Research, Google Doodle "Hedy Lamarr", 19 February, 2017

Jennifer Hom's Hedy Lamarr google doodle

on youtube

I like the lighting effects- photographer flashbulbs going off and the spotlight on her awards and patent, casting the stills of her movie roles into the dark.  The story of Ms. Lamarr's Hollywood career and her work inventing for the war effort is cleverly told- her patented "frequency hopping" method is now the basis of wifi and cellphone technology.  I THINK- I don't entirely understand it.

Interview with Jennifer Hom

You illustration work always has beautiful texture. What media do you usually work in? What is your process?

I mostly work digitally — this is both a function of my job and for the sake of efficiency. To obtain texture, I use scanned ink washes on paper, pencil on paper, or unique photoshop brushes. I don’t have a set routine for my work, I tend to change my process from project to project out of boredom. The most basic steps that I take, however, involve a series of thumbnail sketches, followed by a clearer sketch of the chosen composition, final lines, and loose color keys. If I’m happy at that point, I’ll clean up the edges, adjust colors, and add texture.

CNBC interview about the Hedy Lamarr doodle

Hom spent three and a half months devouring everything she could about Lamarr's life.

"Movies, audio books, documentaries, you name it," she said. "I then proceeded to sketch early drafts on a yellow notebook, create storyboards, then eventually transferring my ideas onto Adobe photoshop and meet with our team to fine-tune things from draft to reality."

The process includes color schemes, typography, forms, sizing and the timing of the animation. One hurdle all doodlers must overcome very early in the process is getting their ideas past Google's legal team. That is no easy task, as it involves navigating usage of third party content, intellectual property artwork, and estates.

"There's nothing more heartbreaking than having an idea shot down when we couldn't clear rights," said Hom.