TL;DR: With a new update or NFT collection being released almost every day, it’s clear the crypto ecosystem is constantly evolving. Doodles is one of the NFT collections paving the road to the digital universe — but it’s just the beginning. Knowing what brought it here and why it was created will lead you to make better decisions when investing or simply interacting with Doodles.

In this article, we’re gonna dive into the Doodles lore, answer all the Doodles-related questions and even more. Prepare yourself for a fantasy story and a journey to the future of Doodles!

What is Doodles?

Doodles is an NFT collection of 10,000 avatars that live on the Ethereum blockchain.

Doodles are simple sketches that capture a wide palette of emotions, thoughts, and ideas. In terms of vibes, the artwork speaks for itself. Colors are vibrant, and pastelated, evoking a childish overlapping theme wrapped for the tastes of all ages.

What started from a simple idea (or a sketch), turned out to grow into a universe of itself – The Doodleverse.

It’s no surprise that Doodles NFTs are one of the biggest brands in Web3. The stories and artwork that can be generated from the concept are limitless.

You too can be a part of the Doodle story by owning 1/10,000 Doodles NFTs!

Owning an NFT is different than screenshotting a JPEG - just like holding an original Rembrandt is more valuable than owning a replica. As their name suggests, NFTs are non-fungible by design. This is different from digital tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Fungible assets can be exchanged for another asset of the same type, much like BTC, ETH, or even fiat. NFTs, on the other hand, are unique assets where their ownership details are documented on the blockchain, ensuring digital scarcity and unique attributes for each asset.

But how exactly is digital scarcity being enforced?

The concept of NFTs first emerged in 2012 with the creation of Colored Coins, which could be used to represent real-world assets on the blockchain. However, Colored Coins only worked in a permitted environment, making it more similar to a database than anything else.

As the crypto industry became more popular, people have continued to experiment with the idea of a digitally scarce asset. This led to the creation of ERC-721 and ERC-1155.

The ERC-721 standard is like a set of rules for making NFTs. These actions help in making special tokens with their unique information, making them different from one another.

Behind the scenes, ERC-721 smart contracts keep a list of who owns which token, making it safe to pass tokens from one person to another. The contract also keeps count of how many tokens there are altogether and how many each person has.

As previously mentioned, Doodles NFTs are secured by the Ethereum blockchain. Ownership and transaction history are publicly visible on the Ethereum blockchain along with other important info such as the NFT's metadata.

Understanding how to access an NFT's metadata is essential for holders to grasp the specifics of what they're buying.

Metadata usually includes visual attributes like color, type, wearables, and so on. On the blockchain, it looks something like this:

Doodles have their own set of traits that make up their uniqueness. These are background, face, hair, head, and piercing.

These traits are further divided into trait pairs i.e. body — white sweater, yellow puffer, and so on.

Some traits are rarer than others, which makes a specific NFT stand out from the rest. For example, only 7 Skelly Doodles exist.

The Doodles collection is ripe with 1–1 Doodles that make Web3 references i.e. Doodles with cig (inspired by CryptoPunks), Ape Doodles (inspired by Bored Ape Yacht Club), and cats!

The Doodles NFT collection has been autogenerated with the exception of hand-drawn Doodles like skellys, cats, aliens, apes, and mascots. This means that out of the potential combinations, only 10,000 Doodles will ever exist!

What is the utility of Doodles?

Doodles make for an awesome avatar pic, but it’s also your ticket to the Doodleverse.

The biggest perk of holding a Doodle is exposure to future NFT drops. Most NFT drops are related to the upcoming Doodles 2, which promises customization features for Doodles.

Here’s a quick list of the NFT drops so far:

Dooplicator

On May 12, 2022, Doodles officially launched the free-to-claim airdrop for all holders.

At the time of the launch, people had no idea what the Dooplicators were for. It wasn’t until a few months later that the team unveiled their utility.

Dooplicators would enable holders to extract wearables from their Doodle and generate 9 new wearables. Dooplicators will have perpetual utility beyond Doodles 2.

Genesis Box

The Genesis Box represents 1st edition wearables that will seed the wearables economy of Doodles 2.

There are 24,000 consumable boxes with 201 unique Wearables containing 131 Exclusives, 58 Grails, and 12 1-of-1s.  A Genesis Box can only be opened once and will be never sold again. 

The Genesis Box was first unveiled during NFT NYC 2022, where users could reserve one for $123. Holders of a Genesis Box are granted two new wearables and early access to Doodles 2.

