Article:
This is how they doodle
By James Gabrillo
Last updated 18:30:00 08/31/2007
MANILA, Philippines—I sometimes feel like living in the 21st century is a sham. Where are the robot assistants, food pills, and flying cars we were promised? In my grade school science textbook, I recall seeing illustrations of what classrooms in this decade would supposedly look like: smiling students sitting down with things on their heads that look like buckets that had light-bulbs installed on them. Where are these cool kids typing on imaginary keyboards? Where are the weird alien teachers?
While I’m scratching my head wondering what went wrong, eight doodlers collectively called WeeWillDoodle are busy making their futuristic visions of one-eyed monsters, egg-shaped creatures, and tiny ninjas a reality, one doodle at a time.
And it all began with a piece of scratch paper that was passed around for each of the team members’ doodling pleasure. Realizing the group’s potential after a few doodling sessions, Nelz Yumul came up with the idea to formally create a team. He came up with the name WeeWillDoodle as well.
Beginning and end
While setting up their first exhibit at F+art Gallery, they figured that it would be boring to just look at cartolina doodles so they put up 50+ feet of craft paper creating this giant space filled with their imaginative creations. The spectators were all amused and the exhibit was an awesome success. From then on, the team started getting invites to parties and events to do what they call “live doodling.”
They’ve doodled for a bunch of TV shows, and strutted their stuff at places like Piedra, Embassy, and even for a pool party somewhere in The Fort. Soon after, clothing brand Ecko Unlimited noticed them. It now supplies the team with the materials that they use.
With eight core members, WeeWillDoodle shares that in the effort of creating individual signature images, they face the big challenge of trying to connect each random doodle to one another.
It’s chaotic at first but the team’s end goal is to always create a sense of agreement among all the pieces. “We get better and better at achieving this harmony thing because the longer we work together, the better we adjust to each of our distinct styles. Our satisfaction comes from seeing random unconnected images slowly take the shape of one unified doodle,” they tell me.
In this feature, we gave the eight artists of WeeWillDoodle a blank white wall and told them to do whatever they wanted with it. The result is a colorful mishmash of randomness that has a bizarre balance and a certain brand of vibrant energy. No one artist can pull off the many varying line weights and colors that one sees in their combined doodles.
Multihued perspectives
The team acknowledges the end result to each member’s state of mind while creating the work. “The collective mindset is to just have fun and let the creative energies flow without taking things too seriously. It is, after all, just doodling,” they say.
As the team goes along, they are continually discovering that differing amounts of restraint and planning are needed to achieve the sense of harmony that’s unique to their work. “We used to doodle without any planning, filling up the ‘canvas’ with no general layout or shape in mind. We’re getting tired of that look so now we’re experimenting with layouts and borders that dictate the general shape of the piece. The layout may be planned but the individual elements remain spontaneous,” Paolo Ferrer shares.
Doodle or die
Each new doodling project for WeeWillDoodle is an adventure. Seeing how the piece will turn out excites the whole team. They even let the audience members participate in their sessions to add to the thrill. For one segment on TV, the team went to an elementary school in Tondo and encouraged the kids to doodle, allowing their creativity to flow.
“Kids are the undisputed masters of doodling, they have so much energy and so many raw ideas that are free from all the insecurities and limitations that we adults have. It was so much fun to draw with them. Once we got things started, we couldn’t stop them from drawing all over our tarpaulins. The characters they made were off the wall! Anlalabo! Ang gagaling nila!,” the team recalls.
The improvement each member has undergone since they all started is also fascinating. They find themselves more creative now, with their drawing powers much stronger, and their team spirit more solid.
As for the future, the team admits that they really have nothing concrete planned out. Like their doodles, they’re doing everything spontaneously. As long as people show interest in what they do, they’ll continue to show up for their live doodle shows. Either individually or as a group, they plan to turn egg people, hybrid animals, and talking TV sets into reality until the end of time.
