25.01.2020 21:32 Date: January 26, 2020 On the 71st Republic Day of India, today’s Doodle, illustrated by Singapore-based guest artist , highlights the rich cultural heritage that permeates and unites the diverse Asian subcontinent—from its world-famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal and India Gate; to the wide array of fauna such as its national bird ; to classical arts, textiles, and dances—all coming together to find harmony amongst their differences. Republic Day marks the completion of India’s transition from the British Raj to an independent republic. It also represents the anniversary of the declaration of Purna Swaraj, which translates to “complete freedom,” by the Indian National Congress in 1929. Festivities embody the essence of diversity found in one of the world’s most populous nations, celebrated over a three-day period with cultural events displaying national pride. Happy Republic Day, India! Location: Tags: , , , ,
25.01.2020 13:38 Date: January 26, 2020 January 26th means different things for Australians all around the country. This year, we’re going through a particularly difficult summer, with devastating bushfires affecting many parts of the country. Today's Doodle on Australia Day is inspired by the spirit of resilience and mateship that binds the country together. Location: , Tags: , , , , , ,
24.01.2020 20:07 Date: January 25, 2020 In Vietnam, each lunar year is represented by one of twelve animals in the rotation of the Vietnamese zodiac calendar—and 2020 is the Year of the Rat! Today’s Doodle commemorates one of the most significant national holidays in Vietnam, Tết Nguyên Đán , or the country’s observance of the Lunar New Year. It depicts the story of the grand race that earned the rat its premier spot in the calendar. According to ancient legend, an emperor challenged different animals to race through the land to determine their order in the Zodiac. Due to his size, the rat knew it could not cross a river on his own, so he hitched a ride on the water buffalo’s back. But, just before reaching the opposite shore over a river, the rat then cleverly leapt off—winning first place in the race and thus the zodiac calendar! Often viewed as an opportunity for new beginnings, this multi-day celebration gathers loved ones together as they look forward to the year to come, perhaps while enjoying new flower blossoms and sharing some traditional sticky rice cakes. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Early sketches and draft of the Doodle Which zodiac animal are you? Rat Buffalo Tiger Cat Dragon Snake Horse Sheep Monkey Rooster Dog Pig Location: Tags:
24.01.2020 18:37 Date: January 25, 2020 In parts of Asia, each lunar year is represented by one of twelve animals in the rotation of the zodiac calendar—and 2020 is the Year of the Rat! Today’s animated Doodle commemorates one of the most significant cultural holidays for Asian communities, the observance of the Lunar New Year. It depicts the story of the grand race that earned the rat its premier spot in the calendar. According to ancient legend, an emperor challenged different animals to race through the land to determine their order in the zodiac. Due to his size, the rat knew it could not cross a river on his own, so he hitched a ride on the ox’s back. But, just before reaching the opposite shore over a river, the rat then cleverly leapt off—winning first place in the race and thus the zodiac calendar! Often viewed as an opportunity for new beginnings, this multi-day celebration gathers loved ones together to share some delectable nian gao, tang yuan, and jiao zhi as everyone wishes each other happiness and prosperity! Happy Lunar New Year! Early sketches and draft of the Doodle Which zodiac animal are you? Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Horse Goat Monkey Rooster Dog Pig Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags:
24.01.2020 17:09 Date: January 25, 2020 In South Korea, each lunar year is represented by one of twelve animals in the rotation of the Korean zodiac calendar—and 2020 is the Year of the Rat! Today’s animated Doodle commemorates one of the most significant national holidays in South Korea, Seollal, the country’s observance of the Lunar New Year. It depicts the story of the grand race that earned the rat its premier spot in the calendar. According to ancient legend, an emperor challenged different animals to race through the land to determine their order in the Zodiac. Due to his size, the rat knew it could not cross a river on his own, so he hitched a ride on the ox’s back. But, just before reaching the opposite shore over a river, the rat then cleverly leapt off—winning first place in the race and thus the zodiac calendar! Often viewed as an opportunity to pay respects to ancestors and elders, this multi-day celebration gathers loved ones together to play endless games of yut and share some delectable tteokguk! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Early sketches and draft of the Doodle Which zodiac animal are you? Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Horse Sheep Monkey Rooster Dog Pig Location: Tags:
