“I used to go out every day and shout at pigeons and kick trees. But since I discovered The Doodleberg Files I haven’t kick one tree. And some of my best friends are now pigeons!”
Sarah, London
The famous Doodleberg Files were created in 1892 by Professor Doodleberg. He was a leading expert in the field of ‘Mindfulness, Wellness & Cartooning’, and for years he studied how drawing silly cartoons can impact on a person’s state of mind. This led him to create The Doodleberg Files, a series of exercises that focused on wellness, mindfulness and cartooning, to help those in need of a little guidance in life…which, in his own words, “is basically everybody !!!”
Sadly, while out teaching in the boiling deserts of Antarctica, Professor Doodleberg contracted a rare tropical medical condition which caused his elbows to be replaced by llama teeth. Doctors had no cure at the time and he eventually died, tragically before his famous Doodleberg Files were ever discovered. He never lived to see how famous his Doodleberg Files would eventually become. All made even sadder by the fact that Professor Doodleberg died before anyone realised he also painted ‘Sunflowers’ (not Van Gogh, as most people think), invented the lightbulb, …and was the first person to do ‘The Moonwalk’.
Even though written in 1892, The Doodleberg Files are now far more relevant and meaningful today, in these ever-increasingly fast-paced stressful times.
The Doodleberg Files is a lifestyle, an amazing way to relax, live in the moment, and release huge amounts of fun and creativity. Art therapy has been proven to release feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin that trigger sensations of pleasure and positive emotions, …and this is even more true when doodling silly cartoons. With cartooning there are no rules, it can just be silly scribbles.
But within The Doodleberg Files you also learn to draw cartoons that can be useful, both in life and also in the workplace. We live in a visual world now, and cartoons are an incredible tool for communication. Visual humour is a very powerful way to convey a message.
I first discovered The Doodleberg Files while researching ways to get more people into doodling, and I was amazed at what I discovered.
After many years as an award-winning UK national newspaper cartoonist, one thing has really stood out, the positive feelings and energy that can come from drawing…especially silly cartoons. I am convinced that this collection of exercises will bring something positive to anybody doing them, and I have seen the evidence.
Having run workshops and worked with a variety of people, from a well known children’s hospital in London, and one in Manchester, to teenagers with cancer, to corporate CEOs, and team leaders of global management consultancy firms,…I have seen the impact that drawing cartoons can have on lifting moods, releasing creativity, and generally bringing small amounts of positivity to people.
I have no medical qualifications, and I am not trained in any way to help anybody with any condition, but I can say without doubt that drawing cartoons releases Cartoonorphins, which positively affect the brain and other organs. *okay, I made that word up, there’s no such thing as Cartoonorphins. But there’s definitely something true in all of that. As father to teenage daughters, I worry about the modern day world that they inhabit, living in a screen, social media, pressure, stress, mental health… And it’s not just our children, it’s all of us. The fast pace of life, technology, the scaremongering news we are fed, everything is creating more and more stress. It’s time to take 10 minutes out every day and release some fun creativity.
My cartoons have been published regularly for 30 years in well known UK national publications, including The Mirror, Mail on Sunday, Private Eye, GQ magazine, and even Vogue. I also create cartoons for huge global brands, including PwC, Visa, and others. I will always draw cartoons. Not just because I love it, I’m good at it, and it’s an incredible thing to do,…but also because I have no other skills, and I’m too lazy to go and get a proper job! The Doodleberg Files won’t change your life, but they may make you think, become aware, create a little gratitude, and also teach you a few great things to draw. As Professor Doodleberg used to say: “You don’t have to be good at drawing, in fact it’s much more fun if you’re not !!!”