Photo Credit: FENDI
25 year-old, London-based artist Sam Cox, also known as ‘Mr. Doodle,’ is the latest artist to join FENDI in its F is for Fendi Rooftop Artist Collaboration. The initiative is a celebration of the House’s ties to graffiti art and Mr. Doodle—who doodles all over walls, rooms, furniture, cars, buildings and many other objects—provides an iconic addition to it. For his latest project, he doodles on FENDI HQ at Palazzo Della Civiltà in Rome, as well as a customized Peekaboo bag in canvas finish, marrying his world with FENDI’s. In an exclusive video below, Mr. Doodle shares his creative process, alongside his contagiously funny personality and his practice called “OCD,” which stands for “Obsessive Compulsive Drawing.” His doodles begin on a mirrored desk and continues to the FENDI Headquarters rooftop, and even to the entire Palazzo Della Civiltà Italiana building. Here, Haute Living also shares an exclusive interview with Mr. Doodle, who discusses what FENDI means to him, his time with the House and what the weirdest item was on which he doodled.
Photo Credit: FENDI
What does FENDI mean to you?
FENDI to me means luxurious fun.
How was doodling on the FENDI rooftop?
Doodling is always fun but doodling on top of the FENDI rooftop was particularly special. It was an amazing platform to be doodling on. Being there and seeing this magnificent building made me very excited to consume Fendi HQ at PDCI with my doodles.
Photo Credit: FENDI
Any anecdote from the days on set with FENDI?
On the first day of doodling I was drawing until about 2am, it was a really long day but I loved it. We had a great playlist of music playing whilst I was drawing with one of my massive markers and every so often I’d look over the view from the top of the rooftop and it was awesome. It was so dark on the roof that we had these lights beaming at the letters that I was doodling over. When I looked at the reflection on the mirrored letters, because of the night sky and the white concrete floor, it looked and felt as if I was drawing on the moon or something, it was a crazy feeling that I can’t really explain.
What was your first influence?
I think it was video games because when I was a kid I loved to play these games. Like Super Mario, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. I wanted to create a world of my own with imaginary characters and elements. I realized I really like to draw fun characters and patterns, and I think that’s what my first influence was.
Photo Credit: FENDI
Photo Credit: FENDI
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve doodled on?
When I was at University, I went around the neighborhood I lived in, a lot of people put a lot of things they didn’t want outside the house. Like old refrigerators, mattresses and things like that. I used to go out at 4.30 in the morning and draw on different bits of scraps and stuff people would throw away, and I drew on this really weird, kind of weirdly shaped, pink sofa. I think that was one of the weirdest things I’ve doodled on, because of the situation of it—not the actual object.
What made you call yourself Mr. Doodle?
I drew over my bedroom and all these different things when I was at University. About 4 years ago, my final year there, I drew over my clothes and I went to University dressed up in these drawn clothes. My tutor took a photo of me and he nicknamed me “Sam the Doodle Man.” Then, as I went on, that expression transformed into Mr. Doodle. I thought it was a catchy name people can remember and easily relate to my work.
What have been the biggest milestones in your career?
This is a pretty big one!
Photo Credit: FENDI
How many pens do you own? How many do you use in a year?
I probably use about four pens per day. So that will be like 28 pens a week on average. I draw a lot on digital as well. I always draw on my phone and tablet, so then I don’t use pens as much, but I do more physical drawings, I prefer it as well. When you get a sketch book out in a public place, it feels like you’re making a statement or something. People are watching. I don’t always want that! When I’m just travelling around, especially when I’m on the plane next to someone for a long time. But when you get a phone out, everyone gets their phones out, so I can just doodle on it.
Before becoming Mr. Doodle, what did you do?
I was drawing a lot still. Just as much as now. I did a lot of animations for music videos. Also, comic books. I did the graffiti stuff as well. I tried out a lot of different ways of working. I didn’t really believe in this style of work, even though this is what I always loved to make.
F is For…
F is for… Fun! I think a lot of artists don’t want to be fun, they want to be serious and want people to take them seriously. Which is fine. But I think it can be fun too. And I think making art and drawing is the most fun thing, for me, that you can do. I want people to have fun when they see the work too.
