Google Doodle Fun
It’s not too often I get to speak to a Doodle for Google expert!
Meet Bryan Kraas, Doodler.
Bryan is one of the artists who helps create the doodles on the Google homepage. OWL asked him a few questions about his job.
OWL: When did Google Doodles start and why?
Bryan: Doodles began in 1998 when Google founders Larry and Sergey placed a stick figure drawing behind the second “o” in the word Google. This was intended as a comical message to Google users that the founders were “out of office”.
Two years later in 2000, Larry and Sergey asked the then current webmaster Dennis Hwang to produce a doodle for Bastille Day. It was so well received by our users that Dennis was appointed Google’s chief doodler and started creating doodles for the Google homepage on a regular basis. These days, the creation of doodles is the responsibility of a small team of illustrators and engineers. We’re called “doodlers.” For us, creating doodles has become a group effort to enliven the Google homepage and bring smiles to the faces of Google users around the world.
OWL: How do you decide what makes the cut for a Google Doodle?
Bryan: We get ideas from all over the world. Some of the suggestions come from Google employees and some of them come from Google users. We gather regularly to review the ideas and decide which ones we can do. We often have more ideas than time to make them! Overall the doodle selection process aims to celebrate interesting events and anniversaries that reflect Google’s personality and love for innovation.
OWL: What is your favourite Google Doodle of all time?
Bryan: It’s impossible to pick a favourite! But this year, I really liked the game we made for the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who. I love science fiction, aliens, robots, and time travellers! So I particularly liked walking around as the Doctor, avoiding Daleks and Cybermen and trying to rescue all the captured Google letters.
Now it’s your turn to be a doodler! The Doodle 4 Google competition is your chance to create a doodle. The winners will have their doodle featured on the Google Canada homepage for 24 hours plus win some pretty cool prizes!
For more information, check out Doodle 4 Google.
Good luck!
-Kim
