How doodling unlocks your imagination | Joe Whale

0:03Joe Whale: You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. When Joe Whale was a kid, he kept getting in trouble at school for the same thing. He couldn't stop doodling. He drew in class, in the margins of notebooks, everywhere. Until one day, a teacher, instead of trying to stop him, asked a local restaurant if Joe could draw on their big empty wall. What happened next made Joe something of an internet sensation.

0:32Elizabeth McLeod: That moment changed my life. I wasn't even trying to be an artist, but the important thing is how it started. It started with my imagination and parents who didn't disregard, but embraced my passion.

0:46Joe Whale: In his talk, Joe, who is now 16, shares what he's learned since his rise to fame as the doodle boy, and something that's starting to really worry him, AI and the loss of imagination.

0:56Elizabeth McLeod: I believe there will always be value in letting our imaginations be the true driver of our creations. Because imagination is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. But if you don't use it, it gets weaker and your body will rely on something else to do it for you.

1:14Joe Whale: Joe makes the case for protecting that muscle, for letting our imaginations, not a machine, be the starting point of everything we make. Because to Joe, the biggest value isn't really in the finished picture. It's in the making of it. And as you might expect, this is a visual talk, so I will jump in a few times to describe what's happening on stage. If you are able, it's worth watching, too. You can find it at TED.com. The talk is coming up right after a short break.

1:50Joe Whale: With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See CapitalOne.com slash bank. Capital One N.A. Member FDIC.

2:23Joe Whale: This message is brought to you by Apple Card. Apple Card puts the power of titanium in the palm of your hand. What does that mean? It means the power to earn unlimited daily cash back on your purchases every day. It means a materially different credit card accepted anywhere in the world. MasterCard is accepted. Ditch the plastic. Upgrade to titanium. Apply in the Wallet app on iPhone today. Subject to credit approval, Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch, terms and more at applecard.com. This episode is brought to you by Dell. Back to school starts now. Get long-lasting battery life on the Dell XPS laptop, powered by Series 3 Intel Core so you can work from anywhere.

3:04Joe Whale: Now starting at$699 with exclusive student pricing starting at$599. And it's lightweight, portable, and packed with enough processing power to make multitasking a breeze. So say goodbye to distractions and hello to more free time because you finished your work faster. Complete your setup with savings on select monitors and more must-have electronics and accessories. Limited time deals and free shipping on PCs and more await you at dell.com slash deals. That's dell.com slash deals.

3:43Joe Whale: And now, our TED Talk of the day.

3:46Elizabeth McLeod: When I was younger, I used to get told off in class for doodling. I couldn't stop. My teacher would always stop me from doing this, and it was really worrying because as a creative person, it's something that I do naturally. After a few weeks at my art class, I was booked in because I was having this trouble at school. My teacher suggested something unusual. There was a big empty wall in a local restaurant. She asked them if I could draw on it. They said yes. So I started filling the restaurant wall with my artwork. People would come in and watch me while they were eating. Photos started appearing online.

4:28Elizabeth McLeod: Then the local newspaper wrote about it. And suddenly, people all around the world were talking about this kid who couldn't stop doodling. That moment changed my life. I wasn't even trying to be an artist, but the important thing is how it started. It started with my imagination and parents who didn't disregard but embraced my passion. It started with the freedom to just draw, and that's what I want to talk about today, because the world is very different than when it was when I was first doodling 10 years ago. Today, it's possible to type prompts into AI, make anything, and feel creative, but I believe there will always be value in letting our imaginations be the true driver of our creations.

5:16Elizabeth McLeod: Because imagination is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. But if you don't use it, it gets weaker and your body will rely on something else to do it for you. Creativity is not encouraged today. It's not giving value. So it's easy to turn to the tools right in front of us and get an instant result. But you don't learn by going straight to the end. You learn from the journey. Everything begins with a thought, an idea, a meaning or a vision. That's your imagination, the beginning. And that beginning influences what you do from that point. It's freedom. Imagination is the first step and direction flows through the creation.

