It's impossible to miss the bright and boisterous designs bedecking the ordinarily inconspicuous window panes of the ONCA Gallery this weekend as Brighton's most daring of doodlers take over.
Dancing frogs sit chirpily alongside byzantine regency whilst intricate mehndi joins forces with the psychedelic.
The gallery's walls are brought to life by a constantly expanding collection of drawings by artists from Brighton and all over the globe. It's a fantastical sight; one with a presence that strikes immediately on entering the space. Exhibition-goers are encouraged to join in the fun by grabbing a postcard and drawing what makes them happy and with plenty of desks and beanbag sofas there's room to get stuck in.
If you're more stick-figures than Salvador Dali, fear not! DoodleFest's creators firmly believe that, whilst not everyone can draw, everyone can doodle and all offerings are on display: from kids to professionals, animals to abstract. Dancing frogs sit chirpily alongside byzantine regency whilst intricate mehndi joins forces with the psychedelic. Most impressive are the works of Happy Planet curators Mike Wolff and Roy Peterson (under their art-master alter egos Mr Doodle and Royzoner) whose sci-fi inspired doodle-monsters battle Lynchian landscapes in their bizarrely wonderful creations.
On opening night there's a huddle of excitement around a 3D printer where iPad-drawn designs are transformed into luminous reality in under five minutes, and a buzzing refreshment bar serves up the finest from Brighton's breweries along with stacks of decorated brownies (yes, even the cakes have doodles). But the best is yet to come from Happy Planet as the gallery gears up for their Doodle Marathon - a 24 hour doodle-fest starting from 12pm on Saturday 3rd and lasting through the night to Sunday afternoon. Here, the artistic visionaries behind the event really come into their own, offering an eclectic confectionery box of innovative art workshops that everyone can participate in.
Highlights include drawing with light in the 'glow booth', infrared sketching with conductive pens, the urban art collective Art Schism and their take on the doodle with live DJs, break-dancing and spray painting on the adjacent lawns, and a late night set from Brighton band The Black Fields. For those intrigued by the therapeutic power of the doodle, there's also a workshop held by mental health charity Mind on Sunday 4th.
One of the Brighton Fringe Festival's most impressive free offerings, DoodleFest is a must-go for any age and any artistic experience this weekend. Happy Planet certainly lives up to its name so there's no way you'll be leaving here without a smile… and maybe a new found fondness for doodling.