22.01.2020 18:01 Date: January 23, 2020 Today’s Doodle celebrates the 70th birthday of Argentine singer, composer, guitarist, and poet Luis Alberto Spinetta. Also known as El Flaco , he is often regarded as the father of Spanish-language rock and roll and a Latin American music icon. The Doodle artwork features the color green as an homage to Spinetta’s iconic and irregularly-shaped album cover of Artaud, as well as his famous red and white guitar. Born on this day in Buenos Aires in 1950, Spinetta learned how to play guitar and sing at a young age. He continued to develop his musical skills, and at age 17 Spinetta formed one of the most influential rock bands in Argentine history, named Almendra, with two of his former high school classmates. Almendra’s self-titled debut studio album revolutionized the genre as the first band to combine Spanish-language lyrics with progressive rock. During the 1970s and 80s, Spinetta formed and led several impactful bands that inspired the international “Rock en Español” movement, including Pescado Rabioso, Invisible, and Spinetta Jade. In addition to these group projects, he released over twenty albums as a solo artist. In 2016, his latest record Los Amigo won one of the highest honors in Argentinian music, the Gold Gardel Album of the Year award. His music struck a major chord throughout the world and continues to impact listeners to this day. For instance, in April 2019 it inspired University of Buenos Aires informatics engineer Alex Ingberg to create an artificial intelligence program to generate song lyrics in Spinetta’s style. And in 2014, in honor of Spinetta’s birthday, Argentina moved Día Nacional del Músico from November to January 23rd. ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Flaco! Early sketches and drafts of the Doodle Trying combinations of atmosphere, color and representations of Luis Alberto Spinetta, while integrating the Google logo. This concept focused on showing Spinetta around his 30s playing his iconic guitar, with a larger portrait displayed through an LED scenic projection. Refining the shapes of the light source and Spinetta, adding some gray tones to explore emphasizing various elements, and adding other details. Exploring a less stylized and abstract concept depicting a closer-up and more detailed version of Spinetta, with the Google logo in lights in the back. Cleaning up the confirmed concept, adjusting Spinetta’s pose to appear more natural, and using a green color palette to refer to one of his most iconic albums. Switching between different software programs in order to get the right textures and movements, in order to add a bit of movement to the LED screen. Playing a sequence of portraits with distortions at 24 frames a second creates the illusion of movement suggesting a projection. Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
22.01.2020 01:30 Date: January 22, 2020 Location: Tags:
21.01.2020 20:02 Date: January 22, 2020 Today’s Doodle celebrates sawaddee, the Thai way to greet friends and strangers alike. A custom adopted on this day in 1943, this salutation is presented with a wai: a prayer-like pose delivered in concert with a bow that accompanies the expression of sawaddee. The gesture altogether is meant to convey respect and warmth. Originally coined by linguist Phraya Upakit Silapasan from the root word, “Svasti,” the Sanskrit word for “blessing” or “well-being,” sawaddee soon became an official part of the Thai vocabulary. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Smiles,” Thailand is world-renowned for its friendly people and gracious hospitality. Today, sawaddee can be heard across the country—from the idyllic beaches of the south, to the temples of the mountainous north, and everywhere in between—epitomizing the welcoming spirit of Thailand. Doodler Q&A with Alyssa Winans Today’s Doodle was created by Doodler Alyssa Winans. Below, she shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle: Q: When did you first learn about “sawaddee”? Is there anything that resonated with you? A: I had never encountered sawaddee before working on this doodle, so it was a pleasure to learn about its usage and history. Celebrating the everyday cultural moments is just as important as the rarer ones, so I appreciated the fact that we were doing a Doodle for something so commonly said. Q: What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach? A: I explored a variety of approaches but settled on the letters doing the greeting. I thought it would be nice for everyone to receive a greeting from their homepage throughout the day! Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? A: I referenced traditional Thai patterning and architecture for the border design and color palette. Q: Are there any technical tricks you used to create this Doodle that you can share with young artists? A: Animation can be time-consuming, so to save time I was able to repurpose one animation across each letter by doing a little resizing! Q: What do you hope people will take away from this Doodle? A: I hope people will be charmed when greeted by an unexpected gesture and want to learn more about the history behind the phrase. Early concepts and drafts of the Doodle Location: Tags:
21.01.2020 18:34 Date: January 22, 2020 “I felt sure that I’d see my name in electric lights before long.” –Anna May Wong Today’s slideshow Doodle celebrates the first-ever Chinese American movie star in Hollywood, Anna May Wong, on the 98th anniversary of the day The Toll of the Sea went into general release, which was her first leading role. Featured in the Doodle slideshow are scenes from her life, including some of her most famous characters from the more than 50 movies she was featured in throughout her career. The Los Angeles native was born Wong Liu Tsong on January 3rd, 1905. Originally from Taishan, China, Wong’s family taught their children both English and Cantonese. When not at school or in her father’s Sam Kee laundry, Wong began spending her time hanging around movie studios and asking directors for roles, and by age 11, she had chosen her stage name: “Anna May Wong.” Wong was often overlooked or only offered small roles due to prevailing racial barriers. However, refusing to be limited to or typecast as Asian stereotypes, she moved to Europe in 1928. There, Wong starred in many plays and movies, such as Piccadilly and The Flame of Love , and was soon promised leading roles in the U.S. Upon returning to the U.S., one of