Doodles 2

Doodles 2 is the most awaited release in Doodle’s history. It represents the next step towards digital wearables and promises to create a lot of joy and utility for Doodle holders.

Being able to change the wearables for Doodles opens up new possibilities. For example, holders can bid for rare wearables and create a new breed of rare Doodles.

As the Doodles brand expands, NFT holders will be able to continually earn rewards. Whether you are hodling for a season or longer, the Doodles ecosystem continues to explore new ways of keeping holders engaged.

Who created Doodles?

Doodles was created by Evan Keast, Scott Martin, and Jordan Castro in October 2021. Their story dates back a few months before the collection was launched.

Having previously worked at Dapper Labs, Keast and Castro played pivotal roles in the development of Cryptokitties, a groundbreaking NFT game in 2018 where users could breed digital cats. At the beginning of 2021, the duo, fueled by their vision to "expand the space," embarked on conceptualizing their own NFT project. They aimed to create a community-centric project with a collective treasury and a genuine sense of equity.

In 2021, what they had was an idea for a concept named “Doodles.” It was just a name, with no clear vision or art design. Then, Evan and Jordan discovered the work of Scott Martin. They felt it was the perfect fit, and from that day, Doodles was born.

During the brainstorming phase of their project, Evan Keast and Jordan Castro collaborated with Scott Martin. Keast had the opportunity to work with Martin while providing consultation services for a Web3 company. Martin's distinctive cartoonish character style, characterized by bold outlines, vibrant colors, and eyes that playfully detach from faces, had already gained him a significant following on social media. Additionally, he has worked with notable clients such as Google, Dropbox, and Adobe. Martin's unique artistic flair became the engine behind Doodle’s success.

Doodles, launched on October 17, 2021, introduced a unique approach to pricing with a mint cost of 0.123 ETH, considered high compared to other PFP projects. This decision aimed at establishing an initial treasury of ~420 ETH. In a pioneering move, the team closed the Discord a month before the minting phase, after surpassing 1,000 members, enhancing exclusivity. While this sparked mixed reactions due to its exclusive nature, it eventually proved innovative, rewarding early supporters as the project gained momentum leading up to the mint date.

After Doodles completely sold out, the Discord server reopened, welcoming a wave of new collectors and enthusiasts into the community. In the ensuing months, the project garnered attention from various NFT influencers and notable celebrities, further establishing itself as a prominent PFP NFT community.

In contrast to many avatar projects that claim community-centric values, Doodles has genuinely prioritized empowering its community from the project's inception. The Doodles website emphasizes that owning a Doodle and participating in community voting contribute to a collaborative roadmap. This commitment has become increasingly evident, especially in recent months, fueled by the project's robust voting system and a culture that stands against scams while championing artists.

The Doodles artwork has attracted many influencers and celebrities including Steve Aoki, Alexis Ohanian (the co-founder of Reddit), and Justin Bieber.

While the Doodles floor price held steady at 1-5 ETH for several months post-launch, a significant shift occurred towards the end of 2021. Evan Keast and the Doodles team initiated the release of short animations, creating anticipation for something new. This move resulted in a surge in secondary sales, marking some of the highest Doodles transactions to date.

Remarkably, Doodles sustained this momentum for over a month after their announcement. The big reveal? Space Doodles NFTs.

Unlike other projects launching additional NFT collections to meet demand, Doodles took a unique approach. They introduced a mechanism allowing owners to exchange their NFTs for new, spaceship-themed ones. These Space Doodles reside in a separate collection on the Ethereum blockchain, distinguishing them from the original 10,000. Exclusive to Doodles holders, Space Doodles was described by Jordan Castro as "non-dilutive extended content for Doodles," with detailed technical insights shared in his Twitter thread.

Who is developing Doodles now?

Doodles is being maintained by the same co-founders along with the Doodles holders.

Since the project launched, Doodles have exploded in popularity. With renewed interest, the brand started hiring experienced members from the entertainment industry.

On May 6, 2022, Julian Holguin, a former executive at Billboard, became the new CEO of Doodles.

On June 22, 2022, Pharrell Williams announced he was joining Doodles as Chief Brand Officer and board member. This particular announcement caused excitement among the NFT holders.

