warnham




"lost in my world" by Gizem Vural




"Terminal 3, (D)heathrow" by Ian Bowden




"I Lose Myself" by Vaughn Fender




"lost and found" by yours truly]]> <![CDATA[Words to Live By]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1574 Jul 14, 2010 12:49 PM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1574

I bought a large set of markers and I feel like a kid again because all I want to do is color things in. Seriously. I can't stop.

So in the spirit of our addiction to draw on anything and everything, here is some new work and words that I haven't been able to get out of my head until they've been put down on paper.













]]> <![CDATA[And The Winners Are...]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1573 Jul 14, 2010 12:07 PM OKAT http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1573

Sorry for the announcement delay folks, most of us here at DA were on vacation last week. You gotta do what you gotta do. :)

The good news is Miss Thereza Rowe has done the draw for her giveaway and picked two winners. Congratulations and high fives go out to: Alex and Tigz Rice.

Thank you for all who participated. And thank you again Thereza for being an all-around awesome person and contributor here at DA. We have thoroughly enjoyed your stay here. Come back and visit us often! ]]> <![CDATA[Member Spotlight: James Barker]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1572 Jul 6, 2010 06:55 PM OKAT http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1572

What can I say? I seriously love everything James draws. It's messy, raw and untamed, but all very intentional at the same time. His work is all over the place too, from colorful and bold portraits of dead kings and queens to black and white comic-like panels of zombies and devils. I've collected some of my favorite here, but also make sure you don't miss his drawn posters of compiled masks, flags and planes.

James became a member of Doodlers Anonymous in December of 2009, but you can mainly find him on flickr and jamesillustration.co.uk









]]> <![CDATA[Living Life Like Good Homosapiens]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1571 Jul 2, 2010 10:58 AM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1571

Retro Whale combines all of my favorite things into their body of work: Humanimals, imperfect lines, and a kind of subtle humor that makes me laugh in the most ridiculous way. Get to know the work of Kelly, Jimmy and Jaedon and see life the way they do: With a whole lot of color and inspiring rap lyrics to make you feel complete. Check out their etsy shop too. There's so much goodness there.









]]> <![CDATA[Giveaway: We're A Happy Family]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1570 Jul 1, 2010 11:30 AM Thereza http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1570

As my guest blogging here comes to the end of its happy cycle, I cannot believe how fast this month went by and how much fun it’s been posting for you DA readers. I feel lucky and glad to have been so warmly welcomed by the DA family and as a token of my gratitude, as Papa (above) suggested to me, a giveaway would be most suiting to celebrate the good times I’ve had 'round here and to thank you all for the love, generous feedback and endless bubbles of inspiration.

So speaking of families, a while back I was delighted to be invited by the super talented Estibaliz Hernandez to design a set of four cards along with another seven international artists to form the ‘We are a happy family’ children’s card game. It was such a great project to be involved in, I enjoyed the process so much and the end result is truly fabulous.

The card game was published in Spain in April and the first edition has sold out, with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders charity. The wonderful other artists included are Sarajo Frieden, Lotte Andkilde, Lady Desidia, Estibaliz Hernandez, Alexandra Hedberg, Aris Moore, Kimberly Laurenti and box layout by Jorge Fernandez.

And guess what? We have put aside two packs exclusively to give away to a couple of lucky DA readers!









To enter this giveaway all you have to do is leave your comment on this post telling us what you enjoyed most during my posting here and your name will go in my hat! Winners will be announced on 7th July.

Last but not least, I’d like to take this opportunity to, again, thank you so much for making my little adventure here such a brilliant one!

Pssst: I have a brand new website now and am welcoming your feedback too. Hope you enjoy browsing through it and do stay in touch.

Lots of love and happy doodling
x]]> <![CDATA[Doodle on Cotton]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1569 Jun 29, 2010 03:35 PM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1569

For far too long, my to-do list looked something like this:

1. Something important
2. Something else fairly important
3. Something I didn't finish yesterday
4. Doodle on my DA shirt

I can finally take that bottom task off of my list.