the roles Wong was cast for was opposite her friend Marlene Dietrich in the 1932 release of Shanghai Express, which became one of her most famous roles. Shortly after, she was named the “world’s best-dressed woman” by the Mayfair Mannequin Society of New York, cementing her position as an international fashion icon. In the 1950s, she also became the first Asian-American to land a leading role in a U.S. television series, playing a mystery-solving detective in the show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong. In recognition of her many accomplishments, Wong was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Doodler Q&A with Sophie Diao Today’s Doodle was created by Doodler Sophie Diao. Below, she shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle: Q: When did you first learn about Anna May Wong? What part of her story do you find most inspiring personally? A: I first learned about her through working on the Doodle. She’s amazing! I wish I had known about her when I was a kid. I was always looking for Chinese American role models in movies and TV shows. Asian American actors are underrepresented even now, so amazingly Anna May Wong was so active right at the beginning of film history, bridging the gap between silent films and talkies. My favorite thing about Wong is her can-do approach to life. It shows in her dedication to her craft . She was a second-generation American, but others still saw her as an exotic foreigner. Despite this, she rolled with the punches, took on lots of roles that gave her practice and notoriety, and stood up for herself when she could . I can empathize with feeling caught between your own identity and the identity others expect you to have. Q: What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach? A: While researching Wong, I put together a huge folder of her photographs, film stills, costumes, video clips, and interviews. After looking at everything together, I noticed the heightened sense of drama in her outfits and the lighting used to portray her. She also has a ton of on-screen charisma - and that voice! I knew I wanted to highlight her commanding stage presence, so stylistically I felt a dramatic black-and-white slideshow would be the way to go. When deciding what content to include, I went for a highlight reel of some important aspects of her career, from her first starring role in The Toll of the Sea to her incredible costumes to The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, a detective TV show that she starred in. I also wanted to nod to her humble beginnings working in her parents’ laundry, to show how far she came. Early concepts and drafts by artist Sophie Diao Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
21.01.2020 01:02 Date: January 21, 2020 Location: Tags:
20.01.2020 06:34 Date: January 20, 2020 Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Atlanta-based guest artist , pays tribute to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. on this national day of service, named in his honor. A civil rights icon, Dr. King strived to pave the way for a world where people would be treated equally, regardless of their race. Dr. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15th, 1929, and raised in a ministerial family during the segregation era. In 1955, Dr. King helped organize the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the first major protests of the African-American civil rights movement. The boycott resulted in the 1956 Supreme Court decision to declare segregation on buses unconstitutional. A powerful orator, Dr. King traveled across the country advocating for justice and access to public services for all, delivering upwards of 2,500 speeches over his lifetime. Organizing such landmark demonstrations as the 1963 March on Washington, Dr. King also played a pivotal role in the passing of the Civil Rights of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the first national holiday named for a modern private citizen. Initially celebrated on this day in 1986, it is now observed in all 50 states. Guest Artist Q&A with Dr. Fahamu Pecou Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Atlanta-based guest artist . Dr. Pecou has an ongoing series of iconic individuals in expressionist drawings where he subverts conventional death-focused narratives and instead highlights the individuals' impact on society. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? A: The city I love and work in is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King. His presence is felt throughout the city: in the Sweet Auburn district where he was born and raised, the campus of Morehouse College where he was educated, and the State Capitol. There are many sites around the city, monuments to Dr. King and his legacy. The impact of his life and legacy directly shapes my reality, and the conviction in his words and activism shape my perspective. Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project? A: I was immediately honored by the invitation. It has been a joy to witness the various creative interpretations of the Google Doodle over the years. I was especially humbled to be chosen for the Doodle recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? A: Dr. King is remembered as one of the most important human beings in history. In some ways, his level of achievement, compassion, and significance can be daunting. But Dr. King, in his own words, reminded us that what he did and stood for was no extraordinary feat—we must rise to our own greatness for the betterment of all mankind. He reminded us that no man was ever granted a right that he didn’t fight for. And that when we come together—we as a country, as a people, as human beings—we can overcome anything and make this world a better place. I’ve always been humbled and empowered by those ideas and wished to make Dr. King‘s sentiment more accessible through this piece. Dr. King’s Day is a day of service to others, and we honor him by coming together and carrying forward the work of racial and social justice. Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle? A: I hope my Doodle inspires personal activism. By that I mean, I hope every person that sees it, sees themself. I hope they see that any and every individual has the capacity to make our world better. I hope they see that Dr. King's words are a call to ACTION, and that we collectively play our parts in performing that action until the “dream” is manifest. Early drafts of the Doodle LICENSE GRANTED BY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AS EXCLUSIVE LICENSOR OF THE KING ESTATE Location: , Tags: , , , , , , , ,
