Alright, welcome back to the doodle podcast! I'm Evan Hollis, and as always, I'm joined by Jill. Today, we're diving into something that's honestly blowing my mind a bit—how artists are using augmented reality, or AR, to bring doodles to life. Jill, have you seen some of these AR doodle projects lately?Yeah, Evan, it's wild. I mean, the idea that you can take a simple sketch—like, something you might scribble on a napkin—and suddenly it's bouncing around your living room or floating over a city street? It's like doodles have finally escaped the page.Exactly! And it's not just about making things move, right? It's about layering these hand-drawn bits of imagination onto the real world. I saw this artist who, uh, basically mapped their doodles onto park benches and lamp posts, so if you looked through your phone, the whole park was alive with these little animated creatures. It was... I don't know, it felt like being inside someone else's daydream.That's such a good way to put it. And it kind of reminds me of what we talked about in our episode on interactive doodle installations—how art can invite people to play, to participate. But with AR, it's like the art is following you around, not the other way around.Yeah, and—okay, this is a bit of a tangent, but bear with me—I was restoring this old radio last weekend, right? And I started thinking about the person who owned it, like, what would they make of all this? Imagine if they could see their own doodles, the ones they probably scribbled while listening to the radio, suddenly popping up in 3D around their living room. I mean, would they be amazed or just completely baffled?I love that. It's like, AR is this bridge between eras—taking something as old-school as doodling and giving it a whole new dimension. And honestly, I think a lot of artists are experimenting with that exact feeling, mixing nostalgia with tech.So, let's talk about how artists are actually making this happen. There are so many AR apps and platforms out there now—like, you don't need to be a hardcore developer to get started. Some of the most popular ones let you just snap a photo of your doodle, and then you can animate it or drop it into a real-world scene with a few taps.Yeah, and it's not just phones anymore. I read about this doodler—can't remember their name, but they used AR glasses to create these massive, citywide murals. So, if you were walking around with the glasses, you'd see doodles stretching across entire buildings, but to everyone else, it's just a regular street. It's like a secret art layer only some people can see.That's such a cool example. And, you know, from my experience working in product strategy, I think the real game-changer is how accessible this tech is getting. Like, a few years ago, you needed expensive gear or coding skills, but now, a lot of these tools are free or super cheap. That means more artists—especially folks who might not have had access before—can experiment and share their work.Yeah, and it kind of democratizes the whole process, doesn't it? Like, anyone with a phone can be an AR artist now. Reminds me of what we discussed in our AI doodle episode—how tech is opening doors for people who might not have called themselves artists before.Totally. And I think that's why we're seeing so much variety in AR doodle art. People are using whatever tools they have, and the results are all over the map—in a good way.So, here's what fascinates me—AR doodling isn't just for tech geeks or digital artists. It's pulling in people who love traditional art, too. Like, I've seen folks who usually work with paint or charcoal suddenly experimenting with AR, just to see how their style translates into this new space.Yeah, and it's not just about making something look cool on a screen. It's about creating these hybrid experiences—where you might see a physical mural, but then, with AR, it comes alive or tells a story. There was this exhibition—I think it was in Berlin?—where visitors could use their phones to reveal hidden doodles layered over classic paintings. It was like a scavenger hunt for art lovers and tech fans alike.That's brilliant. And it raises some interesting questions, right? Like, how do we value or collect AR art? If a doodle only exists when you look through your phone, is it still 'real' art? Or is it more about the experience than the object?Yeah, and I think artists are having to learn a whole new set of skills—not just drawing, but thinking about interactivity, storytelling, even a bit of coding sometimes. It's a lot, but it's also kind of exciting. The boundaries are just... gone.And maybe that's the point, right? The lines between physical and digital, artist and audience—they're all getting blurrier. Which, honestly, makes me curious to see where this goes next. Maybe next time we'll be talking about edible AR doodles or something—wait, is that even possible?I mean, with this podcast, I wouldn't rule anything out. But yeah, it's an exciting time to be a doodler, or just someone who loves seeing art in unexpected places.Alright, that's all for today's episode of the doodle podcast. Thanks for listening, and Jill, as always, it's a pleasure to chat with you about all things doodly and digital.Same here, Evan. Can't wait to see what we get into next time. Bye everyone!Take care, folks. Keep doodling—wherever you are.

Episodes

Doodles in Motion