It was a few hours of mindless fun and somewhat therapeutic and I encourage you all to take some time off (because we all need it) to do the same. My tools of choice? A black marker, a needle and some red thread.

We love the submissions we've gotten so far and also love how your individual styles and personalities come through in each t-shirt. We look forward to seeing more of them and sharing them with all of you.









]]> <![CDATA[A Bag of Cats]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1568 Jun 23, 2010 12:11 PM Thereza http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1568

“Time spent with cats is never wasted.” Sigmund Freud once quoted. And I think he’s absolutely right! My two felines are my pride and joy.

A while ago over a morning of procrastination I made a little flickr cat gallery and I never get tired of revisiting it again and again… As they say: cats are magical creatures, the more you pet them, the longer you’ll both live…

Here’s a little selection of cat drawings I found this evening.

"don’t hate me because I’m beautiful" by gemma correll
This one says it all, doesn’t it?! Catphilosophy.



"nutella cat" by jamieshelman
Nutella + cat = perfect combo



"guess who I am!" by Blanca Helga
Whoever you are, no matter. You’re gorgeous!



"untitled" by lapuertatres
Let me adopt you!



"Siamese" by naianamss
What are you staring at kitties?



"Cat Party no.2" by Mia Christopher
Wouldn’t you love to join this party?!



"I ate too much" by milkylane
Ohhh really? Time for a nap now…

Say meowwwww!]]> <![CDATA[Fan Mail, Part VIII]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1566 Jun 22, 2010 10:00 AM OKAT http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1566

We love it when we get fan mail and this one in particular is out of the ordinary. It came as mail, literally. That's rare form these days and it's a beauty too.

Café con Leche (coffee with milk) is the imaginary home of Roi and Inés from Mexico City. Their website is filled to the brim with drawings, animations and endless goodies, so stop on by and give them some love.

We are so thrilled with the postcard. Next time we're in Mexico, we'll have to share a cafécito! ]]> <![CDATA[Streak and Stroke]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1567 Jun 21, 2010 05:18 PM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1567

I like Stuart White. Why? Because he likes working on projects with a hands-on approach. And for that, he deserves a gold star, a hand-drawn one. His marks are minimal and simply perfect as they are.







]]> <![CDATA[Games and Exercises]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1565 Jun 18, 2010 04:35 PM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1565

We've all been somewhat busy working on our individual projects. But last Friday, we decided to get ourselves back into the groove of things, DA style. We put on some Stereo Mood (tip: always pick "happy." Even if you're not, you will be after just a few songs), pulled out whatever markers we had lying around (in this case, we had sharpies and good old-fashioned Crayolas) and went to town on a garage door that looked way too bare for our tastes.

Moral of the story: There is none. But that's what doodling is all about - no thinking involved, just drawing.

Here are a few photos of the improvised fun. This is just the beginning. Our intention now is to finish it, with tons of color and not an inch left unmarked.









]]> <![CDATA[The Witty Universe of Simone Lia]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1564 Jun 18, 2010 11:30 AM Thereza http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1564

Back in uni days, I was lucky enough to have illustrator and comic artist Simone Lia as my tutor and just look at her work and you’ll see exactly what I mean by lucky.

Simone’s work is a constant source of inspiration for me, I love her way of seeing the world and how she visually translates her observations perfectly both in her illustrations and comics.

Her body of work is so consistently rich in narrative and packed with humour. I’m particularly fond of her heart warming graphic novel Fluffy, and her Jesus as she saw it when she was six years old is absolutely priceless…

Every week I look forward to her blog updates but I also thought it was about time to catch up properly and asked her a few questions especially for this post.


Q: Every time I see one of your pieces, it puts a smile right across my face. What inspires you to come up with such great amounts of witty insights in your work?

Thanks Thereza! I think I get ideas from talking to my friends and family. They’re a funny bunch, no matter how dark or dire a situation there’s usually a belly laugh in the midst of everything. I’m inspired by very ordinary everyday things too, standing in a queue in Sainsbury’s, being on a commuter train, waiting at the hairdresser. Sometimes I get lots of ideas from those everyday situations.




Q: Current projects… what are you up to at the moment?