Investors are also an important component of the Doodles ecosystem. Although they don’t get involved directly in the governance of the project, they do exert an influence over the brand’s expansion into the mainstream. In 2022, Doodles raised $54 million, led by 776 Management, a venture capital firm created by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

Within the Doodles ecosystem, a collective decision-making entity known as DoodleDAO shapes the trajectory of the project, wherein every Doodles owner actively participates. The principle is straightforward: one Doodle = one vote, influencing decisions related to the Doodle Bank.

The Doodle Bank is the project’s treasury. Revenue from secondary sales as well as a hefty number of Doodle NFTs are stored in the treasury.

In the project's early stages, Evan Keast outlined the functioning of the DoodleDAO treasury, ensuring each Doodle owner's inclusion in the decision-making process. Members have engaged in votes encompassing topics such as team expansion, event coordination, funding a 3D Doodles project, and more. Platforms like the Doodles Forum and Doodles Discord provide additional avenues for discourse on proposed initiatives.

While the frequency of proposals has diminished as the project has matured, their significance has grown exponentially, shaping the future and overarching success of Doodles as a distinguished brand. This strategic approach is attributed to the project's leadership, consistently charting a course for Doodles' future prosperity.

So far, the Doodles community has allocated funds from the Doodle Bank for a few initiatives:

Noodles

The inception of Noodles resulted from a community vote within the Doodlebank, approved to cater to aficionados of noodles. Crafted by NFT artist Grin, the project birthed a collection of characters resembling noodles, each endowed with unique traits. Mirroring the distinctive style of Doodles NFT artists, Noodles exhibit the same vibrant color scheme and diverse traits. The undertaking for the Noodles project incurred a cost of 48.9 ETH.

Pukenza

An endorsed initiative named Pukenza provided members with a complimentary airdrop of generative art matching the main colors of their Doodle NFTs. This project incurred a total cost of 4.2 ETH and yielded a sum of 8,010 Pukenza NFTs. Doodle NFT holders were given until February 2022 to secure their free Pukenza.

The system permits only one Pukenza per Doodle. Those who claimed their Pukenzas gained the ability to customize accessories, alter background colors, and enhance other traits of their Doodles.

How does Doodles make money?

Now, let’s get to the juicy part – how does Doodles make money?💰 (No, flipping and rug pulling are not the correct answers)

The answer to this question is strongly related to intellectual property.

Think of popular trademarks such as Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, or Coca-Cola. Every time you see movies, books merch, or posters with them, know that the owners of the IP get a share of the profits. The same thing goes for NFT holders, in theory.

When it comes to NFTs, it’s quite challenging to fit them into the traditional framework of copyright law. To give more context, owning an NFT doesn’t mean holders have automatic control over the creative work. This creative control needs to be granted by the creator.

As such, NFT holders should pay attention to what IP rights, if any, come with owning the NFT.

For now, Doodles is keeping their IP close to their chests. The team argued that giving full IP rights positions holders for short-term gains, but it may cost the long-term success of Doodles as a brand. In a nutshell, Doodles is under copyright and trademark laws. You can read the terms & conditions here.

Another way of generating revenue is via royalties. Doodle earns 5% royalties from secondary sales which go straight to the Doodle Bank. NFT holders get to vote on which initiatives to hold from the Doodle Bank.

The mission of Doodles is to become a global entertainment brand. In just 2 years, Doodles has participated in the biggest NFT events and made groundbreaking collaborations.

In December 2022, Doodle made its appearance at the Art Basel Event. The event attracted a sea of Doodles holders who manoeuvred through a collection of futuristic putting greens. As they meandered across the different holes.

Another initiative which stemmed from Pharrell William’s implication is Doodles Records. While details about this presumed record label remain scarce, the introduction of Doodles Records: Volume 1 has been disclosed. This volume will showcase original music with executive production by Pharrell, complemented by hand-drawn album art courtesy of Scott Martin. Additionally, limited edition wearables for Doodles 2 will be included. In collaboration with Columbia Records, the inaugural volume will allow Doodles 2 owners to integrate the featured music into their new animated NFTs.

In the beginning of 2023, Doodles acquired the animation studio, Golden Wolf, which was previously the producer of the Adult Swim show Ricky & Morty. This acquisition is anticipated to enhance the project's narrative storytelling and character development endeavours. In collaboration with the creative studio Psyop, Doodles and Golden Wolf will introduce a new joint venture named Active Ingredient.

On May 26, 2023, Doodles collaborated with Red Bull to launch its first first-ever digital Doodle collection. The collection includes 61 unique pieces from Doodle Art finalists and costs $5 each.

Where can I buy Doodles?

You can buy Doodles on OpenSea.