Sam Cox Mr. Doodle The Doodle Man
Big Idea: Freedom of Expression
Major Theme: Power of Doodling
Medium/Presentation: Galaxy Note 8s’, S Pen/Advertisement, Cartoon, Comics, Illustration
Visual Components: Balance, Unity, Line, Movement, Repetition, Rhythm, Shape, Space, Variety
Category: Pop Culture
Big Idea: Freedom of Expression
Major Theme: Power of Doodling
Medium/Presentation: Galaxy Note 8s’, S Pen/Advertisement, Cartoon, Comics, Illustration
Visual Components: Balance, Unity, Line, Movement, Repetition, Rhythm, Shape, Space, Variety
Category: Pop Culture
Description/Interpretation:
In this piece, artist Sam Cox partnered with the company Samsung and created his iconic doodle art using 132 Galaxy Note8 smartphones and the S pen that comes with that particular phone. In the above picture, the doodles appear to be blue but, in the exhibit, the installation of doodles change color. The actual doodled images also change but all have all been created by Sam Cox in this unique comic-like/cartoon-esque style using this particular technology as a medium. The actual doodle drawing images themselves range from what they depict. From doodles of fantastical creatures/characters to clouds to symbols like hearts, Mr. Doodle does it all in this piece!
Sam Cox is internationally recognized as “The Doodle Man” or “Mr. Doodle.” Mr. Doodle’s work is made out of several different materials such as walls, furniture, and a variety of different surfaces. The common subject matter always is comprised of doodles or doodling. His work has been known to be called “graffiti spaghetti” and is commonly described as a virus of spreading doodles. Sam Cox donates a lot of his profits to different charities and organizations to help people and the world one doodle at a time. In this piece Sam Cox still stays true to his doodling ways in which each individual doodle plays a part and has a place in the overall doodled picture. It would seem as if without one of the small doodled images, the whole piece might topple over. To avoid this from happening, Sam Cox achieves tremendous balance in his work. The nature of his drawings feels as though they are free. I get this impression because of the way that the doodles appear to be loosely drawn but still provide enough detail so that the work appears to look finished. The variety of the ever-changing different colored doodled images is truly a dynamic experience fully allowing for viewers into not only his world of doodling but also the smartphone and its capabilities. Sam mixes technology and art to create a piece that shows the world his individual and unique voice powered by the simplicity of doodling and a material object used by billions of people every day. Yes, this can be viewed as an advertisement for these particular phones, but he achieves much greater success than just this. By exhibiting his artwork and doodle language that he has made on the smartphones, he promotes the idea that anyone can doodle as many people have smartphones in this day and age. This encourages art to be made by people who may have grown up with the mentality that they “couldn’t draw.” Many people have a smartphone and can use it to redefine this mindset opening up many different and new artistic doors.
In this piece, artist Sam Cox partnered with the company Samsung and created his iconic doodle art using 132 Galaxy Note8 smartphones and the S pen that comes with that particular phone. In the above picture, the doodles appear to be blue but, in the exhibit, the installation of doodles change color. The actual doodled images also change but all have all been created by Sam Cox in this unique comic-like/cartoon-esque style using this particular technology as a medium. The actual doodle drawing images themselves range from what they depict. From doodles of fantastical creatures/characters to clouds to symbols like hearts, Mr. Doodle does it all in this piece!
Sam Cox is internationally recognized as “The Doodle Man” or “Mr. Doodle.” Mr. Doodle’s work is made out of several different materials such as walls, furniture, and a variety of different surfaces. The common subject matter always is comprised of doodles or doodling. His work has been known to be called “graffiti spaghetti” and is commonly described as a virus of spreading doodles. Sam Cox donates a lot of his profits to different charities and organizations to help people and the world one doodle at a time. In this piece Sam Cox still stays true to his doodling ways in which each individual doodle plays a part and has a place in the overall doodled picture. It would seem as if without one of the small doodled images, the whole piece might topple over. To avoid this from happening, Sam Cox achieves tremendous balance in his work. The nature of his drawings feels as though they are free. I get this impression because of the way that the doodles appear to be loosely drawn but still provide enough detail so that the work appears to look finished. The variety of the ever-changing different colored doodled images is truly a dynamic experience fully allowing for viewers into not only his world of doodling but also the smartphone and its capabilities. Sam mixes technology and art to create a piece that shows the world his individual and unique voice powered by the simplicity of doodling and a material object used by billions of people every day. Yes, this can be viewed as an advertisement for these particular phones, but he achieves much greater success than just this. By exhibiting his artwork and doodle language that he has made on the smartphones, he promotes the idea that anyone can doodle as many people have smartphones in this day and age. This encourages art to be made by people who may have grown up with the mentality that they “couldn’t draw.” Many people have a smartphone and can use it to redefine this mindset opening up many different and new artistic doors.