I’m still working on a graphic novel. It’s taken a while to do a chunk of it mostly because it’s quite a personal project. I’m colouring it in and hoping to generate some interest with my publisher as he hasn’t seen it yet. It’s a book with me in it and my relationship with God. I’m very interested in relationships and felt inspired to do this. It’s a challenge to work on in all senses but I’m so into this and keen to see it finished.




Q: Where did your interest in creating comics originate?

I always loved comics as a child, I was a huge Beano fan when I was a child and I remember buying a 2ft stack of Beano back copies at a jumble sale once, my mother was not impressed. I loved the funnies but at art college I didn’t even consider that I could make comics, we sort of weren't allowed at college to do anything cartoony, it was shunned upon. It was Tom Gauld who inspired me to make something whilst at the RCA and I haven’t looked back since.




Q: How does the process involved in making comics differ from producing a single illustration?

With the comics there is more of an opportunity to draw a reader into your world and for them to engage with the characters. A comic is more of a time based piece of work and you can play around with the rhythm and pace of the story. A single illustration needs to communicate a concept in an instance.



Q: Tell me three things you can’t do without….and 3 pet hates…

Hmm, well beyond the basics then definitely the people in my life who I love. I’d also say faith in God that’s a big one, I think the last one would be being creative in some capacity. I suppose that’s why I love ordinary situations like being overwhelmed to the point of panic attack by the choice of butter in Sainsburys – having a creative outlet can turn an ordinary moment into something a bit funnier at a later date.

Three pet hates: I love it but also I think all of the information from technology does my head in I think we’re in an era of information overload and we’ll be twitchy wrecks with miniscule attention spans in five years time. That’s one. Moths is two and weeds is the three. That’s all I can think of at this moment.



Q: If you hadn’t become an illustrator what path do you think you’d you have followed?

I think something quite practical like an engineer or a plumber. I’m not that good at practical things like that but it does have an appeal.



Thanks Simone, it’s been lovely catching up with you! ]]> <![CDATA[Fresh Outta Art School]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1563 Jun 17, 2010 03:00 PM Lisa http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1563

What do I fancy about Katie Turner? She draws in her sleep. Well, she probably doesn't actually make marks while sleeping. But she seems like the sort of young illustrator who would often fall asleep with pencil in hand.

Two weeks ago she graduated from Parsons in New York, and I can feel that still-new freshness in her illustrations. It's obvious she's been taught well about colour and composition - but I mostly like how youthful her drawings feel. There's something eager about her.







]]> <![CDATA[Sunday Grins! with Jim Bradshaw]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1561 Jun 6, 2010 09:30 AM Lisa http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1561

The super doodler is back! In February he was a very pleasant guest contributor on DA (read all his posts here)... but this time around, he's wearing a fancy pink dress and dancing about with robots!

Uh oh! Now I've gotten you all distracted with the thought of Jim Bradshaw's hairy legs in a fancy pink dress. After you've had a peek, our friend OKAT already wrote some helpful words about the man who is never without his Moleskine.
Q: If you didn't have toes, what would you like instead?




Q: At a fancy dress party, what costume would give you the most attention?




Q: If your bed could be any shape, what would you like it to be?




Q: When you press an unknown button, what do you hope will happen?




Q: What do you not believe in?

]]> <![CDATA[Member Spotlight: Muxxi]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1562 Jun 5, 2010 02:10 PM OKAT http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1562

Muxxi is a recent member of DA that draws from Guatemala and declares she's lost in a crazy doodle world.

We absolutely agree. It's a weird and fantastic world of characters, expressions and beautiful, colorful scenes.









You can find the rest of her on flickr »]]> <![CDATA[Zines / A Labour of Love]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1560 Jun 4, 2010 01:31 PM Thereza http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1560

There's something quite special about zines, don’t you think?! These little booklets are usually hand made, low tech and mostly produced in small runs by the artists themselves. As a zinester myself, I really appreciate the close insight a zine can give in terms of an artist's perspective and ways of thinking/working. I view them mostly as a labour of love.