5:58Elizabeth McLeod: You're letting yourself literally wander wherever you wish the freedom to go anywhere. Because that first step is coming from you and not something else. What I can see is we'll be reliant to replace something we all need and all have. We'll be handing it off just because it's easier. And that worries me because for everyone growing up around AI, they'll see it as normal to sacrifice their unique perspective, becoming more and more shaped, even defined by what they can't control. I'm just going to show you something visually now.

6:32Joe Whale: Hey, Elise here. and throughout the talk, a blank canvas on an easel stands to the left of Joe. At this point, he pulls the top off of a large black marker and starts to draw. He starts with a circular shape with eight points, then adds a smaller circle and an eye-like shape in the middle of it. Everything is bold, thick black lines and simple shapes, which is his style.

6:54Elizabeth McLeod: I often start my artworks with a simple shape.

7:02Elizabeth McLeod: thinking something spiky here.

7:06Joe Whale: He adds two legs, squiggly arms and more.

7:11And then big eye like this.

7:19Elizabeth McLeod: Then I'll add some other detail. Often when I'm creating in the moment, it helps me feel very free. so I can just flow with each character in each line. In New York, as I've travelled, I've seen lots of people on skateboards, so I'm going to draw one of them. Then I'll add the wheels in there.

7:50Elizabeth McLeod: And then I often like to add icons, like a heart, I feel like it's very simple but very effective. And then I love these kind of eyes. An alien, like that. Then I'll keep this going. The arms. And then the legs as well. And with this character, I'll just start with another simple shape. Like so. I'm feeling this. This guy's not very happy.

8:30Elizabeth McLeod: And then what I like to do to balance an artwork, just add lines and shapes to just fill out the space

8:46Elizabeth McLeod: and movement lines, which give life to a piece, something I always use.

8:55Joe Whale: Try to imagine the finished product, the large white canvas brimming with thick black lines that create fun shapes like a sun, skateboard, heart, all with legs and arms, lines reverberating out from the middle. Whimsical, cartoonish, bold.

9:10Elizabeth McLeod: I hope we can all take a step back from AI and embrace what makes us truly unique, our ability to convert figments of our imaginations and turn them into impactful realities. We face this choice every day. So let's embrace this uniqueness, this imagination, and the creativity that brings us all together. Thank you.

9:39Joe Whale: That was Jo Whale at Play at TED in 2026. If you're curious about TED's curation, visit ted.com slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is a podcast from TED. This episode was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Lucy Little, Emma Taubner, and Tansika Sungmarnivong. Additional support from Daniela Ballarezzo, Christopher Faze-Bogan, Valentina Bohanini, Banban Chang, Brian Green, and Lainey Lott. Learn more at podcasts.ted.com. I am Elise Hu. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

10:21Joe Whale: Thanks for listening.

10:31Joe Whale: This episode is sponsored by McDonald's. For a limited time, you can try McDonald's new Caesar snack wrap for just under$3. It has that creamy, garlicky Caesar flavor with crispy chicken wrapped up and ready to go. Add in a Diet Coke, and honestly, that might just be my new go-to order. And sure, McCrispies strips with Caesar sauce are an obvious combination, but it got me thinking, what else at McDonald's deserves a little Caesar? Fries? Nuggets? Maybe even a burger? Now's your chance to find out. Try the new Caesar snack wrap and Caesar sauce, available for a limited time at participating McDonald's.

11:08Joe Whale: Prices and participation may vary.

11:38Joe Whale: Gone looks, the touchscreen controls, and customizable cleansing features offer a level of comfort and cleanliness that exceeds expectations. It's all about elevating those ordinary daily rituals into something extraordinary through thoughtful design. Kohler has been pushing these boundaries for over 150 years, mastering that balance of stunning form and high-performance function. That's a long time to get it right, and it shows in every detail. Experience the difference of Kohler Smart Toilets. Find out more at Kohler.com. With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One.

12:16Joe Whale: If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See CapitalOne.com slash bank. Capital One N.A. Member FDIC. bad nd you