Of course, we're talking about Draw Something, and with 50 million downloads in just 50 days it's fair to say that doodling has well and truly invaded our lives, to the point where - for some - it's becoming increasingly difficult to function without a quick sketch here and there. With this in mind, we've brought together seven sketchy websites to help you while away the hours. These sites use drawing to add an extra dimension to games, navigation, and other forms of interaction. If there are any sites you think we've missed, just flag them up in the comments. Enjoy!
01. Odosketch
Built by San Francisco based agency Odopod, this is the perfect way to indulge your creative side, and there are a host of great drawing tools at your disposal. Simply hit 'Create a sketch' on the homepage and you're taken to a blank canvas.
At the bottom of the canvas you can access different colours and brush thicknesses, as well as tools to erase, trash and save your work. Once you're happy with your sketch you can see your sketch recreated in Flash, and - if it's good enough - it may also get bumped to the site's homepage. (You'll need to register with Odosketch if you want to save your work, and have it submitted to the gallery.)
02. Sketchout
The Chrome Web Store team approached digital agency Fantasy Interactive (Fi) to create a HTML5 game that showcases the Chrome browser's support for emerging web technologies. According to the guys at Fi: "We created an immersive and fun take on a classic old-school game using Google's cutting-edge browser, Chrome."
The game is pretty simple. You have a home planet, and you need to defend it from an imminent alien invasion. OH NOES! It's a tried and tested story, as you try to break down the defences of an alien ship, but what makes Sketchout original is the way you take on the aliens. You can either draw 'constellation shields' to protect yourself from missiles, or - should missiles make it past your constellations - you use a secondary shield that forms your last line of defence. This is a great example of what can be done with gaming in HTML5, and the collision detection is spot on. The sketching might not be too complex for hardcore doodlers, but this is an annoyingly addictive game that's well worth checking out.
03. Rickard Sund
Using sketch as navigation is an idea that we first saw employed on the magenticNorth home page and it's a compelling way to give visitors a feeling of discovery and control. This portfolio for Swedish fashion photographer Rickard Sund offers a limited number of sketch-based controls, which is just enough to make the site fun, and not divert attention away from the star of the site: the photography. Built using CSS3, SVG, jQuery and HTML5 this sticks all the boxes for lovers of emerging web tech.
04. Rule the Stars
This is a quirky idea from C-Section, but one that we love. Rule the Stars enables visitors to crearte star constellations in virtual space, using simple lines and anchor points to create them. Once you've created a sketch/constellation that you're happy with, you can preview it in 3D space (dragging the screen to rotate the image). Once you're happy with your constellation design you can then email it to a a friend or loved one.
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05. Red Bull Soapbox Racer
This site, built by Less Rain to promote the world famous energy drink, may be a few years old now, but it's still bags of fun. The concept is pretty simple: build your soapbox racer and then pit your wits again The Bull (the default competitor) or go head-to-head with other racers who've added their cars to the site. You can either race with a default - and pretty boring soapbox - or go to the next level and start sketching out your own machine! Using the Box2D physics engine and Papervision 3D engine the Less Rain team has created a quirky, fun and engaging game for racing and drawing enthusiasts. Go race!
06. Draw a Stickman
Created by Hitcents, Draw a Stickman is a charming project where you create key elements of a simple story. First, you draw a stickman, who you will then guide through events and they unfold. Things start out simple, with you being tasked with drawing a key for our sticky protagonist to use, and then a balloon, but things get more interesting as the story progresses. And that's just in episode one! (With two episodes currently online.) Draw a Stickman is thoroughly engaging, and a great example of how an in-house project can put an agency in the spotlight.
07. The New Beetle 2012
We've definitely saved the best until last with this brilliant project for Volkswagen from Try/Apt. Promoting the new Beetle, this site invites you to draw your own car, and then guide it through a series of surreal scenes. You'll be chased by wasps. invited to draw flowers, and face some gentle ribbing. It's perfect for the Beetle's target audience, and the 'Summer of love' imagery works a treat.
And that's your lot. If you've got a site you think we should have included, please mention it in our comments.