Last Saturday I had a fabulous time at the London Zine Symposium, (see my brief review and lots of pictures here) and whilst there I managed to snap up a few great zines for my ever growing collection. Yes, they're an addictive thing to collect as they come in all sizes, styles, subjects, mediums, formats, monochrome, colour, etc.

So I thought I'd share some images of my zine library and compile for you DA readers exclusively a little list of my current top 7 favorites – why seven? Well, because it's my favorite number!

Le Dot by Anthony Zinonos is a definite must have. I got my copy at the symposium when I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Zinonos in person. I love the simplicity yet powerful juxtapositions Anthony uses in his collages. He has other zines on offer so be sure to thoroughly browse his website to find them!

Lazy Soosan Alphabet series // boy, those girls rock! I bought a copy of letter E at the symposium whilst chatting to Lucy Davidson (one half of Lazy Soosan). They’ve got to letter G so far. Had a really hard time picking one, they’re all so great!



Ten Fingers is a collaborative zine set up by Helen of hellomemo.com and memolikesyou. A limited edition of 100 screenprinted and hand bound issues featuring 7 ace artists. Each page is perforated and has the option of being a postcard, mini print or kept together as a zine. I ordered my copy today actually. Can’t wait to get my tiny paws on that beauty.

Red Neck by David Galletly is definitely on my wish list. In an A5 format, this 28 page zine looks like a real treat as it's originally printed in b&w with hand-coloured elements. How cool is that?!



Several Foxes Unfolded is the latest zine by my favorite artist duo Gracia & Louise. I have two of their zines and they are a delight both in terms of their imaginative imagery and the paper stock, folding and binding techniques they use.

Jon Mac Nair // Slacking on the Job - a collection of hand drawn evidence - now, this is another ace one, isn’t it?! Imagine giving one to your boss… I love Jon’s sense of humour and this zine looks like it sums it up nicely.

Last but not least, ‘Between here and Here’ by Brendan Monroe. I found this one by chance whilst browsing some Etsy shops and it really looks good with its delicate line drawings and dreamy subject. Definitely going on my wish list.



Have fun browsing through all the goodness and I shall be back soon with more inspiring wonders!]]> <![CDATA[The Doodle Vending Machine]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1559 Jun 3, 2010 07:00 PM Lisa http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1559

It's nice when someone doodles a picture for you. But holy smokes, imagine if that doodler were sitting snug inside a human-size vending machine!

The DoodleVend is a clever little project by Sally Leach, encouraging artists to interact with their audience in an instant, playful way. Local illustrators take up residency inside the custom-built DoodleVend (think cubbyhouse meets carnival... with a token slot!) and you can chat to them through a bright red funnel, or peek in the window as they get busy doodling.

The DoodleVend takeaway menu includes party hats, badges, and cupcakes (edible ink!) - all doodled on as per your request. I love how the silliness of this project makes it so approachable. There's just no shying away from a custom party hat!

DoodleVend is popping up around the UK, but even for us non-locals, their Facebook page is good fun!

Read on for more photos and a little interview as DoodleVend maestro herself, Sally Leach, shares a little more about the project...


Q: How did the DoodleVend idea begin?

I have always been interested in the idea of art that can be for everyone, and I came up with the idea of the DoodleVend to encourage interactivity between artist and audience. It works brilliantly!

A couple of years back I started doing mural work for a company called 580limited, who are behind some of the coolest new multi-functional venues in the UK. Last year I was asked to come up with an interactive idea to entertain the guests at the opening of their latest bar.

So, along with my friend Maddy, we designed and produced a little hut that we would sit in and vend doodled items from. The first incarnation was named 'Mally and Saddy's Vend-A-Party' and it went down a storm with hundreds of party-goers leaving the event with their own personalized item! We also took the idea to Field Day Festival, where we helped festival goers complete their party outfits!

After this I re-branded the hut 'DoodleVend' to emphasize the focus on mini-artworks, and took the idea to Nottingham and Portsmouth, inviting local artists to come and do a session in the hut. I am currently looking to make a new, lighter hut to take to more venues around the country, bringing the doodles to the masses!



Q: How did you build that awesome machine?

