QUICK ON THE DRAW

Joe Whale has turned his doodling into profit by becoming one one of Nike's youngest co-creators

- SIPHOKAZI ZAMA

HE WAS used to being told off for doodling in class – in fact, his parents sent him to an after-school art club after he was scolded for drawing during lessons.

It's a good thing they did because now Joe Whale has inked a lucrative deal with sports giant Nike. At just 12 years old, he's set to become a co-creator for the brand and help encourage kids to be more creative.

It's the latest in an impressive body of work: Joe has illustrated children's books, created artworks for public spaces such as hospitals and restaurants and even decorated the set of the American TV show Little Big Shots.

The youngster's talent was discovered in 2020 by a teacher in his after-school art club. Joe, from Shrewsbury in England, became an internet sensation when the teacher posted some of his work on social media. It caught the eye of a restaurateur, who asked him to decorate the eatery's walls with his doodles.

In just a few months, the boy's work went viral, and he now counts Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, among his fans. The royals were so impressed they hired him to record one of their tours in December 2020.

Sketching the tour was an honour, but it pales in comparison to signing with the biggest sports brand in the world. "This is one of my dreams. It feels good and I'm really proud of myself, Joe says.

“Nike is such a big thing and there'll be loads of fun stuff coming up soon that I'm really excited for. I just keep telling myself, 'Do what you love, do what you love - doodle.''

The Grade 7 pupil goes by the name The Doodle Boy on Instagram where he shares advice and tutorials on doodling with his 119 000 followers. “If you get stuck, look at your surroundings for inspiration and then you'll be able to carry on," he advises.