Use in Teaching:
Sam Cox and his doodle phenomenon has really opened my eyes to the power that doodles have. While a lot of the doodles seem to be simple and small, they can have such meaning and power behind them. First of all, this makes me want to have doodling as a warm up activity when students come into my future art classroom. The students have the first 5 minutes of class to doodle in a sketchbook. At the end of the year or semester, students will then have pages and pages of doodles to remember and look back at as inspiration. Doodling at the beginning of class also allows students to get into the artistic zone or flow. At any grade level, students have to switch gears when coming into the art room because many times they will be coming from core academic subjects. As far as a future lesson goes, I would like for students to doodle a simple image that has a lot of meaning and power to who they are as an individual. This is to show students that artwork does not have to be astoundingly elaborate in order for the piece to be powerful or meaningful to viewers. During this lesson I would have students explore image symbolism. Using this one powerful but minimalistic image, a follow up lesson would/could involve students working together and creating a collaborative class doodle mural. All students would be able to draw their particular important image on a wall. The students would be challenged to make all of their individual images fit together as Sam Cox’s individual images do to accomplish unity. Another lesson idea could combine art and technology using this piece as motivation. Young children can effectively operate technology and once students get to middle school, many students have their very own cell phones/smartphones. Including technology in art is always a good idea in the technological part of the world that we live in.
Sam Cox and his doodle phenomenon has really opened my eyes to the power that doodles have. While a lot of the doodles seem to be simple and small, they can have such meaning and power behind them. First of all, this makes me want to have doodling as a warm up activity when students come into my future art classroom. The students have the first 5 minutes of class to doodle in a sketchbook. At the end of the year or semester, students will then have pages and pages of doodles to remember and look back at as inspiration. Doodling at the beginning of class also allows students to get into the artistic zone or flow. At any grade level, students have to switch gears when coming into the art room because many times they will be coming from core academic subjects. As far as a future lesson goes, I would like for students to doodle a simple image that has a lot of meaning and power to who they are as an individual. This is to show students that artwork does not have to be astoundingly elaborate in order for the piece to be powerful or meaningful to viewers. During this lesson I would have students explore image symbolism. Using this one powerful but minimalistic image, a follow up lesson would/could involve students working together and creating a collaborative class doodle mural. All students would be able to draw their particular important image on a wall. The students would be challenged to make all of their individual images fit together as Sam Cox’s individual images do to accomplish unity. Another lesson idea could combine art and technology using this piece as motivation. Young children can effectively operate technology and once students get to middle school, many students have their very own cell phones/smartphones. Including technology in art is always a good idea in the technological part of the world that we live in.
Discussion Questions:
- Who can describe to me what they see?
- How many of you have your very own smartphone?
- Do you doodle images? If so, where and what images? Why do you doodle?
- Do you enjoy doodling? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Sam Cox doodles?
- What does symbolism in art mean?
- Why did you doodle the particular image that you did? What does this particular doodle mean to you?
- Do you think doodling is important in art? Why or why not?
- What does the act and finished product of doodling promote?
Sources:
https://mrdoodle.com/About
https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/meet-mr-doodle-the-artist-from-another-planet-who-wants-us-all-to-take-things-a-little-less-seriously/
https://news.samsung.com/global/mr-doodle-unlocks-the-creativity-of-the-galaxy-note-with-s-pen-inspired-doodle-exhibition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThupCnxF9jM
https://mrdoodle.com/About
https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/meet-mr-doodle-the-artist-from-another-planet-who-wants-us-all-to-take-things-a-little-less-seriously/
https://news.samsung.com/global/mr-doodle-unlocks-the-creativity-of-the-galaxy-note-with-s-pen-inspired-doodle-exhibition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThupCnxF9jM