I wanted DoodleVend to look as much like a vending machine as possible - with a window, token slot and collection point, as well as making sure it functioned well for the users and transportation. I got my tool-friendly friend Mike to help build the structure out of wood, which is actually all hinged, so it's a flat-pack!

The roof was the trickiest part as we only had a very small budget, and we ended up making the first roof out of cardboard and broom handles! Unfortunately, at Field Day Festival we were outside and it rained, leaving the roof in a soggy state! I have since made another roof out of plastic sheeting, which I have to say is very sturdy and (almost!) waterproof!



Q: How have punters responded to the project?

People's reactions have definitely been the most rewarding part of the project, both from artists and 'customers'. When I take it to an event, I go around the venue and give out tokens to people, explaining what the process is. At first, people always seem a little confused. But after they see other people with their goodies, they quickly get excited and start forming a queue which lasts until we run out!

The thrill people get from seeing their idea for a doodle come to life on a take-home item, is unlike anything I've seen before!



Q: Where to next for DoodleVend?

I'm hoping to expand the project, and take it to many other places. I think it would work alongside so many different events. My dream is to make several of them and take them to music festivals!

]]> <![CDATA[Cardboardcities]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1558 Jun 1, 2010 03:08 PM Jamie http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1558

Hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend. I spent mine away from the computer for four straight days. This morning, I felt myself jonesing for beautiful imagery, for color, for something that makes me want to drop everything I'm doing at the moment and just draw. I found it.

Feast your eyes on the work of Laura Reburn. Her lines get messy. Her colors and patterns are brilliant. But most of all, her illustration takes care of that overwhelming crave for simple goodness, the kind that brings a little smirk to your face.

Found via designworklife.







]]> <![CDATA[Sunday Grins! with Mogu Takahashi]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1557 May 31, 2010 08:23 PM Lisa http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1557

What's the coolest thing we can hold onto as we grow up? (hint: it's not anything to do with 'mint condition' or Ebay) ... it's creative joy! Making marks without any hesitation!

And that's why I am heaps smitten over Tokyo artist Mogu Takahashi!

I've heard people try to be mean about a drawing by saying 'Pff, I could have done that when I was like, three years old!'. But I think this is the biggest compliment! No-one makes happy marks like a three year old with a crayon can. But Mogu does it with the motor skills of a grown-up to boot!

Her happy little characters pop up on everything from handmade dog food jars, to funny little stuffed toys, even mandarins! Ha! There's always a good time to be had on her Flickr page or in her cute Etsy shop... and you'll want to take a peek at her very nice scrapbooks too.

But first!... Get happy with the five doodles that Mogu drew just for us. If ever Sunday Grins was an appropriate name for this Q&A, it is today!
Q: If you were a house, what would you look like?




Q: If you didn't have fingers, what would you like instead?




Q: What will you never see outside your window?




Q: Who was the strangest stranger you ever saw?




Q: Do monsters live under your bed?

]]> <![CDATA[An Ace in the Pack]]> http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1556 May 27, 2010 11:30 AM Thereza http://www.doodlersanonymous.com/entry.php?entryID=1556

I've been enjoying Lesley Barnes's ongoing adventure of designing an amazing full pack of playing cards since day one, or should I say card one.

As she puts it: 'something to help me out in my attempt to give up working and become a professional card shark'….

Lesley also told me of her love for kings, queens, horses and heraldry: ‘So doing a set of playing cards gave me the chance to indulge in these pleasures fully as I could create four warring families - the clubs, the hearts, the spades and the diamonds - each with their own creatures, characters and kingdoms.’

Her sense of humour does shine through in the set as each individual card tells a little story which is embellished by her very own unique style. I also love the exclusive sketches she sent me especially to share on this post. Yes, as you might have noticed by now, i do have a slight obsession with other artists sketchbooks, I guess it gives us a great insight on how individuals think visually.











Lesley keeps a flickr set and a blog for the cards and it's ever so nice to see the set progressing weekly. So do keep checking those for updates!

+ I recently collaborated with Lesley Barnes on an animation for small children. You can see it here »]]>