The six guys and two girls of WeeWillDoodle are not seeking to be cutting-edge and forward-thinking and all other species of hyphenated adjectives that depict how new-fangled they are. They’re just having complete and utter fun.
Check out weewilldoodle.multiply.com.
Paolo Ferrer
MY FIRST LOVE IS DRAWING. I was drawing before I could write down my name. I am deeply into graphic novels, pop culture trends, and a little bit of pre-hispanic Philippine culture. I was a Literature major at DLSU. After getting into the broadcasting industry I “turned my back” on drawing, thinking it was just a childhood luxury that I needed to outgrow. I now work for GMA 7’s New Media Inc. as a writer. I only recently went back to drawing and it feels like being reunited with a long lost lover.
iDoodle it like crazy
Privately, there’s no “one thing” that I always doodle. I just try to set whatever image I have in my head free. Mostly I draw stories that I have in my head.
Creative influences
Jose Rizal, F. Sionil Jose, Francisco Coching, Paul Pope, Hiroaki Samura, Danny Boyle, Jeff Noon and Neil Gaiman.
On passion for his art
Your actions reflect how passionate you are about something and I haven’t really done anything for art … yet. Maybe someday I’ll earn the title of “artist,” but for now, nagfifeeling artist lang po ako.
He will doodle
It helps me focus and I sometimes get lost in it, like my brain is possessed or it’s running on autopilot. Doodling is practice, it’s a prerequisite so I can get better at drawing and eventually create something bigger and grander that’ll help make the world a better place.
Tioan
I’M A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND AN illustrator. I love to make hand-sewn stuff like dolls, notebooks, etc. I’m an origamist-wannabe. I still want to learn sculpture and printmaking. I’m a traveler who seeks new adventures, but I don’t know how to swim. I was a finance person in my past life, am an artist today, and will be a musician in my next life.
iDoodle it like crazy
Surreal creatures, like the vampire mushroom which I almost always doodle.
Creative influences
It’s a hodgepodge. I love Manet, Dali, Klimt, Pepper Roxas, Jason Moss, Cochran, Gary Baseman, Marcel Duchamp, Gaston Caba, Conrad Raquel, Loobylu, and Mariano Ching.
On passion for her art
It’s my first love—my second degree, but still my first love.
She will doodle
As a graphic designer, this unique creative impulse helps inspire my creative thinking process. Every design I make starts with doodling. It’s a good indication of how deep design aesthetics have affected me.
I HAVE A PET COW. CUMULUSES amaze me and make me hungry. My body is composed of 70 percent coke light, 20 percent iron and 10percent sugar. Mr. Right Brain is my bestest friend.
Koi Marcelo
iDoodle it like crazy
Cows.
Creative influences
P. Rand, R. Arnheim, J. Maeda, H. Matsuishi and Mr. Rainbow.
On passion for his art
I eat paper for breakfast.
He will doodle
Doodling is my other half.
Nelz “darkbulb”
I AM ALWAYS PASSIONATE ABOUT art and design. I am self-taught but I got further experience through my job and from my artist-friends. I get inspired by anything, it might be as simple as a drop of rain or as complex as the cross-section of an airplane. I started establishing myself through my digital paintings through my art alter ego, “Darkbulb.” I introduced the idea of having a doodle show after my last solo exhibit to contrast my digital artwork with traditional doodles. I coined the name WeeWillDoodle. The double Es signify fun, which is key to our work.
iDoodle it like crazy
I doodle cute monsters, chicks, innards, rainbows, skulls and poop.
Creative influences
Ashley Wood, Dave McKean, Paul Pope, Jon Burgerman, Pete Fowler, Electrolychee … um … children’s books, comics, movies, vinyl toys, calamares, chocolate coated raisins, my BabyChubz … I could go on and on …
On passion for his art
Four letters: V. E. R. Y.
He will doodle
It is a way to relieve stress from the drudgery of life. And a good way to bond with friends and to make new ones.
