Google Doodles by Ian David Marsden: The First Google Doodle Artist

Explore the first Google Doodles by Ian David Marsden, original Google Doodle artist. From MentalPlex to the Sydney Summer Olympic Kangaroo Doodles, see the designs that started it all.

Google Doodles by Ian David Marsden

I’m honored to have been the very first artist to work with Google on what would eventually become the iconic Google Doodles. My journey began in 1999 when Susan Wojcicki—then at Google—found me and invited me to create illustrations for Google’s homepage. I accepted, and we collaborated on some of the early concepts and storylines. https://theweek.com/articles/483199/inside-secret-world-google

character instructions for a fictional spiral-focused search tool, April Fool's 2000.

Google Doodle with a kangaroo holding a torch for Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Google Doodle with a kangaroo in soccer gear kicking a ball, forming the second "o" in Google.

My first project was the MentalPlex April Fool’s Day illustration in 2000, which introduced a fictional “telepathic” search technology. This initial project paved the way for what would later be known as Google Doodles. Shortly afterward, I created the first official Google Doodle—the Alien Abduction series—featuring a playful sequence where aliens abducted the Google logo and transported it to an alien planet. I also developed the Sydney Olympics Kangaroo Doodles for the 2000 Summer Olympics, which received an outpouring of fan mail from around the world.

Each project presented a unique creative challenge, requiring a balance of humor, cultural relevance, and visual simplicity to represent holidays, events, and cultural moments in an engaging way.

Below, you’ll find my complete collection of early Google illustrations, each linked to its original display on Google’s homepage. It’s been a privilege to contribute to the early legacy of what would become Google Doodles.

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The first Illustrations I made for Google, were shown on April Fool’s Day 2000.
Google launched the amazing MentalPlex Technology

See the instructions here:

http://www.google.com/onceuponatime/mentalplex/MP_illustrations.html

My first ‘Google Doodle’ series was also the very first actual Google Doodle – namely the Alien abduction of the Google logo which happened in May 2000.

The image features the Google logo with colorful letters. Above and around the letters, there are cartoonish aliens and a UFO they are taking measurements.

http://www.google.com/doodles/google-aliens-2000-1

http://www.google.com/doodles/google-aliens-2000-2

http://www.google.com/doodles/google-aliens-2000-3

http://www.google.com/doodles/google-aliens-2000-4

http://www.google.com/doodles/google-aliens-2000-5

My second Google Doodle was Google Doodle II – Founding Father’s BBQ and Fireworks for the 4th of July.

The image displays the Google logo with three cartoon chefs next to it, preparing food on a grill.

http://www.google.com/doodles/4th-of-july-2000-1

http://www.google.com/doodles/4th-of-july-2000-2

http://www.google.com/doodles/4th-of-july-2000-3

http://www.google.com/doodles/4th-of-july-2000-4

The third series of Google Doodles I designed were the Olympic Doodles for the Summer Olympics in Sydney – with the little ‘Kangaroodle” character design

The image features the Google logo with the second “O” depicted as a basketball hoop. A cartoon kangaroo dressed in a sports outfit is dribbling a basketball toward the hoop.

(Google Doodles Summer Olympics in Sydney )

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-opening-ceremony

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-kayak

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-gymnastics

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-archery

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-track-field

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-diving

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-cycling

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-weightlifting

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-soccer

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-basketball

http://www.google.com/doodles/2000-summer-olympic-games-in-sydney-closing-ceremony

Here’s one of the olympic doodles from the above links:

A cartoon kangaroo rides a bicycle over the Google logo, which is designed in its traditional primary colors.

The last Google Doodle I drew was the Global Happy New Year Doodle 2001 with the two little white bears throwing a party.

The image is a Google Doodle featuring the Google logo decorated with a New Year’s theme. It includes two polar bears celebrating with party hats and noisemakers, and the letter “o” is depicted as a clock showing midnight.

http://www.google.com/doodles/happy-new-year-2001

I hope you enjoyed this little walk with me down my Google Doodle memory lane.

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