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CHM Revolutionaries: The Art & Technology Behind Google Doodles

1,265 views · Published 18 March 2013 · 53:17 · Indexed 29 September 2026

Channel: Computer History Museum · 2013 · Science & Technology

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This is an episode of REVOLUTIONARIES, a co-production of the Computer History Museum and KQED television, with major sponsorship by Intel. Recorded: August 8, 2012, broadcast date: February 4, 2013.

Doodles are the fun, surprising and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries and the lives of famous artists, pioneers and scientists.

In 1998, before the company was even incorporated, the concept of the doodle was born when Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin played with the corporate logo to indicate their attendance at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. Two years later, in 2000, Larry and Sergey asked an intern to produce a doodle for Bastille Day which was so well received by users that a chief doodler was appointed, and doodles started showing up more and more regularly on the Google homepage.

Over time, the demand for doodles has risen in the US and internationally. Creating doodles is now the responsibility of a team of talented illustrators (called doodlers) and engineers. For them, creating doodles has become a group effort to enliven the Google homepage and bring smiles to the faces of Google users around the world.

You will meet members of the doodle team and get a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process. They discussed how technology's evolution has enabled them to create more beautiful and highly interactive doodles, and the challenge that brings to the technical members of the team. You will also find out about possible risks and rewards involved when one's "canvas" is viewed by millions worldwide.

Watch the full lecture at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLE1w47eRY0

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