A series of doodles by Japanese-American artist popodoodle. Rooted in manga and a fascination with the natural world, popodoodle’s illustrations focus on transformation and growth. While “Metamorphosis” started as a series of “silly doodles,” it reflects and ongoing exploration and attention to the quiet evolution found in nature.

“Just a scowling tadpole slowly evolving into stranger and stranger creatures. I didn’t plan for it to become anything serious, but it kept going. What began lighthearted turned into a full commitment. I had to squeeze out every bit of creativity I had to keep each new form fresh. I made a rule for myself to avoid using direct references. Instead, I relied on memory. The way I remembered animals, not how they actually looked. Each stage became less about accuracy and more about instinct. It turned into a visual journey of imagination, one evolution at a time.”

popodoodle participated in our 2025 Booooooom Art & Photo Book Award and made our shortlist.