Ramil Escorda
I’M A WEB DESIGNER BY DAY and a party animal by night. Nah, I’m just one of those regular guys that would just rather stay at home. I’ve been doing this web design thing for four years now and I’m still looking for other ways to expand my creativity. Right now I’m really into creating a toy line of my own characters. My dream job would be to work as a cartoonist or a concept artist at some cartoon company.
iDoodle it like crazy
I’m fascinated with aliens and cosmic intergalactic stuff, and oh yeah, the black clouds.
Creative influences
Mars-1, Tim Burton, Pete Fowler and Nathan Jurevicius. Locally, I look up to Electrolychee, and Nelz Yumul.
On passion for his art
Does staying up late count? And also spending too much on damn expensive designer toys.
He will doodle
Doodling has always been a part of me. Ever since I was small there’s no notebook that I didn’t doodle on! Whenever I’m bored or stressed out, there’s always a blank paper for the taking.
Mark Ganzon
I’M CURRENTLY WORKING AS A graphic designer for GMA 7. I wasn’t really a graphic designer when I was still a student since I studied as a computer programmer that does GUI’s (Graphical User Interface). But I guess I just followed my passion for art that I’ve had since I was in third grade. I also make my own music from time to time which also gives me the drive to draw and to make new characters. I’m really not good at naming my characters because I come up with cheesy ones like “Headset Man” or “Egg Boy.” But I’m doing my best. I have this new character named “Meetop the OctoNkey” (a cross between an octopus and a monkey).
iDoodle it like crazy
Hybrid animals and cute creatures.
Creative influences
Andrew Bell and Frank Kozik.
On passion for his art
Very passionate. I’m actually on the process of covering the white walls of my room with doodles.
He will doodle
It’s some kind of a stress reliever. It takes out all the pressures of the day because I get to interpret the “bad vibes” into things that I can’t create when I’m too relaxed.
Angela Angeles
MY VENTURE TO THE ARTSY WORLD seemed accidental. All my life I’ve always wanted to be a journalist, but I realized that writing news and looking for stories do not appeal to me as it used to, so I diverted my attention to illustrating and designing. I’ve been working as a freelance illustrator for Candy magazine since third year college. Upon graduating, I got hired as a graphic artist for GMA-NMI where I met most of the WeeWillDoodle kids. Now, I’m a web designer for TDP but I still do freelance illustration and writing gigs from time to time.
iDoodle it like crazy
Weird tentacled-blob thingies wearing headphones.
Creative influences
Alex Noriega, Claire Robertson, Audrey Kawasaki, Monica Calvo, berylsays@deviantart, Electrolychee, Hannah Liongoren, Abi Goy, Nelz Yumul and the boys and girls of WeeWillDoodle!
On passion for her art
Since I never took any formal art classes, I’m taking everything step by step. I have a lot to learn. I want to establish my own distinct style, but at the same time I also want to be versatile. But the most important thing really is to have fun and not take things too seriously, otherwise art would seem like a chore and eventually, would dwindle my passion for it.
She will doodle
It’s a de-stresser! And most of the time it’s an unconscious way of giving birth to my potential “Weirdcandy” characters.
Kyx Castañeda
I’VE BEEN DOODLING AS EARLY AS I CAN REMEMBER. I still have my first doodle on my parent’s wall which was never painted over and my mom still keeps those stick people pad paper doodles. I’m a toy addict. When I’m not doodling, I surf the net for urban vinyl and Western toys. I’m a multimedia developer.
iDoodle it like crazy
Cute & weird creatures.
Creative influences
Joe Ledbetter, Kathie Olivas, Micheal Lau, Mad, my fellow doodle artists, and my grandpa.
On passion for his art
I try to doodle with other artists as much as I can. This way I get to develop my style for the art further.
He will doodle
Doodling relaxes me, it takes my mind of work. Oftentimes I find inspiration and ideas in my doodles. Also, aside from playing with my kids, we also spend quality time doodling.
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