19.01.2020 22:40 Date: January 20, 2020 Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Cairo-based guest artist , celebrates Egyptian lawyer Mufidah Abdul Rahman on her 106th birthday. Born in Cairo on this day in 1914, she was among the first women to graduate from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law and became the premier female attorney in Egypt. Her determined efforts in and out of the courtroom helped forge the path to political equality for Egyptian women. While practicing law, Mufidah built relationships with like-minded women advocates and was inspired to co-found the National Feminist Party, a women’s organization fighting for universal suffrage in Egypt. Her social advocacy led her to be recruited into Bint al-Nil , a feminist union seeking to overcome sociocultural repressions that the women of this era faced. In 1951, Bint al-Nil founder Doria Shafik led an interruption of the Egyptian Parliament to demand women’s right to vote and hold political office. In response, Shafik was summoned to court and handpicked the esteemed Abdul Rahman to defend her. Considered to be a case against not only Shafik but also the Egyptian women’s rights movement as a whole, the trial presented a critical opportunity for advocates to have their voices heard. Mufidah’s impassioned defense of Shafik fanned the flames of the cause, and this landmark case helped Egyptian women win their right to vote in 1956. This Doodle also highlights the more personal moments in Abdul Rahman’s life, from being the young lawyer who received payment in eggs and fruits to the mother who enjoyed a rich family life with her nine children and supportive husband. Throughout her distinguished career, Abdul Rahman defended over 400 court cases, became a member of Egyptian Parliament, and never stopped fighting justice. Guest Artist Q&A with Deena Mohamed Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Cairo-based guest artist . Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? A: It was cool to research the life of such a pioneer. Mufida is still one of the most prominent lawyers in our history, but even listening to her talk you can see her principles and compassion shine through. Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project? A: I was excited about the opportunity to illustrate a Doodle about an amazing Egyptian woman, but I also thought, “How do you make being a lawyer visually interesting? Papers? Court?” Then I found out Mufida had excellent style and a very strong aesthetic, so it was great. Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? A: Definitely from Mufida’s life. I wanted to draw her because she has such a strong aesthetic. I love showing older women succeed late into their life, but also the small details about her like how she was paid at first in eggs and fruit, her love for her family, and her cool bonnets. Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle? A: I hope it can pull interest to Mufida’s incredible life and accomplishments because it’s not just a portrait of her – it’s animated, it blinks in and out, there are eggs and fruits and a family photo, so I hope it would make someone interested enough to find out why we would put these things into a Doodle about a lawyer. Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags: , , , , , , ,
15.01.2020 19:06 Date: January 16, 2020 Location: Tags: , , , , , ,
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13.01.2020 21:03 Date: January 14, 2020 Today’s Doodle celebrates Indian poet, songwriter, and social change advocate Kaifi Azmi on his 101st birthday. With work ranging from passionate love poems and activist verses to Bollywood songs lyrics and screenplays, Azmi has become one of the most renowned poets of the 20th century in India, and his humanitarian efforts continue to impact people’s lives today. Amzi was born Syed Athar Hussain Rizvi on this day in 1919 in the Azmargh district of Uttar Pradesh, India. At age 11, he composed his first poem, a ghazal-style piece. Inspired by Gandhi's 1942 Quit India freedom movement, he later left for Bombay to write for an Urdu newspaper. He then published his first collection of poems, Jhankar , as well as became a member of the influential Progressive Writers’ Association that used writing to try to achieve socioeconomic reforms. Azmi was prolific and won numerous awards for his contributions, including three Filmfare Awards for Garm Hawa , the prestigious Padma Shri Award for Literature and Education , and one of India’s highest literary honors, the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship . In one of his early and most famous poems, “Aurat,” Amzi advocated for women’s equality, one of the causes he championed in his lifetime. He also founded the NGO Mijwan Welfare Society to support various educational initiatives to improve the lives of rural women and families, and to this day, MWS continues its work in the spirit of its founder. Location: Tags: , , , , ,
